Why Joy Reid deserves - and why I am giving her - the benefit of the doubt

[EffieBlack]

Last edited Thu Apr 26, 2018, 01:08 PM - Edit history (1)

1. She has no history of lying.

2. She has owned up to her comments in the past.

2. She didn't just deny making these comments or just deny them and claim she was hacked. SHE BROUGHT IN THE FBI. She's not stupid and surely knows that making a false report to the FBI is a serious federal crime that could land her in jail for years.

The FBI's not stupid either. If she were lying and she wasn't really hacked, it would take them about 45 minutes to figure that out. It's unlikely they'd still be investigating it.

3. Joy is a badass.

4. Joy scares some white people to death.

5. The people and entities pushing this. And that's all I'm gonna say about that.

6. Al Franken. And that's all I'm gonna say about that too.

7. She's earned it.

None of this is to say that these accusations couldn't possibly be true. But right now, all of the evidence I've seen points to a targeted but empty smear job against a powerful and influential African-American woman. And unless and until I see something more solid than I see right now, I'm giving Joy my full benefit of the doubt.

EDITED TO ADD #8. No one - her readers, her editors, other than commentators, etc. - seems to have any recollection of Joy ever writing such things nor did any of them respond to or comment on any of these alleged comments in real time. Wouldn't someone have said something at the time she supposedly wrote them? Or when MSNBC gave her a platform, wouldn't someone then pointed these out and objected?

[HipChick]

1. Nail hit on head...K&R

[hlthe2b]

2. Seeing what has been posted lately leaves me nearly in despair...

I too support Joy, BTW

My eyes are WIDE OPEN to what is going on.

[marshall]

30. She may truly not remember ever holding those views

Ten years is a long time. I imagine many of us would not recognize our past selves when our viewpoints have evolved so much.

[pnwmom]

33. But there were plenty of progressives back then who would have disputed those views.

Why was no one reacting to the posts in real time? Either positively or negatively?

[NurseJackie]

40. I know why.

Anyone who is honest knows why too.

[leftofcool]

3. Even if she said those things on an old blog, this is still a hatchet job

The fact that a certain crowd is already petitioning for her firing tells me all I need to know.

[revmclaren]

4. K&R

I support Joy!

Only! 2018 - 2020

[LexVegas]

5. We are watching a slow motion lynching of a genuine national treasure. nt

[EffieBlack]

8. They may not have realized what or who theyre dealing with

Not surprising that they’d underestimate a black woman.

But they’ll soon learn that when you come for the Queen, and the Queen has not sent for you, you had better not miss.

[kydo]

6. Agreed and how about reason #8

8. People change. What ever she thought ten years ago is not how she thinks on these matters now. No matter if they are true or not. I know my views on many things have changed over the past ten years. I call it growing, learning, maturing.

She scares people because she is good at what she does. She is being smeared.

[Stonepounder]

12. Totally agree. One name: Sen. Robert Byrd

[dsc]

17. He merely changed the group of people he was bigoted against

He went from hating African Americans in the 40's, 50's and 60's when that was considered OK to hating gays in the 80's, 90's and 2000's when that was OK.

[IluvPitties]

21. Byrd was a man of the past. He changed as much as he could.

[LostOne4Ever]

45. From one form of bigotry to another. Not much change. Nt

[IluvPitties]

20. I know that for a fact. I was a Republican about 10 yrs ago!

[haele]

7. Kick...

The "accusations" and purity pushes around her come from very obvious sources.
And I'm thinking RW media and Russ-bots are turning this into "duck season".
(Quack, quack, all you bots and fellow travelers out there)
For those who think her claiming she was hacked is "smoke", remember this - she has called the FBI on this.
And "falsely" getting the FBI involved, especially in this political climate with certain NY FBI members either being authoritarians with hard-ons against "liberals" or otherwise politically compromised by Russian Mob interests, can and probably would lead to jail time for anyone who is on the wrong side of the current administration.


Haele

[MFM008]

9. Notice how wingers attempt

To rid MSNBC of people of color.

[murielm99]

22. Not only MSNBC.

Need I say more?

[Tom Rinaldo]

10. I am with you on all of the above

OK, maybe I'm not as sure as you seem to be that the FBI should only need "about 45 minutes to figure that out" but however long they need they will be able to figure it out. And at least until then I agree with the points you make above. People need to back off on attacking Joy now. It unfairly causes real damage to her, and to the larger us. There will be an opportunity to revisit the matter if your confidence in Joy on this is somehow proved ill placed. You make a strong case for her position, but ultimately that shouldn't matter. She absolutely deserves to have her charges regarding hacking looked at seriously. In light of that she is very much innocent unless proven guilty.

[emulatorloo]

11. Well said. Especially the part about bringing in the FBI

[NurseJackie]

13. "5. The people and entities pushing this." -- Yes, THIS!!!!

5. The people and entities pushing this.

Yes, THIS!!!! I have to say, this particular fact was at the very TOP of my list. It was the thing that stood out and was the MOST OBVIOUS.

These "people and entities" have a bunch of butthurt, they're filled with jealosies, overwhelmed with resentment... they have an axe to grind and are eager to participate in any sort of revenge (no matter what form it takes.)

#GoJoy
#GiveThemHellJoy

[TheSmarterDog]

29. And they are not & have never been friends of Democrats, liberals & progressives.

[NurseJackie]

37. I think it's safe to characterize those "people and entities" as hating the Democratic party...

I think it's safe to characterize those "people and entities" as hating the Democratic party and everything it stands for. For many of those people-and-entities (for example: Sarandon, among other well-known political celebs) they will take advantage of every opportunity they have to smear and attack Democrats, or to insinuate that the party is corrupt or that the party lacks integrity. Additionally, those who take such pleasure and delight in attacking Democrats and the Democratic party will also frequently aim their smears and attacks directly at the most strong and vocal and loud defenders of the Democratic party, people like Joy Reid.

All I'm saying is that if you step back and take a high-level look to assess the direction from which these attacks originate, it's becomes much clearer to determine what their motivation is, and whether or not the attacks are honest. That's all.

[R B Garr]

41. Exactly, NJ! Who is doing this and what

are their motives. What do they stand to gain. Excellent assessment.

[peabody]

14. KICK!

The purity police on DU drives me crazy.

[NCTraveler]

15. Interesting thing about Franken and support....

Manchin was one of his most vocal supporters. Even after Franken stated he was going to resign Manchin publicly told him to walk it back.

I'm waiting to see more on this.

[Xipe Totec]

16. K&R

[Hekate]

18. Kicking this

I'm furious at the DUers from last night who were ready to smear Joy, and this morning are saying piously that of course she's innocent until proven guilty but...

Need to take a break.

[ProudLib72]

25. Did you notice from last night

the tendency was to immediately denounce? Even after all the other smear jobs, we still haven't learned our lesson. Always question the accusations. Wait until there is more information; do not jump to conclusions based on initial reports. And, for God's sake, let reason prevail over visceral reaction!

[Brogrizzly]

19. /agree

[joc46224]

23. Thank you!

I get sooooooooo tired of this sort of thing. The left seem to be so good at jumping to conclusions in an (apparent) attempt to show righteousness and purity (??). What is so wrong with waiting for more evidence to come out??

[peggysue2]

24. Definitely think this is a smear job and . . .

if those ready to grab the lynch ropes last night are walking some of the charges back? Maybe, just maybe the fact that Reid called in the FBI has something to do with that. The accusations are far more serious now.

I'm also wondering that in addition to being a vindictive vendetta by 'some groups,' if we aren't also witnessing a test case scenario. Someone on an earlier thread said something similar: Joy Reid today, Rachael Maddow tomorrow. And for those with a soft spot for the Trumpster, why not Jim Acosta the next day; he's been giving Sarah Huckabee Sanders indigestion? In fact, let's round up and stake anyone who has provided a negative slant on Bernie or the Trumpster or Jill Stein or whoever is a means to an end, the ending that various groups want for themselves, not for the benefit of the country or the majority of the electorate. What better way of doing that than shutting down journalists that simply won't get with the program?

It's also a great distraction tool from all those less than positive headlines.

I agree with Mineral Man: we need to keep our heads up and eyes sharp. This won't be the last volley and I have an awful feeling we're going to see more of this as November approaches. Chaos is a weapon.

[pnwmom]

35. Yes. There's no reason to think this would be a one-off. n/t

[CincyDem]

26. ba-boom !!! Hits it out of the park. 8 for 8. Thank you. By.

[Lunabell]

27. I agree.

She owned up to her previous remarks and I accepted her apology. I won't jump on the band wagon until the evidence is in.

[jrthin]

28. She definitely gets the benefit of my doubt. Also,

what "they" are ascribing her of saying seems out of character to her.

[TheSmarterDog]

31. K&R. The only ones who benefit are the fascists.

[Le Gaucher]

32. Seriously .. not a big deal .. and world has bigger problems

[musette_sf]

34. It is a big deal

and we are able to multi-task. Attempts to smear and silence Democratic media voices IS A BIG DEAL.

[Gothmog]

36. I stand with Joy Reid

[betsuni]

38. K&R

[Cha]

39. That's my point, too, Effie..

I really can't believe from what I know of her that she would keep up the charade of calling in the FBI if she didn't think that her blog was hacked.

She knows that if it's not true you don't call in the FBI.. that would be a federal offense to report a false crime/and or lying to the FBI.

[uponit7771]

42. K&R

[ismnotwasm]

43. K&R

[Scurrilous]

44. K&R