“JOURNALISM REGISTRY” BILL HIGHLIGHTS MEDIA HYPOCRISY ON LIBERTY ISSUES
|| By MICHAEL A. PITTS || I filed H. 4702, the RESPONSIBLE Journalism Registry, to highlight the hypocrisy and bias of the media when it comes to our U.S. Constitutional Bill of Rights. By observation, it is apparent that the media has become sensationalistic and editorialized in their reporting. This bill simply mirrors the S.C. Concealed Weapons Permitting Registry – same penalties and process, the only difference being where the registry is housed.
I also wanted to point out that many citizens are educated by bullet point or sound bite with little to no regard for research or factual evidence. Much of the media simply regurgitates the initial report with little research or factual analysis. The two initial interviews that I gave on the bill were to The (Charleston, S.C.) Post and Courier and The (Greenwood, S.C.) Index Journal. Both led their articles with paragraphs that had no connection to the issue but painted a biased picture from the beginning. This was picked up and repeated by other media outlets of all venues and audiences as if it were the Gospel. The first scream of all journalists was First Amendment (!) and the purity therein, repeatedly quoting ‘Congress shall make no law abridging the freedom of speech or press.’
This is the same media that consistently ignores the simplistic language of the Second Amendment which states that ‘The right of the people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed.’
I fully expected this reaction from the self-righteous and indignant mainstream media and diseased minded left wing lunatics. To give credit, not all followed the lead of the University of South Carolina’s journalism professor and the mouthpiece of the Press Association. While even right-wing conservative outlets took the bait, some acted responsibly – as did this website and WLBG Radio in Laurens County, S.C..
Let’s really examine the context of the bill and determine constitutionality.
This bill simply requires journalists to register with the state of South Carolina and adhere to their own professional ethical standard set forth by their associations. It does not limit or control reporting in any way. I do not believe this would be unconstitutional, however, the consistent erosion of our liberties through degradation of the Constitution, specifically the Bill of Rights, has to end. Weakening of the Fourth Amendment protections began under former president George W. Bush and were exacerbated by the administration of Barack Obama and then compounded by bills passed through the SC General Assembly. The President recently called for a nationwide gun registry and there are bills filed that would require a state-level gun registry. Both are wrong. To register journalists would simply continue that erosion and this trend must be highlighted and stopped.
Stalin and Hitler used this exact process of media manipulation to control the masses, stifling communication of a free press, registry and confiscation of firearms, then controlled by force.
I would like to thank the press for their help in demonstrating my argument.
Michael A. Pitts is a retired law enforcement officer who represents the voters of District 14 in the S.C. House of Representatives.
92 comments
Nice words, if only I could believe there was sincerity behind them.
Hey Mike, what kind of pro-gun bills do you plan to introduce this year, only to neuter them with harmful amendments down the road which render the bill more harmful than good for gun owners?
Just wondering…
This bill simply requires journalists to register with the state of South Carolina and adhere to their own professional ethical standard set forth by their associations
I still don’t understand why this is important to Pitts? Slippery slope in regards to First Amendment.Is the next step registering bloggers if Pitts deems them unethical by his standards?
The Civil courts are there to address libel by the media-just ask The Sun News in Myrtle Beach,writer David Wren and Wren’s go to guy on all things false/fabricated, BOZ. :)
Hi flip! What Pitts is trying to do is show how stupid and hypocritical the MSM is when they call for gun control and pooh-pooh the validity of the Second Amendment. In other words, he’s throwing their own shit back in their faces. I like his words but his actual deeds with regards to pro-gun legislation in play for quite a few years has been anything but pro-gun.
Thanks CIC.I get it now.
Are the national outlets going to be included and have to register? I can see Wilson going to the local Faux news station and telling them they have to stop broadcasting as they didn’t register.
You attack Boz as a person because you can’t beat his ideas. We all have you figured out already.
That and he got scooped out by other reports and couldn’t cover the story because he was busy reporting on gas prices between Columbia and Rock Hill.
Waiting for the national media to pick up on the amazing information you’ve uncovered about my total responsibility for The Sun News getting sued.
Hey, National Media who are around to cover the primaries! Over here! This guy pogo is a genius. I did it. I did it all. I got God knows how many federal agents, lawyers, journalists, bloggers and stumpknockers all worked up over nothing. So please help the flippy dude in his quest to make me a star.
Thankyouverymuch.
Giving yourself way to much credit.There were other lunatics that bought into the bull shit being spewed about a faux ‘Myrtle Beach Mafia’ and ‘Chambergate’. They never were.
Fantasyland must be a wonderful place to reside. Do I have to get a lobotomy to get there? You would be the expert.
Tell us Boz.What is the next BOZO created conspiracy and scandal being created in your mind? It should be fun.
How about MB is building a ski resort and Mosque with a new 1% biker tax?
Oh my!!!!
AND pogo abandons yet another Disqus account.
‘The right of the people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed.’
Everyone on both sides of the current paradigm simply pays lips service to a mostly dead document(Constitution) when convenient for their “point”.
So you’ll get various chimps squealing about “well regulated” in the same sentence as well as a justification for government control/regulation of guns.
Sure, as you point out, they see no such need for a limitation on the 1st(unless is conservative media, aka “traitors” among the right crowd)- but in the big picture few on the right and very few on the left care about that “goddamned piece of paper”.
Rightfully so in many ways, as the Articles of Confederation were better.
But even if the general public thinks that “the law” matters, let yourself not be deceived. It’s all a power game, winner take all, with constantly shifting rules.
Governance happens at the end of a gun and those in control of said gun will do damn well what they please if persistent enough.
Dear Full of Pitts
You write of “hypocrisy and bias of the media” / Well you and your fellow Cockroach bastards are certainly experts in hypocrisy and bias
You write “media has become sensationalistic” / Reckon your actions and the actions of your fellow Cockroach bastards in regards to the “Flag” and subsequent fallout was Saintly
You write “media simply regurgitates the initial report with little research or factual analysis” / Been in the House and Senate when your fellow Cockroach bastards have stepped up to the mike and not only regurgitated down the front of their pants but outright lied
You write “diseased minded left wing lunatics” / Takes one to know one, Cockroach
You throw “Stalin and Hitler” onto the table / I propose that you and your fellow Cockroach bastards no doubt have both of the sons of bitches on speed dial
You and your fellow Cockroach bastards spend 24/7 telling others what to do, when to do it and how to do it but fight tooth and nail to prevent any sunshine from shinning on your Cockroach activities
Just in case you missed it, the majority of people don’t care for elected officials. In fact if Stalin, Hitler and a Cockroach Legislator were on the Hangman’s platform at the same time, the cry from the crowd would be, hang the Cockroach bastard first followed by, let the other two go
have a nice day, Cockroach
jimlewis,owb
You’ve outdone yourself.
Must of had his feelings hurt. Smoke and mirror nonsense. Try helping the citizens who voted you in, I’ll respect you then, maybe.
How about a state registry for dumbass crackers? We can start with Mike Pitts.
I could go with liberals being ‘tatted’ up with the Mark of the Beast however not sure about a registry for the media.
We need a registry of Trump supports…oh wait, we already keep track of white people on government assistance.
FBI watches white supremacists like flip*** (the stars mean he’s a fake), they hate the Jewish people like Bernie Sanders. At least Sanders supports Israel.
His attorney watches dangerous stalkers like YOU.
^^^ D. Fannin, according to Flip, is Flip’s attorney.
He is pogo’s attorney.
Yeah, like pogo and flip are different people.
You’re catchin’ on now.
I’ve always know that pogo and flip are the same person.
Where we disagree is your belief that Terry Ward is these two “ID’s”, plus all the variations of “BigT”, “GrandTango”, etc.
Ward is finished on this blog, a flippy-dippy pogo the poser can’t get over it.
That would be a long list and every last person who voted for Pitts would be on it.
Let’s Parse and expound a bit:
“…JOURNALISM REGISTRY” BILL HIGHLIGHTS MEDIA HYPOCRISY ON LIBERTY ISSUES…”
Uhm, yeah – a “Journalism Registry” is unconstitutional and illustrates the idiocy of our legislature in finding time to debate such patently unconstitutional and frivolous bills.
“…I also wanted to point out that many citizens are educated by bullet point or sound bite with little to no regard for research or factual evidence…”
The reason they no longer pay attention to you cockroaches is the frivolous crap you clowns continue to pull – like this bill.
“…This is the same media that consistently ignores the simplistic language of the Second Amendment which states that ‘The right of the people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed….”
Amazing that you ignored the First Amendment, the one that reads: ” Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances
“…Stalin and Hitler used this exact process of media manipulation to control the masses…
Thank you for the lesson in media manipulation
Dr Gobbels, er uhmRepresentative PittsYou go Colonel. Let him have it.
Glad we can all come to an agreement that this is crap.
Hey, Mike Pitts…..Fuck you. You look like a flaccid penis with a mustache.
I’m just experimenting with the First Amendment.
GT looks similar but more erect than flaccid. LMAO!!!
Poor, poor, put-upon pogo doesn’t have Terry Ward now to tell him whether he’s supposed to revile Pitts or applaud him.
Poor waif. Pity him.
I disagree with Pitts and registering journalists.Just sue the fuck out of em for libel now that legal precedent has been set by Mark Kelley that a ‘public’ person can sue for damages and WIN!
Registering the press does not abridge the freedom of the press any more than does registering firearms abridges the 2nd amendment.
Or does it?
One could construe that the “…well regulated…” clause allows for some regulation of the right to own a firearm. On the other hand, “…make no law…abridging…” is pretty damn clear.
Nope.
Well-regulated affects the organized militia.
The right to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.
You do not need to be in the militia to keep and bear arms.
According to the control freaks, registering things does not abridge a freedom.
“..A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed…”
Again, the phrase “…well regulated…” can be construed to apply to the types of arms the militia possesses. The militia at the time was understood to include all free males between 18-45 years of age. While those men were expected to drill monthly, that seldom happened.
The various states specified that a man was to have a “firelock”, x numbers of rounds of ammunition (usually 20 or 40), flints, cleaning kits, knife, axe, etc. So a strict constructionist could allow some regulation of the firearm. Free men without the means to obtain a firearm were issued one from the armory (that’s why the British were marching to Concord and Lexington when Ol’Paul and company made their midnight ride – the British were going to the armories there to seize the weapons and prevent the Colonials from issuing the weapons held there)
That said, the implication is that the government could only order you to have one, not deny your right to have one.
The organized militia is a political entity. Citizens not allowed in the militia or who were not in the militia for other reasons, also had the right to arms.
Thus…the gov’t had power over the Constitutionally recognized organized militia, not the populace.
I beg to disagree and the law is with me. Read https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/10/311
(a) The militia of the United States consists of all able-bodied males at least 17 years of age and, except as provided in section 313 of title 32, under 45 years of age who are, or who have made a declaration of intention to become, citizens of the United States and of female citizens of the United States who are members of the National Guard.
(b) The classes of the militia are—
(1) the organized militia, which consists of the National Guard and the Naval Militia; and
(2) the unorganized militia, which consists of the members of the militia who are not members of the National Guard or the Naval Militia.
And Congress only has control over the organized militia, according to the Constitution.
And, ONLY when it is called to federal service.
Semper fi
I have been banned from “News Views”. I am up-voting your comments but when I go to your profile they are no longer blue. Have I been banned from even up-voting comments, or are my votes showing to you?
I just checked my profile and then went to the https://disqus.com/home/channel/newsviews/discussion/channel-newsviews/father_son_die_in_shootout_at_mississippi_gun_shop/#comment-2479103118 thread.
I don’t see you in any upvotes.
Weird.
K. It seems that I have been completely banned.
Weird. You are usually more polite than I am.
I know! The exchange that got me banned was actually very tame. I can’t believe you, and the two Williams have survived!
Maybe the person you showed up was a personal friend.
Deo, after you are banned you can no longer up vote on that thread, if you do they soon vanish. You can create another persona for that thread, (like Lee/Leo/etc) it is frowned upon by disqus but is often done. If caught they just ban you again.
Know-It-Alls are annoying little girls, aren’t you?
It cannot be so construed. The dictionaries of the time defined “well regulated” as trained and equipped. Nothing related to government. That said, I ask you, what is the subject of the Bill of Rights? Is it Press? Churches? Meeting places (wherever they may be)? Is it homes? Or, is it Rights?
Semper fi
Operative word “…equipped. ..”
Again I ask, What is the subject of the Bill of Rights?
In response to your 3 word comment, so what? As government does NOT equip the unorganized militia, who then must do it?
Semper fi
But the gubamint can specify how the militia is to be minimally equipped. I’m not advocating that they can deny your right to “equip” yourself as you choose, just that they can require a minimal equippage.
No, the government (if I’m misspelling it, please let me know) has authority to equip the militia, but has abdicated it’s responsibility. That does not restrict the Right of its members to do so for themselves, and it has no authority to require a minimum of equipment otherwise.
Again, what is the subject of the Bill of Rights? What is the subject of the 2d Amendment?
Semper fi
Being a strict constructionist, I always look at what the original intent was. The original understanding was that you and I are providing our own arms and armament. That having been said, we are in agreement otherwise.
I see nothing in your comment with which to disagree. I also believe myself to be a strict constructionist, with heavy emphasis on limited government.
Semper fi
There is some merit to Pittts ‘statement. It the media would be a little more responsible with what and how then report then we would not have idiots making these statements.
Now Scooter, Mama always said two wrongs don’t make a right. I maintain both Mia and Pitts are idiots wasting our time.
You got it.
Or Donald Trump and Sarah Palin.
I like how his ‘explanation’ just makes him look even more idiotic.
What a fucking moron.
Why is it people like Pitts cannot “clearly” state the entire second amendment when attempting to make an argument? Perhaps because they have no argument?
Today’s gun story: https://www.yahoo.com/news/video/mississippi-gun-store-owner-son-120612515.html
Isn’t it a mystery why they leave out the first half every single time?
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/south-carolina-barber-client-fatally-shoot-armed-robber-article-1.2507903
Let’s go for something closer to home.
That one warmed my heart, Taz. Thank you for posting it. I am of the opinion that there is frequently something to be learned from analyzing these situations to see what could have been improved upon or what lesson could be learned from it.
In this case, I take away a lesson learned in excellent tactics used by the barber and his immediate customer which gave them a tactical advantage. In one or more versions of the story I have read, the barber and his customer, the two legally armed citizens, apparently threw their wallets into a chair before being individually robbed by the two pieces of shit. This probably made them look extra cooperative to the bad guys and when the bad guys went to pick up the wallets, the two armed citizens opened up on them.
I remember thinking, “wish I’d have thought of that one”, but I didn’t have to. These guys did. If I should ever find myself in such an unenviable situation, I’ll keep the good guys’ trick in mind.
Here’s hoping they hit the one that got away and he’s found 10-7.
If you want a crash course on Media Manipulation, look at the State’s headline. You would think the Barber and his customer were the bad guys.
http://www.thestate.com/news/local/crime/article56200130.html
That would figure, from The State. Those guys deserve a medal, IMHO! They have made the Midlands a safer place for all of us! At least one down and not able to be a menace to anyone else! No parole, no probation, no second, third, tenth, or whatever chances.
The really interesting part is waiting to see if baby pictures and the hopes/dreams of the bad guy will be posted. I think the State will be on shakey ground if they go much further with their usual tactics.
I look forward to the day that worthless rag folds! I so tire of their flyers and other crap littering the road and my driveway.
I would not put the behaviors you note past The State.
Let’s. http://wate.com/2016/01/25/police-child-accidentally-shot-by-another-child-in-crossville-parking-lot/
And that definitely was not a gun free zone. So, that erases another justification for loosening the gun laws.
If you really want to make a point, why not pick a constitutional right that effects more people than just the press. This is an election year, so why don’t you do something like put up a bill that makes it as difficult as possible to exercise your constitutional right to vote. Oh, yea, you already did that.
When Trump leads your voters off a cliff then restricting Democratic votes is the only way the GOP can beat Hillary or Bernie. Hopefully Bernie wins, we need him.
Well Bernie Sanders, self-appointed hero and Sanders Clause to the everyman, has given a platform to a liberal-child sex sympathizer on his website. From The Daily Caller:
The article itself, written by Judith Levine, is quite mundane. Titled “Two Ways to Fix Income Inequality,” it calls for using government assistance or an increased minimum wage to improve the lot of America’s poor.
But Levine is best-known for the book she wrote 13 years ago, titled Harmful to Minors: The Perils of Protecting Children from Sex. Available in its entirety online, the book takes a host of positions on sexual matters that are at best well outside the American mainstream.
Levine describes society’s fear of pedophiles as overblown in the book, and argues child pornography is rarely produced, usually not very pornographic, and not worthy of heavy police pursuit. She also suggests lowering the age of consent and complained American society is too quick to condemn relationships between young teenagers and adults.
– See more at: http://www.teaparty.org/sick-look-bernie-sanders-just-pedophilia-supporter-125473/#sthash.UBjkTfCy.dpuf
Whether what you say is true or not, likely not, you can’t stop people from supporting you. Most serial killers and pedophiles are Republicans, (Sandusky for instance, Mark Foley for another instance) but that does not mean we should hold that against Republicans. Its not like they are asking for the support of pedophiles and serial killers.
Democratic State Senator Dan Sutton of Flandreau, South Dakota accused of fondling a male page. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/24/AR2007012401966.html
Carl Stanley McGee, 38, prominent gay activist, assistant secretary for policy and planning and top aid to democrat governor Deval Patrick of Massachuttsettes, accused of sexually assaulting a 15 year old boy in a steam room at a Florida resort. http://www.bostonherald.com/news/regional/general/view.bg?articleid=1072114
Bernard Vincent Ward, former chief legislative aide to Senator Barbara Boxer, self proclaimed “Lion of the Left” on bay area radio, admitted transgressions too numerous to mention. http://prosites-prs.homestead.com/ward_new.pdf
Davidson County Democratic Party Chairman Rodney Mullins resigned Thursday morning amid child pornography allegations, according to press secretary Jean Carter Wilson of the Davidson County Democratic Party. http://nashvillefiles.com/blog/archives/000808.html
Former Democrat Boston city councilor David Scondras is facing charges for attempting to lure a teenage boy over the Internet. Investigators said Scondras had several sexually explicit email exchanges with someone he thought was a 15-year-old boy. http://wbztv.com/topstories/Former.Boston.City.2.582093.html
Charles Rust-Tierney, 51, is a former president of the Virginia chapter of the ACLU from 2002 to 2005. On February 23, 2007, Rust-Tierney was arrested and charged with possession of child pornography. He pleaded guilty to one count of receipt of child pornography on June 1, 2007.[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Rust-Tierney
Andrew Douglas Reed, 53, a North Carolina Democrat activist plead guilty to a page-long list of counts of 2nd-degree sexual exploitation of a minor. Court records in the Asheville, N.C., case said he admitted that he would “record, develop and duplicate material containing a visual representation of a minor engaging in sexual activity.” http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=53070 Scott W. Ballo, a long-time spokesman for various Democratic political campaigns and a former communications director for the Oregon Economic and Community Development Department, was arraigned today in Marion County Circuit Court on two charges of encouraging child sex abuse (both misdemeanors) and one charge of official misconduct (also a misdemeanor), according to the court clerk’s office. The charges relate to pornography allegedly found on Ballo’s work computer when he was employed by the economic and community development department, according to a person familiar with the case. http://www.wweek.com/wwire/?p=9905
Mel Reynolds, House of Representatives (D-Il) convicted on 12 counts of sexual assault, obstruction of justice and solicitation of child pornography resulting from a sexual relationship with a 16-year-old campaign volunteer.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mel_Reynolds
Gary Studds Studds was a central figure in the 1983 Congressional page sex scandal, when he and Representative Dan Crane were censured by the House of Representatives for separate sexual relationships with minors — in Studds’ case, a 1973 sexual relationship with a 17-year-old male congressional page.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerry_Studds
What is your point? Surely you do not want to go one on one with sex scandals. The Republicans are king there. I will leave it at Google Republican Sex Scandals. My point was that the fact a person supports you means nothing other than they agree with you on enough things to support you.
Why do you think Democrats want ex-cons to be able to vote and Republicans are against it? Most ex-cons would vote Democratic.
First of all there is zero evidence for your assertion that persons with a criminal past will vote for any particular party. Second once a person has served his sentence and paid for his crime, why should he or she lose the right to participate in electing the government who will govern his country?
Republicans seem to have one rule for governing. Try to identify people we think will not vote for us and make sure they can’t vote or their vote will not count. That is why a 100+ year old black lady had to stand in line over 5 hours to vote in a minority district in Miami, while folks in majority districts in Florida had little or no wait.
Obviously the Constitutional right to vote, is not an important right to the Republican Party, unless its the right of Republicans to vote. Just one more reason not to vote for Republicans.
Protection of the integrity of your vote has just as much to do with preventing those not eligible to vote or ensuring that they only vote once as is protecting your right to vote. Your +100 year old lady may have her vote canceled by some one voting in the wrong district or ineligible to vote.
I’m tempted to reveal my own Democratic voter turnout efforts when I was a young fool, but using my own experience would be unfair since you can’t challenge it, but Democrats and Republicans know where there votes come from. I assure you.
As for lines at voter precincts, Richland was rhetoric opposite situation. Long lines and fewer working machines at conservative districts.
The history of voter fraud has been mostly a Democratic problem. Whether in Chicago, South Texas or anywhere else dead people always vote for Democrats.
Pitts is the new Welfare King for using state resources, i.e., our tax dollars, to engage in his incredibly small, petty and irrelevant jihad against his perceived enemies list. Nixon much there Pitts? You’re the pits, and a waste of time.
I still think Mike Pitts looks like Sluggo from “The Mr Bill Show”.
http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MTU1N1gxMzk5/z/cXUAAOSwPcVVhxdh/$_3.JPG
You insult poor Sluggo.
Sorry for being mean to Sluggo.
:-)
Even if Pitts and McCloud both made a mockery of the judicial process with their elaborate and expensive “political theatre” stunts, it’s for damned sure Mia looked infinitely better doing it.
It is not a coincidence that Pitts and McCloud are also the only legislators willing to write under their own names for this site.
Overall – a pretty weak attempt to walk it back. “Uh, uh, it’s just a joke, uh, uh, I just wanted to show how our Constition is being trampled, uh, uh, 2nd amendment, uh, uh, it’s not really a thing, uh, uh, it’s, uh, just a joke. Yeah, that’s it. It’s just a joke.”
” This is the same media that consistently ignores the simplistic language of the Second Amendment which states that ‘The right of the people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed.’ ”
Duuuumbass, do you consistently ignore that part of the 2nd Amendment that comes just before the clause you quote which says: “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State,…” ?
I agree. The 2nd Amendment is about as short and sweet and simple an amendment as exists. But, you prove you pick and choose the parts of it you want to pay attention to and ignore the rest; you do exactly what you accuse the media of doing.
Please don’t call yourself a strict constructionist or an originalist if you edit/censor out the parts you don’t like. You are neither.
Your argument fails on grammar (the phrase “A well regulated militia…” explains the urgency of the people’s right to keep & bear arms; it does not limit the right; see ‹http://constitution.org/2ll/schol/2amd_grammar.htm›), on the meaning of “well regulated” (see http://constitution.org/cons/wellregu.htm), and on the meaning of “militia” (see http://constitution.org/mil/militia_debate_1789.txt).
Mike Pitts—or as the indians know him…Waffling Dog…thinks his PC spiel and not voting on the flag will save his political hide
But Laurens County voters—not fools—know that hypocrites are NOT cool—and will politically cut him long, deep and wide !!!
A legislator complaining about misleading introductions, half-truths, and distortions with intent. Geez, can shamelessness get painted any more glaringly?