New Petition For Google
I received this in the mail:
Dear Google,

I am a regular user of Google News and find it to be an invaluable
resource. Because people like me value credible, reasonable reporting,
please consider eliminating Islam Online as a source for Google News. The
following headline and article should show why it is not even remotely
credible:

US Offensive In Najaf 'Genocide': Law ExpertsAssuming that Google employs Armenians, Jews, or Rwandans, it would be
wise to place their dignity above the dubious value of cynical, hateful
propaganda. Please feel free to contact me with any questions.

[author withheld]

I have trouble agreeing with the author here, because I have never been able to understand the difference between news and opinion. Isn't all news opinion in some sense? And isn't it best to get incorrect news out in the opinion so it can be criticized. I think the complaint many may have is that yes, bad news should be criticized, but there hasn't been enough of that done recently, so the effect is to have the public begin to believe in lies. While that may be true, I think the solution may be to spend more effort getting the truth out (perhaps though media ads?) than to begin silencing critics. But I am open to persuasion otherwise.