po: Free Speech (for Staff) Dead in Oregon?

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PurpleOregon is a place where Oregonians can talk politics and policy without being colored by partisan politics.

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When the national debate raged over whether to ratify the Constitution, the most eloquent writing on the subject came from an anonymous figure named Publius. Publius was actually Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison. Their ideas and writing, though anonymous, were no less reasoned and no less poignant than any attributed essays.

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July 24, 2006

Free Speech (for Staff) Dead in Oregon?

A not-so-interesting debate is raging over at BlueOregon on the significance, or not, of a recent Zogby poll on the race for Governor. But it has highlighted an issue we at PurpleOregon find deeply concerning, that of free speech for those of us "in the biz".

A commenter over there, under the name DifferentSalemStaffer, makes the comment, "I'd be fired for expressing my personal opinions." This is not a unique problem. We at PO were invited to be on Thom Hartmann's radio show on KPOJ, but alas, we have the same problem. Our reliance on "the biz" for financial reasons makes it impossible for us to comment, except anonymously.

Anonymous writings are not new to politics, as our sidebar explains, nor are they less compelling. If you desperately need to know if a comment was posted by a republican or a democrat before you know what to think about it, you probably aren't getting our point.

But the comment makes us curious, have staffers been intimidated into supporting the status quo? Do you risk your job if you support someone in another party (or none at all)? Has anyone out there been told, "Support Westlund and you'll never work this state again?"

Anonymous postings welcome!

Posted by Violet Grey on July 24, 2006 | Permalink

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