mrswdk wrote:jimboston wrote:The other is entertainment, and a ridiculous debate about the “right to privacy” of people (“royals”) who by the very nature of their existence are NOT private citizens.
So are we to take it you are fine with the news media snooping on people's voicemails and publishing their private correspondence with family members if those people happen to be famous?
Obviously the public needs some government oversight in order to be informed voters.
Stealing and publishing classified intelligence documents = oversight?
jim appears to be on the 'the press should be able to do anything they want' side of the argument, then.
You appear to be on the “take things to extremes” side of the question.
Did you actually red what I wrote?
OK... so don’t take my comments to extremes when you know they aren’t intended as such...
Also, do address the point, which is Tabloid reporting and legitimate Newspapers are two different beasts.
The news does play a vital role in democracies and the many Gov’ts (Including the US and Australia it seems) are happy to suppress them without thinking about the long term consequences.
The British Royal Family (BRF) is a special case of ‘famous’... they aren’t actors or athletes or musicians. They are granted some special status because their ancestors were stronger than your ancestors and they were better at oppressing people and taking their stuff. Facts! Read a bit about the history of kingship in the UK... especially the early rulers. I specifically don’t have any sympathy for the BRF. That said, I do believe (and stated as much earlier) that the Tabloids go to far. So no... I don’t think it’s OK for Tabloids to snoop into people’s private conversations. I do think though the easiest solution to this problem for the BRF is to simply dissolve the Royal Family and recognize the fact that they really aren’t special.
Snooping to uncover government misdeeds or mismanagement = Good
Snooping to uncover what Princess So and So thinks about Princess Such and Such = Not Good
(addendum... but I don’t really care because it doesn’t affect me)
Again, mrswdk... I believe you are better than your remarks make you appear, and I don’t think you really believe half of what you’re implying you do believe in your OP.