Dean Esmay has scored an interview with Swiftie Van Odell wherein he shows through action just how responsible lay journalism can add to the wholeness of the media. Reading through the interview I can say that Dean has conducted himself very well. So well in fact, that without the requisite “exclusive” note at the very beginning one would may get the impression that it could have been lifted entirely off dead-tree media. Conversely, it’s worth getting into the papers as well.

Here’s my choice excerpt:

DW: Do you think all Viet Nam vets who came to oppose the war were finks?

VO:No! As a matter of fact, everybody has a right to protest a war. What they don’t have a right to do is to lie about their fellow soldiers in such a fashion that it affects them in the field of battle and affects them in a prison camp.

Things that POWs were tortured to be forced to say are things John Kerry said freely to the Senate and to the TV cameras and guys were sometimes tortured back in prison camps showing them that.

I would say that any American has a right to say anything he wants about a war they want to but they do not have a right to lie about what soldiers are doing in the field.

Responsible speech, dear friends, promotes, strengthens, and enriches its freedom.