Posted: Oct. 18, 2007

REPUBLICAN MANIPULATION 

The dawning of the Internet is like the splitting of the atom – a wonderful discovery with a limitless possibility for good or ill. 

The Internet can provide more information and insight than any single human being ever could absorb. It also can provide an opportunity to manipulate its contents for selfish ends. 

The Delaware Republican Party has gone down the wrong path. 

The Republicans appropriated a story from Delaware Grapevine to put on the Website of Joanne M. Christian, their candidate in the special legislative election Nov. 3 for the seat last held by the late Sen. James T. Vaughn Sr. 

The Republicans did not take the story, the whole story and nothing but the story. Instead, they corrupted it. 

They posted excerpts from the story, “State GOP Chooses School Board Leader for Special Election,” portraying their party and their candidate in a favorable light, and they excised unfavorable commentary. They did not provide a link for readers to avail themselves of the full context. (The story was removed after this posting.)

This is the Internet. This is a democracy. Both benefit from the free exchange of speech and ideas. The Republicans, like anyone else, are welcome to link to Grapevine stories and other features, but they are not welcome to manipulate them.

The Republicans may not care about integrity, but Delaware Grapevine cares about its own.

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