One thing that comes to mind in reading Glenn Greenwald’s latest takedown of the Washington Post is that the conservatives at the Post don’t live up to their own creed. In essence, conservatives believe that people need to have respect for their institutions. Therefore, it’s dangerous if people do things to undermine that faith, like failing to wear ties in the White House or having sexual relations in the Oval Office. Sometimes, as with Iran-Contra or the authorization of torture and illegal warrantless surveillance, it’s best for the media to just let it go, lest people begin to believe that their government is unworthy.
But, when people see that there is one form of justice for the rich and powerful and another form of justice for ordinary citizens, that also undermines their faith in their institutions. That’s why most people agree with Fred Hiatt that Roman Polanski should face justice for drugging, raping, and sodomizing a 13-year old girl, even if the crime occurred 32-years ago. Why should he get a pass just because he’s rich and talented and has powerful friends?
But Post columnists Richard Cohen and Anne Applebaum see things differently. They will defend the rich and powerful when they commit crimes. They want to see these people walk, whether they be Polish film directors or government officials who have committed perjury and obstruction of justice. As for Hiatt, he makes a distinction between liberal Hollywood types, who he thinks should go to jail, and government officials, who he thinks should be above the law.
Greenwald nails it with this:
How strange to watch Post editors stand tall in opposition to the easy targets of vapid celebrities and “the French” while steadfastly ignoring the equally twisted (at least) Polanski defenses coming right from their own Op-Ed backyard. But the last thing that ought to be surprising is to find defenses of morally depraved acts on the Op-Ed page of the Post; that is, after all, its essence.
Sadly, that’s true.
