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A lively discussion has been going on for a couple of days on the Media Bloggers Association email discussion list, about whether or not the organization should have code of ethics.
Next thing you know, several members have their knickers in a twist and Dana Blankenhorn decides to air the group’s laundry on his blog. And Jeff Jarvis, whom Blankenhorn attacked, responded on his blog.
I’m not talking about who’s right and who’s wrong. I’m talking about bloggers feeling that it’s ok to bring a conversation between members of a group into a public forum and start throwing stones. MBA president Robert Cox accused members of the group of ignoring “the offer to be part of the team that deliberates on a particular topic and instead create strawman and engage in what amounts to the rhetorical equivalent of ‘drive by shootings’.”
I think the discussion should have stayed on the MBA list until a real proposal was on the table. During the disussion phase, viewpoints are presented and minds are sometimes changed. That’s why it’s called discussion.