Whom do you trust?

Back in the 1990's I would fly for both business and pleasure. There was one airline I used from time to time that flew primarily around my part of the country. While that airline had a good reputation at the time I noticed a pattern. Almost every time I flew on that airline, the flight would be late -- not fifteen minutes late, but late that enough another few minutes would have made the airline liable to compensated passengers. It was always something such as a burned out light bulb that would would take almost three hours to fix.

Then came the news that one of their planes had crashed. The investigation showed that something in the control system had broken in flight. Investigators found that due to financial constraints, the airline had reduced its maintenance regimen and that much of its maintenance records were falsified. That airline's reputation has yet to recover.

I understand that profit is important to business. The main reason for being in business is to make money. Whatever the business is, quite frankly, is secondary. However, doing that business well involves giving people what they expect from that business. Either make the investment to do that business well or let customers know that they should lower their expectations.

In the 1990's, John Carlson hosted the afternoon show on radio station KVI -- at the time the only conservative talk radio station in Seattle. One day Carlson was not there. In his place was morning host Kirby Wilbur and mid-day host Michael Medved. They told listeners that Carlson and KVI had failed to come to terms for a new contract. At that time, there was a ballot initiative that was considered to be "anti-gay." Carlson was one of the sponsors of that bill. While Wilbur and Medved condescendingly tried to assure listeners that politics had nothing to do with Carlson's leaving KVI, callers were -- to use modern vernacular -- "ratioing" the two saying "It's all about the ballot initiative, isn't it?" Finally, Wilbur said something along the lines of "It's not that hard to understand, people. They just couldn't come to terms on a new contract."

John Carlson photo: KVI.COM

 

It only took a couple of weeks before it came out that the station had warned Carlson that it was not proper for him to use his position at the station to promote a ballot initiative he sponsored. He continued to do so and he had, in fact, been fired for that reason. If the station had just come out and said so at the outset or at least had kept their mouths shut and made no comment about, listeners would have understood and probably agreed with the decision. However, the station's reputation as a bastion of truth took a serious hit. Carlson has since returned to the station.

Recently, Steven Crowder made a controversial video about his turning down a contract from a "conservative" company because provisions of that contract required Crowder to take personal financial hits if his activitiess lead to demonetization by YouTube or loss of revenue because of advertiser boycotts. The Daily Wire later made it know that they were the company whose contract was discusses by Crowder. Crowder then recorded a phone call from Daily Wire CEO Jeremy Boreing. Much has been made about how there apparently was a figure to which Crowder would have agreed, implying that there was a price at which he would have "sold out." Never was it mentioned that perhaps Crowder knew that, in all likelihood, he would have been demonetized and boycotted and that was the figure at which he felt he could have still maintained his efforts.

 

Steven Crowder Photo:LouderWithCrowder.com

 

Mark Steyn is internationally known to speak with a cutting wit about current events. Many people know Steyn from the number of times he filled in for Rush Limbaugh. One of his more recent stints was a show on GBN in the UK. Often on his program he would speak to people about the damage caused by COVID vaccines. This content led to GBN to being fined by a government agency. When Steyn, who had recently recovered from two heart attacks, returned to GBN the program bosses wanted him to agree to a change in his contract. This change would have him agree to pay  any government fines. Steyn said "No thank you" and left.

Mark Steyn Photo: Foxnews.com

James O'Keefe founded Project Veritas to dig and get the stories that no one else would get. His organization used hidden cameras and microphones, a technique long used by outlets ranging from local consumer reporters to 60 Minutes to get people to express things that they would never knowingly express for publication. However, because a conservative outlet was using the techniques it is now considered to be unacceptable.

James O'Keefe Photo: sharylattkisson.com

O'keefe has recently been suspended by Project Veritas. The board of the organization is considering whether to fire O'Keefe. At issue is that O'Keefe has been accused of buying the "stolen" diary of the President's daughter, even though it has been long established that the diary had been abandoned -- not stolen (similar to the claims that Hunter Biden's laptop which, while not being his, had been stolen from him). At least in the O'Keefe case, contributors to Project Veritas are fighting back. They realize that without O'Keefe the organization means nothing.

I understand that businesses and organizations need money to survive. They also need a base that can depend on them. What would have happened in World War II if pilots flying bombing missions over the enemy were told that they were personally responsible for any damage to their planes? Why would anyone bother? I would hope that these organizations would tell detractors to "bring it on." If conservative organizations want to fold like cheap suits then don't blame people for not trusting them.

Lawfare is a danger in the world today. Organizations should either stand up for what the profess to represent or find another line of work.