I am disturbed by a recent event involving the Belgian Minister of Defense (De Crem) and a NYC bartender (Bakker). If it is true the way Bakker tells it, then it really is disturbing....And to some extent, if its not true, De Crem's statements are still unsettling...
It seems that a drunk De Crem was in a bar tended by Bakker and he starting carrying on about how he was there on taxpayer money for a meeting he knew was canceled but he wanted to see the city anyway. She (Bakker) then blogged about the incident (its in Dutch), which incensed De Crem. He made a call to Bakker's boss and shortly thereafter Bakker was fired. Though De Crem claims that his call was not meant to get her fired - YEAH RIGHT! Forker. (Click here for more on the story).
De Crem went on to make a statement about how we bloggers are "a dangerous phenomenon in our society"...Uh, yeah....You think that drunken governmental officials (especially maybe ministers of DEFENSE) who go spouting off in bars are NOT DANGEROUS? Its the rest of us who might report the incident that are the danger...Hmm...could the danger be that your rep might be sullied and your bad behavior is exposed for all the world to see, rather than have it confined to the bar and the handful of people who Bakker, and other patrons, might have told? Maybe the danger is officials who cannot control themselves in public? Maybe the danger is really is the officials who ABUSE taxpayer money and then have the audacity to brag about it?
De Crem went on to say "We live in a time where everybody is free to publish whatever he or she wants on blogs at will without taking any responsibility" - First - saying whatever we want is a BAD thing? OMG. I dont' even know how to address how WRONG that is! Lets to back to censorship and book banning, can we please?
TAKE NO RESPONSIBILITY? WTF? How am I NOT responsible for what I say? I take responsibility for what I post. I think that many bloggers do...And yes, I might pause to think about what I post - just in the off chance it comes back to bite me later but even if I don't, I still take responsibility! And I don't think that Bakker would say that she takes no responsibility for her post. And damnit, she has every right to post it.
I am disgusted by the whole thing. Yes, I am a danger because I have an opinion and I like to share it. I am a danger because I have half a brain (on some days) and might actually write about something that happened to me or someone else....I hope this whole things continues to backfire right in De Crem's face - until he apologies to his country and to Bakker for being such an ass!
Maybe, De Crem, you need to think about your poor behavior rather than focusing upon those who observed you. And had you not made a big deal about this, I think the incident would have slipped by most of us as we get caught up in the holiday madness. And while you're at it, De Crem, take some responsibility for YOUR ACTIONS!
