Notes From D.R. | Random Thoughts on the Passing Scene

Margery Eagan, like Howie Carr and Peter Gelzinis, has been an institution at the Boston Herald–a voice that defines the newspaper. She’s probably most famous for taking heat from conservatives, particularly traditionalist Catholics, for her progressive views on religion and social policy. I haven’t always agreed with her take on the issues of the day–but there is a difference between disagreeing with her and personally attacking her.

In yet another depressing example of the extent to which ideological intolerance has defined coverage of the 2006 Massachusetts gubernatorial election, the pro-Deval Patrick website Blue Mass. Group today brutalized Eagan in response to her mild criticism of the site. Blue Mass. Group’s overreaction to Healey’s criticism exposes the operators of the site as being profoundly thin-skinned–and deeply hateful.

Earlier this week, Eagan criticized the site for reading racism into a sophomoric stunt recently pulled by a handful of Kerry Healey supporters. Eagan’s criticism was fairly restrained–but in response, Blue Mass. Group attacked Eagan as a sloppy columnist, a borderline bigot, and an arrogant, self-loathing human being.

This line of attack is as pointless as it is perverse. Say what you will about Eagan’s opinions, but she has proven herself as a reporter and as a columnist. It’s fair to challenge her ideas, but there’s no excuse for challenging her integrity.

This is not to say that Eagan is above criticism–no one is. However, there’s something fundamentally unsound and fundamentally illogical about attacking Eagan’s character in this manner.

Blue Mass. Group’s response to Eagan is filled with blind rage–rage over the fact that Eagan, like her colleagues Gelzinis and Carr, does not bow down to Patrick as though he were a deity, rage over the fact that she has raised questions about Patrick’s platform in her column and on her popular talk radio show, rage over the fact that Eagan had credibility long before Blue Mass. Group existed and will have credibility long after Blue Mass. Group is gone.

Eagan deserves far better than what Blue Mass. Group gave her. They should have responded to her claims with erudition. Instead, they responded with evil.

UPDATE: Another repellent Blue Mass. Group attack, this time on Kerry Healey’s past in Florida. Plus, Hub Politics on Eagan.