Talk:Russell Baker

Latest comment: 5 years ago by Davecat4 in topic re "Career"


re "Career" edit

Surely the early part of Baker's career, with the Baltimore Sun--including his coverage of Queen Elizabeth's coronation--deserves a mention? Assuming so, it would be nice if someone knowledgeable would add it. (All I know about that I found at http://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/sun-magazine/bs-sm-russell-baker-20120513-story.html#) Some early life details would also be welcome. Davecat4 (talk) 15:01, 9 July 2018 (UTC)Reply

re "Praise and criticism" edit

Noam Chomsky accused Baker of "genocide denial with a vengeance" after the latter praised the work of Edmund Morgan, who wrote: "In the limitless and unspoiled world stretching from tropical jungle to the frozen north, there may have been scarcely more than a million inhabitants." Chomsky notes that Morgan's figure of one million is "off by many tens of millions", meaning he and Baker are denying the genocide of many millions of indigenous Americans.[7]

Chomsky's point may well be a valid one, but I question whether objecting to a statement made by a reviewer (Baker) in a review of a book written by a third party constitutes an overall evaluation of the reviewer's career or work, especially since Baker isn't a professional historian. Does this really belong here? 850 C (talk) 20:21, 9 May 2014 (UTC)Reply

I agree. It is an example of the fallacy of association. Unless there is an objection raised in a timely way, I plan to remove this paragraph. --Cantabwarrior 23:08, 29 September 2014 (UTC) — Preceding unsigned comment added by Cantabwarrior (talkcontribs)
I have now removed the Chomsky quote. --Cantabwarrior 13:43, 2 November 2014 (UTC) — Preceding unsigned comment added by Cantabwarrior (talkcontribs)