The ‘Lizzo Playing James Madison’s Flute’ Controversy: A Blogger’s Analysis

Gold, I tell you.

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As my second week as a staff writer at The Dispatch comes to a close, I need to confess. I’m … not really a writer.

Some of you will have already noticed.

Jonah Goldberg is a writer. Kevin Williamson is a writer. I’m a blogger. Bloggers have different talents than writers.

We value writers for their prose and their insight. We value bloggers for their speed, their efficiency at curating news, and their ability to formulate strong political opinions—“takes,” we might more aptly call them—about literally anything that might turn up on the Drudge Report or in the average news junkie’s Twitter timeline.

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Comments (348)
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  1. Lemuel

    Nick,

    Be who you are. "The Dispatch" gave you your own real estate here, and some significant subset of your new readers is... your old readers. When I ponied up and crossed my first and only paywall, I did it in anticipation of having access to your continued pontifications on the full gamut of topics you've always covered... as I have had for a decade and a half at your old haunt.

    I've also read and watched Jonah, Kevin, Steve, David and others over the years, but it was your intellectual honesty, unique style and breadth of subject matter that opened my wallet.

    You are and have always been a writer. Mark Twain was no less of one for his accessibility. Please don't discard the things that have made you special in pursuit of a more "acceptable" style. Let those things be the foundation on which your inevitable growth here relies.

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  2. PeterPommes

    I don`t care what flute she plays, but I`d prefer she had a little more clothing on. Don`t like to see that much of a woman.

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    Ben Connelly

    I’ll vote against the blog. Nick, I think this blog-style newsletter is a great compromise. Other newsletters sometimes have a similar quality that I enjoy. But as much as I respect Jonah, I don’t like NR’s corner. I really don’t care about hot takes and find there’s little that can be said of value in 100 words. I like the slower approach to information gathering and opinion formation.

    In this particular case, I am glad I read this newsletter. It is the only thing I have read about Lizzo’s flute-playing and you have done me a great favor by giving me everything I will ever need to know about the incident. I’d rather not know what the latest hot topic is on any given day, especially not within the hour.

    “ Jonah Goldberg is a writer. Kevin Williamson is a writer. I’m a blogger. Bloggers have different talents than writers.”

    Don’t fool yourself. You put out thousands of words a day and other commenters (some of whom also happen to be writers as well) have noticed that you do have a certain talent for wordplay. You’re a writer.

    “ Some conservatives who complained about the incident doubtless would have been fine with a black woman, including Lizzo herself, playing Madison’s flute in a more dignified setting like an orchestral concert. What they object to is the cultural milieu. If we’re going to bring an artifact of the Founding Fathers out of storage for someone to use, the recipient should treat it more reverently than to play it while twerking, bare-cheeked to the world.”

    I feel similarly. At the end of the day, I’m glad she did it, but I wish it had been more tasteful and respectful. I could do without the revealing outfits. I’m not a prude - but everything has a time and place.

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  4. John

    Bring back blogging! Also, I learned 1. who Lizzo was 2. that Lizzo was a classically trained flautist adn 3. that James Madison had a crystal flute. I can not imagine why it is bad for her to introduce this to young people who pretty much know nothing about the country's history.

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  5. SN

    I think the "powers to be" should allow AH to write in whatever medium he feels more comfortable (and more impactful). After all I am here to read AH, period.
    PS. I haven't laughed so hard in a while :-)

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  6. Brooklyn Expat

    No hot takes please. That’s not what we’re here for. Blogs can be thoughtful and timely when they are curated by people who are experts in their fields - but then it’s not a hot take.

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    Theirn Scott

    By hiring you I suspect "the powers that be" are planning to "have their cake and eat it too."

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  8. Emma

    Lizzy did more to get kids interested in American history than Heritage, Hillsdale and the kochs creepy nonprofits combined.

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  9. linda

    Let's be clear. It is pure snobbery and elitism to deny those among us who love AllahNick blogs. The rest of you tall foreheads don't have to read it. You sniffers among us will no doubt comment anyway because you can't help yourself. He's just that good. I dare you to ignore his columns. I double dog dare ya!

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  10. The Sean

    If this is a blog post, it is poorly done. If this is an essay, it is dreadful. That a reader cannot tell is a problem.

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