Marta Steele writes:

Great on Roberts, but did you have a way of reaching all the senators with it? Too bad the news didn’t surface sooner. Who knows if it would have made a difference.

On Karen Hughes, ABC showed a clip of a Muslim reporter interviewing her. The reporter asked the excellent question “Is Iraq better off than it was before the invasion?” Hughes seemed nonplused, then resorted to begging the question. “Ask the Iraqis,” she answered.

But they’ve already answered, n’est-ce pas? I hope she keeps it up, well publicized.

Liv Owen writes:

I hope your week is going well — I’m thinking critically after seeing your documentary on Sunday. Thank you so much for coming to Skidmore and being willing to answer so many questions about the film. I appreciated it so much, since I am also somewhat of a news critical analyst. I don’t do it for work, but I do find alternate viewpoints interesting, especially when it becomes clear that the “real” story is being sneakily hidden from or misrepresented to Americans.

I’m showing your documentary to a group of women I am working with on a dance piece about the difference in freedoms that American students living in the U.S. have and the freedoms that American students in the U.S. military in Iraq have. This dance will illustrate the disconnectedness between the two groups, as well as abuse of freedoms, and will also exemplify the role the media COULD have in bridging the knowledge gap between the two but don’t.

Grayson Hurst Daughters writes from Atlanta:

As a former ABC Newser myself, I’d like to be at the Atlanta event/screening of your movie tomorrow night. I’m out of town though this wknd. Too bad. Am hoping to have a chance to see it soon though.

Have you seen anything, anywhere, about a bit of interesting news that Bob Woodward/WNT happened to catch on tape while he and a crew were at the NOLA convention center on the Thursday just after Katrina hit?

The buried bit was about how National Guard (?) troops appeared on the scene at the NOLA convention center on the Thursday following the hurricane and immediately went barging in to rescued a “Spanish diplomat” and his family. They took the family out, then just left the scene entirely. That was it. Nothing else in the way of relief for those people for another 24 hours at least. I’ve yet to find out anything more about this fascinating item.

Here’s my typically loopy take on it all:
http://spaceygreview.blogspot.com/2005/09/soggy-vampires.html

Hope your Atlanta screening goes well. It’s good to know about MediaChannel.org and the work you are doing.

GEORGIA ON MY MIND

These screenings have been great and I am doing more. I will be in Atlanta today, September 30. First stop is a talk at Georgia Tech’s Clary Theater (at Tech Tower) at 1 PM. At 4, I will be joining a protest at CNN headquarters calling for better coverage of the war.

At 7, WMD screens at Georgia State University’s “Cinefest” at the University Center , 66 Courtland Street.

Special thanks to organizer Heather Gray who has been raising hell in Hotlanta since the anti-apartheid movement. There will be a number of sponsors, including WFRG, Radio Free Georgia. Call 404-523-3471 for more information.

‘THEY SAY IT’S YOUR BIRTHDAY’

September 30 is a special day for the Schechter clan. My dad’s late brother and my Uncle George were born on this day, as was brother Bill, who teaches in the Boston area.

With much love, I pass on this small story, since George is in the Bible Belt (thanks to Korsheid for sending it my way).

Say amen:

ONE DAY IN HEAVEN

Powell, Rice and Bush go to Heaven.

God addresses Colin Powell first. “Powell, what do you believe in?”

Colin replies, “Well, I believe that I should have spoken out loudly when I realized that the war in Iraq was based on misinformation and the greed of the corporate powers that influence our government. It was a disservice to America and the world. And I’ve come to understand that now.”

God thinks for a second and says, “OK, very good. Come and sit at my left.”

God then addresses Rice. “Rice, what do you believe in?”

Rice replies, “Bla-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah! And I believe in forgiveness. I’ve shamelessly sinned to attain power, I covered and lied to the world for the President in exchange for power and position, and I hope no grudges are held
against me.”

God thinks for a second and says, “You are forgiven, my daughter. Come and sit at my right.”

God then addresses Bush. “Bush, what do you believe in?”

Bush says, “I believe you’re in my chair.”

Have a great weekend. See you next month.

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