PRESS THE PRESS—FORGET IT

Stephen writes in response to my article on the Iraq War:

” I totally agree with most of your article ‘America is losing Iraq: is anybody watching?’ . Where I disagree is your closing comment as follows:

“Now is the time for all good news consumers to come to the aid or their media and demand coverage and courage to stop the blood letting and save what’s left of our national honor. We need to find the news which is there to be found and keep the Iraq war issue alive.”

“I’ve emailed ABC, CNN, or FOX news a million times about a million inaccuracies in their reporting. Never heard back a single time (not that I really expected to). Those people are total assholes, imho!

My point is this: do you really think Fox news gives a rat’s ass what people watching think? Of course they don’t . They aren’t even a news station in the traditional sense of the term. They are a most cynical re-invention of traditional news reporting into a GOP/bush-cheney propaganda station. It’s pure bullshit! Their mission is to relentlessly, in the most shrill and extreme fashion possible, SCREAM the GOP/bush propaganda points over, and over, and over….to brainwash the public into buying their lies and misinformation. They follow the german propagandist Goebbels tactic: “just keep saying it over and over and the public with follow you and do whatever you tell them to do”.

We all need to face it: the news media in the USA is total shit. Has been for years. It’s an insult to any thinking person’s intelligence. I used to know a German guy who lived here for a few months on business. I asked him what he thought of our news on CNN, or the local paper. He laughed and said “it’s total shit. I watched it for a couple of nights then turned off the TV altogether.”

And that’s what I do: I only use my TV to watch DVDs I rent. Never watch cable news anymore. I’m not missing anything, and I feel much happier and less annoyed. How any idiot could endure those assholes on Fox news it utterly beyond me. The internet is far superior for worthwhile information, like Guardian UK, or Zmag.org.”

Anna Boyle Daniher writes in response to same piece:

“For those of us who thought this was a bad decision way back then, well we certainly aren’t about to budge now. As I understand it, the good news will begin to flow tomorrow. The nightmare in Iraq has again been renamed. Something about IslamoFacism. Rumor has is that this will go just swimmingly. Rumor also has it that our military can’t get the Iraqis troops they train to go into Baghdad.

“There have been new calls for Rummy’s resignation. Our military is being treated badly. I find this to be unconscionable. I’ve seen many presidents since Roosevelt. Some better than others. I don’t believe we’ve ever had a president who simply doesn’t care and who appears to have no conscience. He surrounds himself with people just like himself. Can’t help but wonder about an approval rating of 34%.

“Who are these people who still think he’s an OK guy ? Maybe it depends on where you get your news. In March of 2003 I was was part of a pathetic minority. That has all changed. Somehow I don’t see this new war marketing idea catching on. The American people have had enough.”

THANKS TO ALL WHO SEND THANKS (Yes, I need to know!)

Virginia Weldon is one of our “regulars:”

“Yesterday I “happened” to catch a very knowledgeable article chronicling the events of the past five years we have all passed through. It has amazing scope and dove-tails information with other happenings some might never have linked together, while filling in the squares that propaganda has glossed over.

Twenty Things We Now Know Five Years 5 Years After 9/11
http://www.opednews.com/maxwrite/print_friendly.php?p=opedne_bernard__060829
_twenty_things_we_now.htm

Danny, we are all “reading, listening & paying attention.” More so every day. Kudos to you and your Spirit. I was heartened by the remarks given by Melanie Turner Miller in today’s Dissector about the fact that we are facing a “tipping point” and can assist in it by becoming individual and collective calming influences in a world gone quite mad. Hermeneutic interpretation & explanation (as is applied to scripture) leads to discussion and consensus (hopefully). We need to know the “truth” of what w think we know in order to do what we need to do to change our world. One thing: hold the vision of the world we want to create as if it were already in place.

Jo Murphy checks in from San Diego CA

”We’re out here, and are thanking YOU. As a fan of Gibran some 50 years, I hope you will not forget, or will become acquainted with, The Rubiyat of Omar Khyyam (The Moving Finger writes, and, having writ, moves on…) and my personal epiphany (in 7th Grade) Leigh Hunt’s “Abou ben Adhem”. Both are on the net. Or I can send them, if you’d like.”

Barb Goetz adds from Columbia Maryland:

”Those of us who read your site throw pebbles of your information into a sea of others who will eventually cause waves.”

Mr. K (aks Steve Katona) is all too kind:

”my god you seem to write like me!!! check out the chomsky blogs and look for mr k. if you don’t have the time i’d like to say your my new hero. bravo on your essay there’s no other way to bring enlightenment to the masses other than by the usage of
language that the masses can understand. …

Kelly Griffith, MCP:

“I always want to share my thoughts & comments after reading your News Dissector emails. I never get around to it, b/c I’m always reading in spare moments throughout the workday.

“You do a great job at what is next to impossible these days – bringing truthful & critically important information to light & holding the mainstream media accountable to their part in the systematic destruction of our democracy….

RUMMY THE MUMMY

Graig Gingold writes:

”With the delusional Donald Rumsfeld viciously attacking the anti-war movement and spouting off about the need to confront the growth of fascism in the world, the obvious rejoinder is something along the lines of “Go look in the mirror, asshole!”
In that spirit, I offer the following quote from President Franklin D. Roosevelt:

“The liberty of a democracy is not safe if the people tolerate the growth of private power to the point where it becomes stronger than the democratic state itself. That in its essence is fascism ­- ownership of government by an individual, by a group or any controlling private power.”

BROOKLYN IN DA HOUSE….YIKES

Speaking of assholes, here’s the kind of retarded, macho, delusional attitude produced in so many Americans by much of our media and culture. Watch it and weep.

http://www.thekidfrombrooklyn.com/video_disp.asp?videoid=1301

Yo Brooklyn. I am from Da Bronx and have a certain cheer for youse guys…You see dis finger? Nuke U….

ANOTHER CULTURE, ANOTHER COUNTRY, ANOTHER VIEW

MC Riz’s “Post 911 Bues”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pxoIJGg9C0

NEW RESOURCE: HAS ANYONE TRIED IT?

TV from around the world on your PC

http://sava.rosenemitts1whush1seko.cheerful-nursing-degree.net/MATHESONISLAND/bxn7cd.bxn/

THE ONION’S LEAD STORY:

Bush Urges Nation To Be Quiet For A Minute While He Tries To Think

WASHINGTON, DC: While acknowledging every American’s inalienable right to free speech, the president asked citizens to “hold off on it for, say, 60 seconds.”

http://click.theonion.com/ct.html?s=6jy,mif5,7kb,f1r6,l8z5,3i2z,9jqm ?

I NEED TO THINK OR SOMETHIN TOO

Well, I am going to be holding off for a few days to try to catch my breath and take a break. I’ve earned a day, dontcha think?” Back Tuesday. Keep the world together till then. Happy Labor Day for all the right reasons even if it is the ultimate contrived depoliticized holiday!

Comments to dissector@mediachannel.org

Tax deductible checks for Mediachannel to The Global Center, 575 8th Avenue, New York, New York l0018. And to quote my main man Scoop Nisker, “if you don’t like the news, go out and make some of your own.”