the spider and the fly...
Mon Sep 03, 2007 at 11:19:24 AM PDT
couldn't help but catch all the "brouha" (haa!) about katie's trip to the war zone (a la legitimizing her "status" to cronkite and rather's war years).
much ado about noting her reports from outside the green zone - how she is being shuttled to the market to see people shopping - and now, we hear she is visiting anbar, where by chance, yet another american, georgie boy, is spending his holiday in beautiful anbar!
now, from personal experience - many years ago - working at cbs radio network news, i pondered this "coincidence" and couldn't help but ruminate on how the coverage might have been back in the early eighties as opposed to today's fluffy coverage of the decider's trip.
would we have heard of how this administration is strong-arming maliki to stop criticizing our "helping" his country. what's he got to complain about anyway!
ah, the "nytimes ews" hints of this discontent with the american policies as he meets with the entourage of bush, rice, et.al.
Mr. Maliki has been deeply worried that outreach to Sunni tribes, which has included American support for setting up armed neighborhood watch groups in Anbar and other Sunni areas, amounted to backing his enemies.
this whitewashing of the war by sending katie abroad seems a bizarre attempt to give her gravitas - but the corporate heads at blackrock are still hedging their bets - better to air the "series" during a major travel and vacation holiday where, if she DOES screw up, fewer people will see it happen or even care.
when she adds "war correspondent" to her resume, who will connect that little trip to the market with the real devastation occurring in the country george bush invaded.
am i being unfair? i don't think so. i grew up in the days of real reporting. i grew up watching cronkite, rather, severid, reynolds and many REAL reporters do more than get ferried about by the war machine's propaganda arm. i watched REAL reporters talk to the troops without censors, place themselves in harm's way without embedding (and being "directed" toward the official propaganda of this administration) while trying to find out the truth of effects of war on both our own troops AND on the country where war was happening. i grew up seeing the devastating pictures of bodies, returning coffins, grieving families - all banned under (p)resident pollyanna's regime. i grew up seeing and hearing a press that challenged the press releases and handouts of those playing wargods, not simply parroting the packages handed to them.
i grew up reading real criticism of policies that weren't working.
i grew up when reporters didn't have the internet (as their only source for research) - where people were acutely aware that the ONLY information on the net was that which had been uploaded to the servers that were only a very few years in existence - uploaded by people who selected that information deemed worthy to "share". i grew up when real reporters hit the stacks of libraries to search microfich for information reported on in "realtime" and stored in dark stacks, copied on little pieces of film that one didn't have to "pay" to read.
there are a few voices rising above the adulation and din of sycophants. the blumenthal, krugman, prentis (to be fair, i found this article on the cbs website, so SOMEBODY is trying to get out more balance!), palast, etc) - but until they can be heard over the roar of the entertainment divisions of the media, the general population will have to exert their own due diligence to find them.
most coverage in america reads like the hollywood reporter's account of paris walking down rodeo drive - all window dressing and no substance. the cbs coverage of bush's current invasion of anbar lacks substantive analysis of the issues surrounding this failed invasion yet is filled to the brim with the trappings of celebrity visit.
From there, it was back to the heat and the motorcade. Mr. Bush was taken to a part of the base where troops from Regimental Combat Team-2, Marine Wing Support Combat Patrol had their vehicles - humvees and other light armored vehicles - in line. The Marines stood by the side of their vehicles as Mr. Bush came, shook hands and posed for pictures with them, sometimes asking aides to use the Marines’ cameras for snap shots.
well, i could go on - and on - and on - the examples are endless, as is my cynicism.
do i think this will keep couric at cbs? not a chance. why am i writing the diary? well, it was spurred by accidentally catching a comment from the addled paul harvey* on kgo today. he actually said something i found funny and probably true (for a change).
harvey mentioned couric's reporting from outside the green zone in iraq and then ended his broadcast with this comment: "and YOU thought cbs didn't know how to get out of a long term contract!" i'm still chuckling.
but behind the laughter at a crude joke is a very real fear that we are losing our knowledge of history, our right to access that history - we are being spoonfed pablum from our own minitrue - and we are not questioning. we are being entertained and lulled into a web from which there is no escape.
i am reminded of that children's poem that SHOULD be warning to us all...
The Spider and the Fly
Mary Howitt
Will you walk into my parlour?" said the Spider to the Fly,
'Tis the prettiest little parlour that ever you did spy;
The way into my parlour is up a winding stair,
And I've a many curious things to shew when you are there."
Oh no, no," said the little Fly, "to ask me is in vain,
For who goes up your winding stair can ne'er come down again."
"I'm sure you must be weary, dear, with soaring up so high;
Will you rest upon my little bed?" said the Spider to the Fly.
"There are pretty curtains drawn around; the sheets are fine and thin,
And if you like to rest awhile, I'll snugly tuck you in!"
Oh no, no," said the little Fly, "for I've often heard it said,
They never, never wake again, who sleep upon your bed!"
Said the cunning Spider to the Fly, " Dear friend what can I do,
To prove the warm affection I 've always felt for you?
I have within my pantry, good store of all that's nice;
I'm sure you're very welcome -- will you please to take a slice?"
"Oh no, no," said the little Fly, "kind Sir, that cannot be,
I've heard what's in your pantry, and I do not wish to see!"
"Sweet creature!" said the Spider, "you're witty and you're wise,
How handsome are your gauzy wings, how brilliant are your eyes!
I've a little looking-glass upon my parlour shelf,
If you'll step in one moment, dear, you shall behold yourself."
"I thank you, gentle sir," she said, "for what you 're pleased to say,
And bidding you good morning now, I'll call another day."
The Spider turned him round about, and went into his den,
For well he knew the silly Fly would soon come back again:
So he wove a subtle web, in a little corner sly,
And set his table ready, to dine upon the Fly.
Then he came out to his door again, and merrily did sing,
"Come hither, hither, pretty Fly, with the pearl and silver wing;
Your robes are green and purple -- there's a crest upon your head;
Your eyes are like the diamond bright, but mine are dull as lead!"
Alas, alas! how very soon this silly little Fly,
Hearing his wily, flattering words, came slowly flitting by;
With buzzing wings she hung aloft, then near and nearer drew,
Thinking only of her brilliant eyes, and green and purple hue --
Thinking only of her crested head -- poor foolish thing! At last,
Up jumped the cunning Spider, and fiercely held her fast.
He dragged her up his winding stair, into his dismal den,
Within his little parlour -- but she ne'er came out again!
And now dear little children, who may this story read,
To idle, silly flattering words, I pray you ne'er give heed:
Unto an evil counsellor, close heart and ear and eye,
And take a lesson from this tale, of the Spider and the Fly.
*paul harvey: the "reporter" who presents urban legends as "factual news" on his 15 minutes of "paulharveynews" - which is not the same as REAL news - but, then again, that's why i wrote this diary...
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