The Vegetative State of the Media

Unfortunately I’ve been proven wrong again. As I flip from CNN to MSNBC to CSPAN, it’s clear that the only news available this week is coverage of Michael Jackson, Terry Schiavo, and Robert Blake. Did I forget to mention the other number of random shootings, along with the Native American Columbine that happened just a few hours ago. Oddly I’ve defended cable TV in the past, claiming it could be worse, it could be Russian TV, but even the Kremlin could come up with news better than the crap that has been displayed on our screens.

Now this is not to say these single cases are not tragic, interesting, or both, but it becomes a problem when it’s the only thing the news organizations have covered. Overshadowing every real piece of news with stories that are hot button issues for magazines such as Star, People, and the National Inquirer poses a dilemma if you ask me. And the further involvement of congress into individual cases on family private matters is a political move I thought even disgusting for Tom Delay. Just where are his ethics anyway?

When I change from CSPAN to MSNBC and all I can get is Mark Mcguire tearing, it is an obvious sign of the dulling of America, an indicator of a ratings boost for the lot, and reinforces the world view that Americans don’t give a damn about anything worth a damn. I liked it better when our president was publicly outlaying his new scheme for world domination, I mean democracy. In a week where the bankruptcy bill slips by unnoticed, we have to wonder what the hell the media is doing. The only thing the Bush administration loves more than misinformation is the ability to say nothing at all. We are still at war, there was yet another bombing in Lebanon that virtually went uncovered, and nobody likes us, oh wait, the latter was true even when you did have snippets of real news.

Regrettably our media has entered into the field of checks and balances of American politics and when they don’t their jobs, or even worse, when they do their jobs wrong, it is up to us to correct them. These organizations are supposed to cover or uncover in the name of our best interests, a police force if you will for the common man. And we luckily receive the duty of policing that police force. And while it seems like a fun game, the reality at stake is the future of America.

So while one may enjoy contemplating whether to take 6-1 odds on the death penalty ruling of Scott Peterson, I think it’s best that we keep the sporting events on the playing field, the steroids in the locker room, and neither on the floor of congress, where partisan hacks try to defame the good name of democracy yet again.

Dancing With Catastrophe - Reasons To Be Pessimistic In The Mideast

I like to think that I’m a practical person. Maybe I need a shock, a slap in the face, or just a person to tell me how off base I am. But I truly don’t understand the optimism that is taking over the media.

First of all I’m not sure why the Iraqi elections have spawned this myopic dream of peace in the Middle East. I understand that were a nation that loves minute rice, microwaves, power everything, and one hour photos, but this is getting ridiculous. And furthermore the idea that Bush is now a genius or better yet a genius by default is equally silly. And still people keep ringing the “freedom bell,” exploring the possibility that this was the administration’s idea all along. But what is there to be so happy about?

The Iraqi election on January 30th exemplified the courage of the Iraqi people and what they stood for. To give credit, this election couldn’t have taken place without the Bush administration and their insistence on not postponing the elections. And I will go further and admit that this was a symbolic win for the Bush administration, but that is where it ends, in symbolism. 127 people were killed in a suicide bombing yesterday in Iraq. Another 150 or so were injured. A staggering event yet it seems that Americans see it only as numerical figures, unnerving events, “bumps” in the road to peace. This was the deadliest documented suicide bombing since the fall of Saddam and I’m not sure western condolences and reminders that Iraqis had an election is any type of consolation.

I have said in the past and continue to say that the elections and the appearance of “democracy” is not the main goal and is not fundamental in correcting the mess that has overcome Iraq. While the implemtation of democratic values is a great thing, it shouldn't overtake the pursuit of stability.

The war in Iraq, which continues to be a quagmire given non existent security, religious and ethnic tensions, continuing occupation, and devastating living conditions, can’t be fixed by an election with candidates most people have never heard of. However the U.S. media has embraced the serenity. What could be most damaging of all is how this new found tranquility has blanketed most happenings in the Mideast with full credit being given to the Bush team.

Cases like the Palestinian election suspiciously seem to be falling under George Bush’s greater scheme for the Middle East. It couldn’t be any plainer however that Yasser Arafat died, international pressure was put on Israel for renewed peace, old western Palestinian favorites stepped forth and America was falling so behind in Iraq that they had to show strong support for at least one Mideast cause. No matter the situation, George Bush has neglected the Israeli/Palestinian conflict far before and after the start of the war in Iraq. So it would be silly and well beyond the usual propaganda to claim that seeing the Palestinian elections was due to the spread of Bush “democracy” and was part of the plan all along.

Another farce that has infiltrated the media is the notion that America’s “liberty spreading hand” is at work in Lebanon. But in reality the Lebanese people could only be pushed so far. The coalition against Syria, which did exist prior to Bush’s first election, was critically magnified after the assassination of Rafik Hariri. The murder of the beloved figure was more than a slap in the face of the Lebanese people, it was a symbolic assassination. The previous extension of President Lahoud’s term already had people up in arms. And finally signs of unification involving Druze, Maronites, and Sunnis led the groups to rebel peacefully in the streets together. America’s aggressive meddling in the situation could turn a good thing bad, precisely because of America’s poor standing in the region and their agenda of “building the case for Syria" obviously showing. The amount of international pressure coupled with the outraged Lebanese population is a strong enough force to drive out occupying Syria without involvement of what many in the Mideast view as an over aggressive and hypocritical America. Also Syria’s standing in the region has been depleting and it will hard to worm their way out of non withdrawal.

Many problems unfortunately still remain. Iran is becoming more aggressive, the united front has been formed, Russia seems more belligerent than ever and it looks as though they are making even better friends in the Middle East. So it appears that the administration and the mainstream press are overjoyed yet new problems, bigger problems, seem to be forming. I think before everybody starts jumping up and down they should analyze the situations a little more closely. Iraq is still so far in the hole that any kind of optimism at this point would be foolish. The fundamentals in the Israeli/Palestinian conflict have not shifted in any meaningful way and this wave of peace will extinguish as quickly as the Palestinians realize that Israel still isn’t willing to move towards justice with its neighbor. And finally Iran isn’t getting any pressure to “wise up,” because their position is becoming stronger, not weaker, in the region. So for all those who want to short pessimism’s stock, I say go ahead, but I’m bullish, and the facts on the ground give me good reason to be.