09/09/2005 Archived Entry: "Nworluns"
Like a lot of people, I have been absolutely GLUED to cnn.com and msnbc.com this last couple of weeks. The most interesting aspect of this story isn't the destruction of New Orleans or the incompetence of the people in charge; no, the most interesting aspect of this story is the media. I have never seen the US Media like this. Reporters are emoting on screen, anchors are editorializing, they're demanding answers, questioning authority, and hounding Michael Brown like paparazzi after a pregnant Olsen Twin. Getting to the truth - this is what the media is for! This is the kind of barrage we should have seen when Bush started talking about going into Iraq and when WMDs were never found.
Alas, as focused as the media is on The Aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the Bush Administration just seems smarter and better than them. They are adept at manipulating the public and the media, masters of the spin - spinmasters, if you will. I have never been as angry and frustrated at politics as when I read the September 6 and 7 White House Press briefings with Scott McKellan. His amazing ability to dodge questions, condescend to the press, and to position the government on a higher moral ground by declaring that their immediate concern was to take care of the citizens of New Orleans and not to play the "blame game" must be of great value to Bush (I fully expect a video except of all the times he says “blame game” and “taking care of people on the ground” to pop up any time now). This administration has been incredibly skilled at making criticism levelled against them to seem petty - questioning your leaders is "unpatriotic", or "divisive", condemning the War suddenly means you’re condemning the all-important U.S. troops. In short, if you don’t agree with Bush et al. you don’t have the best interest of your country and your fellow citizens at heart.
The sad thing is that Middle America buys all of this bull. Even after this unmitigated disaster, Bush’s approval rating is at 39%. Who are these 39%? Why don’t they watch the news? Why can’t they form their own opinion? Why can they be so easily manipulated? How can I convince them that I am Nigerian Royalty in need of financial and physical extraction from my poor, doomed country?
The best way to fight against this kind of obvious manipulation, I think, is to point it out right then and there (since 59 Million stupid Americans can’t figure it out for themselves), or to do a meta-talk. Something along the lines of “Scott, look, we have people in New Orleans helping and reporting on all that is going on there. We are here in Washington because decisions are made in Washington so we have to ask questions about the decisions that are made and those who make them. And it is NOT in the best interest of the displaced people of New Orleans if the person in charge of their well-being is not in the least way capable of making the right decisions in that role.”
But, of course, it’s easier to say that while sitting here than it is in the intense and fast-paced situation of the White House briefing room and the rules that guide it.
Replies: 8 comments
"Who are these 39%?... Why can’t they form their own opinion?"
- Why are you declaring that your opinion is right and their's is wrong... Maybe they have formed their own opinion, by moving away from the propaganda the media is spewing... You are no more qualified to tell them what is right than the US government or media are.
That being said, I do think it's ridiculous that Dubbya hasn't been assasinated (or suffocated by a pretzel again). The handling of Katrina has been stupendously stupid on all sides (for instance, they know a giant mass of swirling watery and windy distruction was on it's way and basically *no one* was evacuated *before* it hit... it's not exactly like an earthquake with little warning... they saw it coming for a *week*). Also on the other hand, notice what the media (well, specifically the american media) isn't covering. Anyone know what Canadian elected officials have done in the last 2 weeks, other than glad-handing? I don't, and I check the news 2 or 3 times a day. How about the odd behaviour of gas prices outside of "Taxes are too high, that's the problem".... A long weekend *plus* a natural disaster? That's the oil companies' idea of a wet dream.... Price fixing? Nah!
Posted by Kathleen @ 09/09/2005 11:11 PM EST
Frankly, because I'm the most objective person in the world.
Posted by Rayne @ 09/13/2005 02:31 PM EST
Most Americans are so braindead they have the media form their opinion for them...
Posted by dAN @ 09/13/2005 02:51 PM EST
George Bush doesn't care about Black people.
Posted by Dave @ 09/13/2005 03:47 PM EST
let us raise our glasses to our new leader, kanye west
Posted by melpie @ 09/14/2005 03:27 PM EST
but...I'm wearing contacts today!
Posted by Rayne @ 09/14/2005 03:32 PM EST
It's sad to see that the most powerful country in the world is so easily under control by a group of selfish capitalists.
Under the name of fight against terror they have sucked every loose penny out of the US-budget (including homeland security = maintance of dams like the one that broke in Orleans) and put in the trillion dollar war machine against iraq. iraq wasn't even a treat.
but the people that have their pockets filled are.
too sad that so many people have their lives destroyed as a consequence...just for a little money.
(melpie, interested to know how you are, what you've been up to. you can contact me at dries-at-jhtobit-dot-be, thanks!)
Posted by Dries Driessens @ 09/16/2005 04:09 AM EST
you know Dries, melissa?
Posted by Rayne @ 09/16/2005 03:36 PM EST