Monday, December 05, 2005
Access Can Be Hazardous
This time of year we take the downward slide into darkness.
Yesterday I shopped for Christmas cards, came across Solstice cards in the mix. Marked the contrast. I'm one of those poor saps who doesn't adopt new traditions eagerly. I have enough trouble with the old ones. Then I came home and leapt back into bed for a long nap. It's as if I just didn't get it.
I still don't, on some level. Once I was up again I read the rest of Walter Cronkite's autobiography, A Reporter's Life. I was anxious to get it back to its owner, who re-reads it repeatedly (she's 91 and grew up in Walter's birthplace, St. Joe, so it's connective tissue for her).
In passing Cronkite referred to a private dinner he and his family had enjoyed at Bush I's home in Kennebunkport, at which time George Sr. received a call. I forget the rest of the story--I just found myself put off by the idea of Uncle Walter dining with Daddy George.
No wonder Woodward has turned into such a sleazeball in his maturity! There must be something numbing about frequent contact with the Big Boys. Everybody does it! Suddenly I see Uncle Walter as just part of the extended family of power, however noble his intentions.
The media are so depressing. Don't worry, they're on the job, everything is under control unless you hear otherwise. We've gotcha covered, little lady.
None of these folks know us. We are invisible to them, hence their reliance on polls. The American people will tolerate a war as long as they believe that it's winnable. Get out the soapboxes marked with victory slogans. Unfurl that optimistic banner. Our elected officials wouldn't lie to us.
I was listening to Diane Rehm interview Mike Wallace the other day, and she raised the question of Cheney's having lied on the existence of WMD's, the connection(?) between Saddam and Al-Quaeda. "I'm reluctant to call anyone a liar," he weaseled.
Of course not. Let's not endanger that access. It takes a little person to call a liar a liar, Frank Rich aside. His Sunday column is a weekly shot of relief, political church attendance. I don't expect that his calendar shows a lot of dinner dates with our elected prevaricators, bless him.
We are in the middle of a communications revolution. It's up to us little folks to keep up the noise. We have no access to lose, except to each other.
Suddenly darkness looks an awful lot like light, despair like hope.
Shine on brightly!
Yesterday I shopped for Christmas cards, came across Solstice cards in the mix. Marked the contrast. I'm one of those poor saps who doesn't adopt new traditions eagerly. I have enough trouble with the old ones. Then I came home and leapt back into bed for a long nap. It's as if I just didn't get it.
I still don't, on some level. Once I was up again I read the rest of Walter Cronkite's autobiography, A Reporter's Life. I was anxious to get it back to its owner, who re-reads it repeatedly (she's 91 and grew up in Walter's birthplace, St. Joe, so it's connective tissue for her).
In passing Cronkite referred to a private dinner he and his family had enjoyed at Bush I's home in Kennebunkport, at which time George Sr. received a call. I forget the rest of the story--I just found myself put off by the idea of Uncle Walter dining with Daddy George.
No wonder Woodward has turned into such a sleazeball in his maturity! There must be something numbing about frequent contact with the Big Boys. Everybody does it! Suddenly I see Uncle Walter as just part of the extended family of power, however noble his intentions.
The media are so depressing. Don't worry, they're on the job, everything is under control unless you hear otherwise. We've gotcha covered, little lady.
None of these folks know us. We are invisible to them, hence their reliance on polls. The American people will tolerate a war as long as they believe that it's winnable. Get out the soapboxes marked with victory slogans. Unfurl that optimistic banner. Our elected officials wouldn't lie to us.
I was listening to Diane Rehm interview Mike Wallace the other day, and she raised the question of Cheney's having lied on the existence of WMD's, the connection(?) between Saddam and Al-Quaeda. "I'm reluctant to call anyone a liar," he weaseled.
Of course not. Let's not endanger that access. It takes a little person to call a liar a liar, Frank Rich aside. His Sunday column is a weekly shot of relief, political church attendance. I don't expect that his calendar shows a lot of dinner dates with our elected prevaricators, bless him.
We are in the middle of a communications revolution. It's up to us little folks to keep up the noise. We have no access to lose, except to each other.
Suddenly darkness looks an awful lot like light, despair like hope.
Shine on brightly!
# posted by Lulu Maude @ 9:07 AM 
Comments:
<< Home
Your thoughts on the relationsip of us little people to THEM echoes those voiced by George Carlin who appeared last night in Santa Cruz.
I saw many in the audience nodding in agreement as he reminded us that THEY are in control and we are controlled.
I also saw a number of people walking out...I am not sure whether I hope they were put off by the darkness (suicide, autoerotic asphyxia, disaster, you get the drift) or whether by the socio-political tone. [surely Santa Cruzers can handle the latter?]
In any case, your opening line ("the slide into darkness")is precisely the way it feels when it comes, as it seems to always do from time to time...thank God for chemicals to provide minor adjustments to the brain.
I saw many in the audience nodding in agreement as he reminded us that THEY are in control and we are controlled.
I also saw a number of people walking out...I am not sure whether I hope they were put off by the darkness (suicide, autoerotic asphyxia, disaster, you get the drift) or whether by the socio-political tone. [surely Santa Cruzers can handle the latter?]
In any case, your opening line ("the slide into darkness")is precisely the way it feels when it comes, as it seems to always do from time to time...thank God for chemicals to provide minor adjustments to the brain.
Well, Santa Cruzans do have a tendency to draw close to the glow of the pleasurable fire. (I speak as a former and eternal Santa Cruzan, never having lived anywhere more wonderful... the Land of as Good as It Gets, I call it).
Anyway, George Carlin must be close to raving at this point. I know I am. I don't even know it till I spend time with others who may agree with me, but do so vociferously. We have different ways of coping with this rage. I rant. Some folks watch "The Price Is Right."
Anyway, George Carlin must be close to raving at this point. I know I am. I don't even know it till I spend time with others who may agree with me, but do so vociferously. We have different ways of coping with this rage. I rant. Some folks watch "The Price Is Right."
I keep thinking about reentering the field of reporting for the MSM newspaper here in town so I can go back in and make a difference.
Then I remember that the publisher (Hearst) has a right-wing agenda and the editor has to make sure nobody pisses off the right-wing advertisers, and I can't use swear words in the pieces I file.
Honestly, how can one write about Bush without using the words "fucked-up" or "fucking" at least somewhere in the story?
The news business of today bears no resemblance to the rigors of college journalism, where they forcefully taught us to be fair and balanced, double & triple source allegations and maintain an apolitical stance in public.
It's now either ad revenue based propaganda or infotainment.
USA Today ruined newspaper publishing by serving up front page hors d'oeuvres rather than hearty entrees.
They dumbed all of us down and paved the way for Rupert Murdoch and Karl Rove's bloodless media coup.
Feh.
Post a Comment
Then I remember that the publisher (Hearst) has a right-wing agenda and the editor has to make sure nobody pisses off the right-wing advertisers, and I can't use swear words in the pieces I file.
Honestly, how can one write about Bush without using the words "fucked-up" or "fucking" at least somewhere in the story?
The news business of today bears no resemblance to the rigors of college journalism, where they forcefully taught us to be fair and balanced, double & triple source allegations and maintain an apolitical stance in public.
It's now either ad revenue based propaganda or infotainment.
USA Today ruined newspaper publishing by serving up front page hors d'oeuvres rather than hearty entrees.
They dumbed all of us down and paved the way for Rupert Murdoch and Karl Rove's bloodless media coup.
Feh.
<< Home
