Letters to the Editor
casual_observer
Published Letters: 1253 Editor's Choice: 1
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Prairie Fires and Revolutions
[Read the article: Do national journalists agree with Gary Kamiya?]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Revolutions in spheres such as politics, science and religion (journalism too, in microcosm) are a lot like prairie fires.
The american native prairie is a fire-adapted ecosystem (it's also nearly extinct, but that's another tangent). That is, it depends on brief, catastrophic, periodic fires to maintain its character. While these amazingly fast-moving fires look (and are) incredibly destructive, they help to 'reset' the prairie plant community, and the animals that depend on it. Fires promote new growth, and bring diversity. Simply put, prairies can't continue through time without periodic fires. Our congested western forests are the same way--and are now very unhealthy and dangerous places due to many decades of misguided fire-prevention practices.
Thomas Kuhn believes that science too maintains itself in a similar way, in that dominant ways of perceiving reality (paradigms) become rigid and somewhat nonfunctional, and are destroyed in the face of facts they cannot explain. They burn down, if you will, and at the same time new scientific paradigms emerge. These are active, instable and exciting periods in science.
Some believe that biological evolution acts the same way--rapidly, in fits and starts, rather than slowly and gradually. This 'fits and starts' model is called "punctuated equilibrium" in evolutionary biology. In one way of thinking, these rapid changes are kind of like genetic prairie fires.
Religion has similar kinds of events. Among them are "revitalization movements". The plains indian "ghost dance" of more than a century ago spread literally like a prairie fire as a response to the collapse of traditional plains indian autonomy, lifeways, and culture. The movement attempted to encompass new facts and conditions that were destroying indian culture. A similar prairie fire is burning across Islam right now, for, I think, very similar reasons. Evangelical Christianism is another prairie fire.
Back to journalism--GG has been posting a lot lately about a rigid journalistic paradigm that is not able to clearly perceive reality, for various reasons. As a result, I believe he (and we) is/are setting little fires on the journalism prairie. Sooner or later, I believe these little flames are going to catch. When they do, there will be a lot of change, over a relatively short time.
Generally speaking, I suggest that we are on the verge of a substantial prairie fire that will be big enough and hot enough (figuratively, I stress) to burn across many spheres--political, social, religious, etc. Our last real, serious, fire that burned like that was the wonderful and horrible '60s. We're due.
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The viewing public
[Read the article: Do national journalists agree with Gary Kamiya?]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]are we in a position to improve things? The obvious answer is yes. My point is that the viewing public has a lot to say about the direction that media takes at any given time.
Absolutely. They/we are the market. Part of what the leftosphere is doing is creating a market for a different kind of journalism.
But there are other factors also. for example, 4 dollar gas will kill the market for gigantic SUVs. Have the consumers changed? No. These are the same buyers. But new conditions have caused a change in behavior and expectations. What are the environmental changes that may cause media consumers to change their behavior and expectations?
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left coaster
[Read the article: Do national journalists agree with Gary Kamiya?]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I'm genuinely open to suggestions, but I do not like anal fetish Ana Marie, and American politics can be a very, very rough game.
what, in the wild world of off topic posting, are you talking about?
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Congress Re-engaging?
[Read the article: Response from ABC News re: the Saddam-anthrax reports]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Ed Lake reports (on his site, linked by GG previously) that Congressman Rush Holt has resumed an interest in this case. With good reason, I would think. The 'four independent sources' certainly smells like conspiracy, as it appears to Lake that the tests NEVER indicated bentonite (clay) or silica. Many commenters have already smelled this rat (which GG is roasting so nicely...).
There are clear national security implications, appropriate for congressional inquiry. BUT, revealing these four sources--indeed, revealing any sources is a very dangerous thing to do to the press. This is sacred ground, for reasons that can be accurately described as 'bedrock'.
The first question is: should Mr. Ross's sources be revealed? The second question is: what kind of pressure will be required to do so?
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Speaking of Crow
[Read the article: Response from ABC News re: the Saddam-anthrax reports]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]two weeks ago I bet the commentor known as "Fluffy" that Gonzo would be gone by monday. It didn't happen. The bet was a bottle of wine if I won, and a contribution to charity if he/she won. I stand ready to send the money, should the victor stand forth and name the charity.
P.S. He's still toast, dammit.
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Crow Consulting
[Read the article: Response from ABC News re: the Saddam-anthrax reports]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]WT, I'd be happy to help them. I'll bet their consultant rates are obscene...
If the aforementioned Fluffy does not come forward in a day or two, the money goes for GG's planned staffer. It's all good.
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Fine Piece
[Read the article: Upending the Mayberry Machiavellis]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]The longer and more expensive our campaigns become, the greater the temptation to use the machinery of government to win elections. Endless War, Endless Campaign, Endless Executive Power. A freakish nightmare.
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WT
[Read the article: Weekly Standard: Bush has "near dictatorial power"]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Yeah, that's a good comment there. Guilty as charged, I fear.
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Evil
[Read the article: The Bush administration's terrible luck with finding documents]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]and shameless.
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Destroying Republican Party
[Read the article: The Bush administration's terrible luck with finding documents]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]To look at this politically for a moment, it is hard to envision that Republicans outside the White House can see this kind of behavior as anything besides suicide for their party. For those already angry with the administration (of either party), this is just another log on the fire. But for those republican legislators still protecting or cooperating with the White House, these acts simply continue to peel away support.
If this continues without abatement, 2008 is going to be another blood-bath for the GOP.
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A Remarkable Thing
[Read the article: The Bush administration's terrible luck with finding documents]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Unlike any time in US history, today the document dump from the government is being discovered, dissected, and discussed by the governed. On one hand, the government is hiding, destroying, delaying. On the other, normal citizens are unearthing and investigating at places like Talking Points Memo. The behavior of this government is terribly depressing and discouraging. But the picture of hundreds of normal, everyday citizens actively investigating these documents is a wonderful thing to see. May God bless the intertubes.