Letters to the Editor
Dan Greaney
Published Letters: 11
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Great Success!
[Read the article: The American media's fringe ideological view of Pelosi's trip]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]While some here complain about the impossibility of overcoming media indifference to the truth, Glenn has actually done it, as seen by Cliff May's acknowledgement of the reality of public opinion regarding Iraq. Fatalism and superior nihilism seem to me to be among the discredited assumptions.
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digg this
[Read the article: McClatchy reports on shift in Iraq propaganda]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]77 comments and 13 diggs. Are the participants of this thread interested in changing the country or hearing themselves talk? At least digg the article before bloviating upon it?
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197 posts, 14 diggs
[Read the article: The tragic collapse of America's standing in the world]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Every time anarticle here is "dugg" it increases its visbility. Increased visibility means more readers, and more new readers. More readers means more influence. If you care about the arguments which Glenn makes here, why not take a moment to increase their influence?
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Open Letter to Joe Klein
[Read the article: Joe Klein and Beltway seriousness]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Dear Mr. Klein,
You obviously read Glenn's column.
You seem sensitive enough about how you are perceived that you probably read the comments here as well.
You are clearly troubled by the points he has made. Your column today was defensive and half-apologetic. It reeks of bad conscience. The arguments you make seem to be intended to ease a bad conscience
But there is only one way to ease a bad conscience: to completely repent of the acts which gave rise to it, which means to give up defending and rationalizing. Half-apologies will never set you free.
Why not set yourself free of your past actions by making an honest, comprehensive and un-hedged apology for your contributions to the war, to the culture of tolerance of this corrupt and dangerous administration, and to the marginalization of those who time has proven to have been right? You were wrong. You know, we know it. Accept it, own it, and then you can move on.
Once you have repudiated your past failures, you will be free to serve truth and speak it, rather than contort yourself to defend the indefensible. You could quickly become a valuable participant in this country's recuperation from this disastrous era. Why not get on the right side of your conscience and history? You'll feel better, and we'll all be better off with you on the side of, well, for the lack of a better word, decency.
Sincerely yours,
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Pumping up the volume
[Read the article: The Democrats' responsibility in the wake of Gonzales' resignation]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Today's discussion about avenues towards change lead me first to agree that the approach Glenn has taken here in this blog seems more productive than marching, and second to wonder whether, given that, there is anything that we can do to magnify the impact of Glenn's work. One thing that occurs to me is to raise cash to enable Glenn to hire a publicist to increase his exposure on TV. Would that be helpful, Glenn? Do you have any other ideas on your wish list that we could help fund or do so as to increase the reach and impact of your work?
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Dodd for Majority Leader
[Read the article: Anatomy and significance of Monday's FISA victory]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I like the idea of the previous commenter that the internet community start pushing for Senator Dodd to be named majority leader. Does anyone know how this position is selected and what we might to do help advance Senator Dodd's chances of taking over that role?
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Simplify to reach wider audience
[Read the article: Reid and company target the true enemy: "Dodd and his allies"]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Totoro is right to point out how valuable it would be to have a simplified version of Glenn's analysis available. It could broaden his reach by several orders of magnitude. I think a written summary would be useful. I also think embodying his ideas in YouTube videos could help his message reach a large new audience. The simplest thing might be for Glenn to make two minute summary videos of each column as it goes to press, and post them on YouTube. If he doesn't have the time or inclination, maybe he can authorize somebody else to do that. Auditions could be held...
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Another source for journalistic softness
[Read the article: Tucker Carlson unintentionally reveals the role of the American press]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I think our American journalists simply tend to identify with the person to whom they are speaking. It is part of America's democractic, populist culture to feel like we are all more or less the same at some level. The adversarial stance which Glenn rightly holds up as necessary for establishing truth just doesn't come as naturally to our reporters as it does to British ones. Our guys and gals tend to "like" whomever they are talking to and want them to like them back.
This is not to say that they shouldn't be criticized, merely to suggest a change in tack in that criticism. My sense is that they are not (outside Fox news), knowingly corrupt or even particularly intent on ingratiating themselves with the powerful in order to retain access, they just have not recognized how their desire to be nice and empathetic to their subjects interferes with the perfomance of their duty and allows them to be manipulated by people who do not share the same values.
I think criticism which acknowledges that they might be working in good faith, but under mistaken assumptions, may have more effect than that which suggests they are knowing sell-outs. They need to be awakened to what they are doing, and that means showing them a picture in which they can see themselves.
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Mock War Crimes Trial
[Read the article: Book news and media campaign coverage]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I would like to see a mock or model war crimes trial of the administration and its leading actors. If one prestigous law school, such as Harvard, were to take it upon itself to act as the defense and another, say Yale, to serve as the prosecution, and every effort were made to give the defense the best possible opportunity to presents its case, I think both the process and the results would be of great interest to the public and could generate news coverage and debate. If anyone on this board is in a position to do anything with ths idea, please do.