Letters to the Editor

Major revelation: U.S. media deceitfully disseminates government propaganda The New York Times in 2003 raised questions about the objectivity of retired generals. That didn't stop anyone -- including the Times -- from relying on them for "objective" commentary on the war. Glenn Greenwald [2008-04-20]

• gadgiiberibimba

  No time to out-blasé each other

  Everyone—starting with Greenwald—is tripping over everyone else to say they knew all along that the news is propaganda. This is understandable when the points we've made for so long are suddenly advanced as though they are new, but it is counter-productive and egotistic.

  We've been ignored for so long precisely because we lack the power and stature of big media like the NY Times. Our goal is to get some of that power, to channel that power towards the truth, right? The fact that this story—with more proof than we had for it—has broken into the big media is an enormous opportunity for us. Let's take it.

  I understand this point, and you're right that this "blase" temptation is one that should be resisted for exactly the reason you said. Am I guilty of succumbing to that temptation with what I wrote? Maybe. I can see your point.

  But I think there is a more substantive point to what I wrote than "oh-I-already-knew-this." We see this happening over and over. Extreme corruption and manipulation is overlooked while it happens. The media ignores it or enables it. Then, suddenly, when it's all over, they do an expose on it as though they were unaware of it all and are now uncovering it and revealing it -- when it's too late.

  There's a deceit here that I think is worth pointing out. I did compliment the NYT for the investigative journalism they did here - especially suing to get these documents which are useful. And as Macgupta pointed out, there are some new revelations here.

  But the idea that this is all new or that they didn't know about it at the time is irritating -- especially when he doesn't note that his own newspaper used these sources in news articles and that they themselves published questions about the use of these analysts.

  Yes, it's a good service to expose this historically. But pretending that this is all new or that the media outlets were unaware of it is designed to mask what might be the most important point of all.

  -- GlennGreenwald
  [Read GlennGreenwald's other letters]
  Permalink Flag Sunday, April 20, 2008 08:49 AM
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