America slowly confronts the truth http://news.independent.co.uk/world/fisk/article330873.ece
The old media dog sniffed the air, found power was moving away from the White House, and began to drool By Robert Fisk Published: 03 December 2005 Watching the pathetic, old, lie-on-its-back frightened labrador of the American media changing overnight into a vicious rottweiler is one of the enduring pleasures of society in the United States. I have been experiencing this phenomenon over the past two weeks, as both victim and beneficiary. In New York and Los Angeles, my condemnation of the American presidency and Israel's continued settlement-building in the West Bank was originally treated with the disdain all great papers reserve for those who dare to question proud and democratic projects of state. In The New York Times, that ancient luminary Ethan Bonner managed to chide me for attacking American journalists who - he furiously quoted my own words - "report in so craven a fashion from the Middle East - so fearful of Israeli criticism that they turn Israeli murder into 'targeted attacks' and illegal settlements into 'Jewish neighbourhoods'." It was remarkable that Bonner should be so out of touch with his readers that he did not know that "craven" is the very word so many Americans apply to their grovelling newspapers (and quite probably one reason why newspaper circulations are falling so disastrously). But the moment that a respected Democratic congressman and Vietnam war veteran in Washington dared to suggest that the war in Iraq was lost, that US troops should be brought home now - and when the Republican response was so brutal it had to be disowned - the old media dog sniffed the air, realised that power was moving away from the White House, and began to drool. On live television in San Francisco, I could continue my critique of America's folly in Iraq uninterrupted. Ex-Mayor Willie Brown - who allowed me to have my picture taken in his brand new pale blue Stetson - exuded warmth towards this pesky Brit (though he claimed on air that I was an American) who tore into his country's policies in the Middle East. It was enough to make you feel the teeniest bit sorry - though only for a millisecond, mark you - for the guy in the White House. All this wasn't caused by that familiar transition from Newark to Los Angeles International, where the terror of al-Qa'ida attacks is replaced by fear of the ozone layer. On the east coast, too, the editorials thundered away at the Bush administration. Seymour Hersh, that blessing to American journalism who broke the Abu Ghraib torture story, produced another black rabbit out of his Iraqi hat with revelations that US commanders in Iraq believe the insurgency is now out of control. When those same Iraqi gunmen this week again took control of the entire city of Ramadi (already "liberated" four times by US troops since 2003), the story shared equal billing on prime time television with Bush's latest and infinitely wearying insistence that Iraqi forces - who in reality are so infiltrated by insurgents that they are a knife in America's back - will soon be able to take over security duties from the occupation forces. Even in Hollywood - and here production schedules prove that the rot must have set in more than a year ago - hitherto taboo subjects are being dredged to the surface of the political mire. Jarhead, produced by Universal Pictures, depicts a brutal, traumatised Marine unit during the 1991 Gulf War. George Clooney's production of Good Night, and Good Luck, a devastating black-and-white account of Second World War correspondent Ed Murrow's heroic battle with Senator McCarthy in the 1950s - its theme is the management and crushing of all dissent - has already paid for its production costs twice over. Murrow is played by an actor but McCarthy appears only in real archive footage. Incredibly, a test audience in New York complained that the man "playing" McCarthy was "overacting". Will we say this about Messrs Bush and Cheney and Rumsfeld in years to come? I suspect so. And then there's Syriana, Clooney's epic of the oil trade which combines suicide bombers, maverick CIA agents (one of them played by Clooney himself), feuding Middle East Arab potentates - one of whom wants real democracy and wealth for his people and control of his own country's resources - along with a slew of disreputable businessmen and east coast lawyers. The CIA eventually assassinates the Arab prince who wants to take control of his own country's oil (so much for democracy) - this is accomplished with a pilotless aerial bomb guided by men in a room in Virginia - while a Pakistani fired from his job in the oil fields because an American conglomerate has downsized for its shareholders' profits destroys one of the company's tankers in a suicide attack. "People seem less afraid now," Clooney told an interviewer in Entertainment magazine. "Lots of people are starting to ask questions. It's becoming hard to avoid the questions." Of course, these questions are being asked because of America's more than 2,000 fatalities in Iraq rather than out of compassion for Iraq's tens of thousands of fatalities. They are being pondered because the whole illegal invasion of Iraq is ending in calamity rather than success. Yet still they avoid the "Israel" question. The Arab princes in Syriana - who in real life would be obsessed with the occupation of the West Bank - do not murmur a word about Israel. The Arab al-Qa'ida operative who persuades the young Pakistani to attack an oil tanker makes no reference to Israel - as every one of bin Laden's acolytes assuredly would. It was instructive that Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11 did not mention Israel once. So one key issue of the Middle East remains to be confronted. Amy Goodman, whom I used to enrage by claiming that her leftist Democracy Now programme - broadcast from a former Brooklyn fire station - had only three listeners (one of whom was Amy Goodman), is bravely raising this unmentionable subject. Partly as a result, her "alternative" radio and television station - how I hate that prissy word "alternative" - is slowly moving into the mainstream. Americans are ready to discuss the United States' relationship with Israel. And America's injustices towards the Arabs. As usual, ordinary Americans are way out in front of their largely tamed press and television reporters. Now we have to wait and see if the media boys and girls will catch up with their own people. *** Hi. I'm helping organize a garden party/fundraiser this Sunday for a friend who's doing great work and merits broad support. The party itself should be a blast, with Jackie Goldberg mc'ing, Michelle Shocked and Sheila Nichols providing first class entertainment, and lots of good people supporting Gary Silbiger's run for a 2nd term on the Culver City Council. Personal note: Gary is one of the founders of People's College of Law, from which Antonio Villaraigosa graduated and myself being the first fundraiser and propogandist, in my own fashion. I organized a tour, with Phil Ochs, Holly Near and Mimi Farina and went up and down the coast touting the first, free law school dedicated to providing legal service for underserved (read poor and colored) communities by getting their kids through law school. Needless to say, Antonio supports Gary, as does Karen Bass, another friend, now the Assembly Rep of the area. Here's something on the issues, the event, and the artists: Culver City is an ethnically diverse community with a progressive voting base, has had conservative/moderate Council members focused primarily on the needs of the business community since who knows when. In April 2002, Gary Silbiger - the first and only progressive Culver City Councilmember in generations - was elected to a 4-year term, which also includes serving on the Redevelopment Agency. He is currently the Vice Mayor and probably will be selected as Mayor in April 2006, when re-elected to the Council. Gary's election in 2002 has empowered the community whose voice is now heard. He's also effective - Leading a 3 to 2 majority opposing the invasion of Iraq which brought out hundreds of persons to the City Council meeting; Having the diverse residents of Culver City participate in its first City celebration of Martin Luther King's birthday, recognizing Cesar Chavez's accomplishments on his day of celebration, and participating in the Week of Racial Equality; Meeting the needs of the whole community by leading the way in 2004 for funding of service providers for the homeless population, and is working to provide assistance for victims of domestic abuse; Being the main advocate of youth including increasing after school programs and approving funding for the High School's Peace Concert; and lots more. We need to maintain that voice on the Culver City Council. Sheila Nicholls has two albums out with Hollywood records, is completing her third album (Songs from the Bardo) which includes a number of songs that speak to social issues and the war, including 'Natural Law' and 'Lay Low.' Sheila's newest cycle of songs, written in the past few months, includes overtly poltical, anti-war songs: "An Army of None"; "War Is"; ".and it Builds"; and "Revolutionary Victory Song" (inspired by Aristophanes' Lysistrata and Bob Dylan's When the Ship Comes In). She's also an outstanding pianist and the house has a fine piano. I don't think I have to say much about Michelle Shocked as an artist. LA has to be musically grateful for her transplanted Texas roots. I certainly am. Her recent albums are: "Threesome" trilogy of three new albums released June 21, 2005 includes 'Don't Ask Don't Tell'; 'Got No Strings'; and 'Mexican Standoff' - "Arkansas Traveler" reissue released on Sep. 14, 2004- Captain Swing" reissue released on March 16, 2004 - "Short Sharp Shocked" released on Sep. 23, 2003 - "Texas Campfire Takes" released on April 22, 2003 Her personna: "People might say I'm difficult, but did you ever hear anyone describe a label as 'difficult'? By nature, artists should challenge. When they call you difficult, it is a reflection of the imbalance of power." "I've achieved the impossible, you know? When David stood up to Goliath and had his sling in his hand and his punk-rock attitude, I'm sure he felt the way I feel now." Michelle Shocked. Sunday, December 11 4:00-6:00 p.m. . Appetizers, drinks & live music at the home of Jan Goodman & Jerry Manpearl 939 San Vicente Boulevard, Santa Monica (On Larkin Pl., 2 blocks East of Lincoln, on the north side of San Vicente) Special Guest and MC Assemblymember Jackie Goldberg Music: Michele Shocked, Sheila Nichols $50 per person . $100 per sponsor (Sponsors will be listed in the program.) Please RSVP at (310) 358-3337, or [EMAIL PROTECTED] email www.garyforculvercity.org Hope y'all join me. Ed ------------------------ Yahoo! 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