And now:Ish <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: >From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Organization: The University of Michigan - Flint >To: [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], > [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], > [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Date: Thu, 7 Jan 1999 17:23:37 EDT >Subject: Re: A Scandolous Media >Reply-to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >X-Confirm-Reading-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >X-pmrqc: 1 >Priority: normal >X-mailer: Pegasus Mail for Windows (v2.53/R1) > > > >FROM UNIVERSAL PRESS SYNDICATE >FOR RELEASE: WEEK OF JANUARY 1, 1999 >COLUMN OF THE AMERICAS by Patrisia Gonzales and Roberto Rodriguez >WHAT A SCANDALOUS MEDIA WILL MISS IN 1999 > >Media execs justify the barrage of coverage about the frivolous impeachment >proceedings because, they say, we the public really do want to know more about >the presidential scandal. At a recent media conference at the University of >Connecticut, several editors admitted that ratings and sales, not necessarily >relevance, drive the news. It's a pathetic acknowledgment that journalism is >not the noble profession it once strived to be. > >Within this context, we'll proffer news stories to watch for in 1999. >Unfortunately, they may not get much ink because the news media will still be >consumed with how a cast of partisan senators handles this "man-made" >disaster. The rest of the news will be filled by crime and >disasters, and the regular dose of balloonist, space >shuttle and royal family stories. > >The historic visit to Cuba by the pope in 1998 was the >first casualty to the media's fascination with the >presidential affair. This year, the island-nation will make >it back to the front page. Change has been set in motion as >it enters a critical period of political transformation. >Christmas was celebrated in Cuba in 1998, but the real test >of change should come in the realm of how political dissent >is handled. As such, we expect even louder calls to end the >U.S. economic embargo against Cuba, particularly from the >business community. > >Puerto Rico will be in the news because of the shenanigans >of its pro-statehood governor, Pedro Rossello. He is using >creative math to proclaim that the statehood option in the >December plebiscite was the overwhelming winner, despite >the fact that the statehood option garnered 46 percent of >the vote, whereas "none of the above" garnered 51 percent. >He plans to press Congress on statehood. His action may >cause his party to be thrashed in the next election, and >the option of statehood may lose steam and credibility both >in Congress and on the island. > >Central America will be the long-term story to keep an eye >on. Honduras and Nicaragua have been totally devastated by >Hurricane Mitch, and images of reconstruction and >immigration to the United States will dominate media >coverage. The real story will be whether U.S. >reconstruction efforts will assist these nations in >becoming democratic and self-sufficient, or whether they >will become virtual subsidiaries of the United States. >Mitch may become the impetus for accelerating a NAFTA-style >agreement in the region. > >Additionally, as preparations for a hemispheric trade >agreement draw near, civil society's response to it and to >globalization, particularly within the context of Mitch, >will be of crucial importance. Historically, the handling >of natural disasters shapes the political landscape in the >Americas. Gross National Product figures do not measure >income distribution, nor do they replace dignity-- a factor >that analysts almost always underestimate. The world will >be closely watching how Chiquita and Dole -- who have laid >off thousands of their workers-- continue to conduct >business in Central America in response to the disaster. > > >The case of former Chilean dictator Gen. Augusto Pinochet will dominate not >simply Chilean politics, but human rights discussion around the world. The >"Senator for Life," who bombed his way into power, continues to insist that no >Chilean was executed on Chilean soil while he ruled. For him, executing >political prisoners in the air and then dumping their bodies over the ocean >doesn't count. Further, he insists that only Chilean courts have jurisdiction >over him, which of course is news to Chileans. The nation lives under the >threat of a military uprising if elected officials attempt >to punish Pinochet and his outlaw cohorts. If he returns to >Chile and is tried there, it will inspire other nations to >put their former dictators on trial. > >Incidentally, ex-dictators worldwide should plan their >travel wisely, lest they become a litmus test for the newly >established international criminal court of justice and the >ever-expanding battle against impunity. > >Despite the United States being the biggest magnet in the world for illegal >drugs, Mexico will continue to be painted in the press as a virtual >narco-democracy. Coupled with regular stories on illegal immigration, the U.S. >public will continue to believe that corruption is unique to Mexico. An >occasional story about the whereabouts of Subcomandante Marcos will make it to >network news, while most media will miss the entire story of the growing >indigenous and human rights movements in Mexico -- in response to the terror >and inequality that many Mexicans continue to live with. > >The story that all media will most likely miss is the forthcoming United >Nations document that delineates and guarantees the rights of indigenous >peoples worldwide. That's a 507-year-old scandal worth >looking into. > >COPYRIGHT 1999 UNIVERSAL PRESS SYNDICATE > >* Both writers are authors of Gonzales/Rodriguez: Uncut & Uncensored (ISBN >0-918520-22-3 UC Berkeley, Ethnic Studies Library, Publications Unit. >Rodriguez is the author of Justice: A Question of Race (Cloth ISBN >0-927534-69-X paper ISBN 0-927534-68-1 Bilingual Review Press) and the >antibook, The X in La Raza II and Codex Tamuanchan: On Becoming Human. They >can be reached at PO BOX 7905, Albq NM 87194-7904, 505-242-7282 or >[EMAIL PROTECTED] Gonzales's direct line is 505-248-0092 or [EMAIL PROTECTED] > <<<<=-=-=FREE LEONARD PELTIER=-=-=>>>> If you think you are too small to make a difference; try sleeping in a closed room with a mosquito.... African Proverb <<<<=-=http://www.tdi.net/ishgooda/ =-=>>>> IF it says: "PASS THIS TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW...." Please Check it before you send it at: http://urbanlegends.miningco.com/library/blhoax.htm
