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Tag(s): Afghanistan; Iraq; Iraq; Iraq Veterans Against The War; Media Distractions Celebrities; Media Distractions Kidnapping; Media Network ABC; Media Network Al Jazeera; Media Network MSNBC; Media Network NBC; (more...) Media Newspapers; Media Reality TV; Media Scandal; Media-News; Military; Veterans; Veterans (less...)
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March 5, 2008 at 23:46:31

Headlined on 3/5/08:
Winter Soldier: Can the Mainstream Media Handle the Truth?

by Cheryl Biren-Wright Page 3 of 3 page(s)

www.opednews.com

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Host Brian Kilmeade jumped in and remarked "It’s about...it’s about 20."

Williams replied, "No, it’s not about . It’s 28. I say it that way because we’re going to spend 15 minutes talking about this, I’ve not seen one death, one name of a soldier, one name of a person that allows us to do this."

Host, Gretchen Carlson asked quizzically "Why do we do that as a society." Williams answered "Because it’s our voracious appetite to bring on ratings. That’s what it is. We know it as a fact. Let’s be honest about it." Carlson agreed "Of course, it’s the ratings." She then moved to place the blame on the public, "It’s the appetite, we’re feeding the beast. The audience..."

"Well, cart before the horse, horse before the cart. I don’t know who drives it," Williams responded. "I think right now if we woke up this morning and instead of talking about Heath Ledger, we talked about the troop who died last night by the IED..."

Kilmeade defended the media by stating, "We talk about the war plenty. I was actually embedded. I was there for the invasion." "I got ya," offered Williams. Kilmeade continued, "I think everybody in this country knows we’re at war."

Williams countered, "Nobody in this country knows who died yesterday and if I know about Heath, I want to know about the troops."

Kilmeade then asked whether there was any realistic way to talk about each of these deaths individually. Williams resolved that "We can talk about all of the troops from yesterday and I’m sorry if we’re going to sit here and have this discussion about Heath Ledger, I want to tell America [looking into the camera] 28 troops died since January 1st. That’s what I want to talk about."

The hosts relented and offered Williams the chance to tell them about one of the troops who died since January. Thirty seconds later, they went to commercial. Montel never returned. Just days later, it was announced that Fox declined to renew it’s contract with the Montel Williams show.

Truth and Consequences

Last year, Joe Scarborough an early and ardent supporter of the invasion of Iraq concluded that the U.S. could not win the war. He stated, "And you're hearing that from a guy who's been a hawk from his earliest days. But I'm also a realist...When the facts change, so does my mind. You know, what do you do? Well, bottom line is, if you keep your feet in cement and you don't change with the realities on the ground, then you're responsible for the killing of a lot more U.S. troops."

Well, Joe, next week a group of brave men and women will gather to share with the world the realities on the ground. Will you be there to listen?

A Challenge

I offer then, a challenge to the media. A self-imposed stop loss - no weekend get away, no excursions to the world of eye candy reporting. For four days next week, censor the celebrity and political hijinks. You cheered the troops on while turning your back on the truth, the least you can do now is hear their stories and report them to the public.

Hey, Scarborough, Matthews, Blitzer et al - can you handle the truth?

Note: IVAW has coordinated live video and audio feeds of the entire Winter Soldier weekend. For more information visit, How to Watch

To learn more about Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW) and the Winter Soldier: Iraq and Afghanistan, visit www.IVAW.org.

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5 comments

Hater of Nazis above all. Hobbies include activism, military model building, military history, exciting and vital conversation with retired crooks. Retired
John HanksHater of Nazis above all. Hobbies include activism, military model building, military history, exciting and vital conversation with retired crooks. Retired

The mainstream media can spin anything.

War is never a traffic accident. It is always an exercise in heroism or tragedy.

by John Hanks (1 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 1400 comments) on Thursday, March 6, 2008 at 12:14:01 PM

Student of history, religion, exoteric and esoteric, the Humanities in general and advocate for peace, justice and the unity of humankind, not through force, but through self-realization and mutual respect. I have also just come out with my first book, a combination of poetry, photography and essays entitled "Post Katrina Blues", my reflections on the Gulf Coast and New Orleans two years after Katrina struck. Go to the store at http://sanfranciscobaypress.com/ to purchase.
Mac McKinneyStudent of history, religion, exoteric and esoteric, the Humanities in general and advocate for peace, justice and the unity of humankind, not through force, but through self-realization and mutual respect. I have also just come out with my first book, a combination of poetry, photography and essays entitled "Post Katrina Blues", my reflections on the Gulf Coast and New Orleans two years after Katrina struck. Go to the store at http://sanfranciscobaypress.com/ to purchase.

The Wages of Lies are Death

Five years of lies after lies have produced a holocaust. Time for America to look at the gulf between its rhetoric and Iraqi reality and then ponder what the Universe has in store for every American complicit in this atrocity.

Despite the best efforts of the Empire to make people think it IS God, God is not impressed and isn't about to surrender the moral laws of the Universe to Fox News and Dick Cheney. Most of the American churches may, but the German churches in Nazi Germany did the same thing and look where that got them.

That's one reason Dante wrote the Inferno, by the way, so we can get an idea of where the Cheneys of this world, who pop up generation after generation, will end up.

Look at Winter Soldier as one last chance for America to confront itself in the mirror and come clean. Run from this too and face the consequences of our government's actions.

by Mac McKinney (48 articles, 78 quicklinks, 180 diaries, 1134 comments) on Thursday, March 6, 2008 at 3:15:28 PM

Currently I'm a cartoonist and contributing writer for The New Orleans Levee. For those wishing to view my work you can see my latest at: nolevee.com
Mr MCurrently I'm a cartoonist and contributing writer for The New Orleans Levee. For those wishing to view my work you can see my latest at: nolevee.com

Won't happen ...

If you're waiting for a Howard Beale moment coming from anyone in M$M of today you'll be waiting a long time. I'd love to see it happen, but there is no way that happens outside of Hollywood.

I support these brave patriots with all I have but they'd have to physically attack the Washington Post offices to get any coverage, and maybe not even then, let alone get on national TV.

by Mr M (4 articles, 0 quicklinks, 18 diaries, 1763 comments) on Thursday, March 6, 2008 at 8:38:08 PM

Writer/Photographer. Special interests in media reform, restoring/protecting the constitution, support for returning veterans, ending the Iraq occupation and improving relations with Iran. In the meantime, will settle for a vanilla latte and a keyboard while exposing those who promote ideologies like the Bush Doctrine that subvert our constitution, encourage terrorism and are morally and ethically corrupt.

Writer and managing editor for OpEdNews.com.

Contact info: che...

to see more of bio, click on member name
Cheryl Biren-WrightWriter/Photographer. Special interests in media reform, restoring/protecting the constitution, support for returning veterans, ending the Iraq occupation and improving relations with Iran. In the meantime, will settle for a vanilla latte and a keyboard while exposing those who promote ideologies like the Bush Doctrine that subvert our constitution, encourage terrorism and are morally and ethically corrupt.

Writer and managing editor for OpEdNews.com.

Contact info: che...

to see more of bio, click on member name

not looking for nor expecting an "I'm mad as hell" moment. but i sure as hell am going to call them out at every opportunity for continuing to suppress the news that matters most. not even asking them to rally behind the winter soldiers, just report the damn news.

also, mr. m. the vets are already doing their share. if you do sincerely support them with all you have, then i hope you are doing that in an actionable way. the bottom line is that word needs to get out about this. maybe the major news outlets aren't going to come through, but the only way that any will - national or local - is through pressure from the public. if you haven't already, i hope you will use your keyboard for doing more than acting as a naysayer. organize a letter to the editor campaign so that readers may know what's happening and so the editorial boards might take notice as well. no hollywood magic needed there.

thanks for reading.

by Cheryl Biren-Wright (27 articles, 26 quicklinks, 8 diaries, 405 comments) on Thursday, March 6, 2008 at 9:06:53 PM

My goal at this point in my life is to wake up the sleeping American public. Am a lowly public servant who'll likely be working til I'm 65 since universal healthcare doesn't seem to be on its way to our nation any time soon. My spare time is spent speaking out for Peace and an end to war as the solution to any problem our country sees as affecting it.
paz loveMy goal at this point in my life is to wake up the sleeping American public. Am a lowly public servant who'll likely be working til I'm 65 since universal healthcare doesn't seem to be on its way to our nation any time soon. My spare time is spent speaking out for Peace and an end to war as the solution to any problem our country sees as affecting it.

Brave Patriots

These men and women deserve our heartfelt support in all ways. Spread the word and ask your friends and neighbors to support them, too. Check out the video on the IVAW.org website which will give you a little preview of the coming Winter Soldier Hearings. It lasts around 15 minutes. It is not pleasant. The photos, taken by the troops themselves will tear your heart out. What will you be doing on March 19th? Take to the streets, call your Senators and Congressperson, but please don't just ignore this. Five years is 5+ years to many.

by paz love (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 71 comments) on Thursday, March 6, 2008 at 10:31:48 PM