The First Point of Impact

 Today I received an email from a fairly well-known activist group. This is the group I respect the most for the quality of their protests, and the size of their demonstrations.

I will not try to delve into the details of  demonstration planning. What is on my mind is a matter of strategy.

What I am interested in is the media, especially their news divisions. There must be a point of first impact. That is, what is the most important of all the methods, to pursue first and foremost?

As time has gone on and concerns about this federal administration increase, it seems ever more important to me that priorities be set forward. A great historical revolutionary once said the first thing to do is convert the media. What this means in any given movement is to be decided. But in my own reading of history, I have learned that the media set-up in America is inadequate to the point of being dangerous. If this seems histrionic, so be it. Much more can be said, but the way the media is owned in this country is a full-on threat to democracy. This must be the first point of impact.

The Biggest Hoax

 The biggest hoax in American history has been said to be the equating of the profit system with America itself. This is doubtless true naturally such a astonishing assertion must be proven. I believe the entire 19 year history of this blog offers many proofs for this truism.

Today in America we are suffering form about a century of commercialized media in the United states. It is really only now beginning to be recognized as the most dangerous hoax to American democracy. As I indicate, the inner workings of this hoax have yet to be revealed to the general public. However the results are being felt

a most useful book is  "telecommunications, mass media, and democracy,"  by Robert W. McChesney. This landmark book tells the story of the early days of radio and its capturing by big money commercial interests. I highly recommend this tome.

For now, I point you toward this passage from the book, a passage ever so important, based in history, and ever so applicable now.

Along these lines, E. Pendleton Herring wrote:  to believe that ideas critical of the existing social and economic order will naturally win a hearing if they are of sufficient importance to the listening public is to ignore the fact that actual programs are drawn up and determined by private interests.  the NCERS Morgan informed an audience in 1931 that

 There are those that profess to fear the censorship of radio stations operated by local, state, and national government. Do they fail to realize that we already have a censorship -- a censorship applied not by government, which is elected and maintained by the people and responsible to their control, but a censorship maintained by powerful private int who are responsible to no one but their own selfish interests?*

     Indeed, to Morgan, this private control of broadcasting was not simply a theoretical problem, it rendered "genuine freedom of thought" impossible: "The very points at which facts are most needed if people are to govern themselves wisely are the points at which freedom of speech is most certain to be denied." 

*"Politics and Radio Regulation, E. P. Herring.  Harvard Business Review 13.  (1935):  pp. 7-173;  Joy Elmer Morgan, "Education's Rights on the Air."  in NACRE 1931, p. 128. 

 

 

 

 

The Federal Government: Enablers of Racism. And Worse

 Quick Link:

Rush, rough draft

Federal immigration officials succeeded in their attempt to arrest the mayor of Newark, New Jersey today.  At a federally Funded Detention Center, when accompanied by members of Congress, who were attempting to do oversight, the mayor was arrested and detained while peacefully leaving the grounds. This shocking. Unnecessary and completely unjustified use of federal force against a duly elected Democratic official acting nonviolently, is a sign of the insanity which grips the executive branch of government. At this time, the mayor, later released Is a clear victim of a government funded and supported in park by racist sympathizers. This blog deplores and strongly condones this unjustified violation of the mayors ris a clear victim of a government funded and supported in park by racist sympathizers. This blog deplores and strongly condones this unjustified violation of the mayors rights.ights.

We Have A Pope. (Habemus Papam) : Eternal Word Network

 The eternal word net work is on the air, proclaiming the Eminence announcement of a pope to the public, the Cardinals having made their choice.

Yes, “we” have a pope doesn’t suit you, let’s just say a new pope has been chosen.