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 CBS Silences General DissentPosted on May 29, 2007By Amy Goodman Listening to retired U.S. Army Maj. Gen. John Batiste, you sense his intense loyalty to the military. He commanded the Army’s 1st Infantry Division in Iraq, capping a 31-year Army career. So why did CBS News fire him as a paid news consultant? A straight answer from CBS seems as elusive as those Iraqi weapons of mass destruction. The short answer: Batiste appeared in a television advertisement sponsored by VoteVets.org, a nonpartisan group that advocates for veterans. In the 30-second spot, he said, in part: “Mr. President, you did not listen. You continue to pursue a failed strategy that is breaking our great Army and Marine Corps. I left the Army in protest in order to speak out. Mr. President, you have placed our nation in peril.” Batiste is one of the six retired generals who called for the resignation of then-Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld in the spring of 2006. Of those generals, he alone both served at a high level in the Pentagon and commanded 22,000 troops in Iraq. Despite a promised promotion to three-star general, which would have made him the second-highest-ranking officer in Iraq, Batiste made the difficult decision to retire and speak out. In his book and documentary “War Made Easy,” media critic Norman Solomon explains the impact these retired TV generals have on the national debate: “In the run-up to the war in Iraq, the failure of mainstream news organizations to raise legitimate questions about the government’s rush to war was compounded by the networks’ deliberate decision to stress military perspectives before any fighting had even begun. CNN’s use of retired generals as supposedly independent experts reinforced the decidedly military mind-set even as serious questions remained about the wisdom and necessity about going to war.” In 1999, when the U.S. was bombing Yugoslavia, I asked Frank Sesno, vice president of CNN: “Why pay these generals? And have you ever considered putting peace activists on the payroll? Or inviting them into the studio to respond to the drumbeat for war?” He replied: “We’ve talked about this. But no, we wouldn’t do that. Because generals are analysts, and peace activists are advocates.” That’s not far from the reason CBS gave for firing Batiste. According to a cbsnews.com blog, CBS News Vice President Linda Mason explained, “We ask that people not be involved in advocacy.” Generals, it seems, are analysts when they agree with the war plan, and advocates when they oppose it. Political blog the Horse’s Mouth reported that CBS News consultant Michael O’Hanlon clearly advocated for President Bush’s troop surge but didn’t get tossed. O’Hanlon, a senior fellow at The Brookings Institution, told the Horse’s Mouth he “would be personally gratified to see Batiste back on CBS.” CBS is not alone in icing out perspectives critical of the Iraq war, especially when it mattered. Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting, a media watchdog group, did a study analyzing the major nightly newscasts for the two weeks surrounding then-Secretary of State Colin Powell’s speech for war before the United Nations on Feb. 5, 2003. On the major evening newscasts on ABC, CBS, NBC and PBS, FAIR found 393 interviews on the issue of war, of which only three were with antiwar leaders. This when a majority in the U.S. either opposed war or supported more time for inspections. This is not a mainstream media, but an extreme media, beating the drums for war. When I spoke with Batiste, he shied away from political commentary. He was focused on the issues: the safety of the troops, the situation in Iraq. He says we need “a comprehensive national strategy,” including “the tough diplomatic, political and economic measures.” Instead, he says, the U.S. is “depending on our military almost entirely to accomplish this ill-fated mission in Iraq.” Batiste is a lifelong Republican. His father and both his grandfathers were in the military. “You see, we got this war terribly wrong. I’m not antiwar at all.” Moveon.org circulated an online petition demanding CBS restore Batiste, which more than 230,000 people signed. Batiste’s crime is obvious: He dared to dissent, directly contradicting the endlessly repeated assurances reported by the network news that Bush takes his military advice from his generals on the ground, not from Congress or public-opinion polls. CBS News has reached a new low when it censors even a pro-war Republican retired general merely for criticizing the president. The power that the broadcasters have amassed, their craven servility to the Bush administration and its failed wars, and their refusal to offer airtime to dissenters all amount to a direct threat to our democracy, a far greater threat than Saddam’s imagined WMDs. Amy Goodman is the host of “Democracy Now!,” a daily international TV/radio news hour airing on 500 stations in North America. © 2007 Amy Goodman; Distributed by King Features Syndicate Previous item: New York Theater Review: 'The Year of Magical Thinking' Next item: Welcome to Grandpa's World, Baby Cheney Elsewhere: . CommentsAre you a Truthdig member yet? Login now, or register with Truthdig. Add Your Comment
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By HypocracyNow, June 28, 2007 at 7:49 am #
Amy Goodman is a hypocrite who does not allow any voices of descent if they happen to be against her bigoted ideological views. When will she speak up about honor killings of young women in the Palestinian territories? When will she allow Palestinian homosexuals to speak out against the horrors they experience living under radical religious rule? When will she give voice to the vast majority of Muslims who think that suicide bombings are a crime against humanity? When will she have a discussion about the tyrants that rule almost every Arab country in the Middle East? When will she give a voice to the millions of Muslims want to speak out against the injustice perpetuated against them by Ahmadinejad of Iran, the radical Islamists ruling Saudi Arabia ect? Never! Because Amy Goodman is a bigot of the worst stripe. The only thing I have ever heard on Hypocrisy Now are her bigoted diatribes against the only democracy in the Middle East. I have never heard anything about the State of Israel on Democracy Now that I couldnt have read on David Dukes website.
Report thisBy Terry Phillips, June 5, 2007 at 1:19 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)
The CBS ‘dictionary’ defines analysis as conformity; advocacy as independent thought.
Report thisBy Ron, June 4, 2007 at 2:34 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)
I appreciate Amy’s thrust. For decades as an independent journalist, she has been on the forefront in covering peace and justice and related issues.
First, may I point out that we must revise our terminology if we are going to get to the root causes. This is not a war. This is an illegal occupation of a sovereign nation. This corporate-controlled government is not fighting an army. They are attempting to quell an Iraqi resistance, what they call an insurgence, against the permanent seizure of their land and resources.
Second, if you look at the history of the US interference in the so-called Middle East, you can see they are not planning to exit Iraq. That is why they have no exit strategy. It is why they have no solid diplomacy. It is why they forced the compromised democrats in Congress to withdraw their demand for a troop deployment time table within the nonbinding resolution. Blackwater and other private armies are there to secure the environment so that the corporations like Halliburton can set up a permanent vacuum, a mechanism of privatization whereby they can suck the wealth of Iraq into their coffers.
Third, we do not live in a democracy. This is not a government that is truly for the people and by the people. The control and direction of this nation is in the hands of the richest 3% of this nation. If it were a democracy, the people would choose their allies, the people would choose if they wanted to go to war, and the people would have ultimate control over the nation’s economic and social power structure. That does not exist here. Instead we have destructive capitalism that consumes 50% of the world’s resources. We are an adolescent nation who acts like the schoolyard bully. We do not have a democracy.
We need to stop the historical denial and recognize that this country was created on the backs of poor and working people and minorities, the land stolen and the labor imposed for free. This is how the white male ruling class got their head start, and how they have been ahead of us ever since. They control the media outlets, the ways and means, and the national dialogue. They continue to be very adept at using the divide and conquer mechanism to influence us to fight each other over issues like immigration, homosexuality, and labor rights, when it is they who are at the heart of the problem.
It is within this climate that Batiste was ousted by CBS. It was not surprising to me. He was a Republican, and represented the military industrial complex that is ruled by the corporatocracy, but when he betrayed them by speaking out, he was eliminated. More liberal voices like Phil Donohue, Bill Moyers and Bill Maher were eliminated much quicker to show the American public the consequences of not being “patriotic”.
Perhaps Batiste will finally understand that he, like all of us, are wage slaves, Government Issue, and potential cannon fodder if we don’t wake up and unite. It is up to us to create a true United States of America so that 100% of the people can ensure that all persons have the right and access to mainstream media, and that their opinions are welcomed without prejudice and not in jeopardy of being eliminated.
Report thisBy Bill Blackolive, June 1, 2007 at 9:35 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
Amie, Great piece, possibly one of your better ones.
Report thisMeantime, could you please sometime interview Alan Miller for his remarkable since September site, patriotsquestion911.com/media? In less than a year he has 400 or 500 known folks or survivors speaking out on 911. With some of your help, those more afraid can pitch in.
By tomack, May 31, 2007 at 12:57 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)
I watch very little CBS, now I will watch none.
Report thisBy ctbrandon, May 31, 2007 at 12:17 pm #
It’s unfortunate that this isnt an isolated incident. What amazes me is that people see things like this happen, but still dont believe that its possible an elite group of individuals are now calling the shots in the world. The NWO is no longer a conspiracy, its right in front of our faces, controlling everything from media to oil.....and yet we still label those who talk about these things nut jobs. When will we wake up?
brando
Report thishttp://www.actforyourself.org
By rico, May 31, 2007 at 4:52 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
Why is it so many are afraid of the truth.
Report thisWho owns CBS and most of the media?
What country wants this war most?
Less than 3% of the citizens of this country controls the other 97%; lock, stock and barrel.
By national-security-4-us, May 31, 2007 at 1:54 am #
AMEN --- GEN. J.F.B SPOKEN LIKE A TRUE AMERICAN…
SORRY 2 SAY I WISH WE HAD MORE LEADERS LEADING OUR ARMED FORCES INSTEAD OF BRAIN-DEAD FOLLOWERS WHO LISTEN 2 LIES INSTEAD OF THE RULES OF LAWS AMERICA WAS FOUNDED UPON…
WE ALL KNOW HOW THIS PRESIDENT FEELS ABOUT OUR FOUNDING DOCUMENTS & WHAT HE HAS EQUATED THEM TOO = A
BLASPHEMOUS TERM & HE CLAIMS 2 BE A CHRISTIAN & HIS LORD & SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST IS HIS HERO & THE GOD HE
SAYS HAS IN THE PAST SPOKEN TO HIM - I CAN’T SEE HOW
WHEN - HE JUST TOOK THE LORDS’ NAME IN VAIN & THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD KNOWS ABOUT IT - HIS TRUE FEELINGS TOWARDS THE MOST HISTORICAL & PRECIOUS DOCUMENTS THAT
FORMED & CREATED OUR NATION…
WOE UNTO HIM & WOE IS HE…
RESEARCH THE CREED 4 SKULL & BONES ADMITTANCE - ONE MUST DENY JESUS CHRIST 4 ADMITTANCE INTO THE CLUB…
ANYONE CAN SAY THIS & THAT ABOUT GOD/RELIGION/BELIEFS
HOWEVER ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THEN WORDS - SEEING IS
BELIEVING & DOING THE RIGHT THINGS IS EVIDENT 4 ALL 2
SEE - A WAR-MONGERING PRESIDENT IS ANYTHING BUT A TRUE CHRISTIAN ESPECIALLY WHEN INNOCENT LIVES ARE LOST EVERYDAY…
AFGHANISTAN WAS A “JUST WAR” & BIN LADEN WAS PUBLIC EMENY # 1 UNTIL THE UNIT WAS DISBANDED FROM TRACKING
& WHAT WAS REALLY NEEDED 2 CORNER HIM WAS DENIED…
NOT 2 MENTION THE MILLIONS OR BILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT THE U.S. TAXPAYERS PAY 4 ERADICATION OF THE POPPY PLANT - WHICH IS NOT BEING ERADICATED & HAS ONLY MULTIPLIED IN CULTIVATION/PRODUCTION SINCE THE
AFGHANISTAN WAR STARTED…
OH I FORGOT - SECRET BLACK-OPERATION MONEY 4 YOU KNOW
THE SO-CALLED GOOD GUYS (CIA) 2 DO THEIR DIRT…
THE WAR ON DRUG USERS & NOT DRUG DEALERS/KINGPINS HAS
BEEN VERY LUCRATIVE 4 DECADES 4 SOMEBODY OTHER THEN THE AMERICAN LIVES THAT WERE SYSTEMATICALLY DESTROYED
WITH DELIBERATE INTENTIONAL AIMS/GOALS…
MAKE EVERYONE A FELON SO THEY CAN’T VOTE OR POSSESS A
FIREARM --- HOW CLASSIC --- SO FUCKING DIABOLICAL…
THEN IN THE JUSTICE ARENA - NO ONE CAN GET A INSTANT
EXPUNGEMENT OF RECORDS WHEN SOMEONE MEETS THE CRITERIA WHICH IS WRITTEN IN LAWS - NO ARRESTS/CRIMES
OR CONVICTIONS IN SPECIFIC PERIOD OF TIME…
ONE MUST PAY 4 THEIR RECORD 2 BE CLEARED/EXPUNGED…
YET WITH COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY ONLY A DATE NEEDS 2 BE
IMPUTED INTO A COMPUTER WITH THE PERSONS’ NAME & WHEN
THE TIME EXPIRES - VIOLATION-FREE OF COURSE - THE PERSONS’ LIFE SHOULD BE RESTORED BACK TO HOW IT WAS
PRIOR 2 THEM COMMITTING A CRIMINAL OFFENSE—EVEN THOUGH SOME WERE BROUGHT FORTH & ENVISIONED BY THE WAR ON DRUGS CONCEPT…
BLANTANT CRIMINAL CORRUPTION & UNETHICAL BEHAVIOR BY
OUR SO-CALLED ELECTED OFFICIALS/LEADERS THE PEOPLE
ELECTED 4 OUR OWN BEST INTERESTS AT HEART & THEY ALL
TURNED THEM AGAINST US - HOW SAD IT IS - SAD INDEED..
WHAT A NATION WE HAVE HERE - “ONLY IN AMERICA” - AS IT IS SAID…
Report thisBy kevin99999, May 30, 2007 at 7:42 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)
“According to a cbsnews.com blog, CBS News Vice President Linda Mason explained, We ask that people not be involved in advocacy.
This rational is a joke for a organization whose entire reason for existence is corporate and right wing propaganda.
Report thisBy John F. Butterfield, May 30, 2007 at 2:00 pm #
Dear Eugen,
I was in the Unitec States Navy during the Vietnam era and I certainly do understand self-discipline.
I also marched in protests in Washington DC while on active duty. I wore a sports coat I bought at the Navy Yard to be well dressed for any government photographers who might have been at protests to take pictures.
Just because you get a check from someone doesn’t mean they own your soul, even if you are a retired general, even if you are a general on active duty.
I took an oath to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States. That entails an obligation to refuse to obey illegal orders.
The Constitution of the United States protects the freedom of speech. Many will argue, and I am one of them, that freedom of speech is part of the life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness that is held to be self-evident as unaliemable rights in the Declaration of Independence. That means you couldn’t give up the freedom of speech even if you wanted to,
even if you are a general.
A general has a duty to his country to speak truths that should be known. That dudty goes far beyond his duty to the military or his duty to a president.
Report thisBy national-security-4-us, May 30, 2007 at 1:58 pm #
http://www.newswithviews.com/Briley/Patrick4.htm
READ ALOT OF THESE INTERESTING FACTS - MANY WANT YOU
2 BELIEVE IS A LIE…
LEARN ALL ABOUT D.H.S. SECRETARY M.CHERTOFF
THIS CAREER-CRIMINAL COCAINE ABUSER IS THE FOREMOST &
THE FRONT-RUNNER TO THE BIGGEST TREASONOUS TRAITOR WHICH PALES IN COMPARISON 2 SOME OF THE TERRORISTS…
AFTER READING SOME OF THESE & GETTING INFORMED 2 THE TRUTH - IT IS NO WONDER WHY THE TERRORISTS ARE DOING WHAT THEY ARE DOING…
GET EDUCATED - LEARN & BE INFORMED PEOPLE & STOP LISTENING 2 & BELIEVING THE LIES WE ARE ALL BEING TOLD…
Report thisBy national-security-4-us, May 30, 2007 at 1:50 pm #
http://mparent7777-2.blogspot.com/2007/05/okc-bombi ng-stingcover-up-white-house.html
READ THESE FACTUAL STORIES FROM P.BRILEY WHO WAS VERY
Report thisKNOWLEDGEABLE & EVEN TOLD CONGRESS WHO DID NOTHING…
By national-security-4-us, May 30, 2007 at 1:46 pm #
YOU REALLY HAVE NO ROOM 2 TALK MS.GOODMAN - HOW MANY TIMES HAVE I ACTUALLY E-MAILED YOU & YOU ORGANIZATION
“DEMOCRACY NOW” - NOT EVEN A REPLY AS IF I WAS REALLY
LOOKING 4 ONE…
SO MANY PEOPLE TODAY ARE SO FULL OF SHIT-HYPOCRITICAL
ON OTHERS WHEN THEY DO THE SAME SHIT...A BUNCH OF LYING/CONNIVING/DECEIVING/THIEVES…
EVERYTHING’S JUST ABOUT READY 2 BLOW UP IN EVERYONES’
FACE - ALL OF THESE CRIMINAL/EVIL GAMES BEING PLAYED ARE ABOUT 2 MEET ITS’ END & ITS’ MAKER…
REST ASSURE BILLIONS & BILLIONS OF WORTHLESS HUMAN
BEINGS WILL NOT LIKE THEIR FATE - EVEN THOUGH EACH HAS DUG THEIR OWN HOLE/PIT/GRAVE…
I’VE TRIED TELLING ALL MEDIA/PRESS REPEATIVELY ABOUT TREASON THIS PRESIDENT COMMITTED IN 2004 & AGAIN IN 1/2007 AS WELL AS ALL OF THOSE SITTING AROUND THE ROUND TABLE & ALL THOSE WHO KNOW THE TRUTH…
THE LIST IS ENDLESS NBC/ABC/CBS/MSNBC/CNN - NEWSWEEK/
TIME/NEWSPAPERS/INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISTS/PROMINENT
CIVIL RIGHTS ATTORNEYS…
LARRY KING/WOLF BLITZER/JACK CAFFERTY + MANY OTHERS OF CNN…
TUCKER/HARDBALL/COUNTDOWN/SCARBOROUGH CO./RITA COSBY/
MSNBC INVESTIGATES/COAST 2 COAST/ABRAMS REPORT + MANY
OTHERS OF MSNBC…
O’REILLY/GRETA + A HOST OF OTHERS AT FOX NOISE NEWS..
TODAY - “FREEDOM OF THE PRESS” IS AS SUCH - WHEN SOMEONE LIKE ME GIVES FACTS ABOUT A STORY/EVENT TO MASS MEDIA/PRESS THEY IN TURN HAVE GOT TO GO TO A GOVT. OFFICIAL TO GET CONFIRMATION OF SAME…
NOW IF THE GOVT. WANTS 2 SILENCE/SUPPRESS A STORY FROM BEING TOLD 2 THE AMERICAN PUBLIC-THEY SIMPLY LIE
& SAY THE EVENT/STORY NEVER HAPPENED & THAT’S THAT…
I NOTICED THIS HAS HAPPENED SOMEWHERE IN CLINTONS’ ADMINISTRATION…
THIS BUSH ADMINISTRATION LIED/CONCEALED & COVERED-UP
TERRORISTS BEING CAPTURED AGAIN IN FLORIDA IN 2004 OR
THEY COVERED IT UP BECAUSE THESE PEOPLE WERE HERE IN
THE U.S. INTENTIONAL 2 COMMITT A TERRORIST ATTACK 2 BRING FORTH THE SUSPENSION OF THE U.S. CONSTITUTION BY WAY OF EXECUTIVE ORDER…
IT GETS WORSE WITH THIS TERRORIST RECENTLY BEING LET OUT OF U.S. CUSTODY 2 BE TARGETED 4 ASSASSINATION WITH THOSE 1/2007 AIRSTRIKES IN SOMALIA & HE GETS AWAY…
THE OATH OF OFFICE BUSH SWORE 2 UPHOLD WAS VIOLATED +
MUCH UNETHICAL BEHAVIOR AS WELL AS VIOLATION OF THE PUBLICS’ TRUST…
THE 14TH AMENDMENT SECTION 4 WAS CIRCUMVENTED…
A 1984 LAW CONGRESS PASSED 2 COMBAT INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM - “PUBLIC-LAW 98-533” AKA THE REWARDS 4 JUSTICE PROGRAM WHICH HAS NO OVERSIGHT WHATSOEVER 2 ENSURE THAT THOSE WHO FULFILL THE LAWS ARE ACTUALLY
COMPENSATED 4 THEIR ACTIONS…
NOW GREED/ENVY & JEALOUSY COMES INTO PLAY DUE 2 THE AMOUNT OF REWARD MONEY THAT WAS PLACED ON THESE PEOPLE AS PRESCRIBED BY LAWS ENACTED & APPROVED BY CONGRESS 4 APPROPRIATION…
DO KNOW THIS PEOPLE THAT HAD I NOT DONE WHAT I DID WE
ALL WOULD BE SITTING WITHIN THE CONFINES OF OUR OWN HOMES - VIRTUALLY IN PRISON AWAITING DEFAULT ON SOME
OF OUR BILLS/CREDITORS—WHICH WOULD OF STARTED THE
PROCESS OF TAKING/SEIZING AMERICANS PROPERTY AWAY FROM THEM & PLACING THEM IN SOME OF THESE “FEMA” CONCENTRATION CAMPS THAT ARE PRESENTLY FULLY OPERATIONAL & AWAITING TO BE FILLED UP…
DON’T WORRY PEOPLE THIS EVIL/DIABOLICAL PLAN IS STILL
SECRETLY BEING DISCUSSED & WAITING ITS NEXT ATTEMPT
AT DOING WHAT I STOPPED FROM COMING INTO FRUITION ON
“MEMORIAL DAY - 5/31/2004”
READ EXECUTIVE ORDER 13083 WHICH HAS BEEN RE-WRITTEN
& REVAMPED EVEN 2 MORE DIABOLICAL ENDS ALL IN SECRET MIND YOU—WITH A LITTLE VISION YOU CAN PLAINLY SEE
JUST WHAT IS IN STORE 4 AMERICA & ITS’ PEOPLE VERY SOON…
I’LL PROVIDE SOME LINKS 4 YOU 2 READ SOME FACTS THAT
Report thisCONGRESS JUST DOES NOT SEEM 2 WANT 2 GET 2 THE BOTTOM
OF SOME VERY DAMNING KNOWLEDGE OF FACTS FROM SOME PEOPLE WHO SEEMED 2 BE “IN THE KNOW”
By Dale Headley, May 30, 2007 at 10:36 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
This is just one more nail in the coffin of that old wheeze that the mainstream media is “liberal-biased”. That is utter nonsense. If anything, the corporate media is, if not right-wing biased, at least corporate-biased. Of course, in the minds of right wingers, the media is liberally biased any time they report the truth. To the right wing, truth is irrelevant. They fervently believe that it is the duty of all media to support and enhance the comfort of the wealthy; anything else is tantamount to treason.
Report thisBy ray, May 30, 2007 at 9:39 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
I have to take issue with eugen regarding a retired general speaking out. Should Norman Schwarzkopf give up his military retirement? He’s actively supported the Republican party since his retirement and, I believe, advocated at the GOP convention. He actively campaigned for the nitwit in the White House. I sense a double standard here. In addition, once a federal employee is retired, including military generals, they no longer come under the Hatch act or other prohibitions effective while still in government service.
Report thisBy Leefeller, May 30, 2007 at 8:21 am #
Eugine,
The Commander in Chief commands what the general believes to be unsafe, unwise and a blatant waste of his mens lives and the end result being an overall degradation of the military, the general better speak up.
I was in Vietnam and it would have been nice to have a general say something like what Gen. John Batiste said, instead of the gung ho generals we had. Several other generals have said the same thing about Iraq. Dont know if they were in uniform makes no difference to me. Actually I did not notice if John Batiste was in uniform?
Things need to be addressed, especially to a person who calls himself “the war president”. A person who avoided going to Vietnam himself at any cost.
The uniform thing is kind of interesting, when I think of Ollie North during the Iran Contra hearings.
Report thisBy Verne Arnold, May 30, 2007 at 5:32 am #
Okay! I call bullshit on the “Internet” as the “New Street”!
One has to actually search for the information...not going to happen for the majority! Too lazy - too apathetic......pathetic!
People are swayed by propaganda...the street is the most powerful propaganda machine extant! It cannot be ignored...it’s in your FACE! The media must report it!!
So...get off of your lazy ass and go to the street...die if you really believe...put your very real butt on the line...don’t hide behind your anonymity, aka, the I-net.
It’s now or never folks; the end is in fact nearer than you think...........
Report thisBy Verne Arnold, May 30, 2007 at 5:18 am #
#73843 by Mike Mid-City on 5/29 at 6:32 pm
(95 comments total)
Free speech isnt free. It takes a measure of moral courage and sometimes comes with fiscal penalties if it crosses the powers to be.
I couldn’t agree more! Go to the streets damn it!! I think the Internet isn’t enough...it’s the lazy American way out of responsibility!!!!!!!!
Report thisBy David Leeman, May 30, 2007 at 4:58 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
First, let’s get two things straight. Iraq is not a war, it’s a war crime. Second, Iraq is not a failure. What has and continues to happen is exactly what Cheney and the Neocons wanted, the destabilization of Iraq, and eventually the rest of the Middle East. (See The Project for a New American Century) That is why, even now, when 75% of the country wants the troops to come home, they are driving us towards war with Iran. These criminals need to be impeached and imprisoned, and our troops need to be brought home.
Report thisAfter they come home we need to down size our military by at least 90%. Iraq, Afghanistan, and Algeria and Viet Nam before them have proven that you cannot conquer a country, you can only topple it’s government. Noone can conquer America, period, end of story. Since noone can conquer us, the only reason we need to spend more on the military than the next ten or twelve countries combined is to uphold the American empire abroad. We need to end our bombing and destroying of other countries, and bring our troops home where they, and we can live in peace.
By Eugen, May 30, 2007 at 4:29 am #
John, obviously you have never been in the military and wouldn’t understand discipline. When you are in the military you give up your right to protest at least in uniform, but when you are a General you have the responsibility of setting an example. Don’t attempt to attach wings to me unless the’ re pilots wings. I have no love for the bimbo in the White House. We are talking about one case here which is whether or not a retired General has the right to express his opinion to the public with regard to anything pertaining to the function and readiness of the military. I say he does not.
Report thisBy John F. Butterfield, May 30, 2007 at 4:12 am #
Eugen’s blurb sounds like the rant of a rightwingnutjob.
This country has outlawed slavery and free speech is allowed.
I suppose Eugen hates Dwight David Eisenhower because he warned us about the military-industrial complex and so must be on Eugen’s bad, bad general list.
Report thisBy Margaret Currey, May 30, 2007 at 3:38 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
The stations have to get their license from the Federal government, but the people pay the federal government their wages then why can not the people hear the truth? because when this country was started the founding fathers thought the general public was not smart and that is why there is the electorical college and this electorial college chooses the president, here we have a president who did not get the popular vote, he just went to get the votes where they counted, of course the Bushie Boys stole Fla. to begin with, these neocons just dish out fear, but when the time comes when fear will not be listened to then things might change.
I sure hope this country cannot be compared to Natzi Germany.
Report thisBy Eugen, May 30, 2007 at 3:15 am #
U.S. Army Maj. Gen. John Batiste is still a General. He draws retirement pay and is accorded all the rights and privileges of his rank. He had the option of leaving the Army without retirement. He didn’t and he still draws pay as a General and as such he should be responsible and held accountable for his actions. His behavior is that of a ill tempered little boy who didn’t get his way, not a General. It seems ironic to me that the news media usually takes a sub human approach to people in the military except when it is convenient or find someone of the same ilk.
Report thisBy THOMAS BILLIS, May 29, 2007 at 9:33 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)
What is the news here.Only the extremely moronic would assume that the news media in this country have learned anything on how to report the news from how they covered the run up to war.Every reason in the world is given why newspapers and nightly newscasts are losing viewers and readers except for the right reason they are doing a piss poor job of giving the people news and fair analysis and more and more people are realizing it.
Report thisBy Alejandro, May 29, 2007 at 8:55 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)
The action taken by CBS is a very troubling parallel of how Hitler and the Natzi party were able to take over Germany early in the pre world war II years. (1.) They took over the radio waves in-order to brodcast their vile propaganda. (2.) They took control of the major print media and any dissent was there-by stifled. Then again, there are many paralles to the fascist of world war II Germany and the fascist administration of my country; sad to say. How in the hell did we let this happen???
Report thisBy SamSnedegar, May 29, 2007 at 8:41 pm #
Oh Amy; you yourself have been silenced in the same way that hundreds of Congressmen and literally thousands of supposed reporters and analysts have been squelched. Just like Bob Scheer was silenced quite effectively by being fired by the LA Times and likely being threatened by his publishers.
It’s not that you’ve been directed to lie; you just know better than to tell the truth.
And of course, so did Batiste. Maybe Batiste did threaten to tell the truth, and THAT is why he was fired, not because he mentioned that we have no definition of winning, no strategy of any kind, let alone an exit one.
It’s about oil; it has always been about oil, and it always will be about oil. Controlling the oil is all there is; nothing else matters, except maybe keeping mum about WHY we have to steal control of Iraq’s oil.
I guess you have to take MY share of it to pay my household public debt of $500,000; I certainly don’t know how else I am going to pay it off.
Report thisBy Leefeller, May 29, 2007 at 8:20 pm #
What is going on here, advocacy, analysts? What in hell is the difference?
Could not someone who is a war advocate promoting the war for the public good, be called a war advocate. Instead you call them an analyst to promote your cause.
CBS has their heads were the sun does not shine. Bush has been calling the shots at CBS and other mass medias, not all that surprising. Looking back, one only need remember the mass media and how it was banging the drums of war.
Why_ O- why, could you not be a peace analyst? Guess the reason is as plain as the smirk on Bushs face.
Report thisBy DennisD, May 29, 2007 at 7:34 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)
Follow the money - who owns CBS?
Report thisBy JC Tripp, May 29, 2007 at 7:18 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)
This country needs a military coup ala Chavez. The “elected” officials have so screwed up things it will either take this or a revolution to change the order. I believe, and call me whatever you like (but you support Chavez right?) that if the right military people took charge, they could then restore a true democracy to the land. After all, our first president was also our first war commander. It’s time for our military leaders to take over, arrest and give Bush and this rest their just do and set up real elections for 2008. Crazy? What could be crazier than what we have now?
Report thisBy Dan McClenaghan, May 29, 2007 at 6:51 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)
CBS News always called the Iraq War “The Battle for Iraq.” Language is important. I don’t think our country did anything “for” Iraq; I think it did something “to” it. And that something wasn’t good.
Report thisBy Michael Boldin, May 29, 2007 at 6:09 pm #
this type of attack on free speech is something that’s endemic in our system. Maybe it’s because normal people are never, ever allowed to broadcast....the FCC makes it so impossible to get approval that the only ones that can afford it are the massive corporations that clearly love war?? I wonder sometimes.
The reality though, is that dissent from the government’s position is not something that’s filling the airwaves, even though it’s the position of the people. To me, that’s a strong strong indicator that there’s something incredibly wrong with the media…
Some interesting reading on this:
“The War on Free Speech”
Report thishttp://www.populistamerica.com/the_war_on_free_speech
By MLMrev, May 29, 2007 at 5:57 pm #
Not surprising…
People should seriou
sly engage with Bob Avakian, Chairman of the Revolutionary Communist Party. He has helped to bring about a new vibrancy to Communism and a real plan for “C” in a country like this.
One of his major contributions is the positive role of dissent in Socialist society.
Report thishttp://www.revcom.us
http://www.bobavakian.net
By QuyTran, May 29, 2007 at 5:51 pm #
Since Mr. Rather left CBS its reputation was down to earth.
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