Friday, June 17, 2005
One of those Rosa Parks moments
It's one of those Rosa Parks moments.
The Washington Post, which seems to be the relief driver of the national media bus, has printed one of the most disrespectful and dishonest articles ever, quite an accomplishment for a paper which almost singlehandedly invented most of the "Clinton scandals". This piece, by Dana Milbank, is directed as a personal attack against a senior member of Congress, a man who has served long and honorably and well, John Conyers. (Conyers answers it here)
This is not the sort of thing a smart business person does. You can probably get away with calling Democrats.com "wing nuts", as Milbank previously did, or make snide remarks about "bloggers" and nameless, faceless "conspiracy theorists" as a lot too many journalistic kool kids seem to think is ok. A smart businessman knows he doesn't need every customer. He can get away with some rudeness now and again.He can lie every so often. But not many would spit, so to speak, in the face of a senior Congressman.
Not only that, John Conyers is one of those people who everyone loves. To deride a soft-spoken, mild-mannered, elderly man with this sort of corrosive prose, especially with such little provocation, is just the sort of ugly arrogance that inspired the African Americans of Montgomery, Alabama to follow Rosa Parks out of the bus and onto the sidewalk.
No, I don't think Milbank is a racist. But I know his attitudes inspire in me the same sense of being disrespected as a reader that Rosa Parks felt as a bus passenger. And they inspire in me the same sort of quiet determination that led Rosa Parks and so many others to walk rather than ride. I'll stay off the comfortable ride provided by The Washington Post media group, because I know they think that a certain class of their readers are inferior.
We who believe that the government and press are out of control, no longer serving their role in democratic governance-- we are all black now. We who question the myths that all citizens have equal rights to speak freely, to have their votes counted equally-- we are all black now. We who believe that the path this nation is on leads to endless war, economic ruin, and the loss of the mantle of world leadership the United States wore ever since World War II-- we are all black now.
Since we are all black now, let's get out and walk, rather than pay to be spat upon.
Comments:
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Thanks for stopping by, Johnny and Peg.
The Green Blog has been one of the few breaths of fresh air out there, Peg. Everyone should check it out.
The Green Blog has been one of the few breaths of fresh air out there, Peg. Everyone should check it out.
Reporters work for their editors. Milbank's editors wanted a hit piece and they got one. But from a business point of view the article is an unmitigated disaster.
Alice Marshall
Alice Marshall
# posted by 
: 6/18/2005 02:32:00 PM
: 6/18/2005 02:32:00 PM
Excellent point, Alice. I was hinting at the fact that the overwhelming majority of the Washington Post's local subscribers are not pro-Bush.
Now, anyone who has a subscription to The Post can make management feel it directly. One idea I heard is that people should simply return any subscriptions that they feel are defective to the Post building. Of course, it would help if radio show host Joe Madison would get on board.
Readers are welcome to mention this idea to him in the context of what The Post did to Conyers at blackeagle@joemadison.com
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Now, anyone who has a subscription to The Post can make management feel it directly. One idea I heard is that people should simply return any subscriptions that they feel are defective to the Post building. Of course, it would help if radio show host Joe Madison would get on board.
Readers are welcome to mention this idea to him in the context of what The Post did to Conyers at blackeagle@joemadison.com
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