Sunday, May 09, 2004
One of the worst things about working for myself is that work leaves so little time to update my blog. That, and the orgy of self-flagellation that is the Iraq torture story makes me not want to read the news until after the feeding frenzy has passed. The world media is in all-torture-all-the-time mode, as this is one of those Perfect Storm media moments when anti-American political biases and the lowest-common-denominator need for the salacious coincide completely.
Which means, among other things, that huge stories have been almost totally ignored because they don't fit the immediate media template. In the past week we've seen--to name only one--an American connection to the Madrid train bombings (sorry, I am way too tired to do any links). One would think that, possibly, the knowledge that some of the people who helped murder 200 Spaniards were right here in this country (if Portland, Oregon can be given that distinction) and presumably capable of doing it here would be, just maybe, worth at least one day at the top of the newscrawls. But no, it's more important that we get more and more torture photographs, we haven't seen nearly enough.
But the story that intrigues me the most features the new Canadian Prime Minister not only trashing the evil UN, but essentially calling for its abolition. I was stunned, and thrilled. It really seems as though there is a near-critical mass of disgust with that awful institution, what with the disgraceful seating of Sudan on the Human Rights Commission, the alleged trafficking in slave women by UN troops in Kosovo, and of course the ever-popular oil-for-food scandal. May it continue until this appalling body goes away. Yes, I know I said I was too tired to do any links, but what can I say, the UN motivates me.
Which means, among other things, that huge stories have been almost totally ignored because they don't fit the immediate media template. In the past week we've seen--to name only one--an American connection to the Madrid train bombings (sorry, I am way too tired to do any links). One would think that, possibly, the knowledge that some of the people who helped murder 200 Spaniards were right here in this country (if Portland, Oregon can be given that distinction) and presumably capable of doing it here would be, just maybe, worth at least one day at the top of the newscrawls. But no, it's more important that we get more and more torture photographs, we haven't seen nearly enough.
But the story that intrigues me the most features the new Canadian Prime Minister not only trashing the evil UN, but essentially calling for its abolition. I was stunned, and thrilled. It really seems as though there is a near-critical mass of disgust with that awful institution, what with the disgraceful seating of Sudan on the Human Rights Commission, the alleged trafficking in slave women by UN troops in Kosovo, and of course the ever-popular oil-for-food scandal. May it continue until this appalling body goes away. Yes, I know I said I was too tired to do any links, but what can I say, the UN motivates me.
Comments:
Post a Comment
