In an unusual move, the Sinclair Broadcast Group, the largest independent operator of television stations in the United States, has ordered all 62 of its stations to preempt regular programming next week to air a documentary that is harshly critical of Sen. John Kerry's anti-war activities in the early 1970s.
This is crap that is Orwellian in proportion. I can't believe it! In Outfoxed, one of the talking heads said: "the media is the nervous system of a democracy".
At this point, with network news flouting basic journalistic principles* and shamelessly purveying partisan politics, I would say that this democracy is having a nervous breakdown.
Then my co-worker Chris sends me this. Apparently there is this group called "Voters Outreach of America" that is trashing registration forms belonging to potential Democrats.
The out-of-state firm has been in Las Vegas for the past few months, registering voters. It employed up to 300 part-time workers and collected hundreds of registrations per day, but former employees of the company say that Voters Outreach of America only wanted Republican registrations.
Two former workers say they personally witnessed company supervisors rip up and trash registration forms signed by Democrats. The company has been largely, if not entirely funded, by the Republican National Committee. UPDATE**still seeking confirmation on this story - I am suspicious that no other news outlet has picked it up. klas-tv is not know for exhaustive fact-checking (they reported the media hoax, "hunting for bambi" last year). Write me a comment if you see it reported elsewhere.
When I was in Brooklyn a couple of weeks ago, Matt and Jackie and I were talking about how we have never been so political before. Matt said: "I remember how, before GWB, the isssue that had me the most up in arms was RIAA ". Those innocent times.
I don't like feeling angry. It is a hot, confusing feeling. I think I am inherently a laid-back person and in my circle, it is kind of uncool/distasteful to harp/lecture about politics. But I read this article written by the advisor to Wellstone. Kind of hokey, but he wrote how it was good to feel that fire, just as long as you direct it to the mountain of ice there is to melt.
