The Prostitution of Journalism

This posting moved here :


http://theowlcritic.blogspot.com/2011/02/prostitution-of-journalism.html




Thanks.

Sarah and the Egyptians

Ms. Sarah Palin, in a somewhat bizarre interview with CBN, would like to know what America stands for.

I quote Ms. Palin "We need to know what it is America stands for so we know who it is that America will stand with".
Well, somebody give her a copy of the Constitution. Nope, too many big words. The Bill of Rights, perhaps. It has remarkable similarities to what the Egyptian people are fighting for. Shouldn't America stand with the protestors then, like President Obama is trying to do?

"We need strength and sound mind there in the White House," she said.
So, now Obama is of unsound mind?

"Is it going to be the Muslim Brotherhood? We should not stand for that, or with that, or by that" says Sarah.
She reiterates and reiterates and... reiterates. Lincoln would weep.

"So we need to find out who was behind all the turmoil and the revolt and the protests" Ms.Palin continues.
Ah, she wants to know why they're protesting. 
How about hunger, unemployment, a harsh dictatorial rule and non-existent freedoms?
No good?
Let me guess.
A crafty new liberal conspiracy ?

And off she goes, to shoot some poor animal from a safe distance, one assumes. Don't forget the cameras.

The Intrepid Sand Monkey

Egypt's 'Day of Departure' protests have passed and Mubarak is still President. Key members of the regime have resigned but it will certainly not satisfy Egypt's protesters. Their clarion call has always been for Mubarak to step down. And therefore they will, quite fairly, suspect this latest move to be a delaying tactic.

Some opposition figures have started or supported negotiations with Egypt's vice-president, but the wisdom of doing this before they meet the the key demand of the protestors, is questionable. They run the risk of being sucked into a morass of endless 'negotiations'. While the protestors wither under the dessert sun, their resolve and morale weakening with each passing day. And then, this unique opportunity of a new beginning for a free Egypt, may perhaps, forever be lost. Which, some may fear, is the intent of the regime.

Western governments including the United States; while needing little more than a stable Egypt; feel compelled to support the aspirations of the Egyptian people, while fearing the possibility that all this will lead to some Islamist admistration coming to power. And so they tip-toe carefully.

The danger of an extended period of paralysis was also noted by Sand Monkey in his blog posting today. Constructively, he did suggest a way forward and I quote from his blog, "the Egyptian Unity Party will be an Umbrella party that promotes equality, democracy & accountability, without any ideological slants". He hopes to create an entity that will truly represent the aspirations of the protestors.

A battler in the frontlines, arrested and beaten but clearly uncowed, while faithfully updating his blog, Sand Monkey is an articulate, principled example of the hundreds of thousands of ordinary Egyptians who march for freedom.

We hope he succeeds in his endeavours.

The Sand of the Dessert is Sodden Red

Sand Monkey, the noted Egyptian blogger, has, like many of his fellow Egyptian citizens in their battle for freedom, been protesting in Tahrir Square. When he tried to go back to the square yesterday with desperately needed supplies of food and bottled water, he was arrested by state security, beaten, his supplies confiscated and his car wrecked. Latest reports indicate he has been released. Hundreds of such incidents have taken place in Egypt over the past few days; in Cairo,in Alexandria and many other cities.

The people of Egypt have finally taken to the streets, no more willing to endure Mubaraks harsh dictatorship, and inspired by a succesful revolt in Tunisia. The Egyptian authorities tolerated it at first, in the hope that it would fizzle out, but as it grew, they quickly found themselves having to hand out tepid concessions to calm the anger. Mubarak appointed a Vice-President, something he has not done in 30 years of authoritarian rule. But his choice was a former head of Egypts General Intelligence Services, where his duties included charge of Egypts 'political security files'. Hardly the face of change.

Still, the protestors persisted and on Wednesday, hundreds of thousands gathered demanding Mubaraks resignation. And a sinister new tactic was tried. Well, not really new, tyrants everywhere have it in their bag of tricks. 'Pro-Mubarak' supporters gathered and in a violent attempt at intimidation, fired automatic weapons, threw stones and molotov cocktails and finally charged the Tahrir Square protestors. Hundreds were injured and many died. Some 'pro-Mubarak' supporters were captured and found to be carrying police IDs. No surprise there.
Journalists faced a concerted attack, clearly in an attempt to silence them.
The incident provoked outrage and codemnation across the globe.
And all throughout, the protestors in Tahrir Square, like the Spartans at Thermopylae, held their ground.

The new Prime Minister, Ahmad Shafiq, gave a press conference, where he apologised and promised to take action on those who had organized the attacks. Apparently, he was 'not aware' and did not know 'who the culprits were'. He also offered to dialogue with anybody and everybody. It all smacked of delaying tactics. Journalists were surrounded by glowering security agents, looking uncomfortable in their media-friendly business suits. Some questions were not answered by the Prime Minister, as he found them 'offensive'.

Mubarak, meanwhile, gave an interview to ABC, in which he petulantly claimed to be fed up of being President. He seemed content enough, for 30 long years. He would go, he said, but without him there would be 'chaos'. In other words, he would not go.

It is Friday now, and the protestors are planning a huge gathering in Tahrir Square and rallies across Egypt.

We can only hope that as Mubarak's regime gasps out its death rattle, no harm comes to the brave people of Egypt.