The Continued Cry for Truth: Main Stream Media-- Business As Usual

IN March of this year, during the primaries, I became so outraged at the depths to which Main Stream Media had plunged into bias and misogyny that, in addition to campaigning for Hillary Clinton, I began to work actively on media reform. Tired of the endless stream of "babble from Babel", of the outright lies, half truths, ommissions, innuendo, lewd, sexist remarks and sometimes even violent references to and about Hillary [and thus ALL women] perpetrated by news readers of BOTH genders--note, I do not characterize these offenders as journalists--many of us began to push back at these outrages, contacting network heads, producers, perpetrators and advertisers, and boycotting same. It got to the point where FOX, the network once most maligned for Republican bias, was the only place one could hope to obtain even a scintilla of balanced reportage.

IN the months since, we have seen incremental change in response to our outcry: a few random wrist slaps for some of the most blatant offenders, coupled with an apology here and there [if they do it and apologize, does that make it all right to continue to offend??], and, finally, this week, word that BOTH Olberman and Matthews have been demoted from anchor posts to mere commentary slots for fall election coverage. A step in the right direction, to be sure, but a more complete demotion would have been more to my liking, given the frequency and outrageousness of their offenses.

AND THEN came Charlie Gibson's interview with Sarah Palin: Regardless of whether one agrees with a candidate's ideology, one cannot have an informed electorate unless media is willing to report truthfully and objectively. Call me crazy--I have always supported the view that in order to HAVE a Democracy [even if it is only a representational democracy] an informed electorate, accorded human rights, is the imperative. However, objectivity be damned, Charlie sat, leaning slightly forward, above Governor Palin, glasses perched low on nose as he peered, frowning menacingly down through them at her. It was disconcertingly clear that this was more an inquisition than an interview, but still I thought that perhaps we would get some real information from Governor Palin.

NOW mind you, I am a lifelong Democrat, [or at least I was until the DNC and the Obama camp used caucus, voter and delegate fraud and intimidation to select the candidate who LOST the primary] and, as such, disagree with much of Governor Palin's ideology. However, when I read the ENTIRE transcript http://marklevinshow.com/gibson-interview/
of that Gibson interview, including the PARTS EDITED OUT, I was once again reminded that we, the American people who are trying to learn about our candidates, continue to be deprived of the truth in reporting that our Democracy requires to function. During the primaries, as now, the American public has been denied their right not only to free speech, but their right to be informed. Countless incidents of caucus fraud, voter fraud and delegate intimidation went unreported, and, indeed, even the assassination of Arkansas State Democratic Chair Bob Gwatney went virtually unnoticed. Most people to whom I mentioned it were shocked to learn that it had happened, so unreported was that heinous crime.

AND SO IT GOES. The trauma of the Denver convention is passed, though definitely not forgotten; the DNC has rejected its most popular candidate in favor of one selected by a few of its waning leaders, one who is LEAST likely to win in November; and the Republican candidate has chosen a women to run as his VP. Never mind whether you agree with their ideology; Obama changes positions [and perhaps vp choices, if one accords any credence to rumors??!] with abandon, so we really do not know WHAT he stands for...McCain the Maverick [castigated by the Republican Far Right] has at least stepped up to the plate for equality with his choice. And all that remains now is to continue to expose media bias and try as best we can to educate the public on the facts about both candidates in the hope that they will have a vote that counts.

Turning Left To Go Right--The World Turned Upside Down

Upon hearing the news that Sarah Palin had been chosen as John McCain's running mate and learning of the spate of vicious sexist attacks upon her, Thelma, Louise and Princess Laia veered suddenly left and north to head to the Republican Convention in Minneapolis. In our last episode, we had arrived safely thereon and were making plans to be interviewed and attend Governor Palin's speech scheduled for Wednesday, September 3.

Today finds us mulling over the events of last night, and all the permutations therein. It was a first for this writer: attending a Republican convention was the last thing I ever thought I would be doing. Amidst frantic phone calls from family asking whether I had lost my mind, I marched forth with my stalwart sisters to make our stand for feminism, women's rights, and human rights.

Irrespective of candidates' ideologies, it is our position that sexist smears, comments and accusations cannot be tolerated, at any time or any place. To continue to allow this kind of thing to perpetuate is to keep all people enslaved. As Hillary says, "Women's Rights Are Human Rights."

We were met at the skybox most graciously by two lovely RNC officials and were immediately struck by the contrast between the two conventions. Just having come from Denver, we had experienced and witnessed a great deal of unpleasantness--delegate intimidation, aggressive Obamabots, hostile and arrogant DNC officials were the rule rather than the exception, and at times the only friends we felt present were the Denver police, the foreign press and the residents, all of whom were terrific.

On the other hand, the officials and attendees here in St. Paul have been nothing but open, welcoming and enthusiastic about our presence. Regardless of whether one agrees with Sarah Palin's policies, one has to respect her right to voice them without fear of her family or herself being maligned.

The utter disrespect and sexism that has emerged, once again, toward a woman running for office in the United States is unacceptable. When Joe Biden lost a wife and child in a car crash years ago, no one suggested to him that he quit his job to stay home and take care of his children; no one has suggested that he is a poor parent because his daughter was arrested for obstructing justice--in fact, no one even REPORTED the incident, which occurred years ago, until NOW!

And so it goes. It will not stop until we MAKE it stop. Call us what you will--we will not stop until equality is a reality, not just something Democrats feel they can apply only to themselves or those of whom they approve. Equality is for EVERYone...all races, religions, creeds, genders, and yes...even political parties. Even Republicans have the right to be free from sexist, personal assaults upon themselves and their families. If one is maligned, we are all vulnerable.