A Few Brave Journalist
It may seem far fetched but there was a time in history when the issue slavery was seen as an debate. This debate questioned the relevance of equality for all races in a revolutionary time of freedom in government. Yet, with the use of the news media, the voices of a few good men and women were projected through the news media. The news shaped the events leading to the emancipation of all slaves in a "free country." People like William Lloyd Garrison, Rev. Elijah P. Lovejoy, Maria Stewart, and Frederick Douglass put there lives and reputation on the line to support and spread the influence of the abolition movement. The Abolition Movement of the 1830's would not has been as effective without the power of the media.
It may seem far fetched but there was a time in history when the issue slavery was seen as an debate. This debate questioned the relevance of equality for all races in a revolutionary time of freedom in government. Yet, with the use of the news media, the voices of a few good men and women were projected through the news media. The news shaped the events leading to the emancipation of all slaves in a "free country." People like William Lloyd Garrison, Rev. Elijah P. Lovejoy, Maria Stewart, and Frederick Douglass put there lives and reputation on the line to support and spread the influence of the abolition movement. The Abolition Movement of the 1830's would not has been as effective without the power of the media.
Rev.Elijah P. Lovejoy , a martyr for the abolition movement and journalistic alike. The brave editor established the St. Louis Observer in 1834, in the slave state of Missouri. Fearing his family's life due to threats, Lovejoy moved to Illinois, a free state, and opened the Alton Observer. Lovejoy's press was then destroyed twice by pro-slave supporters. On November 7, 1837 a mob killed Lovejoy after he refused to abandon his printing press. The death erupted the Abolitionist Movement and inspired other editor like William Lloyd Garrison.
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.nndb.com/people/966/000049819/wlg-sm.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.nndb.com/people/966/000049819/&usg=__KXJ3UmZNwS5undqJc3p-xfqi__A=&h=287&w=227&sz=14&hl=en&start=0&sig2=mkXv_hwLNFPpnYrmYr7p5w&zoom=1&tbnid=rCjup8HdIUijGM:&tbnh=162&tbnw=126&ei=kbsKTaXJK4qr8Aan-Y2iAQ&prev=/images%3Fq%3DWilliam%2BLloyd%2BGarrison%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26biw%3D1440%26bih%3D809%26tbs%3Disch:1&itbs=1&iact=rc&dur=464&oei=kbsKTaXJK4qr8Aan-Y2iAQ&esq=1&page=1&ndsp=37&ved=1t:429,r:2,s:0&tx=61&ty=90
The Liberator continued a strong voice against slavery. Its editor was as bold as Lovejoy and almost met the same fate. When anti-abolitionist paper attacked his paper, he reprinted there words, and showed two sides of the debate, making very interesting newspaper. During one of his many speeches a mob of about one hundred men showed up and force he to have to run and hide until he was saved by a group of his supporters.Yet, he did not put his message on hold. In 1831,William Lloyd Garrison hired Maria Stewart. Maria was born free in Connecticut in 180. She wrote with such fire and intensity. Maria compared America to the great city of Babylon, as used terms such as" lordly white". He writing style proved to be ahead of her time. African-American tauted her, saying it was unseen for woman to write so boldly. However, African-American such as Maria Stewart and Fredrick Douglass proved that blacks were not inferior in intellect.
William Lloyd Garrison: A Radical Voice Against Slavery
The first black newspaper was created in 1827;yet, Fredrick Douglass established the first black abolitionist newspaper. The North Star. Inspired by Garrison's "The Liberator" Fredrick Douglas's newspaper matched the Liberator in content, but surpassed it in circulation and graceful writing style. The North Star was beloved in Europe and the West Indies, with a circulation of 3,000 readers. Fredrick described slave life from first hand account, proving that slave life was neither easy or pleasant. No other editor was able to speak on such truths. The newspaper mirrored "The Jungle" in it's first hand accounts of slave brutality. Douglass's newspaper was a milestone, the end of slavery seemed closer due to the fact that a African-American man was running a successful newspaper proved that there Afican Amercians can be just as or even more productive as any other race.
Freedom's Journalby Jacqueline Bacon
Editorial
The enslavement of thousand of men and women due to racial pedigree has left a stain in today's modern world. In America slaves were in bondage for hundreds of years; however, worldwide humans have been enslaved for thousands of years. Also today in modern times. Today there are those who still take up the ungodly tittle of slave-holder, locally and around.
Yet, the fact that America was built on the principles of freedom leads one to wonder why such a sin was allow to become apart of the culture of southern America. There was many brave souls who fought for the emancipation of slave ,but shockingly the Abolition Movement did not catch on till 1830's fifthly four years after the country's independence.
The past cannot not be alter and as a nation we can only look to the future. The stain has all ready been left. Many Americans held malice toward blacks and terrorized them barbarically. Just recently have the descents of slave been given a equal changes. Just recently have they been able to break the mental chain,and denounce the stereotypes and taboos. However, it seems much more time and education is needed to truly live up to the creed of equality for all.The Dark Side of Journalism
Yellow Journalism- Inflammatory, irresponsible reporting by newspapers. presents little or no legitimate well-researched news and instead uses eye-catching headlines to sell more newspapers. Techniques may include exaggerations of news events, scandal-mongering, or sensationalism. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow_journalism http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Yellow+Journalism?fromAsk=true&o=100074
News Organizations contain such great power and responsibility, and just like anything else it can cause great destruction if used wrongfully. A well know example of this would be the Spanish -American war. A Battle built on propaganda and distortion.Migthier Than the Sword , by Rodger Streitmatter has showed us time and time again how the media has the power to greatly influence our lives. In American culture, we have grown a relationship with the news media. Currently it is a "hard to hate-hard to love relationship;" yet, before the internet, information was not as easy to come by. Therefore, the relationships between the common citizens and the news media was more trustworthy. Many relied on news paper in order to maintain a picture of what is going on were they cannot neither see or hear in order to help them feel more secure. -
Yellow Journalism was brourght to light by two key contributors, Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst. In many ways the Spanish-American War was is a war between two popular newspapers at the time the "Post-Dispatch" and "The Examiner". As the war between these to ediortors begin to become intense, so did agression toward Spain.
Joseph Pulitzer
Joseph Pulitzer fought in the Civil War for the North as a teenager. The Hungarian immigrant began working for a German-language newspaper until he was able to save enough money to create The St. Louis Dispatch. Pulitzer believed newspaper should be inexpensive and appeal to the locals within the community. Apart of the Democratic Party, the "Dispatch" led in reforms such as fraud at the polls, ended high profit and poor service gas stations, and exposing city brothels. By 1883 Pulitzer took over "the New York World" newspaper, and even with citics denouncing his paper he managed to gain 250,000 in circulation. Pulitzer payed Journalist to engage in investigative journalism and told of conditions in sweatshops and prisons. Pulitzer was one of the few newspapers at the time to have a sport section and a section for women. His paper became a major player in American news and many advertisers began knocking on his door to target Pulitzer's audience.
William Randolph Hearst
Hearst comes from a wealth background: therefore, was given considerable financial support by his father George Hearst. Hearst greatly idolized Pulitzer style of news and also working for the New York World shortly. William Randolph Hearst then proceeded to Edit The San Franciso Examiner. Just as Pultitzer, Hearst took on crusades against injustice such as lowering city water rates and End southern Pacific Railroad domiance of the Repuvlican party. Also as did Pultizer, Hearst set out to entertain his reader and after eight years he managed to boost a circulation of 200,000. In 1895 Hearst bought the New York Journal. The flashy colors and lower price gathered advertisers and customers. And the battle begins. /http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0f/Richard_Felton_Outcault.jpg/250px-Richard_Felton_Outcault.jpg
Richard F. Outcault, a artist for the "World", drew up a popular cartoon that became the symbol of the time. Yellow Kid was posted all over the city. " The mascot[yellow kid]- impudent,mindless,and with a manic gleam in his eye- came to represent the sensationalistc journalism that defined the era, and the concept of yellow journalsim was born." (Qoute taken form Mightier Than the Sword by R. Streitmatter)org/wikipedia/commons/5/59/Yellow_kid001
http://upload.wikimedia.gif
Cuban rebels were determine to obtain freedom from Spain in 1835. American business was interested in Cuba but did not want to get mixed up in the politics between Cuba and Spain. In 1896 Hearst sent reporter Richard Harding Davis and artist Frederic Remington to Cuba. "According to the legend, the artist sent Hearst a telegram: "Everything is quiet. There is no trouble here. There will be no war. I wish to return." [Hearst] is said to have repiled: ''You furnish the picture and I'll furnish the war. ""(Qoute taken form Mightier Than the Sword by R.streitmatter)
http://www4.uwm.edu/libraries/special/exhibits/s&awar/S&AWar%20Images/Stacks/remington_women_smallb.jpg
http://www4.uwm.edu/libraries/special/exhibits/s&awar/S&AWar%20Images/Stacks/remington_women_smallb.jpg
The New York Journal printed this image in their newspaper shortly after sending their reporters to Cuba. The drawong was the work of Frederic Remington. Richard Harding Davis told the story of how Spanish officers boarded a vessel off the coast of Cuba, and strip searched three young cuban woman on the deck of the American ship. The story out raged Americans and politicians . The Jouranl accredited for the reporting. The Journal left the World at dismay,and Pulitzer sent his on reporters the validate the Journal's version of events. The World proved the story was supplemented with prooaganda. After finding the victims, Pulitzer's reporters came to find the woman were searched within private cabins, by female officers. However, the seed was planted, and The Journal competied with stories of pure sensationalism. Reports of Spanish officers torching and killing the Cuban begin to circulate within their n]pages.
February 15, 1898 the U.S.S. Maine explodes killing 260 U.S. sailors. Pulitzer and Hearst begin a to print a frenzy of news stories. President Mckinley had no interest in a war with Spain. But due to the headlines from the Journal and the World he was pressured to do so. By 1898 both the World and the Journal had achieved 1.25 million on profit.
"[The] Cuban coverage ranks as a disgraceful example of Journalistic disortion,"(Qoute taken form Mightier Than the Sword by R.streitmatter) . As is the reason I picked this story. From the principle of freedom of press was applied, journalistic and editors most learn true reporting through trail and error. It is easy now for us to look back at both Pulitzer and Hearst with disgrace. Were was the ethics? How could they abuse their power? We well most put are self's in their shoes. There was no example set. The truth was dull and the citizen supported the propaganda. In today's time ,after all we have learn, why do we still have the problem of unethical journalism? It takes the citizen to demand and support the truth. We are the audience and customer. I feel we should boycott all media until the but true news abover the bottom line.
In the world of journalism, credibility is king. Without it, the very foundation of the profession will crumble to the ground.
A big portion of credibility is tied to ethics and decency, which have been seriously undermined as of late by bogus and sensationalistic online media outlets that are giving journalism a bad name. A survey conducted by the Federation of Korean Industries, involving 426 of its corporate members, found that many firms have suffered damages from reports published by Internet media sites. Of those that have suffered setbacks, roughly half said the reports contained false, misleading or skewed information.
These online media outlets often post scandalous or even fictional articles and updates in an attempt to bring down companies that refuse to provide financial support or don’t advertise on the sites. And they’re getting bolder seemingly every day. Companies often wind up giving in to their demands, fearing more vicious attacks and additional damage to their corporate image.
With its limitless boundaries, the Internet has broadened the scope and reach of the media, paving the way for investigation and reporting without the capital and manpower requirements needed to start traditional print publications, radio stations and TV networks.
According to the law, a media establishment can officially form and register with the government with a staff of just three reporters and editors. As of last year, 1,698 Internet media sites were registered with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
The problem is that some of them neglect the basic tenets of journalism, such as fact-checking and verifying information before publication. They copy, paste and then weave together facts with fiction for their benefit. It’s difficult for companies and individuals to sidestep their attacks. When these articles are posted online, they spread like a wildfire across the Internet. As a result, companies that value their brands and corporate images are especially vulnerable.
Of course, many of these sites report the news with integrity. But in this case a few bad apples have tainted the whole crop, discrediting the entire online segment of the industry. This ultimately harms the public the most. Strictly speaking, these quasi-journalism institutions are poisonous and they must be rooted out before the damage spreads. The authorities must toughen the guidelines on Internet media registration and come up with strong punishments for abuse.
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view
Rooting out yellow journalism |
November 10, 2010
In the world of journalism, credibility is king. Without it, the very foundation of the profession will crumble to the ground.
A big portion of credibility is tied to ethics and decency, which have been seriously undermined as of late by bogus and sensationalistic online media outlets that are giving journalism a bad name. A survey conducted by the Federation of Korean Industries, involving 426 of its corporate members, found that many firms have suffered damages from reports published by Internet media sites. Of those that have suffered setbacks, roughly half said the reports contained false, misleading or skewed information.
These online media outlets often post scandalous or even fictional articles and updates in an attempt to bring down companies that refuse to provide financial support or don’t advertise on the sites. And they’re getting bolder seemingly every day. Companies often wind up giving in to their demands, fearing more vicious attacks and additional damage to their corporate image.
With its limitless boundaries, the Internet has broadened the scope and reach of the media, paving the way for investigation and reporting without the capital and manpower requirements needed to start traditional print publications, radio stations and TV networks.
According to the law, a media establishment can officially form and register with the government with a staff of just three reporters and editors. As of last year, 1,698 Internet media sites were registered with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
The problem is that some of them neglect the basic tenets of journalism, such as fact-checking and verifying information before publication. They copy, paste and then weave together facts with fiction for their benefit. It’s difficult for companies and individuals to sidestep their attacks. When these articles are posted online, they spread like a wildfire across the Internet. As a result, companies that value their brands and corporate images are especially vulnerable.
Of course, many of these sites report the news with integrity. But in this case a few bad apples have tainted the whole crop, discrediting the entire online segment of the industry. This ultimately harms the public the most. Strictly speaking, these quasi-journalism institutions are poisonous and they must be rooted out before the damage spreads. The authorities must toughen the guidelines on Internet media registration and come up with strong punishments for abuse.
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/books/product.aspx?r=1&EAN=9780810123311&cm_mmc=Google%20Book%20Search-_-k118169-_-j14953980k118169-_-Googe%20Book%20Search%20(non-B%26N%20Imprint)&IF=N
Most notable among Hearst's competitors was The World, owned and managed by a Jewish immigrant named Joseph Pulitzer. In The Yellow Journalism, David R. Spencer describes how the evolving culture of Victorian journalism was shaped by the Yellow Press. He details how these two papers and others exploited scandal, corruption, and crime among New York's most influential citizens and its most desperate inhabitants-a policy that made this "journalism of action" remarkably effective, not just as a commercial force but also as an advocate for the city's poor and defenseless.
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/books/product.aspx?r=1&EAN=9780810123311&cm_mmc=Google%20Book%20Search-_-k118169-_-j14953980k118169-_-Googe%20Book%20Search%20(non-B%26N%20Imprint)&IF=N
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/books/product.aspx?r=1&IF=N&EAN=9780275981136&cm_mmc=Google%20Book%20Search-_-k118169-_-j14953980k118169-_-Googe%20Book%20Search%20(non-B%26N%20Imprint)
The Power of the Press
McCarthyism- "is a term used to describe the making of accusations of disloyalty, subversion, or treason without proper regard for evidence."
Definition taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McCarthyism
Former Senator Joseph R. McCarthy left an infamous name in the history books. He dirty politics lead the Republican party and himself into the White House. 1950 McCarthy began campaigning the country claiming he possessed a list of congressmen and senators who are members of a Communist party and a spy ring. The World War 2 era was followed by the Cold War era. Communist began the germinate throughout Eastern Europe and many countries; however, Russia was of great concern. McCarthy worked his agenda of the fears of the American people. Many American at the time feared the spread of communism many come to the United States and wanted to avoid this at all cost. This explains why Senator McCarthy was popular with many Americans. By 1953 he became chairman of the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations. Giving him the ablitlty to investigate government activities.
McCarthy also manipulated the press. He knew when news organization of the time would have the deadlines;therefore, he would give statements before reporter could validate them. (this explain taken from Mightier than the Sword) One example of this is witness by George Reedy, a reporter for United Press. " McCarthy waited until 10.50 to announce he had a letter proving... was a spy... We all wanted to see the letter, at 11.45 A.M.,[11 am being the deadline] Joe let go of that letter. There wasn't a thing in it to back up what he'd said." This may have seem as a wise method but it was unethical and unmoral.
http://www.nndb.com/people/490/000051337/joseph_mccarthy.jpg
Edward R. Murrow was a major voice that help end McCarthyism. "See it Now" was introduced to CBS 1951. Murrow began to show people the type of person McCarthy really was. After interviewing victims of McCarthy rather Murrow began showing the hearings held by McCarthy. For the first time through television American people were able to see the McCarthy Murrow depicted. 80 million viewers watched as McCarthy held a hearing with Military officials, with accusations of "subversives had infiltrated the U.S.Army." By the end of the 36 day hear Americans found Murrow had truthful described McCarthy. Months later the Senator was censured by the Senate to live in infamy.
http://images.huffingtonpost.com/2009-02-26-murrow1.jpg
Chapter 10 "Exposing Joe McCarthy", of Mightier than the Sword:
This chapter has many similarities to how the media is abuse today. Many politicians use the media to capture citizens attention and correct themselves later. A good example of this is Rickard Blumenthal. While running for a seat in the Senate he lied about service in the Vietnam War. It seems as if he would rather suffer the consequences of his lie once he won the election. McCarthy deceived many people with his outrageous claims, and until he fulfilled his agenda he also did not worry about the consequences of his actions. Yet, news organization most be held responsible for what they present as news.After learning so much for our past, such as the era of yellow journalism, we tend to repeat the behavior. Validation and the truth is the basic principles of Journalism. In a time when internet access enable my to tell news journalist most become the gatekeepers of what is presented to the masses. Journalism is the watchdog to our government; therefore, journalist most observe what is going on in government and not be come apart of it.
http://www.businessinsider.com/richard-blumenthal-lied-about-vietnam-service-2010-5#ixzz18VgOrVRe
BUSTED: NYT Says Connecticut AG And Senate Candidate
Blumenthal Lied About Vietnam Service
http://www.thenewamerican.com/index.php/history/american/5528-they-still-hate-senator-mccarthy
They Still Hate Senator McCarthy
http://thinkprogress.org/2010/12/06/steve-king-mccarthyism-congress/
Today, Right Side News posted an interview with Rep. Steve King (R-IA). The interview touches a number of political topics, including King’s belief that Congress shouldn’t focus on the economy, but rather “culture,” because “if you get the culture right, you’ll get the economy right. Everything will fall into place automatically.”
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/books/product.aspx?r=1&IF=N&EAN=9780817307059&cm_mmc=Google%20Book%20Search-_-k118169-_-j14953980k118169-_-Googe%20Book%20Search%20(non-B%26N%20Imprint)
http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2010_12/026948.php
Synopsis
A case containing dismembered human remains surfaces in New York's East River in June 1897 and the publisher of the New York Journal-a young, devil-may-care millionaire named William Randolph Hearst-decides that his newspaper will "scoop" the city's police department by solving the heinous crime. Pulling out all the stops, Hearst launches more than a murder investigation: his newspaper's active intervention in the city's daily life, especially its underside, marked the birth of the Yellow Press.Most notable among Hearst's competitors was The World, owned and managed by a Jewish immigrant named Joseph Pulitzer. In The Yellow Journalism, David R. Spencer describes how the evolving culture of Victorian journalism was shaped by the Yellow Press. He details how these two papers and others exploited scandal, corruption, and crime among New York's most influential citizens and its most desperate inhabitants-a policy that made this "journalism of action" remarkably effective, not just as a commercial force but also as an advocate for the city's poor and defenseless.
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/books/product.aspx?r=1&EAN=9780810123311&cm_mmc=Google%20Book%20Search-_-k118169-_-j14953980k118169-_-Googe%20Book%20Search%20(non-B%26N%20Imprint)&IF=N
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/books/product.aspx?r=1&IF=N&EAN=9780275981136&cm_mmc=Google%20Book%20Search-_-k118169-_-j14953980k118169-_-Googe%20Book%20Search%20(non-B%26N%20Imprint)
Synopsis
Challenges conventional wisdom and punctures the prominent myths about an important, but much-misunderstood, period in American journalism history.Booknews
Revisits and offers fresh perspectives about the prominent mythology of yellow journalism and seeks to correct the record on legends and misunderstandings about the yellow press. Assesses the extent to which defining features of yellow journalism live on in leading American newspapers, offering results of a detailed content analysis of the front pages of seven leading US newspapers at 10-year intervals, from 1899 to 1999. Content analysis indicates that some of the less flamboyant elements of yellow journalism have been generally adopted by leading US newspapers, and by various strains of activist-oriented journalism of the late 20th century. Campbell teaches communication at American University. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)The Power of the Press
McCarthyism- "is a term used to describe the making of accusations of disloyalty, subversion, or treason without proper regard for evidence."
Definition taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McCarthyism
Former Senator Joseph R. McCarthy left an infamous name in the history books. He dirty politics lead the Republican party and himself into the White House. 1950 McCarthy began campaigning the country claiming he possessed a list of congressmen and senators who are members of a Communist party and a spy ring. The World War 2 era was followed by the Cold War era. Communist began the germinate throughout Eastern Europe and many countries; however, Russia was of great concern. McCarthy worked his agenda of the fears of the American people. Many American at the time feared the spread of communism many come to the United States and wanted to avoid this at all cost. This explains why Senator McCarthy was popular with many Americans. By 1953 he became chairman of the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations. Giving him the ablitlty to investigate government activities.
McCarthy also manipulated the press. He knew when news organization of the time would have the deadlines;therefore, he would give statements before reporter could validate them. (this explain taken from Mightier than the Sword) One example of this is witness by George Reedy, a reporter for United Press. " McCarthy waited until 10.50 to announce he had a letter proving... was a spy... We all wanted to see the letter, at 11.45 A.M.,[11 am being the deadline] Joe let go of that letter. There wasn't a thing in it to back up what he'd said." This may have seem as a wise method but it was unethical and unmoral.http://www.nndb.com/people/490/000051337/joseph_mccarthy.jpg
Edward R. Murrow was a major voice that help end McCarthyism. "See it Now" was introduced to CBS 1951. Murrow began to show people the type of person McCarthy really was. After interviewing victims of McCarthy rather Murrow began showing the hearings held by McCarthy. For the first time through television American people were able to see the McCarthy Murrow depicted. 80 million viewers watched as McCarthy held a hearing with Military officials, with accusations of "subversives had infiltrated the U.S.Army." By the end of the 36 day hear Americans found Murrow had truthful described McCarthy. Months later the Senator was censured by the Senate to live in infamy.http://images.huffingtonpost.com/2009-02-26-murrow1.jpg
Chapter 10 "Exposing Joe McCarthy", of Mightier than the Sword:
This chapter has many similarities to how the media is abuse today. Many politicians use the media to capture citizens attention and correct themselves later. A good example of this is Rickard Blumenthal. While running for a seat in the Senate he lied about service in the Vietnam War. It seems as if he would rather suffer the consequences of his lie once he won the election. McCarthy deceived many people with his outrageous claims, and until he fulfilled his agenda he also did not worry about the consequences of his actions. Yet, news organization most be held responsible for what they present as news.After learning so much for our past, such as the era of yellow journalism, we tend to repeat the behavior. Validation and the truth is the basic principles of Journalism. In a time when internet access enable my to tell news journalist most become the gatekeepers of what is presented to the masses. Journalism is the watchdog to our government; therefore, journalist most observe what is going on in government and not be come apart of it.
http://www.businessinsider.com/richard-blumenthal-lied-about-vietnam-service-2010-5#ixzz18VgOrVRe
BUSTED: NYT Says Connecticut AG And Senate Candidate
Blumenthal Lied About Vietnam Service
This can't be good news for Democrats and their hopes of retaining the Senate.
New York Times reporter Raymond Hernandez is reporting this evening that Dick Blumenthal, the Connecticut AG and likely Democrat nominee for to fill Dodd's seat in the Senate, has lied about his Vietnam service.
It sounds pretty simple.
He says he went. The paper says he didn't
“We have learned something important since the days that I served in Vietnam,” Mr. Blumenthal said to the group gathered in Norwalk in March 2008. “And you exemplify it. Whatever we think about the war, whatever we call it — Afghanistan or Iraq — we owe our military men and women unconditional support.”
There was one problem: Mr. Blumenthal, a Democrat who is now running for the United States Senate, never served in Vietnam. He obtained at least five military deferments from 1965 to 1970 and took repeated steps that enabled him to avoid going to war, according to records.Blumenthal was presumed to be riding to an easy victory over whichever GOP candidate emerged, but now we're guessing that's in doubt. Maybe we'll see a Senator Linda McMahon or Senator Peter Schiff yet.
Blumenthal is part of the activist school of AGs, having taken on popular fights against big finance, most recently the ratings agencies.
In January, we noted that Wall Street's "worst nightmare" was now headed for the Senate.
He also recently subpoenaed Craigslist to get some attention when everyone was talking about prostitution on the site.
http://www.thenewamerican.com/index.php/history/american/5528-they-still-hate-senator-mccarthy
They Still Hate Senator McCarthy
| WRITTEN BY BRUCE WALKER |
| THURSDAY, 16 DECEMBER 2010 09:23 |
 The Southern Poverty Legal Center, which might be interested in innocent Americans enduring state-sponsored sexual harassment in airports or the coercion on college campuses faced by Christian students, has found another grave danger which merits its interest — the rehabilitation of Senator Joseph McCarthy. There is a powerful vested interest that many in America have in keeping the reputation of Senator McCarthy soiled, whatever the historical evidence shows. Supposedly, McCarthy abused his vast powers as a senator to destroy innocent reputations. Rarely do his opponents stop to consider, even in passing, the obvious facts of his career. Raised a Roosevelt Democrat, Judge McCarthy could have avoided military service because of his office. He volunteered. Although McCarthy probably could have found a safe office job stateside, he flew missions in one of the most dangerous combat roles in the Second World War — tail gunner on a B-17. When Joseph McCarthy returned to Wisconsin, he ran as a Republican and broke ranks with other Wisconsin politicians by actively campaigning in black neighborhoods and shaking hands with black voters. He also supported civil rights legislation that ended de jure discrimination against blacks. There was much else ennobling about this brutally smeared man. Long before the invention of words like “Homophobia,” Senator McCarthy revealed that he was neither hateful towards gays nor hostile to Jews: his closest advisor was Roy Cohn, a homosexual Jewish lawyer from New York. Cohn, long after it was politically prudent to do so, defended his dead boss, maintaining that the senator was right, not wrong. Unlike so many Washingtonians, who view marital vows like political campaign promises, Senator Joseph McCarthy adored his wife and she him. The Kennedy family supported Joe McCarthy, and Robert Kennedy worked on Senator McCarthy’s Senate subcommittee. Exactly how much formal power did the senator have? He was the chair of a Senate subcommittee for a few years — that’s all — and how this over time has magnified Senator McCarthy into someone as powerful as, say, former Ku Klux Klansman Robert Byrd, who was elected by fellow Senate Democrats to be their leaders, is example of the Stalin-like re-writing of history to create huge monsters to scare people. As Ann Coulter has meticulously shown in her magisterial, Treason, the misinformation about Senator McCarthy is almost surreal. She cites the example of his critics placing the senator, somehow, as Chairman of the House Committee on Un-American Activities, noting that “HUAC” was even the answer to a New York Times crossword as the body McCarthy used (Ann even pointed out, when Bill O’Reilly said that “Everyone knows that McCarthy destroyed lives with the House Committee on Un-American Activities,” that O’Reilly had cited a specific example of how wrong the senator’s critics were about basic facts of his career.) Maurice Stanton Evans has written an even more specific defense of Senator McCarthy, Blacklisted by History, which has been reviewed in The New American and which persuades all but the unpersuadable that McCarthy was right and his critics wrong. Beyond her work, scholars who have examined Venona decryptions, the blatant admissions of Soviet agents (like Ted Hallstein), and a huge variety of other evidence, produce absolutely compelling evidence that, indeed, Soviet agents penetrated American government, American institutions, and American life. Few of his critics have questioned other very high profile Soviet penetration of other Western nations. Willy Brandt’s private aide, for example, was a Stasi spy. Kim Philby, Guy Burgess, and Donald McClean are not accused of being falsely accused Soviet spies (defecting to the Soviet Union, reaching the rank of general in the KGB, and bragging about your treason, as Philby did, may make it harder to defend them.) If the Soviets penetrated the governments and institutions of other Western democracies, why would they not penetrate American institutions? Soviet doctrine, from very far back, had identified America as the “main enemy.” American society has always been relatively open. Huge numbers of immigrants came to America from Europe. Do the critics of McCarthy presume that some scruples of Communists would have stayed their intrigue? These were, of course, the same folks who actively supported Nazi Germany from August 1939 through June 1941. Marxism explicitly rejects the very sort of scruples which McCarthy’s critics seem to feel Soviets who honor in dealing with America. Moreover, long before McCarthy, former American Communists were writing books explaining in great detail about the treason of their former party members. Louis Budenz, for example, was editor of theDaily Worker. He revealed in This is My Story all the machinations of American Communists, including their interest in doing anything to help destroy the fabric of American society. Kenneth Goff did the same in his book, Confessions of Stalin’s Agent. Benjamin Gitlow, perhaps the leading American Communist at one point, showed much the same mendacity and treason in, The Whole of Their Lives. Most of these books, and other similar books, not only preceded McCarthy but preceded Whitaker Chambers. The question should not have been “Who knew about the depth of Soviet penetration of America?” but rather “What ostriches did not know about this highly predictable vector of treason?” Critics of McCarthy, of course, deal wholly in ad hominem attacks and on defamation of those who grasp the catastrophic consequences of Soviet operations in America. China was lost because of Soviet agents of influence, who drew a diabolical picture of the pro-Western and Christian Chaing and who actively sabotaged the Republic of China. We not only live today with an unfriendly, authoritarian regime in China, but we lost our most logical ally in the battle to form a free planet rooted in strong moral values, which is what China would have become. (Taiwan, today, is vastly more productive and free than Red China.) The Chinese people suffered a holocaust probably worse than any in human history — all preventable, if the monster Mao did not establish a Marxist regime in China. Why was Senator McCarthy so insistent that our nation face the threat of Communism seriously? Why couldn’t he, as some have suggested, simply left the issue aside? It was not just because the threat was not over. It was because a man like Joseph McCarthy, who had fought in war, who had fought against bigotry in America, and who maintained a steadfast faith in God, knew just how horrific a price mankind had paid on account of that awful treason. This, however, is something that the Southern Poverty Leadership Center will never, ever, admit. |
Rep. Steve King Calls For The Return Of McCarthyism In Congress: It’s A ‘Good Process’ That He Would ‘Support’
Today, Right Side News posted an interview with Rep. Steve King (R-IA). The interview touches a number of political topics, including King’s belief that Congress shouldn’t focus on the economy, but rather “culture,” because “if you get the culture right, you’ll get the economy right. Everything will fall into place automatically.”At one point, the interviewer referenced the October National Press Club press conference where Accuracy in Media’s Cliff Kincaid called for the revival of the House Internal Security Committee, the 60′s-era successor to the McCarthyite House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC). Right Side News asked the congressman if he would support the “re-creation of such committees.” King answered, “I would. I think that is a good process and I would support it”:
RIGHT SIDE NEWS: Cliff Kincaid recently had a National Press Club conference where he called for resurrection of the Congressional internal security committees. Would you support re-creation of such committees?
KING: I would. I think that is a good process and I would support it.
At the October press conference Kincaid wanted to revive the House Internal Security Committee to study “the ugly spread of Marxism in America, its roots, branches and current manifestations, particularly within the administration of President Barack Hussein Obama.”
It is important to understand what doing so would entail. The House Internal Security Committee was the “successor” to HUAC, which began in 1938. Thousands ofAmericans were investigated by HUAC for alleged ties to communist infiltrators, and it even turned its sights on the Roosevelt administration, seeking to undermine its progressive reforms by questioning its patriotism. Following World War II, the committee turned its sights to harassing supposed sympathizers with the Soviet Union, and investigated Americans as far-reaching as author Dalton Trumbo and musician Pete Seeger.
In the 1960′s the committee was renamed the House Internal Security Committee, and spent most of its time trying to intimidate nonviolent progressives, such as Abbie Hoffman (who appeared in a clown suit before the committee to call attention to the mockery it was making of democracy). In 1975, the committee was disbanded by House Democrats and all of the legitimate issues it dealt with were reassigned to the House Judiciary Committee.
By calling for a revival of these McCarthyist tactics by Congress, Kincaid and King are trying to revive an era of witch hunts and government intimidation against progressives that the country long ago swore off. By
See It Now Confronts McCarthyism: Television Documentary and the Politics of Representationby Thomas Rosteck
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/books/product.aspx?r=1&IF=N&EAN=9780817307059&cm_mmc=Google%20Book%20Search-_-k118169-_-j14953980k118169-_-Googe%20Book%20Search%20(non-B%26N%20Imprint)Synopsis
In late 1953 and early 1954, Edward R. Murrow and Fred W. Friendly's See It Now television documentary broadcast a series of four programs that dealt with abuses of McCarthyism: "The Case of Milo Radulovich," "An Argument in Indianapolis," "A Report on Senator McCarthy," and "Annie Lee Moss Before the McCarthy Committee." Each program focused upon elements of McCarthyism - the blacklist, the suspicion of anything "liberal," the Congressional hearing and immunity, even the political tactics of Senator Joseph R. McCarthy himself. These justifiably acclaimed telecasts have been credited with forever defining the form of television documentary and with greatly contributing to the "downfall" of the senator and the movement that took his name. Rosteck studies these programs for what they reveal about the rhetoric of television documentary and the ideological representations within. He considers the four programs as artifacts that expose a crucial era in American political life and represent cultural and ideological struggles. Specifically, Rosteck analyzes the programs as instances of public discourse that symbolically reframe McCarthyism, and he provides us with the first sustained exploration and case study of documentary television as a discrete genre. He explores how the programs "work" as public argument in a way that goes beyond an analysis of content or propositional "logic." Indeed it may be, Rosteck says, that See It Now uses the form of the documentary medium and the myth it fosters - that of the open and free exchange of ideas - as "argument" against McCarthyism. Because he sets the programs in their particular situation and historical context, Rosteck also helps us understand a unique era in recent American history what one historian has called "The Decade of Fear" when the national mood was one of mistrust and suspicion. The See It Now programs influenced the development of both the television documentary and the television industry.
http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2010_12/026948.php
WHEN MCCARTHYISM GETS LITERAL [By Steve Benen].... It's not uncommon for charges of "McCarthyism" to be used rather casually, stretching the intended meaning a bit. Once in a while, though, prominent Republican officials embrace the concept rather literally.
Today, Right Side News posted an interview with Rep. Steve King (R-IA). The interview touches a number of political topics, including King's belief that Congress shouldn't focus on the economy, but rather "culture," because "if you get the culture right, you'll get the economy right. Everything will fall into place automatically."
At one point, the interviewer referenced the October National Press Club press conference where Accuracy in Media's Cliff Kincaid called for the revival of the House Internal Security Committee, the 60รข€²s-era successor to the McCarthyite House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC). Right Side News asked the congressman if he would support the "re-creation of such committees."
King answered, "I would. I think that is a good process and I would support it."
This kind of embrace of literal McCarthyite tactics is unusual, but not unheard of in contemporary American politics. During this year's U.S Senate race in Nevada, the Republican nominee agreedthat "there are 'domestic enemies' and 'homegrown enemies' in the 'walls of the Senate and the Congress.'" A couple of years prior, Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) told a national television audience there should be an investigation to determine which members of Congress are "pro-America or anti-America."
And in Texas, right-wing activists rewriting the state's curriculum are determined to tell students that McCarthy was a hero, "vindicated" by history.
Having said that, the recreation if an "Internal Security Committee," and the reintroduction of ideological witch hunts on Capitol Hill, would still be pretty extraordinary, even by GOP standards.
To be sure, King endorsed the idea, but as far as I can tell, he hasn't taken any steps to act on this. I guess we'll have to wait and see if this is the sort of thing officials might actually pursue.
