Sunday Morning Blog

September 09, 2005

No Accountability for Alt-News Weeklies

I once had hopes that alt-news weeklies would be the wave of the future for news on the internet. The perspectives you find outside mainstream media are sometimes more revealing and fresh. However, recent events have proven that this alternative view may come at a price. While mainstream media outlets are held somewhat accountable for their reporting, alt-weeklies seem to feel they have free license to embellish the truth. Plagiarism, distortion of facts and outright story telling seem to be standard fair for hurricane Katrina articles. Stories about President Bush's supposed ethnic cleansing policy and nasty diatribes against faith-based charities are just a few of the themes being spewed in some of the most irresponsible journalism I have ever read. Take, for example, this piece in the Boston Phoenix:

...when the White House initially posted a list of relief charities for a public frantic to help, its first instinct was to prioritize faith-based programs. Bush’s ghastly insensitivity — flying out to San Diego to compare himself with FDR and yukking it up with reporters about looking forward to sitting on Trent Lott’s reconstructed porch as poor black people were dying in the watery hell of New Orleans — combined with his transparently forced show of compassion were truly villainous.

When did it become okay to ridicule faith or religion in America? Is there something wrong with faith-based programs? Am I missing something here? Without faith, I don't think many would have made it through this catastrophe. The vilification of these charities and faith-based ideals seems to play a large role in this “alt-subculture.” They are anti-religion even to the point of using “G*d” instead of the word “God” in their articles and posts. The answers to what is wrong in America today may be easily found in a culture that equates faith with the dark side. These fear mongers seem intent on seeing Bush from office, as his openly expressed faith in God offends them, and they still feel his elections were "stolen."

Much of what these fools are spouting off about could not possibly be blamed on any one human being, political party, or even several terms as President, yet they seem to be of the conviction that this storm has miraculously exposed conservative prejudices, injustice, and evil, corporate greed. The socialist Utopians among them have even pointed to this storm's aftermath as glaring evidence of a growing lower class in this country. Had they any sense of their own, and were they not so intent on forwarding their blame-government-first, anti-America agenda, they might recognize just how preposterous these claims are. The destitute of the world would do anything to come to America, where even many of our poor are obese! This may seem callous, but it is true. The poorest among us have more wealth and opportunity than those in some countries will ever see in a lifetime. I am not saying there are not those among us who need our help and support, but this is not third world poverty. Lack of transportation was definitely a major factor in this tragedy, but does this mean every citizen should have a vehicle? Is this the answer, or was poor evacuation planning by local authorities to blame?

It may seem harsh to the feel-gooders out there, but the reality of poverty is that many of these people are simply incapable of living up to the same responsibilities that the average citizen meets each day. Mental illness, poor health habits, the resulting physical ailments, along with addiction and habitual laziness make some of the most poor among us their own worst enemies. We can do so much to help them, but they must be responsible for themselves and be willing to change first. There are simply people out there that have no wish to change, and these individuals are the authors of their own problems. This is hard for some to accept, but seeing the truth in this is the first step toward being able to honestly help. The only help we can offer many of these people is to teach them to help themselves.

In this atmosphere, it is difficult to avoid falling into the trap of politics. At a time when we should be most concerned with the rescue efforts in progress, we are sucked into an empty debate. Yet, defending America and our ideals seems worthy enough cause for me. Once people have time to put energy back into politics, the perpetrators of this attack on our government will soon realize the results of their lack of judgement in this. The backlash against these haters of America will soon show them that their misplaced anger was not shared by many of those they claim to be championing. Trying to incite a race war, when prejudice had nothing whatsoever to do with this, is the most irresponsible abuse of journalism I have witnessed in my lifetime.

I will say it again... we just don't get it! Turning tragedy into politics and sowing confrontation when we most need cooperation is both unpatriotic and disgusting.

Posted by capecodcyclist at September 9, 2005 08:49 PM