It's when I read things like this, that I really wonder how far the dumbing down of Britain (and, probably, the world) has gone.
We are so dependent on the media to give us the facts and they don't bother to check them. Hell, I'm no better, just look at how easily I was gulled, ungulled and re-gulled about the "Ground Zero mosque".
In an age of spin, deceit by omission, context and outright lies, how the fuck do we know when we're being told the truth? And where can we actually go for fact-checked, reliable reporting*?
*Don't tell me "blogs", because I'm a blogger and I lack the talent and ability to check my own facts -- I don't believe that the vast majority of bloggers are any better.
7 comments:
Well, that's what happens when people go on "media studies" rather than journalism courses. Mind you, most reporters are more interested in getting a headline that fits with the current "zeitgeist"... and then a lot of bloggers follow the headlines rather than details (with a few notable exceptions). The only answer (that works for me, anyway), is to read different reports/blogs with different biases and then aggregate the details and form my own point of view. If I can be bothered....
Sunny Hundal put a link out there with Ron Paul making alot of sense.
The Libertarian position is pretty clear - property rights and freedom of expression.
However, the rejection of the sensitivities of the 9/11 victims' families by those pushing for the Mosque should not be forgotten when they and their ilk complain at some stage about some later outrage or "insult" to their belief system. Tough. They want to assert themselves disregarding feelings and beliefs of others? Fine, but don't think the sauce is for the gander alone.
"read different reports/blogs with different biases and then aggregate the details and form my own point of view"
This is exactly what I do.
Roger: how about the Muslim police cadet who died in the Towers on 9/11, was initially implicated in the plot and accused of setting bombs, and was eventually specifically named as a martyr/hero (THEY say martyr, WE say hero, right?) in the Patriot Act. What do you think he might think? Or his mother, perhaps, who might like a faith centre in the locale? What might she think?
Perhaps she and "her ilk" should be judged as individuals, particularly by libertarians. What do you think?
Blogs do help, enormously.
For years, I more or less accepted the Anthropogenic Global Warming meme, despite half-formed doubts based on a rough knowledge of climate history.
Then I got my broadband connection, and within a couple of months realised I had been systematically and deliberately lied to by the MSM.
It was specialist blogs which brought me the alternative point of view, allowing me to make up my own mind on AGW.
And later, on other matters.
This mosque thing has been done to death.
They shouldn't be allowed to build it end of. It doesn't matter one iota whether the proposed site is next door or a mile down the road.
As for all this liberal bollox of "Property rights", with rights come responsibilities and not only that how many of the hand wringers would be there fighting tooth & nail for my *right* to build a rendering plant on that piece of land *I* bought right next to *YOUR* house?
How about a memorial garden dedicated to Thomas Hamilton, (you know that fucktard who shot a load of kids in Dunblane) opposite the school gates?
What about a memorial to the SS war dead (you know the ones who didn't spend their war rounding up and gassing Jews) over the road from Auchwitz, as we all know it isn't fair to discriminate against a section of society who believe an ideology but weren't involved in the actual deed on a personal level, right?
I think the above examples should be put into effect right away, all in the interests of helping to heal the wounds and understanding.
I am of course talking complete and utter bollox in building these memorials I propose, but no more than those who are behind this proposed mosque.
I don't beliieve there is such a thing as completely impartial reporting. My view is that it's impossible to be totally objective about anything. We can try to be as objective as possible, but bias sometimes will seep in, even inadvertently. Reading from several sources these days is essential in order to get the full story on anything.
Ultimately, I don't trust anybody blindly to give me the full truth. I listen to all sides, then try to make sense of it all in my head. Right now, I can't think of a better approach, as flawed as the current one is.
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