Maybe If I Voted Naked ...

In the Nicomachean Ethics , the Greek philosopher Aristotle suggested that virtue is its own reward. I’m hoping that that’s true, because I’m not seeing any other reward lately. For sure, the media couldn’t care less about all of the good things that we do.

Let me give you a few examples, and then explain why this means that I need your help .

Example No. 1. Last October and November, I convened impromptu hearings in Capitol Hill regarding the innocent victims of drone warfare in Pakistan and Yemen. Hundreds of children had been killed, among others. I pointed out at those hearings that if the Government of Pakistan wanted to stop the drone attacks, it could do so overnight. That statement was front-page news in Pakistan. And lo and behold, the drone attacks stopped for six months, as did the murder of the innocents. How do I know that our action made the attacks stop? Because someone very high up and very close to the situation told me so. (If I told you who it was, they’d have to kill you – and probably send a drone to do it.) The cessation of drone attacks was barely reported in the United States. As far as I could tell, not a single article linked what we did to that result. (Fox News did take the opportunity, however, to slam me for cavorting with terrorists, or some nonsense like that.) News media coverage: zero – except for some idiotic local reporter who repeated the Fox lie verbatim.

Example No. 2. For several years, the CIA has had a policy against using journalists as spies, because this leads to the assumption that all journalists are spies. This prevents them from performing their journalism thing, and puts them in great danger. Earlier this year, I wrote to the CIA, and suggested the same principle should apply to health professionals. Doctors and nurses whom we were sending to disease-ridden backwaters were unable to perform their function because they were misperceived as spies. That meant that fatal diseases were not being treated, vaccinations were not being given, and our billion-dollar efforts to eradicate TB and malaria were failing. A few weeks ago, “Intelligence” released a statement that health professional would not be used in spying. As far as I could tell, not a single article linked what we did to that outcome. News media coverage: zero.

Example No. 3. Last year, it came to my attention that a political prisoner was being held in Benin on the hokey pretext that he had tried to poison the President of Benin. The charges were so absurd that a judge ordered them dismissed – and then the judge was arrested, while the prisoner remained in prison. I had a diplomatic and cordial discussion about this with the Beninese Ambassador, after which I provided him with a deadline. After that deadline passed without action, I introduced a bill to cut off all U.S. aid to Benin. At which point this political prisoner was released. As far as I could tell, not a single article linked what we did to the release. News media coverage: zero.
And don’t even get me started on the subject of my outspoken opposition to U.S. military intervention in Syria. The final reported chemical weapons in Syria were destroyed last week. News media coverage: close to zero.

I pass more amendments that any other Member of the House. Local media coverage: zero.
I write more bills and resolutions than any other Member of Congress. Local media coverage: zero.
I’m the only Member of the House to raise most of his campaign funds from small donors. Local media coverage: zero.
But there were over 100 local “news” reports on certain divorce proceedings.

Maybe if I voted naked . . . .

Essentially, the only thing that our voters in Central Florida hear about my work in Congress is whatever lies gibberish and drivel that the Koch Brothers vomit up onto our local TV screens.

And the only way for us to change that is for us to hire the canvassers, buy the internet ads, send the mailers and run those TV and radio spots. Which is why I need your help.

For all practical purposes, the so-called “mainstream media” has forged an alliance with the Far Right to treat America like a giant mushroom farm: keep us in the dark, and spread fertilizer all over us. The “mainstream media” deploys its weapons of mass distraction (Kim Kardashian! College Football!), while the Far Right inundates us with propaganda.

We have to break through that Iron Curtain of Malignant Stupidity. And your contribution powers our breakthrough.

The clock is ticking down to the end of the quarter. Our Federal Election Commission cutoff time is Monday night at midnight. Would you please give our campaign the resources we need to inform our voters?

Every dollar counts, because every human being counts. I’m counting on you. So stand up, and be counted.

Courage,

Rep. Alan Grayson

“A prophet is honored everywhere, except in his own land.”

-- Matthew 13:57.