Democratic Underground - is it ever thus.....and as sick as I am of them, I miss MWO concomitantly

http://www.dailyhowler.com/dh011304.shtml

here's another good one: none that matter

http://www.bartcop.com/116cokie.htm

I Lost My Brother on 9-11; Does He Matter?
David Potorti, AlterNet October 10, 2001
James worked on the 96th Floor of the first tower for a company called Marsh & McLennan.]

On October 8th, as most Americans rose concerned and curious about the military action taking place
on the other side of the globe, NPR's Morning Edition host Bob Edwards asked Cokie Roberts to weigh in.
"Leaders of Congress were quick to issue a statement in support of the military action in Afghanistan," he said.
"Were there any dissenters?"

"None that matter," she replied.

It's a jaw-dropping statement when you think about it, one that says nothing and yet says everything.
There was opposition to the bombing. But how much? From whom? But before you go demanding
simple facts or objective reportage, let's cut to the chase: it doesn't matter.

It's an opinion unlikely to be shared by California Representative Barbara Lee, the only member
of Congress brave enough to vote her conscience in declining to authorize the use of military force.
Or to other members of Congress who expressed similar concerns.
Do they matter?
To countless Americans who share their concerns, they do.

But in a larger sense, of course, Roberts is right. In a media universe where you're likely to find right-wing
conservatives on ABC, Fox, or NPR, the facts don't matter; only the framing. And in the hands of biased
pundits posing as objective journalists, the framing is always going to be the same: pro-military,
pro-government, and pro-war.

Still, Roberts may have done us a favor with her comment. Those three little words tell us worlds about the
values informing the operation of U.S. intelligence, the State Department, and the Pentagon. Understanding
those words may bring us some much-needed clarity on U.S. policies seemingly at odds with U.S. values.

Have sanctions against Iraq have killed more than 500,000 innocent children?
None that matter.
Did bombing Yugoslavia kill more civilians than soldiers?
None that matter.
Did lobbing cruise missiles at a Sudanese pharmaceutical factory result in the deaths of medicine-starved civilians?
None that matter.

Reply #43: is it ever thus.....and as sick as I am of them, I miss MWO concomitantly [View All]