It is the contention of this website that the Media is now the ruling class in the Western World and we constantly draw attention to the evidence of this in the USA and UK. We believe that the Media, like all newly arrived ruling classes, is busy imposing its political, social and economic agendas on its subjects.
No better example of this could be found than the unfolding “drama” outside President Bush’s Crawford Ranch whilst he is there on vacation. Here we can witness the way that the Media creates a situation, orchestrates it, ignores any facts which get in the way, and all the time reports it as though they are on the sidelines just doing their job.
First, the motive. It is to damage the US President – whose “crime” is that he practices his Christianity. This greatly offends the Media Class and its constituents; the sexual libertarians, “rights” activists, Marxist academics and others. Nothing matters more to these people than validating their lifestyles. Even the threat of destruction by a worldwide network of religious fanatics does not temper their rage at Bush’s election. If the cost of destroying him and repulsing his conservative Christian supporters is a dangerous defeat in Iraq, so be it!
The means. Cindy Sheehan is a 48-year-old “Peace Campaigner” from California who is determined to embarrass the President. At first sight, what appears to make her a poster child for the anti-war movement is that her son was killed whilst on active duty in Iraq. She certainly has milked this to give herself credibility, as well as publicity.
Facts. Her son enlisted for the army and was not conscripted. There is no evidence that he was opposed to his duties in Iraq and he died serving his country. All who enlist know the risks of war. Her son’s Godparents, grandparents and family have issued a statement disassociating themselves from her year old campaign and making clear their support for the troops in Iraq. Cindy Sheehan was an active “Peace” campaigner before her son’s death. Prior to her trip to Crawford, Mrs Sheehan was failing to get much publicity. None of these facts surface in the mainstream media, even though she is now the subject of columns of newsprint.
Examples of Media distortion. The Wall Street Journal (conservative in its Op-Ed pages but whose reporters are leftist to a man and woman) carries a 4-column piece today headlined, “‘Vacationing’ Bush Controls News Agenda”. The first half of the piece by Christopher Cooper is preoccupied with insinuating that Bush uses his long vacations to push his agenda when Washington cannot effectively reply. The second half is all about Cindy Sheehan at Crawford. Cooper fails to mention the above facts but notes that “when she showed up in Crawford last week with a few dozen like-minded protesters, Ms Sheehan was overrun by reporters captivated by her story”. Later, Cooper writes, “Pitching a tent on the shoulder of a country road leading to Mr Bush’s ranch and vowing not to budge until she receives a presidential audience, Ms Sheehan says she has gotten more news attention after a few days in Crawford than she did from a year of participating in events around the country … it’s pretty much been non-stop interviews since Saturday.” This self-described “broken-hearted mother” is clearly getting the thumbs-up from reporter Cooper, who goes on to write, “Some activists wonder if Ms Sheehan may be the first in a line of protesters to descend on Crawford in the dog days of summer.” Mr Cooper goes on to quote Judd Legum, deputy research director for the Center for American Progress1, a liberal activist group, “I could see her inspiring others – she seems to have found a soft spot.”
Cooper sums up, “If she does start a trend, Ms Sheehan says it will be an accident, ‘It was a spur-of-the-moment thing’ to come to Crawford. If it puts a dent in the president’s vacation, that’s just a bonus.” The blatant Media conivance in this piece of “reporting” is alarming but is typical of the Wall Street Journal’s daily reporting bias.
The Associated Press, not to be outdone in this Media campaign reported under the headline “Grieving Mother’s War Protest Draws Notice”: “The mother of a fallen US soldier who started a quiet [sic] roadside peace vigil near President Bush’s ranch last weekend, is drawing supporters from across the nation. Dozens of people have joined her …. one activist called her the Rosa Parks of the anti-war movement. Cindy Sheehan said she was surprised at the response.”
Expect a lot more of this propaganda from the Media with Ms Sheehan basking in her sudden acquisition of the bully pulpit and other “Peace” warriors flocking to the call of the cameras and microphones down in Texas. At the same time, compare this treatment with the virtual news blackout on the hundreds of Minutemen down on the Mexican border.2
1. Note how Cooper just happens to run into Judd Legum for a quote and whose job title is added to underpin his credibilty.
2. Reference: Minuteman Project Home Page