Three Things I Hate About the Greedy American Deathsucker Media
July 8th 2009 17:05
Trust CNN???
The media is always an easy target, because frankly they put themselves out there to criticism. I usually try to avoid criticizing others, whatever their profession, because I believe that time spent criticizing others would be better spent actually accomplishing something (so that other slackers could then criticize me; it's what keeps the world going around). But since I don't have the time or money right now to launch a 24-hour cable news network with real priorities, I'm just going to slam on CNN and the mainstream media.
I'm a journalist, and I've done some work with the mainstream media. So I know how they work, and I know on an intimate level what type of coverage "first world" media is looking for from Honduras. I worked the angle for many years, and there are two great ways to get mainstream media coverage of Honduras: as a clown or as a body count. Other than those two slants, you are hardly ever going to get anyone in the world media to listen to what really goes on in Honduras. It's a small country and there is probably always bigger news elsewhere.
It's not just US media anymore, because CNN where I live at least, is produced in many countries around the world. There are also major players in world journalism from a wide variety of countries, with much more impact since our news has become more globalized.
So it's not just greedy American deathsuckers (to borrow a phrase from William S. Burroughs), but the Americans are a big part of it, and it is definitely a realm of the wealthy and highly educated (do I smell an Oligarchy??). So I'm going to paint them all with the same brush.
So here are the three slants from media coverage of Honduras that really bug me. Taken directly from the websites of CNN and Time Magazine, and paraphrased:
1. "The wealthy elite and the middle class support Micheletti. The poor and working class of Honduras support Zelaya."
First off, in Honduras the people we call middle class probably make about US$12,000 a year, which would be poverty level in any first world country. The wealthy elite are somewhat better off, and might have enviable holdings, but even so . . .CNN and anyone from Europe, and anyone from North America is making twice what the "wealthy elite" are making in Honduras. Don't kid yourself. I am so sick of seeing fat healhty well-educated talking heads on CNN claim that Micheletti has no support from the poor.
Without overstating the obvious, nobody from CNN has any idea what "wealthy in Honduras" means.
There have been demonstrations on both sides, I personally believe that Micheletti has about 80% support. Zelaya has about 20% This is from the crowds I see in moving pictures (all still pictures in Latin American Media can be altered . . . .video not so much).
Those are total gross estimates based on my friends, colleagues, protestors, previous approval ratings for Zelaya, etc. They also basically represent the split of the government, which is why there are a few small scuffles going on in the government, but mostly everyone is on the same side.
So CNN and the mainstream media should not classify this as a coup carried out by the wealthy elite. It is supported by the great majority of Hondurans, and the great majority of Hondurans are poor. If you need me to draw a circle graph I will. Ted Turner, Larry King and Anderson Cooper probably have more money between them than all of the wealthy Hondurans combined.
Also, I want to know, if an oligarchy (a form of government in which all power is vested in a few persons or in a dominant class or clique) is good enough for the USA why isn't it good enough for Honduras? The first world firmly believes that their wealthiest and most educated people should be the elected representatives. Why must they insist that the third world be run by the poor?
2. "The Coup in Honduras Becomes Deadly"
Finally! I knew they were waiting for it, if there isn't goiing to be a body count, then the mainstream media is going to go home.
This was a CNN headline on Sunday and Monday. Time Magazine also did a Monday morning hot of the press article on it. There has been a death in the coup in Honduras, it has turned deadly.
Death needs time like a junkie needs junk. Like the First World needs the Third World. And, the first world needs to feel like the third world is populated with vicious dictators, brown people, and uneducated clowns. So CNN and Time always love to play to the body count, preferably with some photos and videos of the bodies.
Let's look at the reality. We have been in a state of total chaos, on full military alert, with an enforced curfew, and totally worried about our form of government for about 15 days now. And we have ONE dead guy. Well, some have probably died of natural causes in the time it has taken the international community to pull its head out of its ass. But the international community relies too heavily on CNN.
Anyway somebody finally got killed. This is a pretty good story too, it gets all Indiana Jones at this point.
On Sunday, ousted president Zelaya was supposed to fly into Honduras. He had announced his return. Our interim president announced that he would not be allowed to return. The Organization of American States, or as I call them, the Organization of American Facists, INSISTED THAT HE BE ALLOWED TO RETURN, and their people were accompanying him on the plane.
Can you say Mexican Standoff?
So we get up on Sunday, waiting to see what happens (it's been a long tiring week of waiting). We hear on the news that Zelaya's plane has departed for the country. they put on Cadena Nacional (required broadcast) and we all listen to some Honduran marimba music, on every channel. Then they start making the announcement about the airport, that the airport in Tegus is closed, and that all other airports are open. The head of Civil Aeronautics also announced that International Law states that any visiting Mandatario (Head of State) has to announce their entry into Honduras, and request permission.
In Tegus a group of pro-Zelaya demonstrators started marching towards the airport. When they got there, the airport was closed and surrounded by military and police. Let me reiterate that the airport was closed, and on Cadena Nacional they were advising everyone of this fact.
Well the protestors tried to get into the airport runway through a fence. The Military started firing, and one protestor was shot. Then there was tear gas and violence.
So CNN and Time got their deathwish satisfied and now they have a martyr to celebrate. He was of course poor! See how the poor are repressed?
Personally, I wouldn't try to cross an airport fence against the wishes of the military patrols that guard many airports all the time. I think even in the US or Canada, if there is a fence that is keeping people off of the runway, it is highly bad behavior to try to break through it.
But that is in Gringolandia, I don't know, maybe up there they let people run around on the runway at will (I did see a deer on the runway once in Houston).
But here in Honduras we have an additional problem. Did you ever hear the story a few years back about a man who flew in the wheel well of a commercial jet to Miami? (Survived, very cold in shock) Well, believe it or not, if there wasn't a secure fence around the runway of the airport in Tegucigalpa, there would be a small Honduran family in the wheel well of every plane landing in Miami. They would probably learn to bring coats and oxygen
So do I feel sorry for the guy who got shot in the head? No. CNN correspondent was really touched by the fact that this family was so poor (so poor, so poor), that they loaded his casket ("a simple wooden box," and I fucking quote) into a pickup to take him home to be buried.
Dudes, get the heck over your first world selves, because everyone in Honduras get buried out of a pickup truck. What the hell, do you think we have hearses? Break out of your shell, leave the hotel once in a while. Pickups are better anyway, then your whole family can ride along.
And the casket I see in the video is indeed a professionally made casket, that probably cost several hundred dollars. That is not the wooden box. CNN doesn't even recognize an economical casket, they probably get buried in gilded steel.
3. "The Military overthrew the government in Honduras, and are still in power."
Stupid and insulting. I wonder what would happen if you insulted the US military in mainstream media? But they feel fine insulting our military, the ones who are out there every day risking their lives.
The military acted on orders from Congress and the Supreme Court. They never had "power." They never wanted power. All they wanted was peace, and now they have a battle on their hands, and they have to fight to protect the interim government.
They have no power at all, they have miserable little Honduran salaries, and they are getting up every morning to put on flack jackets and body armour to earn their daily bread. They are not the bad guys here, they are totally innocent and admirable.
Plus, the military are obligated to protect the airport, disperse demonstrators, etc. as part of their job. The Protestors on the other hand are voluntarily getting up and going out into the street to throw rocks at them.
The military have not shot anyone yet!! I've wanted to shoot a few people . . .they have more restraint than me. Someone tries to forcibly enter the airport fence, and some brave soldier had to shoot him. I don't think that soldier got up in the morning wanting to kill a fellow Honduran. It was brought upon him by the actions of that person, and his orders to defend a port.
Sad sad sad. I'm going to go out and take donuts to the soldiers today (in full fatigues in the heat). Thank god most of them don't have cable to see how CNN is demonizing them.
Okay, those are my complaints. The media needs to do better. I hate to even send you to their sites, but if you do go review their coverage, you will see that their slant is exactly how I have layed it out. And it is stupid and unfair, and the "purpose" is to make the first world feel comfy in the fact that they are the only civilized people in the world, and are indeed much smarter and more capable than anyone else
CNN coverage of Honduras
Time Magazine Coverage of the death and funeral
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