Reply #11: Dear Ms. Clift, [View All]

[longship]

Dear Ms. Clift,

I am writing you in the hopes of influencing the current, appalling state of
journalism in this country. This morning I read your June 17, 2005 article,
"Crescendo of Concern". Although obviously heart-felt, true, and good, it
ignores the big picture of the Downing Street Minutes. The Downing Street
Minutes are just the most recent abrogation by journalists to report the facts
surrounding the United States going to war against Iraq. Most regrettably, this
is part of a much larger problem of journalists systematically ignoring
this administration's excesses.

In no particular order, journalists substantially stood by while

* an illegal war was justified on clearly fraudulent reasons.

* Constitutional rights were legislated away by the Orwellian-named
Patriot Act.

* international treaties were shredded, in particular those governing
the conduct of war.

* people were transported to third world countries so that they
may be tortured.

* prisons were established outside of our borders solely for the purpose
of removing them and their detainees from Constitutional protections.

* your own journalistic world was undermined by overt and direct White
House manipulation.

* corruption and abuse of power by a reckless majority became normal
procedures in both houses of our national congress.

* partisans flagrantly manipulated federal and local elections.

* a minority party who represent (over) half the populace was
demonized, ennervated, and relegated into holding meetings in dark
basement chambers.

There are many who hold journalists personally and professionally responsible for this
mess. Afraid to speak to the facts and challenge the distortions and lies,
journalists stood by and just let it all happen.

How much farther down the road to one-party oligarchy do we need to go? How
much longer do the people of this country have to suffer? How many more
thousands have to die? Pray tell, what event is sufficient to shock
journalists out of their dream-sleep?

We in the Blogosphere can no longer afford the luxury of waiting for you to
again assume your mandated responsibilities. Things have already gone too far.
We are actively taking on the mandate that you journalists have set down.

Ms. Clift, I've seen you get tough and speak truth to power on many occasions.
Please harden yourself to the task and join us, or help us. We need you.

Thank you for all you've done in the past and good luck to you in the future.


Sincerely yours,