American Democracy in Trouble

[dweller]

It is no longer possible to ignore the strangeness of our public discourse
Keynote Speech by Al Gore
We Media Conference in New York, NY
October 5, 2005

I came here today because I believe that American democracy is in grave danger. It is no longer possible to ignore the strangeness
of our public discourse. I know that I am not the only one who feels that something has gone basically and badly wrong in the way
America's fabled "marketplace of ideas" now functions.

How many of you, I wonder, have heard a friend or a family member in the last few years remark that it's almost as if America has
entered "an alternate universe"?

I thought maybe it was an aberration when three-quarters of Americans said they believed that Saddam Hussein was responsible for
attacking us on September 11, 2001. But more than four years later, between a third and a half still believe Saddam was personally
responsible for planning and supporting the attack.

At first I thought the exhaustive, non-stop coverage of the O.J. trial was just an unfortunate excess that marked an unwelcome
departure from the normal good sense and judgment of our television news media. But now we know that it was merely an early
example of a new pattern of serial obsessions that periodically take over the airwaves for weeks at a time.

EDITED BY ADMIN: COPYRIGHT

http://www.commondreams.org/views05/1006-28.htm

dp

[McKenzie]

1. at last someone is saying it like it is

I was struck by the comments on the obsession with the OJ trial. There are similar diversions in the form of the huge amount of time wasted by people on the Michael Jackson trial. They are both symptomatic of the many diversions that keep our collective eye off the ball.

I hope this is the first of many such statements. The time for wasting our time on trivia is over - the stakes are just too high. We need to become a citizenry where everyone participates in our democracy; not a bunch of people who fiddle while it burns down around our ears.

[serryjw]

4. ....BUT what do you do when the 'other side"

will not or does not read....if nothing more because it is said by Gore. My experience being an activist for 4 years is the other side doesn't WANT to know the truth. They would much prefer to live in ONE long OJ trial.
Many days I am happy I never had children. Thi is truly scary and I don't see it getting better.

[McKenzie]

5. my reason for not having kids either

I agree that it's exasperating when half the population lives in a dream world...sigh, the number of times I have felt so pissed off about that.

Paul Erlich said "As an ecologist one lives alone in a world of wounds". That applies to our current fixation with trivia and not seeing what's really happening.

Don't give up - you won't anyway judging by your post.

[GetTheRightVote]

2. Great Speak from Gore as well, I hope it opens more ears

We must be citizens once again, obsolutely.

:kick:

[firefox]

3. Good speech, but one strange paragraph

When you assume eight hours of work a day, six to eight hours of sleep and a couple of hours to bathe, dress, eat and commute, that is almost three-quarters of all the discretionary time that the average American has. And for younger Americans, the average is even higher.

The word "discretionary" does not fit. He is saying three-fourths of all your time is for work, sleep, commuting, and personal grooming.

[Uncle Joe]

9. He is referring to the previous paragraph when he speaks of

discretionary time.

"Radio, the internet, movies, telephones, and other media all now vie for our attention - but it is television that still completely dominates the flow of information in modern America. In fact, according to an authoritative global study, Americans now watch television an average of four hours and 28 minutes every day -- 90 minutes more than the world average.

When you assume eight hours of work a day, six to eight hours of sleep and a couple of hours to bathe, dress, eat and commute, that is almost three-quarters of all the discretionary time that the average American has. And for younger Americans, the average is even higher."

[longship]

6. Nominated. Gawd!!

Al, your country needs you. We need you desparately.

[cassiepriam]

7. In trouble? Democracy is GONE.... BTW Al's speeches have been brilliant

I love this man. Our real president.

[unhappycamper]

8. dweller:

Please be aware that DU copyright rules require that excerpts of copyrighted material be limited to four paragraphs and must include a link to the original source.

Thanks.

[tk2kewl]

10. My favorite paragraph... Gore calls out BushCo:

The present executive branch has made it a practice to try and control and intimidate news organizations: from PBS to CBS to Newsweek. They placed a former male escort in the White House press pool to pose as a reporter - and then called upon him to give the president a hand at crucial moments. They paid actors to make make phony video press releases and paid cash to some reporters who were willing to take it in return for positive stories. And every day they unleash squadrons of digital brownshirts to harass and hector any journalist who is critical of the President.