A media that knows what it doesn’t know, and doesn’t know what it chooses

[FrenchieCat]

....Our media does know for sure that the Arizona Terrorist, Jared Loughner, is mentally unstable. We understand this from the assortment of pundits and reporters analyzing that only a deranged individual could commit such a crime. Some folks on our television have dutifully followed up with the relevant question: How could such an unbalanced person have the ability to purchase an automatic weapon, considering his mental state? Of course, without the media saying so, we can already deduce that only a disturbed person could commit Loughner’s crimes, but without being a thorn in the side of our “so careful” media, there has been scant evidence offered that this man was certifiably insane in clinical terms, which appears to be their diagnosis.

Curiously on the other hand, the media decided early that motives for the shootings were something that they just didn’t know, and therefore couldn’t speculate on. In fact, the media has gone out of its way since the onset of this crime to warn us, the public, not to make a connection between the horrendous mass killings and politics.

One can’t help notice that each time a television guest mentions our political climate as a possible motive for the senseless killings, the media issues a stern footnote that “we don’t really know that!” I’ve seen this not just stated, but repeatedly emphasized. They have made it clear that this is something that none of us truly know, and have warned us against such speculations.

Also curious is that no one in the media seems to be able to “decipher” the terrorist’s Youtube rants, nor associate him to any political party or persuasion. Although it is a fact that the accused clearly denounced the government and accused it of “brainwashing” Americans, somehow for the media, none of his writing “computes”. In other words, the media’s rationale for excluding his rant from our national conversation is that Loughner’s writing “doesn’t make any sense”and is “gibberish”. Our media appears to know for sure that these writings do not in any way lead us to conclude that Loughner’s rants were stating anything “clear” to do with politics.

more.... http://www.democratsforprogress.com/2011/01/10/a-media-that-knows-what-it-doesn%e2%80%99t-know-and-doesn%e2%80%99t-know-what-it-chooses/

[CakeGrrl]

1. No surprise whatsoever that they're covering/spinning for Palin/Tea Party/RW

I hope that whole cabal of instigators is on pins and needles wondering what the investigation will turn up.

Of course, the UK press is many steps ahead, already linking him to RW leanings.

But the US media is giving cover to fellow RWers. That's what people have to remember about the MSM despite the cognitive dissonance Palin creates claiming that this media that actually fawns over and protects her is attacking and victimizing her.

[FrenchieCat]

9. They continue this morning......

I'm watching Andrea Mitchell now......and the article's conclusion is obvious.
It's gonna take us to keep the heat up on the media, to let them know, we ain't buying
what they are selling.

[leveymg]

2. The politics of crazy do not compute, because the corporate media is a crazy-making machine

Let's take your thesis a step further, and like the Sheriff said, we conclude that the mass media -- particularly Right-wing talk radio and Fox News propaganda -- was a major force creating this monster.

The corporate media can't diagnose itself. It can't fix itself. It is the monster incubator, itself.

[AtomicKitten]

3. I saw two women talking heads on CNN bending over backwards exonerating Palin

from any complicity in this tragedy. However, having witnessed Palin's specific targeting of Rep. Giffords on her Hit List, the suggestion of Second Amendment remedies, and the assertion that if ballots don't work - bullets will, I honestly don't care why this douche did what he did. I only know he was unstable and vulnerable in the toxic atmosphere in this country and Arizona in particular. That truth resonates and will not be compromised by the MSM and assorted political hacks.

[Cali_Democrat]

4. K&R

[jaxx]

5. The media has stepped in it with this one.

What little clout they had, it's much less now. I don't look forward to their daily screw ups.

K&R

[tavalon]

7. I have to admit that what I know about the media's treatment of this atrocity

is limited to what I've seen here and on Boing Boing. I haven't had a TV feed for over a decade.

[tavalon]

6. Willful denial

We don't actually know if he was mentally unstable but I subscribe to that view. I certainly don't hold him blameless but I do hold Sarah Crosshairs Palin as partially to blame. It isn't rocket science to connect the dots, er, the crosshairs. She gave a visual representation of what she wanted her followers to do. The only thing that surprises me is that it took this long.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

8. And as long as the media is owned and operated by Corporate interests,

true investigative journalism and intellectual honesty do not exist.

Therefore, the Sarah Palins, the Glenn Becks, the Ann Coulters, the Rush Limbaughs, the Sean Hannitys of the world will NEVER be held accountable for their hatred and bigotry.

Indeed, once again, they've gotten away with it.

[mstinamotorcity]

10. This is only conducive to what the Republican/Tea Party

wanted. They incited it,they encouraged it, they fanned the flames until they could ignite. But now that they have spoken all of the hate speech and have shown up to town hall with their guns,they want to instill their fear on us.

We listened to half-governor Ms. Palin when she was at one of her little political fundies deliberately tell the audience " The next time you see someone driving around with an Obama bumper sticker on their car, go up to them and give them a lil bump and ask them ,How's that Hopey Changey thingy going for ya!!!To Reload " Ms. Palin, Glenn Beck and all the others know exactly what they are doing. They are purposely inciting rage and anger among the people, to line their own pockets while they fulfill the agenda of the ultra money changers. Point Blank. They know that there are unstable people in the world, they are literally banking on it. And really going to the Bank.


The Tea Party and others have voiced the type of rhetoric that would make anybody angry. Some of us just choose to get angry and find a better way to express what we think in other ways. Meaning we should always use the truth to discredit those who lie or have a lack of knowledge about republican distractions. Our actions that we take once knowing the truth will be what defines who we are. Then we must use that truth and spread it far and wide, we must support each other,and use our talents to make the truth have life. We must not think as the repugs think. We must not do as they do. We must be the CHANGE!!!!!