http://www.swans.com/
February 13, 2006 -- In this issue:
Note from the Editor: From illegal wiretaps, to sanctioned leaks; from
outing a CIA agent to CIA agent whistleblowers; from smoking gun memos to
hurricane-force PR disasters; from permanent tax cuts for the wealthy to
perpetual benefit cuts for the poor, one would think the American
Progressives would have enough fodder to actually inspire a movement. So,
where have all the "pwogwessives" gone? By the wayside with the likes of
Marc Cooper, who's adopted Officialdom's party line on Hugo Chàvez,
questioning the Venezuelan president's motives, and shooting venom and
innuendoes in a manner heretofore reserved for Dick Cheney, all with a
claim of fair and balanced journalism! We offer herein a bit of balance
to Mr. Cooper's rhetoric.
There's neither fairness nor balance in the mainstream media's coverage
on the War on Terror, described by Deck Deckert for what it is: Eternal
War -- a war on a tactic, which can never end. The populace's acceptance
of Eternal War is aided by the Bush administration's disinformation
campaign regarding the number of injuries and casualties among US
soldiers in Iraq, a campaign deconstructed by Don Durivan. Fairness and
balance are also lacking in the coverage of the seemingly eternal Israeli-
Palestinian conflict. Philip Greenspan continues his efforts to debunk
the pundits' coverage with an analysis of the history of this conflict.
(Swift recovery, Philip...) Meantime, Milo Clark looks to various
writers, from the science fiction genre to Stan Goff and Robert Baer, for
an answer to the question: How will we build a universe that doesn't fall
apart?
Can we count on trusted media icon and "cultural creative" Oprah Winfrey
for fairness and balance? Both Charles Marowitz and George Beres have
some thoughts regarding her handling of the James Frey A Million Little
Pieces tempest in a teapot. Forget Oprah's Book Club -- Marowitz will
give you the finest recommendations; this time it's David Lodge's Author,
Author, an ingenious novel that plumbs the depths of Henry James's inner
turmoil and despair.
Finally, Martin Murie shares the riveting tale of his symbiotic
relationship with the froggers of Northern California in the mid-1950s --
naturalism at its finest; Laura Madeline Wiseman lends an offering to the
birds that pecked out her poems; and your letters in defense of King
Kong, in fear of King George; an ongoing exchange between Swans' editor,
Dr. Jacob Amir, and Michael Neumann regarding Israel; and a reader writes
to clear his name for posterity (you be the judge...).
As always, please form your OWN opinion, and let your friends (and foes)
know about Swans.
*****
http://www.swans.com/library/art12/ga204.html
Marc Cooper's "Progressive" Rhetoric
- Gilles d'Aymery
http://www.swans.com/library/art12/rdeck057.html
Eternal War - Deck Deckert
http://www.swans.com/library/art12/dduriv01.html
Distortions Of Casualties: American Wounded, And Dead, From Iraq
- Don L. Durivan
http://www.swans.com/library/art12/pgreen82.html
Continuing Israeli-Palestinian Historical Trends
- Philip Greenspan
http://www.swans.com/library/art12/mgc177.html
Science Fiction . . . Altered Or Alternative Reality
- Milo Clark
http://www.swans.com/library/art12/cmarow38.html
The Assumption Of Oprah Winfrey - Charles Marowitz
http://www.swans.com/library/art12/gberes07.htm
Oprah Ignores True Problems with Truth - George Beres
http://www.swans.com/library/art12/murie02.html
Froggers - Martin Murie
http://www.swans.com/library/art12/cmarow39.html
David Lodge's "Author, Author"
- Book Review by Charles Marowitz
http://www.swans.com/library/art12/lmwise01.html
Birds - Poem by Laura Madeline Wiseman
http://www.swans.com/library/art12/letter84.html
- Your Letters
#####
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Swans
"Hungry man, reach for the book: It is a weapon." B. Brecht
