Chris Hedges has a new column about the state of the progressive movement, and in it Ralph Nader goes on a tear about the corporate media that can’t really be summarized–so here’s the whole thing:
The banishment from the corporate media, Nader argues, has been one of the major contributors to the demoralization and weakening of the left. Protests by the left, which get little national or local coverage, have steadily dwindled in strength across the country. The first protest gets little or no coverage and this leads to movements, as well as the voices of activists, being diminished and finally suffocated.
“The so-called liberal media, along with Fox, is touting the tea party and publicizing Palin,” Nader said. “There was an editorial on December 27 in The New York Times on the Repeal Amendment, the right-wing constitutional amendment to allow states to overturn federal law. The editorial writer at the end had the nerve to say there is no progressive champion. The editorial said that the liberals and progressives have faded out to let the tea party make history. And yet, for months, all the New York Times has done is promote Sarah Palin and Glenn Beck. They promote Newt Gingrich and the neocons on the Op-Ed pages. The book pages of the newspaper ignore progressive authors and pump all the right-wing authors.
“If we don’t raise hell, we won’t get any media,” Nader said. “If we don’t get any media, the perception will be that the tea party is the big deal.
“On one notorious Sunday, October 10, two of the New York Times‘ segments led with a big story about Ann Coulter and how she will change her strategy because she is being outflanked by others,” Nader said. “There was also a huge article on this anti-Semite against Arabs, this Islamaphobe Pam Geller. Do you know how many pictures they had of Geller? Twenty on this front-page segment. The number of anti-war op-eds in the Washington Post over nine months in 2009 was 6-to-1 pro-war. We don’t raise hell. We don’t say Terry Gross is a censor. We don’t say that Charlie Rose is a censor. We have got to blast publicly. We have got to hammer them, because they are the tribune of right-wing fascist forces.
“Three thousand people rallied to protest the invasion and massacre in Gaza two years ago,” Nader said. “It was held four blocks from The Washington Post. It did not get a single paragraph. People should march over to the Post and say …’Fuck you! What are you doing here? You cover every little blip by the right-wing and you don’t cover us?’
“They are afraid of the right-wing because the right-wing bellows, and they have become right-wing,” Nader said of the commercial press. “They have become fascinated by the bias of Fox. And they publicize what Fox is biased on. The coverage of O’Reilly and Beck and their fights is insane. In the heyday of coverage in the 1960s of what we were doing, it was always less than it should have been, but now it is almost zero. Why do we take this? Why do we accept this? Why isn’t Chris Hedges three times a year in the op-ed? Why is it always Paul Wolfowitz and Elliott Abrams and all these homicidal maniacs? Why are they there? Why is John Bolton constantly published in the Washington Post and the New York Times? Where is Andrew Bacevich? Bacevich told me he has had five straight Op-Eds rejected by the Post and the Times in the last two years. And he said he is not inclined to send anymore. How many times do you hear Hoover Institution? American Enterprise Institute? Manhattan Institute. These goddamned newspapers should be picketed.”
Nader is right, of course, and by far the most complete sellout among formerly liberal publications has befallen the Washington Post, which currently publishes regular columns by the senile warmonger David Broder, the corporate toady George Will, and the far-right crackpot William Kristol.
If you want entertainment, watch CNN, FOX, or MSNBC. If you want news and analysis, watch LinkTV or FreeSpeechTV.
Great artical. I was wondering…i thought the law was now that states can overturn fed law. how does that all work there?
I still cant help but notice that when the papers cow tie to the Liberal mindset(last election)they are doing the peoples work.But when they see the insanity of that mindset in practical application ,and take a more conservative stance they need to be picketed,shut down,or controlled.Funny as hell
michael e, who are you really?
You don’t have the courage to post your full real name and the link in your name leads to nothing.
http://b/
But,you feel the need to comment on EVERY last thing with the utmost smug arrogance.
Do you ever think you might be wrong,even for a split second,about anything?
Of course not.
I have yet to see any major paper cow “tie” to any REAL liberal in my lifetime.
Do you post here out of the desire to get liberals all riled up for your own personal jollies,or because you think you are speaking truth to all the unenlightened lefties?
YOU,sir,are what is funny as hell.
James, he’s just a run of the mill mentally unstable, mentally subnormal tea bagger troll, nothing of any real note.
The best thing about FAIR’s resident troll, Mikey e is that he is constantly griping about people here saying that “all conservatives are stupid,” and then turns around and proves the point by consistently posting the most idiotic comments imaginable.
He’s an amiable dunce like his heroes W and Saint Sarah of the Starbursts.
Go Nader! It’s about time someone called out about the truth of what is going on. Far too much time is spent on Palin’s crap and the Tea Party has been ushered into a place of prominence that it assuredly does not deserve. I’m so glad for Ralph Nader, it’s about time. Where are the liberal media when you need them? They have all gone, afraid of being called liberal biased.
James Klein: One possibility is that he accidentally entered b in the “Website” field when he first commented, and his browser has been autofilling that entry there ever since.
Another, more intriguing possibility: He comes from 4chan‘s /b/, the den of the internet’s craftiest trolls — and he’s trying to give those who know a hint that he is just a provocateur who doesn’t mean a thing he says.
I love Ralph Nader. He Is a moral giant. He is my hero. Been following him for years. My son became a lawyer because of him.
When is this country going to get smart. Then they will appreciate Ralph Nader. Like Norman Mailer said 55% of the country, USA. Are dumb. Camille Olivieri
I wish someone would debate me about about Ralph Nader. I repeat he is. Moral giant. Everyone in this country in one way or another have effected by is hard work. But it’s true no good deed goes un-punished. I wish sometimes he would just enjoy the rest of his life and tell everyone to go to hell.
Just once look into this wonderful mans background. Camille olivieri
Thats right keep watching Fox news. Sean Hannity, dumb and stupid. mike Savage calls him the high. School graduate. Ha. Also keep watching Bill O’riely another jerk and liar. Way out if Ralph Nader’s. League. They cannot even comprehend what Ralph Nader is about. You see Ralph has never for sale. And never will be. What about his credentials, I could go on and on.
Ralph Nader speaks for people that can’t speak for themselves. He always about doing the right thing that benefits mankind. That’s why the corporate media, the other criminals in Gov.and all the other. Corporations in America are afraid of him. They are no match for him, he is too smart for them. He. Knows everything not only about this country, but all over the globe. Camille olivieri
Speak up America Ralph Nader is right. The Post office problems are made up. The P.O. Is part of
america. It is just another right wing conspiracy for the rich to take over. Camlle olivieri
Ralph Nader comments about H.S sport scholarships, have come under fire by the idiots who care nothing about all the serious injuries. Young people paralyzed, concussions, etc. High School football is the most dangerous thing parents can do or their children. Wake up parents your children are being used. Wining at all costs is not very intelligent. Camille Olivieri
P.S. I have sons and would never allow this.
Wake up America listen to Ralph Nader. The media in this country is joke. They are all paid off. Watch Aljazzera and international news etc. Where is our democracy!
Go Ralph, please don’t give up, America needs you. You are the best, and the smart people in the country know this. Also all the decent people in the country appreciate you. Camille olivieri
Enjoyed Ralph Nader and pat Buchanan on TV. Talking and critiqueing pat’s book. They are both in-tlligient and truthful. Camille Olivieri
Watched Ralph Nader on Democracy Now this morning and as usual he is so smart and truthful about what is going on in U.S. I just wish more people were interested.
still love Ralph. Wish he was president
Ralph Nader is my hero and will always be. why is such a wonderful man not appreciated. It just makes me sick, when I think about it. I have two sons that think he is a moral giant. Also so brilliant.