Authors say media negligent since 9/11

http://www.bradenton.com/mld/bradenton/news/local/15560101.htm

Authors say media negligent since 9/11
JESSICA KLIPA
Herald Staff Writer
SARASOTA - After the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, America's mainstream media formed a "cozy partnership" with the U.S. government and failed to critically report the news, a radio talk show host said.

Amy Goodman, host of Democracy Now!, attracted a crowd of more than 400 students, faculty and others at New College of Florida on Tuesday as she weighed in against the war in Iraq, the Bush administration and the media's coverage.

Her ideas are presented in her new book, "Static: Government Liars, Media Cheerleaders and the People who Fight Back."

"We will not be silenced. That should be the media's Hippocratic oath," Goodman said.

Her brother and co-author, David Goodman, also spoke Tuesday. He touted Democracy Now! as an independent media outlet and a counter-balance to the mainstream media.

In "Static," the Goodmans use the term "access of evil" to describe journalists who traded "truth for access." Chapter titles include Outlaw Nation, The Mighty Warlitzer and News Fakers.

"We need a different kind of media in this country," he said.

Carolyn Barker, a philosophy major, said she was glad to finally hear the Goodmans speak.

"It wasn't anything too new. She was preaching a bit to the choir at New College," she said.

"I was glad to have the discussion and open education."

Goodman's speech drew students from other colleges as well as people in the community.

Jason Stillwell, 28, a political science student from Manatee Community College, said he agreed with what Goodman had to say. He opposes the war in Iraq.

"We created the situation, and now we've got to fix it," he said.

"We need to give up total control and work with other countries in the world to hopefully bring a peaceful end."

Nasir Mohammedelamien, 31, said Goodman's speech against racial profiling meant a lot to him because he is from Sudan, where there is no freedom of speech.

"She's the Martin Luther King Jr. of journalism," he said.

"The best thing about this country is that something like this can happen."

Jessica Klipa, Herald reporter, can be reached at 708-7906 or at jklipa@HeraldToday.com.

does anyone else find this ironic...

coming from AMY GOODMAN?

"There's a shadow on the faces of the men who send the guns to the wars that are fought in places where their business interest runs."

Oh, the irony!

I will not be suckered into buying her book.

I f*d up and bought the last one, what a scam. Bunch of left-overs warmed up for the bottom feeders.

Scam, scam, scam.

Amy Goodman, left-gatekeeper extraordinaire...

I see Amy is still up to her old gatekeeping tricks. She is quite the limited-hangout artist, isn't she!?

Ironic and infuriating

The only thing matching my level of admiration when I first discovered Democracy Now is my level of disappointment and disgust once I realized that she/they were guilty of their own omitting, soft-balling, and left-gatekeeping.

I'm going to try to make it to the nearest stop on her book tour to return my signed copy of her previous book. If there is no question/answer session during which I can politely express my dissent to her, I will go Medea Benjamin on her ass. Watch out, Amy.