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7-11-05,9:20am
To counter the U.S. public’s rising distaste for the American-led occupation of Iraq, some right-wing radio hosts are traveling there for a “Truth Tour.” Finding truth in Iraq to provide the public with is the aim of these right wingers.
I have a suggestion for them on their trip. They can find truth by following in the footsteps of Kathy Kelly and Voices in the Wilderness, the pacifist group she co-founded in her Chicago apartment.
Kelly and Voices have spent ample time in Iraqi households and hospitals. They were there to report on 14 years of trade sanctions, weapons inspections, U.S./UK bombing missions, and, finally, the U.S.-led invasion in 2003 and continuing occupation.
Meanwhile, we turn to one of the right-wing radio hosts on the Truth Tour, Mark Williams of KFBK radio in Sacramento. Apparently, he is well-qualified to seek truth in Iraq.
What are his qualifications? Late last year, he penned an editorial rebuking the late Palestinian President Yasser Arafat and Arabs generally that appeared on The Sacramento Union website.
Urinating on Arafat’s tombstone was a fitting way to mourn his demise, Williams wrote. The local chapter of American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee criticized The Union and Williams.
The Union’s response more justified than retracted Williams’ editorial . Later, ADC-Sacramento wrote the California State Assembly Select Committee on Hate Crimes a letter in protest.
Presumably, Williams and his talk-radio comrades will do their utmost to undo the harm done by the so-called liberal bias of the U.S. mass media in Iraq. In this way, the right-wing talk show hosts hope to bring positive news of the occupation to the American people.
For example, Williams, speaking of the Truth Tour, criticized current Iraq war reporting. The properly educated know such journalism is practiced by the liberal media, the bete noire of the GOP right.
“There are a lot of stories over there that aren’t being told,” said Williams in the July 7 San Francisco Chronicle. “Hey, if I want to see the enemy’s perspective, I’ll check out CBS or Newsweek.”
The reporting of CBS and Newsweek on the attempted U.S. colonization of Iraq, you see, nearly qualifies them for such seditious status. Accordingly, PBS must have nearly attained the status of enemy combatant.
Obviously, CBS, Newsweek and PBS lack the objectivity that is the hallmark of some right-wing talk show hosts. Thus we must leave it to brave souls like Williams to give the U.S. public what it needs now more than ever: good news about the Iraq quagmire.
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--Seth Sandronsky is member of Sacramento Area Peace Action and a co-editor of Because People Matter, Sacramento’s progressive paper. He can be reached at: ssandron@hotmail.com.
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