Deliberately disastrous U.S. Anti-Russia Rhetoric

Concerns about American recklessness in talk and actions
Editing by Carolyn Bennett

One voice does not make for truth or understanding but for a tyranny of the few; and of the masses a learned ignorance, a deliberate, oblivious, dangerous ignorance.

This morning I has listening to one of the “oldies” radio stations in my geographical area and had finally had enough from a relatively new (and inappropriate) addition to the station’s music (non-music) lineup, the demonizing pejorative propagandistic commentary of Tom Brokaw; and had to ask the station to ditch the gentlemen. For me, today’s commentary was right over the top in its bashing of the Russian Federation’s head of state Vladimir Putin, calling him what American irresponsible pundits and flacks in the past and present have called leaders such as Manuel Noriega, Saddam Hussein, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Bashar al-Assad, Muammar al- Qaddafi and others ─ “Strongman.” Having framed his subject disparagingly, Brokaw was off on the usual corporate media/government rant. My feedback to “Oldies Rochester” dot com suggested that

Whether or not the actions or styles of leadership of other heads of state are acceptable to us (or expedient in the moment), whether or not we like certain leaders is irrelevant.  

We Americans have no moral or legal standing for condemning any other nations and peoples; and even if we did, this kind of demonizing (immature, deliberately crude) behavior dirties relations among peoples and nations, including the USA.

Then I came across like thinkers. I am not alone in my concerns about the quality and character of U.S. relations with the world; and related to that, the accuracy and unbiased nature of information Americans receive and their depth of knowledge and understanding of other countries and peoples and our connections with them.

Earlier this year during the Winter Games in Sochi, journalist Peter Lavelle was speaking on RT’s Op-Edge program. This is some of what he said: “The level of journalistic malpractice committed against Russia blinds Western electorates, poisons public opinion, and emboldens the reckless political class.… Cheap shots, lazy reporting and maniacal commentary are a form of entertainment served up by Western mainstream media.  

… After the incessant demonization Russia gets from mainstream media, it is quite remarkable that the Kremlin continues to work closely with the West on issues that impact geopolitical stability ─ Afghanistan, Iran, Syria, nuclear proliferation, terrorist threats, food security, and the narcotics trade. 

Western publics rarely, if ever, learn about these kinds cooperation from their media. This is truly regrettable.

A few days ago, in  light of U.S. threats and bashing surrounding the Ukrainian conflict, author and commentator Stephen Lendman continued to raise concerns about the character of U.S. foreign relations, citing the recklessness in U.S. rhetoric. “Reckless comments heighten tensions,” Lendman wrote. “They do so irresponsibly. Rhetoric risks becoming policy…. Great conflicts start this way.… Containing Russia has been the longstanding policy, reflecting U.S. hegemonic ambitions.…   

“In January, Pentagon officials raised concerns about Russian ground-launched cruise missile tests [but they] are silent about their own naked aggression,” which has been endless ─ “killing millions” of people ─ in multiple theaters in the post-9/11 period. “Russia,” Lendman says, “is a powerful force for peace … up against a belligerent monster … headquartered in Washington.…” Its priorities: “Eliminating a major rival [Russia]. Marginalizing, weakening, isolating, and co-opting [Russia].Though “Escalated tensions risk belligerent East/West confrontation, Lendman writes,  

Whenever Washington wages war or plans one, media scoundrels march in lockstep. They regurgitate official propaganda ad nauseam, substituting lies for truth. 

[Reckless rhetoric] is relentless. It persists daily. Big Lies drown out truth.

Sources and notes 

“Journalistic malpractice & the dangers of Russia-bashing,” February 9, 2014, during an earlier period of Western Russia bashing, during the Winter Olympic Games at Sochi, Op-Edge, http://rt.com/op-edge/western-media-russia-bashing-293/

  

United States-born and educated Peter J. Lavelle has lived in Eastern Europe and Russia for more than 25 years, has worked as a lecturer at the University of Warsaw, a market researcher for Colgate-Palmolive, and an investment analyst for brokerage firms, including Russia’s Alfa-Bank. He is journalist and host of CrossTalk, presented by the English-language channel RT (Russia Today) and has hosted RT's programs IMHO and In Context and a monthly business program called “On the Money.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Lavelle

 “Reckless Russia Bashing Persists” by Stephen Lendman, April 5, 2014, http://www.thepeoplesvoice.org/TPV3/Voices.php/2014/04/05/reckless-russia-bashing-persists

Stephen Lendman is a writer, syndicated columnist, activist, and broadcaster. Since 2007, he has hosted “a progressive radio show” at The Progressive Radio News Hour on The Progressive Radio Network. Lendman writes for MoneyNewsNow.com and VeteransToday.com and is author of Banker Occupation: Waging Financial War on Humanity and How Wall Street Fleeces America: Privatized Banking, Government Collusion and Class War, http://www.veteranstoday.com/author/lendman/

Clear Channel Communications dominates what we hear over “public” airwaves.  Wikipedia notes 448 stations outside the Top 100 DMA (designated market area) markets plus another 91 stations for sale which may or may not be in the top 100 DMAs. The TV stations formerly owned by Clear Channel were sold to Providence Equity Partners, a private equity firm, on April 23, 2007, with the deal closing in late November 2007. 185 radio stations were to have been sold to GoodRadio.TV LLC until the sale fell apart over financing. and another 177 stations have been sold to other entities. Another 201 stations are up for sale. DMA:  a media market, broadcast market, media region, designated market area (DMA), television market area, or simply market is a region where the population can receive the same (or similar) television and radio station offerings, and may also include other types of media including newspapers and Internet content. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_broadcast_stations_owned_by_Clear_Channel

 _______________________________________

  

Bennett's books are available in New York State independent bookstores: Lift Bridge Bookshop: www.liftbridgebooks.com [Brockport, NY]; Sundance Books: http://www.sundancebooks.com/main.html [Geneseo, NY]; Mood Makers Books: www.moodmakersbooks.com [City of Rochester, NY]; Dog Ears Bookstore and Literary Arts Center: www.enlightenthedog.org/ [Buffalo, NY]; Burlingham Books – ‘Your Local Chapter’: http://burlinghambooks.com/ [Perry, NY 14530]; The Bookworm: http://www.eabookworm.com/ [East Aurora, NY] • See also: World Pulse: Global Issues through the eyes of Women: http://www.worldpulse.com/ http://www.worldpulse.com/pulsewire http://www.facebook.com/#!/bennetts2ndstudy

 ____________________________________