Free Press is optional

Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed: everything else is public relations. 

George Orwell

We have to make clear this case, the United States has no commitment in protecting free press. Now we know about the Mockingbird project, that was part of COINTELPRO (counter intelligence program), where CIA assets were put in the news organizations to manipulate the American people. In addition, the NSA was spying on real journalists such as Washington Post humor columnist Art Buchwald and New York Times columnist Tom Wicker [The Guardian Sep 26-2013]. You may say that was in the past and COINTELPRO was disbanded, but just keep in mind, nowadays we have people such as Anderson Cooper who worked for CIA, and Wolf Blitzer who was a representative for AIPAC.

The media itself conspires with the government agains real journalists. That is the case of Julian Assange who is being charged unjustly just for reporting the truth about the US foreign policy. At this point, Assange is seen as a hacker thanks to the criminal collaboration of the press with the US government. The public is so brainwashed on the case of Assange that we think Assange must be put in prison, but even worse, the public think the corporate media and the US government do protect the free press [PX].

One of the most relevant cases (if not the most relevant) on the 2020 democratic primaries, is that ABC News suspended David Wright For calling himself a socialist on secret recording provided by the far-right group Project Veritas. We must mention Project Veritas is a right-wing group that often sets up sting operations targeting left personalities by settting covert edited footage [WaPo Feb-26, 2020]. Some may think that was an isolated case, in that case just remember Ed Shultz who was fired for reporting on Bernie Sanders at MSNBC’s or Jessy Ventura or Chris Hedges who were put aside for being against the Iraq war.

Well, some say say despite Veritas was acting in benefit of Donald Trump, that was not an action from the government. Then let’s take into account the revelations that the US Government has been tracking and detaining journalists that denounced crimes in the US – Mexico border against immigrants [NBC Mar 6, 2019]. One case that is totally blinded from the public is th case or Max Blumenthal who was arrested under charges that eventually were not proved. Blumenthal case is particular since he reports on the effect to the US policy in countries like Syria and Venezuela – this a the time US claims to protect “courageous” journalist that confront those “tyrannic regimes.”

We should have it clear the US loves protecting regimes like Saudi Arabia that got Journalist Jamal Khashoggi killed or Colombia that is famous for killing journalists. But it is no that we protect those regimes but also our government has no problem in commanding other ally government to do our dirty job. Back, in 2013, Top British security officials went into the Guardian’s newspaper office and threatened its top editor forcing him to destroy the hard drives in that office. [The Guardian Aug 20, 2013]. A most relevant case it the when French president Macron went after journalists Geoffrey Livolsi and Mathias Destal, as well as Benoit Collombat. These journalists bassicaly exposed US Coalition War Crimes In Yemen [RT Apr 28, 2019]. Also, In Brazil, federal prosecutors filed a criminal complaint against journalist Glenn Greenwald, after he revealed an anti-corruption scam that brought down former Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva – which enabled Jair Bolsonaro to become president. What is interesting is that The Federal Police had already stated they found no crimes committed by Greenwald [Democracy Now Jan 22,2020].

We may think old COINTELPRO died in 1971, but evidence shows is alive and kicking these days with the FBI sending infiltrators and provocateurs into any kind of collective effort to generate change. Nowadays the US government is entitled to murder any US citizen, if that person is depicted as some kind of threat to the establishment’s interests. The case of reporter Michael Hastings is extremely suspicious for his aggressive reporting. He had previously contacted WikiLeaks prior his death [Telegraph UK Jun 19-2013].

*Note The Telegraph article has been removed from the Internet, Jun 19th 2013 “WikiLeaks says Michael Hastings contacted it just before his death. Are they implying he was murdered?” by Tim Stanley

Categories: Hypocrisy USA

Leave a Reply