Posted on 05/17/2005 11:09:35 PM PDT by neverdem
Newsweek is under intense criticism for a report it has now retracted about the American prison in Guantánamo Bay. Since we've weathered a journalistic storm or two, we can only say the best approach is transparency as Newsweek fixes whatever is broken, if anything. There is already a debate about journalistic practices, including the use of anonymous sources, and these things are worth discussing - especially at a time of war, national insecurity and extreme government secrecy, a time when aggressive news reporting is critical. But it is offensive to see the Bush administration use this case for political purposes, and ludicrous for spokesmen for this White House and Defense Department to offer pious declarations about accountability, openness and concern for America's image abroad.
It took Newsweek about two weeks to retract its report. It has been a year since the very real problem behind the article - the systematic abuse and deliberate humiliation of mainly Muslim prisoners - came to light through the Abu Ghraib disaster. And the Bush administration has not come close to either openness or accountability. The White House and the Pentagon have refused to begin any serious examination of the policymaking that led to the abuse, humiliation, torture and even killing of prisoners taken during antiterrorist operations and the invasion of Iraq. Meanwhile, the administration has stonewalled outside efforts to accomplish that task. No senior officer or civilian official has been held accountable for policies that put every American soldier at greater risk. The men who wrote the memos on legalized torture and evading the Geneva Conventions have been promoted.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Oh my sides! Newsweek has joined the NY Times and CBS in the journalism hall of shame, publishing a steaming, stinking pile of lies - and even costing many people their lives in the process - and the Times' response is to criticize Bush. It's truly bizarro world.
The leftists have no logic. If they did, they would realize that they run the media for one thing. Secondly, they know absolutely nothing about the Muslim extremists. If they did, they would realize what agenda they are following, and be as horrified as the rest of us.
Top Newsweek execs arrive for board meeting.
Once the war is over, there will be plenty of time for that. Save the "thoughtful reflection" for a time when the relatives and allies of the putative victims aren't still shooting at us.
Yes, they need to take a look at what is going on in Europe where openly gay politicians have been murdered by Moslem fanatics.
I live in a city full of petty little Marxists. I am part of the union ranks where I work and I can tell you that the mentality of socialists is age 15. That was about the only time in my life I would have identified with them. After that I grew up. These socialists engage with their employer from the point of view that they have to wage an ongoing war with management. Somehow they are downtrodden workers tilting with the evil dragons of management. In meetings they have no class, constantly interrupt and basically bitch about everything under the sun. They ask questions that are just plane stupid and often have nothing to do with their jobs. I may not always agree with management but I know how to show every person wih the respect every human deserves.
I know what you mean. We lost the largest employer we had in our little town because the union kept striking. The employer tried to be fair. The last time they entered into negotiations, the union threatened to strike if all of their demands were not met. The management told them that the owners would close down the business and sell out if that happened. The union did not believe them. They went on strike anyway. Guess what? The business closed its doors, was shut down, and went on the selling block. All those people lost their jobs.
It has finally, after several years, been purchased by a German company. They have only hired back a skeleton crew, the best of the best. It will be years before they will have enough business to hire as many people as had formerly worked there.
Kudos to that company. More should do the same. What I object to is closed shop unions. It is highly unconstitutional to force association. Freedom of Association works both ways.
Yep. Thank goodness Virginia is a right to work state. :)
What does that mean exactly?
It means you don't have to join a union to work.
That is awful. My daughter is a teacher. She has worked in both public and private schools. She has not had to belong to a union in either one. I don't even think that they have a teachers' union here.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.