The Mainstreaming Of Mendacity

Free Republic Editorials | 5/23/2012 | By Laz A. Mataz

[Lazamataz]

Imagine you had a watchdog. Imagine, further, that it would only bark at and attack female burglars and male burglars would get only a sad look and perhaps a submissive lick or two. This watchdog would not be a very useful guardian, would it? Your house or store would soon end up completely ransacked.

This is the situation America faces, with the selective watchdog -- the so-called 'mainstream media' -- that we presently have.

When I was very young, and television sets had mechanical channel changers, I lived in a place (Rochester, New York) where the three major network channels where in close proximity to one another. One day I happened to notice that the three national news broadcasts had the exact same segments at the exact same time. This fascinated me. I verified over the next few weeks that this was not a fluke, but a constant practice. I even made a game of trying to get the anchors to complete each other's sentences by rapidly flipping the channels. While my mother would occasionally notice, and yell at me for 'breaking the TV set', I sometimes actually -- scarily -- succeeded. This gave lie to the publicized prevarication that we had a free and independent press. Even as naive youth, I quickly saw behind the curtain. The press was free, but they chose to collude and present the exact same message to the public. Your only choice was who would give you a homogenized message and uniform message.

The press and the 'mainstream media' often craft their message by what they refuse to report. Like a watchdog that refuses to bark at a certain type of burglar, this allows a class of politicians -- in this case, Democrats -- to ransack the House Politick unimpeded.

Let's look at a few of the glaring omissions in the reporting of the JournOlist Caste:

• When the polls are good for Obama in a swing state, you can count on front page, above-the-fold treatment. However, when the polls show poorly for Obama, silence reigns.

• When an organization the media favors (such as the ACLU or Planned Parenthood) initiates a large lawsuit, it will be on the lips of every member of the chattering media class. However, when a lawsuit is filed that might hold their favorite politicians and policies in jeopardy, such as the largest religious-liberty lawsuit in American history is filed by 43 Catholic dioceses and institutions, all you can hear is crickets.

• Then there is the glaringly-differing treatment of Watergate in 1972, versus Murdergate -- the so-called Fast and Furious operation -- in 2011 and 2012. Although both scandals are serious (one might even argue that Murdergate is more heinous than Watergate), the networks and newpapers cannot be bothered to cover the Fast and Furious story nearly at all.

This is mendacity, and it is mainstreamed. It is institutional.

We have self-described watchdogs whose barks and bites only seem to be visited upon one type of burglar. The other type is free to act, with our watchdog's blessing.

Sorry. That dog won't hunt.

[MHGinTN]

Sadly, that is the gist of it all. They don’t care that they’ve been found out as propaganda scum for the little barry bastard commie. I think they would do it for free if asked. They are the fourth estate turned fifth column by their own desire to end the Republic as founded.

[matt1234]

8. 10. 13

Only people from Ra Cha Cha will understand the “Secret Code” :)

Yes :) But if you position that rooftop antenna just right, you can pick up Hamilton, Ontario.

[ArrogantBustard]

Leftist goober Don Henley wrote that in the early 1980s.

He was right.

Mendacity has been mainstream (on the left, at least) for longer than that.

Mendacity is the left's stock in trade.

[Marcella]

“...which is against the rules featured in Strunk and Whites ‘Elements of Style’ which was one of my favorite books in college and helped me learn how to write so gooder.”

Couldn’t have made it through many years of college/university without “Elements of Style” on my desk.

I’m glad it helped you avoid run on sentences and write “gooder”.

[Lazamataz]

I'll tell you one of the reasons why (unless I find that a black fellow or lady is prejudiced against whites FIRST) I am not prejudiced towards our colored cousins:

My college course in Elements of Style was taught by an eclectic, beret wearing black fellow. He was one of the most competent teachers of English composition I have ever had, and he taught one of the most useful courses I ever took.

If I met the man today, I would clap him on the back, shake his hand, and buy him the best dinner I could afford.

[humblegunner]

Well done!

[Lazamataz]

Thanks. Just trying to get hits for my blog, though.

[Slings and Arrows]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46bBWBG9r2o

[humblegunner]

Just trying to get hits for my blog, though.

I'd hit it.

[QT3.14]

fI happened to notice that the three national news broadcasts had the exact same segments at the exact same time.

In the same vein Rush has provided examples of network sound bites from the same day where an 'operative' word is used by them all. It made me wonder if they all get together and have a briefing.

The MSM has a Truth Deficit Disorder that excels in selective reporting, double-standards, lies of omission, and how issues our couched. For example:

Nothing has changed. Journalist and magazine editor H.L. Menken (1880-1956) said it best.

• "[The news media] is a device for making the ignorant more ignorant
  and the crazy crazier".

[5Madman2]

Touche :)

I tip a Genny Screamer in your honor

[Lazamataz]

Genny ain't sh*t without Country Sweet.

(We are talkin in CODE, you and I)

[Norm Lenhart]

Step 1: get a bunch of young people wanting fame and attention
Step 2: get them equipped with cameras/video/computers/video editing software
Step 3: Set up a You Tube channel for them linked to all the right leaning blogs and websites
Step 4: send them out to film/report on the ‘behind the scenes’ events of media coverage.
Step 5: Lionize them for their bold and brash bravado in making media safe for future generations.

Note that none of the above is in anyway a lie/unethical. We merely set them up for a bright future in their chosen career choice - NEW (read that ‘honest’)media. Note that most already have the equipment. They just need some “community organizing” to make it happen ;)

[Norm Lenhart]

Being an upstate NY native I fought the ‘Beer Wars’ for many years against the evil Genessee Brewery. They sent out thousands of their brown soldiers and I and my friends gave it our all in killing every one of them we could find.

But alas, over decades of battle, the might of fell Genessee proved too great and many of our livers beat a hasty retreat. ;)

[5Madman2]

Finishing with the garbage plate or at the LDR

[5Madman2]

In my young under age days Genny was the upgrade from Old Topper and Black Label

[Norm Lenhart]

For us it was the upgrade to Old Milwaukee. Though we drank our fair share of that too. Seriously though, for a low/mid end beer, I loved it flavor-wise. For the price it was worth it. In AZ now and haven’t drank in almost 20 years. But I’d love to have one for old times sake. Of course, it would cost about $1000 and a feel-up by the TSA so that ain’t gonna happen anytime soon ;)

Much of my misspent youth had a Genny attached in some way or form. But why they ever invented Genny Cream Ale I’ll never understand.

[Lazamataz]

[Tijeras_Slim]

Great thread made even better by a hijack into beer and local dive restaurants.

The garbage plate looks interesting, but I’ll stick with the “Travis” at Grandma’s K&I Diner.

http://nmgastronome.com/blog/?p=306

[5Madman2]

It was Milk Of Magnesia in beer Form.

Ya couldn’t be seen swilling from the blue plastic Phillips bottle to get things working, but damn the screamers worked

And the Screamers tasted better with Wings