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Showing Original Post only (View all)WOW...Glenn Greenwald Strikes Back! NEW Revelations of Media Funding! [View all]
(This is a Worth the Time Read for Old School Democratis who Remember What WE WERE!) Nuff Said.-------
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/12/02-5
On NSA Journalism and the Absurdity of Some Recent Critiques
Questions/responses for journalists linking to the Pando post - and other matters
by Glenn Greenwald
The other day I referred to those who "evince zero interest in the substance of the revelations about NSA and GCHQ spying which we're reporting on around the world", but "are instead obsessed with spending their time personally attacking the journalists, whistleblowers and other messengers who enable the world to know about what is being done." There are dozens of examples, one of whom is the author of a post this week at Pando.com which accuses me and Laura Poitras of having "promptly sold [the Snowden] secrets to a billionaire", Pierre Omidyar, and claims we made "a decision to privatize the
(He has LINKS and the SCOOP!)(
NSA cache" by joining Omidyar's new media organization and vesting it with a "monopoly" over those documents.Greenwald responds to attacks from journalists and talking heads who accuse him of "privatizing" or "monopolizing" the Edward Snowden leaks by calling such claims "absurd" and without merit.
I've steadfastly ignored the multiple attacks from this particular writer over the years because his recklessness with the facts is so well-known (ask others about whom he's written), and because his fixation is quite personal: it began with and still is fueled by an incident where The Nation retracted and apologized for an error-strewn hit piece he wrote which I had criticized (see here and here).
But now, this week's attack has been seized on by various national security establishment functionaries and DC journalists to impugn our NSA reporting and, in some cases, to argue that this "privatizing" theory should be used as a basis to prosecute me for the journalism I'm doing. Amazingly, it's being cited by all sorts of DC journalists and think tank advocates whose own work is paid for by billionaires and other assorted plutocrats: such as Josh Marshall, whose TPM journalism has been "privatized" and funded by the Romney-supporting Silicon Valley oligarch Marc Andreesen, and former Bush Homeland Security Adviser and current CNN analyst Fran Townsend ("profiteering!", exclaims the Time Warner Corp. employee and advocate of the American plundering of Iraq).
Moreover, the rhetorical innuendo in the Pando post tracks perfectly with that used by NSA chief Keith Alexander a few weeks ago when he called on the US government to somehow put a stop to the NSA reporting: "I think it's wrong that newspaper reporters have all these documents, the 50,000-- whatever they are, and are selling them and giving them out as if these-- you know, it just doesn't make sense," decreed the NSA chief. This attack is also the same one that was quickly embraced by the Canadian right to try to malign the reporting we're now doing with the CBC on joint US/Canada surveillance programs.
I would think journalists would want to be very careful about embracing this pernicious theory of "privatizing" journalism given how virtually all of you are not only are paid for the journalism you do, but also have your own journalism funded by all sorts of extremely rich people and other corporate interests.
Obviously, the rancid accusation that paid investigative journalism is tantamount to the buying and selling of government secrets is being made quite deliberately by the US government and its apologists with the knowledge that this is what sends people to prison. That language didn't fall out of Keith Alexander's mouth by accident. This Pando post is not only reckless with the facts but espouses a theory very few of the journalists cheering for it could or would apply to themselves. Standing alone, I'd simply ignore it.
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/12/02-5
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Lol, see my thanks to Sid below. I would probably not have found this if wasn't for him.
sabrina 1
Dec 2013
#5
Once again you helped me find this great thread. Greenwald, one of the few real journalists left in
sabrina 1
Dec 2013
#4
Ah yes, Greenwald indeed - he must have missed seeing his name in the headlines.....
George II
Dec 2013
#34
Attack points? He's referred to as an "American" journalist, why is he in South America?
George II
Dec 2013
#63
When a poster called you out on ad hominem attack, you started talking about where he lives.
merrily
Dec 2013
#93
Okay, how is what I said originally an "ad hominem attack"? People LOVE to throw...
George II
Dec 2013
#103
You rewrote what I said, I never said anything CLOSE to what you have in "quotes"!
George II
Dec 2013
#147
So what were you trying to say about Greenwald? Did you not 'imply' and then double down
sabrina 1
Dec 2013
#151
I was born in Brooklyn, grew up in New York City and now live in Connecticut....
George II
Dec 2013
#149
Why is that so important to you? For your information, which is basically NOT your business...
George II
Dec 2013
#173
Rather presumptuous, aren't you? Now, as to the assassination question - any?
George II
Dec 2013
#62
Where they live seems irrelevant to begin with. However, to the extent it matters at all,
merrily
Dec 2013
#90
And it's just as plausible the facts on U.S. Immigration law he points out are the reason, too.
Hissyspit
Dec 2013
#114
Well, to be accurate, Greenwald probably fled America because of the tax issues...
randome
Dec 2013
#64
He said it very publicly. I'm willing to take his word for it. Besides, just like we all
merrily
Dec 2013
#81
It's not much of an attack. The question was raised why he prefers to live in Brazil.
randome
Dec 2013
#83
Again, Greenwald's life choices change nothing. Point is, the NSA's activities, not Greenwald's.
merrily
Dec 2013
#85
How can you put "to be accurate" and "probably" in the same sentence and keep a straight
rhett o rick
Dec 2013
#128
When someone jumps into a thread with nothing but derision, I wonder what their agenda really is.
rhett o rick
Dec 2013
#130
Wait, wasn't the criticism of Manning and Wikileaks that the did THE OPPOSITE. I am sure
sabrina 1
Dec 2013
#76
I take it you choose to follow Gen Clapper and Gen Alexander and smite those that dare speak truth
rhett o rick
Dec 2013
#129
Thanks for your wonderful, insightful, meaningful, fulfilling and full of it contribution.
L0oniX
Dec 2013
#59
Hey Sid...wanna make a bet? FATCA hits Greenwald soon...so I am betting that
msanthrope
Dec 2013
#70
It's the Koch/Libertarian money of the past few years he'd have to disclose.
msanthrope
Dec 2013
#91
Looks to me like you choose the wrong side in this class war. You think your
rhett o rick
Dec 2013
#131
I find it curious that you go to such great lengths to deride those that speak truth
rhett o rick
Dec 2013
#158
I find it curious that you go to great lengths to defend a Libertarian who receives
msanthrope
Dec 2013
#160
Your rationalizations must be the key to your happiness. You choose to attack
rhett o rick
Dec 2013
#161
I'm glad she's not running. She's one of the strongest Senators we've fielded in a great
msanthrope
Dec 2013
#167
PandoDaily, and NSFWCorp, where Ames came from, are big enough to make news
muriel_volestrangler
Dec 2013
#43
Only the highest, most mature level of intellectual analysis and political philosophy.
merrily
Dec 2013
#82
Does Greenwald have additional revelations to reveal? I believe he's claimed to.
el_bryanto
Dec 2013
#47
No, as if dwelling only on his tax issues and where he lives now and only those
merrily
Dec 2013
#101
I was not aware of a specific %, but I was aware that a lot more material remains unpublished
merrily
Dec 2013
#97
I mind that less than I mind how quietly "my fellow Americans" take almost any news.
merrily
Dec 2013
#100