Egypt crisis flying under Americans' radar

[DainBramaged]

Source: MSNBC

The Pew Center has come out with a new poll asking Americans about the crisis in Egypt, and it's clear they're not thinking about it a great deal.

About half of Americans — 52 percent — report having heard little or nothing about the demonstrations, according to the poll of 1,385 adults, which was conducted Wednesday through Monday.

Clear majorities of Democrats (69 percent) and independents (57 percent) say President Barack Obama administration has handled the situation about right. By contrast, only 43 percent of Republicans say the same, and they're just about split on whether he's showing too much support for the protesters (19 percent) or too little (15 percent).



Read more: http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/02/08/6011468-egypt-crisis-flying-under-americans-radar

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America, in the dark thanks to the Republicorp media.

[RKP5637]

1. Yep, the propaganda machine and blankets on information is working well. n/t

[JDPriestly]

2. Most Americans don't know what to think. And the Egyptians should be

pretty happy about that. Because I can only imagine what many Glen Beck fans would think if they actually thought about it. Ignorance is bliss on this one.

We shouldn't be interfering except to insist on freedom of the press and no brutality. We should not provide weapons to brutal regimes. First, because it always backfires (blowback is still coming) and second because it is immoral and gives power to those in our own country who are brutal and who would just as soon brutalize us as the Egyptians -- if that is how they could bully their way to power.

[No Elephants]

9. Glenn Beck, of course, has been telling his viewers exactly what to think about it.

Something about a caliphate in which the American left is somehow involved. (Sorry for being vague, but I didn't really try to follow what passes for his reasoning.)

It was so looney, even Kristol denounced Beck for it and the denunciation made news with Dem anchors of MSNBC, who ran clips of a sample Beck rant on the subject (which is how I saw it.)

The GOP should change its name to "Mixed Nuts."

[Salander]

3. Here are some links to news from Egypt:

I'm amazed that less than 50% of Amers are following what is happening in Egypt. Tahrir Square, Alexandria, and Suez have dominated the news at Al Jazeera and Press T.V. for the past two weeks. It has been said that this may be the most significant social change since the French Revolution-- and momentum continues to build. I could go on, but there is more comprehensive news at:

http://english.aljazeera.net/
http://www.presstv.ir/
an Eghptian blogger who was just released by police after several days: http://twitter.com/#!/Ghonim

[lbrtbell]

4. Americans are too worried about economic survival

When you're out of work, can't pay your bills, and fearing you may lose your house, events happening halfway around the world take a back seat.

I'm not saying Egypt isn't important, of course, just that it's easy to be distracted during hard economic times.

[Jester Messiah]

5. Might not be such a bad thng.

In the end, it's none of our fuggin' business what the Egyptians do in their own country. Those of us who want to keep informed, know how to do so.

[Salander]

6. It's our business because Americans are funding anti-Americanism and

subverting a genuine democratic movement, and propping up a hugely unpopular dictator. It's our business because Americans are still ignorant about "why they hate us."

[Skittles]

8. THANK YOU

[Enrique]

13. whether we are paying attention or not, our government is involved

they keep saying they're leaving it to the will of the Egyptian people, but they're not really doing that.

[devilgrrl]

7. Let them fight over there so we don't have to pay attention to it here.

There must not be anything in it for the corporate media - especially since these crisis' are about civil rights and poverty.

[No Elephants]

10. Sad commentary. Major networks, CNN, MSNBC, FOX and even Daily Show and Colbert have

been covering the demonstrations and the President has spoken about them numerous times. Yet 52 percent "report having heard little or nothing about the demonstrations."


To think: we have a massive, costly system of free, public education so that we can be good otitizens and this level of apathy and wilfull ignorance is what we get.

Disgraceful.

[brooklynite]

11. Americans have been uninterested in the world around them for decades...

...long before media consolidation became an issue.

[harun]

12. American's in general may not know but these Californian's sure do:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pedMB8zM2BQ

:sarcasm: