Friday, June 01, 2018
Headlines for June 1, 2018
Click here to listen to this week's segment on Loud & Clear Radio.
Headlines with an * are the ones we managed to fit in in our allotted 11 minutes.
CANDIDATES FOR “WORST”/"MOST DISGUSTING":
*Syria war: Russians killed in militant raid in Deir al-Zour
“Militants”? As the article itself makes completely clear, although not until the ninth paragraph of the article, this is ISIS we’re talking about here. When they kill Americans, they’re “terrorists”, but when they kill Russians, they’re “militants”.
*Freedom Flotilla foiled: Israel blocks Palestinian attempt to leave Gaza by sea
Nothing wrong with this headline. What’s wrong is the ABSENCE of this headline from the WaPo, NYT, CNN, BBC, or ANY “mainstream” outlet.
*Russian journalist faked death to foil murder plot
A day after uncritically accepting the word of the Ukrainians that Arkady Babchenko was dead, the media uncritically accepts their word that a Russian plot existed and was foiled! Fool me once…
Trump is hiding the number of civilians the U.S. has killed. Congress must act.
Article discusses civilian deaths in Yemen and Somalia. Trump, Obama, Bush, the media…Johnson… To think this practice started with Trump is delusional. By the way this op-ed appeared on the same day a front-page story revealed a study showing 4,645 people died in Puerto Rico from Hurricane Maria, not 64 as the government says.
Women's arrests cast doubt on Saudi Crown Prince's reforms
“Cast doubt” is putting it mildly, but that’s not why I listed it here. I did so because CNN finally is running this story on May 26, a week after the arrests happened.
Could the U.S. fight dual wars in North Korea and Iran? After diplomacy breaks down, questions loom.
A headline you only see in the news if you live in the most imperialist, warmongering state the world has ever known. And, since this is (for all intents and purposes) US state media, not a word suggesting that such wars would be initiated by the US and would be utterly illegal, Nuremberg-level war crimes.
CANDIDATES FOR “MOST MISLEADING”:
Trump Draws Distance From Administration Migrant Policy That Has Separated Families
Trump can single-handedly end the Iran nuclear deal, impose tariffs on other countries, and initiate and then cancel a summit with the DPRK, but apparently is unable to tell ICE what to do? Please. This is typical Trump having his cake and eating it too and the media letting him do it. Reminiscent of his claims about DACA, after personally ending it.
*At Trump Tower, Michael Cohen and Oligarch Discussed Russian Relations
Headline conveniently omits that the meeting was AFTER the election. And in very 1st sentence, we read this: "a billionaire Russian businessman with ties to the Kremlin", but doesn't elaborate on those ties. In fact he has no more ties to his government than any billionaire has to theirs; arguably less—several of his top associates were arrested in 2016: https://www.vox.com/world/2018/5/11/17337448/viktor-vekselberg-michael-cohen-trump-russia
Did the news media, led by Walter Cronkite, lose the war in Vietnam?
Walter Cronkite DID influence American opinion, but the framing is all wrong. It was the TRUTH that changed American opinion, not the media telling that truth.
CANDIDATES FOR “FUNNIEST”:
*Trump, fast-food lover and exercise avoider, tells nation about importance of fitness
“even when he golfs, Trump eschews walking, preferring to take a golf cart, even driving onto greens, which is normally frowned upon”. This story gives “draft-evading Trump speaks in Memorial Day & praises soldiers” a run for its money.
*Mattis Says China Is ‘Out of Step’ With International Law
LOL. The U.S., on the other hand, is simply above International Law.
