In this upside down world, the British tabloids, of all things, have become beacons of honest reporting - and the American media is failing its first test by refusing to to call a lie a lie.
Drumpf and his new pal Musk are the 2 most odious men in the country. Desperate for attention, they’ve instead created a growing resistance to every idea they have. This will no doubt get worse before it gets better…if it can get better.
Rabbi—a terrific breakdown of the media coverage, British vs US. In my Poet in Mexico substack, I’ve talked a lot about the difference between US coverage of the US and the world and the rest of the world of the US and the world. The failure of the mainstream and legacy media in the last fifteen to twenty years, and particularly the last few, is appalling and makes the emergence of Meidas Touch, Contrarian, etc essential. Shabbat shalom.
I worked as a journalist for a number of years—in Latin America to be a poet and journalist were never seen as being at odds. The old journalist trick? Take the lie you hear and find someone of importance to call it that. There’s your headline! “Senator Mensch says President Shonda lied at his press conference; that the President is a felon.” What should not be reported as truth? Falsehoods. That’s why it’s important to say, “President Shonda said he was the victim of a witch-hunt; in fact he was convicted by a jury of his peers as a felon. No evidence exists of any wrongdoing-doing on the part of his political opposition. He has been given multiple opportunities to prove his witch-hunt accusations and has yet to do so.” Every lie greeted with clear refutation. Even if the point of absolute ennui.
This is a hammer, as one says in German. Thank you as always. German press also "pussy-foots" with facts, afraid to call a spade a spade, it is quite maddening. As though what happened hier in Munich last week wasn´t enough. I have forwarded your e-mail to friends here. Keep up the good work, Rabbi Hammerman!
I’ve given up on US main stream media after rumps election in November. Cancelled my subscriptions to WAPO and NYT’s. Stopped watching TV completely. I now get my news from Substack or The Bulwark. It’s such a shame. It was refreshing to read the Brits coverage. Something better change, and quickly. I feel a little resistance in the air. 🤞🏽.
Substack offers many excellent resources. I’ve been putting my toe back in the water of some mainstream media online and via YouTube. As the news gets better, and the days get longer, it’s less depressing to watch and read.
I’ve noticed several people I admire on the YouTube feature. Such as Andrew Weissmann, whom I adore. I subscribe to about a dozen podcasters, you included, because I value your writing and wish to support you. But TV has become a big turnoff for me. I feel like MSNBC is being censored and I abhor censorship! I appreciate the freedom Substack posters have to say what they wish without Big Brother watching, yet. Oh I’m sure he IS watching tho. I fear there will be a push to curtail the freedom Substack has now. I dearly hope not. Wasn’t the Governor of Maine terrific yesterday at the Whitehouse? You go girl! See you in curt, indeed. 😊🤞🏽🇺🇸
Governor Mills may have been the first person to stand up to him to his face since the election. But what he did to her should be impeachable. Disgusting. And he probably just clinched reelection for her.
Thank you for your writings. Thank you for standing up.
Thank you as well!
Drumpf and his new pal Musk are the 2 most odious men in the country. Desperate for attention, they’ve instead created a growing resistance to every idea they have. This will no doubt get worse before it gets better…if it can get better.
Rabbi—a terrific breakdown of the media coverage, British vs US. In my Poet in Mexico substack, I’ve talked a lot about the difference between US coverage of the US and the world and the rest of the world of the US and the world. The failure of the mainstream and legacy media in the last fifteen to twenty years, and particularly the last few, is appalling and makes the emergence of Meidas Touch, Contrarian, etc essential. Shabbat shalom.
It’s journalistically counterintuitive to use such strong language as “lie” on the front page, but its also the truth. Truth “trumps” nicety here.
I worked as a journalist for a number of years—in Latin America to be a poet and journalist were never seen as being at odds. The old journalist trick? Take the lie you hear and find someone of importance to call it that. There’s your headline! “Senator Mensch says President Shonda lied at his press conference; that the President is a felon.” What should not be reported as truth? Falsehoods. That’s why it’s important to say, “President Shonda said he was the victim of a witch-hunt; in fact he was convicted by a jury of his peers as a felon. No evidence exists of any wrongdoing-doing on the part of his political opposition. He has been given multiple opportunities to prove his witch-hunt accusations and has yet to do so.” Every lie greeted with clear refutation. Even if the point of absolute ennui.
The British tabloids could quote their prime minister -which made it easier for them. But the US media could have found a way
Could have? Yes. . Should have? Even more so.
One of them is a nincompoop, and one is a Nazi. We have to push back now!
This is a hammer, as one says in German. Thank you as always. German press also "pussy-foots" with facts, afraid to call a spade a spade, it is quite maddening. As though what happened hier in Munich last week wasn´t enough. I have forwarded your e-mail to friends here. Keep up the good work, Rabbi Hammerman!
Thanks for sharing! I only hope the election goes better there than it did here
Excellent piece. Thank you for expressing what so many of us are feeling.
Thank you, Paula. I hope the Times' reversal today places editors everywhere on notice that we need a zero tolerance policy for lies
Probably not worthwhile to hold your breath…
I’ve given up on US main stream media after rumps election in November. Cancelled my subscriptions to WAPO and NYT’s. Stopped watching TV completely. I now get my news from Substack or The Bulwark. It’s such a shame. It was refreshing to read the Brits coverage. Something better change, and quickly. I feel a little resistance in the air. 🤞🏽.
Substack offers many excellent resources. I’ve been putting my toe back in the water of some mainstream media online and via YouTube. As the news gets better, and the days get longer, it’s less depressing to watch and read.
I’ve noticed several people I admire on the YouTube feature. Such as Andrew Weissmann, whom I adore. I subscribe to about a dozen podcasters, you included, because I value your writing and wish to support you. But TV has become a big turnoff for me. I feel like MSNBC is being censored and I abhor censorship! I appreciate the freedom Substack posters have to say what they wish without Big Brother watching, yet. Oh I’m sure he IS watching tho. I fear there will be a push to curtail the freedom Substack has now. I dearly hope not. Wasn’t the Governor of Maine terrific yesterday at the Whitehouse? You go girl! See you in curt, indeed. 😊🤞🏽🇺🇸
Governor Mills may have been the first person to stand up to him to his face since the election. But what he did to her should be impeachable. Disgusting. And he probably just clinched reelection for her.
From your lips to God’s ears.
Excellent. Nothing like critical thinking and context