Topic: White Water
GOVERNMENT - MEDIA CRACKDOWN ON DISSIDENTS II
Washington Weekly
12/22/97
GOVERNMENT - MEDIA CRACKDOWN ON
DISSIDENTS II
Collusion between the government and the media can be seen when both entities share a goal. In the
case of the Clinton administration and the liberal media, the shared goal is Statism, the centralization of
power at the expense of individual freedom. That is why the liberal media chose to ignore scandals and
corruption when in 1996 it universally endorsed the re-election of Bill Clinton.
As we shall see in the following, this collusion can lead to the liberal media marching in lockstep with the
White House to destroy or silence its enemies.
DELEGITIMIZING AND DEHUMANIZING OPPOSITION
When talk radio and Internet exploded in outrage over Clinton administration burial waivers at the
Arlington National Cemetery, White House spin control moved into overdrive. It distributed a rebuttal to
journalist "fronts" in the mainstream media. The rebuttal made six main points: (1) The story had been
distributed by a "radical-right" magazine (Insight); (2) It had been "ginned-up" by Republican
Congressmen; (4) Conservative talk radio hosts G. Gordon Liddy and Rush Limbaugh had jumped on
it; (5) The story was untrue, because Larry Lawrence, a generous Clinton donor, had suffered a
qualifying injury in the Merchant Marine during World War II; (6) The criticism was not legitimate,
because it was coming from "Clinton haters."
E. J. Dionne of The Washington Post had the first go with his November 25 article "The Clinton Haters."
He was followed closely by Alan Elsner of Reuters on November 26, William Endicott of the
Sacramento Bee on November 29, and Joseph Spear in the Philadelphia Daily News on December 1.
All four articles made almost exactly these six points, and numerous other Clinton shills on the Left,
including the Los Angeles Times, chimed in.
These journalist "fronts" in the media are not in the habit of questioning information they receive from the
government when they rewrite their hand-outs, however, and in this case it backfired on them. None of
them found it necessary to do a simple fact-checking of White House claim that Larry Lawrence had
served in the Merchant Marine. He hadn't, and these "reporters" now have egg all over their face, having
exposed themselves as Clinton shills.
The strategy of delegitimizing and dehumanizing opponents as "Clinton haters" and "pathological" has not
been abandoned by the White House, however. Congressman Tom Lantos (D-CA) attacked the
"pathological hatred" of those investigating Chinese contributions to the Clinton Campaign. The White
House is dangling a potential ambassadorial appointment of his crooked son-in-law Richard Swett in
front of Lantos, and Lantos is playing along by viciously attacking the enemies of the President: Dan
Burton and Donald Smaltz.
Bill Clinton himself lamented last week that his adversaries were "almost pathologically obsessed with
personal destruction," and his press secretary Mike McCurry a few days later refused to take questions
on the Ron Brown controversy, saying they were coming from people who "hate the President."
THE CRACKDOWN ON INTERNET COPYRIGHT
Having established the collusion between the White House and certain media organizations on the Left,
we should consider the motivations of a consortium of Left-wing media organizations that is currently
cracking down on alleged "copyright infringements" on the Internet.
A consortium of The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times, the Wall Street Journal, CNN, Time
Magazine and Reuters earlier this year filed suit against TotalNews, a small web site operator who was
linking to their online content. TotalNews was trying to make money by selling advertising space
surrounding "frames" of copyrighted news content. A pretty clear case of trying to make money off the
copyrighted work of others. There was only one problem. TotalNews was not profitable. Anybody who
does business on the Internet knows that with rare exceptions, advertising revenue cannot even cover
the cost of operation. So the case was symbolic in nature, an attempt to set a precedent and scare off
others on the Internet. It failed when TotalNews settled out of court.
TotalNews operator Roman Godzich contends that there's much more to the suit than just copyright. He
believes a move is afoot to control the Internet. "The main issue is whether the Internet will remain a
place with a free flow of information, or if this media will become controlled like the other media," he
told Digital Chicago last summer.
The Consortium was now smelling blood, and moved around the Internet looking for new opponents. It
found the small Free Republic web site operated by Jim Robinson. In early December most of the
Consortium members fired off warning letters to Jim Robinson. The Consortium had by now moved
beyond the clear case of "framing" for profit, and objected to citizens reposting newspaper articles in a
public town hall forum. Since Jim Robinson does not make a profit on such reposting, he had legal
precedent on his side. Courts have in the past refused to convict civil copyright infringers who do not
make money on their civil infringement.
That precedent was destroyed on Tuesday of last week, when President Clinton signed into law a bill
allowing for the criminal prosecution and imprisonment of copyright infringers who do not make any
money on their infringement. The full text of the bill is reproduced in the Verbatim section of this issue.
While targeted at software and music piracy, the bill is broad enough to include news copy. The only
criterion is that the copyrighted material represent a total retail value of at least $1,000. As more and
more newspapers and magazines on the Internet start charging for their articles, it becomes possible to
fix their retail value. So somewhere there could be a computer tallying up the retail value of all the
articles posted on Jim Robinson's web site. When the meter hits $1,000, Robinson can be locked up in
prison for one year. Or, if his opponents can afford it, they wait until the tally has hit $2,500, which gives
them the opportunity to put away this dissident for three years and fine him $250,000.
The provisions of this new bill are so sweeping that it would have covered government activity as well.
Reproduction of copyrighted newspaper articles for non-commercial purposes is what the White House,
the National Security Agency, the U.S. Information Agency and other government agencies do every
day. So at the request of the NSA a section was added to the bill to specifically exempt the government
from the full burdens of this new law. Why can't the government live under the draconian laws that it
imposes on its citizens?
Neither Times Mirror Co. legal counsel Katherine L. McDaniel nor Consortium lawyer Bruce P. Keller
of the law firm Debevoise & Plimpton responded to Washington Weekly questions about how Jim
Robinson's site was selected, who selected it, and whether outside interests played any role.
SILENCING GOVERNMENT CRITICS
Some may suspect that this is more about silencing government critics--the Samizdat--than it is about
copyright, since--as we have seen--little or no money is involved.
A clear case of silencing a government critic came to fruition last week, when Gary Webb of the San
Jose Mercury News resigned his position. Gary Webb was the author of the "Dark Alliance" series that
documented the role of CIA contractors in the movement of crack cocaine from the Nicaraguan
Contras to the streets of Los Angeles. The story had been broadcast and amplified through the San Jose
Mercury News web site.
Asked by the Washington Weekly whether outside pressure was responsible for the conditions that led
to his resignation, Gary Webb says: "Yes. They involved the major dailies (New York Times,
Washington Post and Los Angeles Rimes) whose opinions of the Mercury News mattered more to my
editors than the truth."
"I was told early on that pursuing this story would destroy my career, by other reporters whose careers
had been destroyed for doing the same thing," he says.
The major dailies he refers to all wrote scathing ad hominem attacks on Gary Webb and dismissed his
allegations instead of trying to follow up on them. In response, Webb's editors backed off on his
reporting and he was reassigned and transferred to another office. That finally led to his resignation last
week.
With Gary Webb safely out of the way, the CIA was able to leak to the Los Angeles Times on
Thursday that a "secret report" had concluded that Webb's allegations were baseless. The Los Angeles
Times had to point out, however, that the CIA probe was less than thorough, and that several questions
remain open.
Even though the Los Angeles Times was selected to disseminate this government propaganda, it appears
that its editors had difficulty reporting with a straight face that a "secret report" had cleared the
government--without first doing a minimum of follow-up on such a sweeping claim.
SILENCING THE VOICE OF AMERICA
While the major dailies may appear to be propaganda instruments for the federal government, the Voice
of America radio network is an official propaganda instrument. So much so, that Congress has
forbidden it to broadcast inside the U.S. For decades, the VOA interviewed Communist dissidents and
beamed their criticism back into their home countries. Now that massive campaign contributions have
made the White House a de facto paid agent of Beijing, however, the mission has changed somewhat.
The White House has put former White House aide Evelyn Lieberman in charge. Apparently a VOA
reporter was unaware of the new mission, and proceeded to interview a leading Chinese dissident, Wei
Jingsheng. The reporter lived to regret the error. Last week, the White House went to Liebermann to
have the interview pulled. While the interview had already aired on VOA radio, the White House was
able to pull a scheduled airing on the television network called Worldnet.
So we have now come full circle, seeing the White House attempt to stifle dissent not only in America,
but also in Communist China. Welcome to the post-Cold War New World Order of International
Statism where there is zero tolerance for dissidents.
Published in the Dec. 22, 1997 issue of The Washington Weekly
Copyright 1997 The Washington Weekly (http://www.federal.com)
Reposting permitted with this message intact
Posted by: Jim Robinson (jimrob@psnw.com) *
12/21/97 13:32:20 PST
To: Jim Robinson
The great fecal toss begins.
From: Boyd () *
12/21/97 13:45:19 PST
To: Jim Robinson
God bless Washington Weekly! I will gladly distibute this to news groups.
From: Arthur Wildfire! March (wildfire@halifax.com) *
12/21/97 14:07:21 PST
To: Jim Robinson
The heat of truth is burning the butts of liars worldwide. Please turn up the heat.
From: OldAtlanta (OldAtlanta@aol.com) *
12/21/97 14:10:08 PST
To: OldAtlanta
I'm just wondering if they'll allow me the use of a computer in my prison cell. Fat chance! Hey, I've got an idea. Maybe I can put
messages in fortune cookies. "Help! I'm a political prisoner in Clinton's Chinese fortune cookie factory!"
From: Jim Robinson (jimrob@psnw.com) *
12/21/97 14:31:17 PST
To: Jim Robinson
I think they are desperate. This nonsense drags the degenerate media right down with Bill. It's the old Sedition Acts all over again. It
was unpopular then. It's even less popular today.
If you land in jail, there is no telling how outraged Americans would become. I hope you don't mind repeating this: you are a man
bound to a wheel chair, making very little money off this project. Do they honestly want to be known for picking on someone like
that?
I would love to see you on NET, talking about this. And the Alan Keyes show. (I wonder if BET would interview you? If they get
frustrated enough about Brown, who knows?) To actually see you and hear you directly, especially if your wife for with you, NET
callers would have congressmen's phones ringing off the hooks!
From: Arthur Wildfire! March (wildfire@halifax.com) *
12/21/97 15:13:23 PST
To: Jim Robinson
Of the "six points" mentioned number 3 seems to be missing. The text goes from #2 to # 4. Just curious what other point they use to
shoot down unfavorable news stories?
From: D'Boy (emailname) *
12/21/97 17:03:24 PST
To: Jim Robinson
Jim, do you know if anyone has filed legal objections to the new law? Is anyone going after this to get it overturned, maybe for being
to broad?
From: Bob J (BobWPE@aol.com) *
12/21/97 17:12:41 PST
To: Bob J
Bob, I don't know. But I do know that I will be challenging it.
From: Jim Robinson (jimrob@psnw.com) *
12/22/97 00:50:23 PST
To: Arthur Wildfire! March
Bingo! But you need to understand the role the Establishment Media is playing here and why.
Back in 1947, when Secretary of State George Marshall and the Rockefeller brothers were cobbling together the bi-partisan foreign
policy concensus, they recruited members of the various print and broadcast media empires into the Foreign Policy Community. This
was done to help inform and indoctrinate Americans into accepting their duties and obligations in the Cold War. As such, it served a
propaganda purpose, “to scare the hell out of the American people with some harmless hyperbole,” as Dean Acheson so wittily
phrased it in his memoirs.
Although the Cold War is over, the connections between the Foreign Policy Community and the media remain. The media are very
closely held in this country, and recent legislation has only increased this concentration of power. If one were to examine the
affiliations of members of the boards of directors of these corporations, one would find members on each board with ties to the
various New York-based organizations that make up the Community. This is how the Establishment Media sets its agenda and
indoctrinates and conditions us even today.
The Community’s guiding philosophy is more internationalist than strictly liberal. From their perspective there is one principle that is
paramount and non-negotiable: The perception of integrity of America’s foreign policy must be inviolate. Not the integrity itself, just
the perception of integrity.
This is why the Establishment Media has been ruthless in attacking critics of the Warren Commission, those who attempt to uncover
the crimes of the Clinton Administration, and those who try to get to bottom of CIA skullduggery. After all, if CIA did in fact raise
money for covert operations by selling cocaine through Mena with the assistance of Governor Clinton during the 80’s, or if the
government has today been penetrated by Chinese agents of influence, the effect on the perception of integrity of American foreign
policy would be catastrophic. No wonder the Establishment Media has put a lock on all these stories!
When mavericks like Ted Turner enter the media fray, they or their corporations are absorbed into the Establishment Media. The
Internet, however, represents something they cannot control or absorb, so they will attempt to discredit it while preparing to regulate
and destroy it.
From: Publius () *
12/26/97 14:39:56 PST
To: Publius
Fascinating. I hope to hear more about this. The degenerate media is the hidden root to Clinton's power base, as well as degenerate
congress members.
From: Arthur Wildfire! March (wildfire@halifax.com) *
12/26/97 14:45:51 PST
To: Jim Robinson
to all: When congress doesn't do it's job and these socialist continue along their merry way, what are we to do? When does action
start? Lets face it voting is a joke! educating people is great, but what will education do for the educated if their all confined? I
encourage everyone to first become a patriot of the Lord and then a patriot of America as was our founding fathers. Only 12 of the
"250" founding fathers were not followers of Christ without His favor the whole thing will be in vain. I know many of you will
consider me a bible thumping moron, and I think this is where we all have failed This country was not founded by accident, God was
involved and the Rebels we call founding fathers lead the way. That was the power behind it all, the help of the french the hearts of
the people. The life that was lost to give us our liberty should never have been forgotten. I don't know what to say except please
consider my words and rise above liberal brainwashing and count me not as a fool. May the Lord Jesus Christ show us mercy.
AMEN Maranatha Tom
From: tommygun (tommygun@jbinet.com) *
12/28/97 09:26:16 PST
To: Arthur Wildfire! March
Actually Clinton's power base is the same as Bush's and Carter's: the Foreign Policy Community. The Establishment Media is simply
a tool and has been one for 50 years. With the concentration of ownership in the media, it is simple to place a "lock" on a story. And
if the story reflects badly on the perception of integrity of American foreign policy, many an editor who considers himself honestly
patriotic would go along with maintaining silence and scotching a story. Consider national security, also.
For example, an investigating bureaucrat is told that TWA 800 was blown out of the sky by the test of a top-secret Navy missile fired
from a sub. "It was all a terrible mistake." For the sake of national security he heads a coverup to blame it on mechanical failure. From
his perspective, he is doing the patriotic thing. Of course, his bosses didn't tell him that the plane was shot down because it
contained someone who knew about Chinese penetration of the government and had loose lips. An editor in the same position
would do the same if asked; get Gary Webb's boss alone in a darkened room, and that's what you'll hear.
From the perspective of the Foreign Policy Community, Clinton is expendable. If there comes an urgent need to remove him, he can
be removed Kennedy-style or Nixon-style. It doesn't really matter to them as long as the perception of integrity of American foreign
policy is unviolated.
If they use the Nixon technique, they will find something irrelevant to the real crime, track it to Clinton and then set the Establishment
Media on him. He'll resign and be pardoned a week later. If they use the Kennedy technique, some "crazed loner"--a militia person,
perhaps--who has been treated with drugs and hypnosis will take a shot at the man--backed up, of course, by professionals.
The one thing you can count on is that the Establishment Media will not let the truth come out--no matter what. It simply cannot
permit it. And as long as our citizenry is more interested in football, lotteries and the stock market than they are about truth and our
basic freedoms, we are just whistling in the wind.
From: Publius () *
12/28/97 15:20:33 PST
To: Publius
just passing through
From: Didymus (Matt15v8) *
02/28/98 19:16:54 EST
To: Publius
Publius: Your notes are ripe with the aroma of truth. So, why do you hide your E-mail address ? It only cuts you off
from people of like mind. Big brother Slick has the ability to trace you anyway anywhere.
From: editor-surveyor (thesurveyor@yahoo!.com) *
02/28/98 19:45:52 EST
To: tommygun
Right On ! The American Experiment is and must continue to be An intense celebration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ
from whom All freedoms flow.
From: editor-surveyor (thesurveyor@yahoo!.com) *
02/28/98 20:01:37 EST
To: editor-surveyor
But which gospel? Mine or yours? And can I throw you in jail if you do not kowtow to my interpretation of the
gospel?
From: Didymus (MattCh15v8) *
03/01/98 17:39:43 EST
To: Publius
Informed and thoughtful posts, Publius. The only thing that strains my credulity is the destruction of everyone on a
commercial flight just to elimenate one loose cannon. The only reason I can think of that would account for such a
high-profile approach would be fear that the targeted individual might share his sensitive information with others
in-flight (air-to-ground?)...
From: Bonaparte () *
03/02/98 14:31:36 EST
To: tommygun
So mote it be fisher of men.
From: jimbo37 () *
03/27/98 14:45:52 EST
To: Jim Robinson and all Free Republicans
Rush Limbaugh needs to hear of this! I heard Rush mention on his show today, that he speaks with Matt Drudge. Any
ideas?
From: Ken H () *
03/27/98 15:28:59 EST
To: Bonaparte
Shooting down an enitre plane just to kill one "dangerous" dissident or informer has been done before. I believe
Congressman Richard Mcdonald (?)suffered this fate in a dowing over Korea or Russia. I'm not sure of the exact
incident but I believe it was about 20-30 years ago. Maybe earlier. Its not so much that Clinton feared in-flight
leaking, but rather it was prime opportunity with good chance for cover-up. The Ron Brown incident has this
characteristic as well.
From: socrates (ljmonty@sprynet.com) *
04/01/98 03:14:37 EST
To: socrates
It seems there are no limits to the depravity of these people. Clinton may turn out to be the most prodigious serial killer this country has seen...
From: Bonaparte () *
04/01/98 12:51:42 EST
To: ALL
I'm just bringing this back up to the top. It should be read by everyone.
From: Uncle Bill (emailname) *
04/03/98 05:35:46 EST
** uhuh **
The President said he is reducing taxes.
uhuh.
Congress says they are balancing the budget.
uhuh. Sez who?
Smile
and Force Congress to
Kick the Debt & Taxes Habit with
$$ Money System Honesty for Us People. $$
We demand the whole truth with an honest viewpoint.
Don't send money. Call Jo(e) Congress and send letters.
Forest Glen Durland, CEO. 14675 1/2 Big Basin Way, Saratoga, CA 95070-6081
Voice: (408) 867-4410; Fax: (408)868-9446; Click here for email.
Web Home Page: www.uhuh.com