Amy Goodman is returning to Baltimore on April 15, 2005. She sold 200 books at last year's appearance. Maybe she'll sell 200 more!!

If you attempt to criticize Amy Goodman or her show Democracy Now you can expect someone to respond that are using "attack tactics" because you have a "personal beef" with her:
baltimore.indymedia.org/newswire/display/9954/index.php

The implication is that critics of Amy Goodman must hate all female, progressive journalists. However, this obscures the fact that Amy Goodman has evolved over the years. Indeed, when she was posing as a progressive journalist in the 1990s there was much to admire about her work:
www.media-criticism.com/East_Timor_Independence_2002.html



* * *


Since Amy Goodman last appeared in Baltimore:

1. Democracy Now' has frequently aired video clips of right-wing monsters that flatter them.

When John Negroponte was nominated to be the "intelligence Czar" DN featured clips of him that appeared to make him seem like a regular guy.

When Bush was inaugurated for a second term Democracy Now' naturally aired video clips that made him seem statesmanlike:
http://baltimore.indymedia.org/newswire/display/9466/index.php


2. Democracy Now covered the coup d'etat of 2004 from the perspective of power:
baltimore.indymedia.org/newswire/display/8725/index.php


In the immediate aftermath of the 2004 Presidential "election", when widespread voting irregularities were being reported in Ohio and Florida, when John Kerry was quitting his campaign when there were still 250,000 uncounted votes in Ohio alone, 'DN' was facilitating the process. Democracy Now kept its audience distracted from the key issues of the electoral charade.


3. Democracy Now covered the expected invasion of Fallujah from the perspective of the US military:
http://baltimore.indymedia.org/newswire/display/8725/index.php


This invasion of Fallujah ranks as one of history's most brutal military invasions ever, drawing comparisons with the Nazis. Still, on the eve of this invasion Amy Goodman gave a softball interview to a slimy member of the Iraq Coalition Provisional Authority/Hoover Institute fellow/National Endowment of Democracy named "Larry Diamond". To say that Amy was trying to make this probable war criminal seem palatable to her audience is an understatement.


4. Democracy Now has disregarded innumerable anomalies with the official story of 9/11.

While Amy Goodman has been besieged by people around the country pointing out some of the more glaring flaws with the ludicrous official story of 9/11, 'DN' has had only one segment discussing them. (This was the infamous interview with David Ray Griffin. 'DN' sandbagged Griffin by having the rabid attack-dog Chip Berlet on to badger him, keeping the subject matter from straying too far from the official story.)


5. Democracy Now has had on a parade of "ex-CIA" and "ex-FBI" intelligence officials. Each one has been given warm, softball interviews with Amy. Most of these people have been confirming the official story of 9/11. Here's a partial list:

1. Richard Clarke ("former" intelligence czar; oversaw sending WTC rubble away);
2. Sam Gardiner ("retired", Air force colonel);
3. Mel Douglas ("retired", CIA);
4. Sibel Edmonds ("former" FBI "whistleblower" who supports the official story of 9/11);
5. Scott Ritter ("retired" military intelligence; supports the official story of 9/11);
6. Ray McGovern ("retired", CIA, supports the official story of 9/11);
7. Larry Diamond. (Hoover Institute, Coalition Provisional Authority in Baghdad)


By all means, I encourage people to listen to Amy Goodman. However, I can't imagine anything worse for anti-war activists than buying merchandise from her. She's rich enough. Your money is better spent elsewhere.


Scott Loughrey
Baltimore


p.s. check out:
store.democracynow.org/

She's selling a DVD ("Passel of Pomp...") from the Pacifica archives for $30. While Pacifica produced the material the profits from the sales of this DVD presumably go to her (because she now owns Democracy Now'). Does $30 for archival footage of political conventions sound like a bargain?