tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1089410985521614177.post8832004365380314798..comments2010-03-22T11:53:19.445+00:00Comments on SIS II Politics: Austin Plane Crash echoes Tea Party unrest.Williamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01316669197770350726noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1089410985521614177.post-73454710886112796032010-02-20T19:27:49.550+00:002010-02-20T19:27:49.550+00:00The contrast in journalistic styles between these ...The contrast in journalistic styles between these two articles couldn't be more stark. As Katey suggested, the Kelley article is emotive to say the least. A perfect piece of biased, unsubstantiated journalism. The opening sentence is a case in point:<br /><br />"While members of Washington and Wall Street elites transfer the accumulated wealth of 200 years to themselves, the desperation in the rest of America becomes palpable".<br /><br />I'm not sure what 'accumulated wealth' he is referring to. The multi-trillion dollar national debt perhaps? Shelley's article is a good example of how the media is prepared to use any issue, however tragic, to promote a particular view. In this article, Kelley appears more interested in misrepresenting the (alleged) views of Mr Stack in order to justify a left-wing, anti-capitalist rant than he is in reporting the facts. <br /><br />The text of the 'suicide' blog is, tellingly, not available within Kelley's article but it is accessible via Merline's article. Merline's style is more that of a 'news reporter' as he discusses the various reactions to the events in Austin, not his own agenda or opinion. I found this to be a much more balanced approach as he refers to responses from both the left, and right, of the political spectrum.<br /><br />If you read Mr Stack's text it is difficult to determine where his political affiliation lay(if anywhere) and there is no mention at all of the Tea Party. The poor man blames everyone from the government to big business for his misfortunes. Merline quotes the conservative website 'polipundit'com' when summarising the blog's contents: "Mad as Hell, at Everyone". Which, when viewed against the content of Mr Stack's alleged blog, is a reasonable view.<br /><br />The alacrity with which both sides of the political divide have exploited this tragic event, suggests more about the nature of American politics generally than the Tea Party philosphy. Mr Stack certainly expressed anti-Government views but against specific laws and specific policies. There is nothing in his blog to suggest he shared the anti 'big' government, highly individualistic and nationalistic ethos of the Tea Party. There is no evidence to substantiate this link and, in the absence of such evidence, the calculation suggested in attempts to make such an association appears to be pure media and political mischief-making.Cherie Ehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03949103265435298451noreply@blogger.com