The verdict is still out there in the United States as to why Jared Loughner, a disturbed young man, was able to purchase a gun and shoot congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and 19 others, six fatally.
But the battle lines are already being drawn and opinions differ but one that caught my attention was given by Tucson Sheriff Clarence Dupnik who is leading the investigation into the Gifford shooting. “When the rhetoric about hatred, about mistrust of government, about paranoia of how government operates, and to try to inflame the public on a daily basis, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, has impact on people especially who are unbalanced personalities to begin with,” he said. He also observed that officials and media personalities engaging in violent rhetoric “have to consider that they have some responsibility when incidents like this occur and may occur in the future.”
There are grounds for the Sheriff’s observation. I will be not be surprised that Loughner’s actions had its genesis in the coarsened and poisonous rhetoric, from the political right, that has invaded America’s discourse since the advent of Barack Obama’s presidency. The Republicans, aided by their handmaiden the Tea Party movement, have been opposing virtually every initiative proposed by Mr. Obama, from the overhaul of healthcare to climate change legislation, and with the most extreme language too.
The Tea Party is really nothing more than a far-right PR campaign by corporate interests – especially billionaire brothers David and Charles Koch – who vowed to “take the country back”. From whom, it was never stated, but the gist is clear: black people, immigrants – anyone who threatens their wealth or privilege. A black man in the White House, however mild-mannered, aroused them to hysteria. And that hysteria is the main contributing factor behind the political rhetoric in the United States today.
The rhetoric reached fever pitch in the lead up to last November’s Congressional Election with the Tea Party having a powerful ally, the media. One radio talk show host in Florida went as far as proclaiming, “We will use bullets if ballots don’t work.”
Like Sheriff Dupnick, Emanuel Cleaver, Democrat from Missouri, sees danger in heated rhetoric coming from politicians and news media personalities. “We are in a dark place in this country right now. And the atmospheric condition is toxic,” Cleaver said on CNN.
It is in this kind of environment people like Jared Loughner flourishes.
This lead to the critical question; how far can the media go in the execution of its duties? Should the media and media personalities take sides on critical issues? Recently I was shocked when Fox News commentator Bob Beckel, referring to Julian Assange, founder of Wikileaks, publicly called for people to “illegally shoot the son of a bitch.” Reacting to the now infamous mugshot of Jared Loughner, after his arrest, Rush Limbaugh on his radio show said, “”What Mr. Loughner knows is that he has the full support of a major political party in this country. He’s sitting there in jail. He knows what’s going on, he knows that…the Democrat party is attempting to find anybody but him to blame.”
Mind you this is not only on the right. Keith Olbermann – the most opinionated among MSNBC’s left-leaning hosts, has made it clear he had made contributions to Democratic Party candidates and he has demonstrated on his show that he is avowedly, unabashedly and monotonously partisan.
No doubt the kind of rhetoric that is poisoning the airwaves (and some argue, minds) in the United States is taking roots in Dominica. If one listens to the various talk show hosts on the various radio stations one can determine within five minutes, or less, who these media hosts serve and their intentions. Like in the US these media houses employ hosts who give opinion from only one side of the political fence. It is clear that media hosts have either allied themselves with either the Dominica Labor Party or with the United Workers Party. Is this what the media is all about?
The media plays a critical role in society because it gives the public access to information that is not available on a normal basis. This access to information is essential to the health of democracy because ensures that citizens make responsible, informed choices rather than acting out of ignorance or misinformation and it serves as a “checking function” by ensuring that elected representatives uphold their oaths of office and carry out the wishes of those who elected them.
A media that supports democracy has a degree of editorial independence, is financially viable, has diverse and plural voices, and serves the public interest. In essence the media is a public service.
For the media to fulfill its role in society media practitioners should operate on the principles of truthfulness, accuracy, objectivity, impartiality, fairness and public accountability. They should not discriminate on the basis of sex, age, religion, political affiliation, mental or physical disability and race.
When digging information for dissemination to the public it is important that media hosts seek reliable and independent sources, should not jump to conclusions, recognize that gathering and reporting information may cause harm or discomfort and should hence realize that the pursuit of the news is not a license for arrogance.
In presenting the news to the public media hosts should show good taste, be clear and avoid slanderous and libelous accusations.
But alas today we live in a cable news and radio talk show universe where the opinions of media hosts are celebrated while the collection and dissemination of substantive and unbiased news to the public is taking second place. These days the media is becoming a place where heat sells more product than light and where controversy and sensationalism are highly profitable brands.
As a matter of fact some media houses have made sensationalism their modus operandi, regurgitating the same things over and over again, building theories on unfounded allegations and hearsay, spewing unhealthy rhetoric and simply criticizing anything and everything. And this is from their side of the political fence. Where is the balance, the impartiality, the objectivity?
Former US Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan’s oft-quoted observation that “everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not his own facts,” seems almost old-fashioned in an environment that flaunts opinions as though they were facts.
But the public loves it. The commercial success of some media houses shows there is an appetite for such kind of commentary. While the public has a right to listen what they want to, I see danger here. We all remember Bernie Madoff and his multi-billion dollar Ponzi scheme. He told his customers what they wanted to hear, they loved what they heard and by the time they learned the truth, their money was gone. It was too late.
I also see danger when media houses take political sides either publicly or through their actions. Internationally in many (not all) democratic countries media houses have traditionally endorsed political parties in their lead columns (their editorials) or commentaries but when this happens these media houses feel obliged in many cases to ride along on the tail coats of the politicians they endorse. In the end impartiality and fairness is lost. And it is happening right now in Dominica.
The transition of the media from a public service to opinion based commentary is probably irreversible. Importantly there is profit to be made. Plus the age-old philosophical argument that absolute truth and absolute objectivity is unattainable has given many the excuse to jump to their own conclusions even when the evidence suggests the contrary. Because of the huge influence the media has on society when this is taken to the extreme though heated rhetoric it finds its way into the minds of people like Jared Loughner and you never know what will happen next.
Looking at the issue thru the Eye of the Democratic Party, blaming conservatives, even before the facts are known…truth be told both parties are guilty of heated comentary.., but it seems that the media and the writer of this article wiil pin the blame on the Republicans no matter what…. The Sherriff is looking for cover for his incompetence. A comentator on msnbc stated that a pellet should be shot int Rush Limbaughs head so that it would explode…. The words of President Obamah. ..If they bring knives bring guns…The list could go on and on .. This approach by the writer realy demonstrates the death of real news
good article.
WE HAVE SOME GLEN BECKEROOS HERE. BUT THEIR EFFORTS ARE IN VAIN. FOR WHO JAH BLESS NO MAN CURSE.SERRITT IS BLESSED AND ENDLESS PEOPLE PRAYING FOR HIM DAILY. THEY ON THE OTHER HAND GROWING BALD, GREY AND WRINKLES. 14 MUSCLES TO FROWN, 90 TO SMILE. YOU SEE SKERROS DIMPLES, SMILE
am sure every month end u crying
Is is me or does he resemble Uncle Fester of the Adams Family…. creepy
Tony Astaphans!!!!!lol
There is no doubt like the United States there is a rhetoric poisoning of the airwaves in Dominica. When you listens to the various talk shows you can indeed determine within five minutes who these media hosts serve.
The show hosted by a government minister and a government supported lawyer has no claim of being unbiased and fair, they are not journalist either. when you tune in you know what your are going to get (not hate) support for the government.
The guys on Q95 claim to be nonbiased professional journalist , so more is expected of them. They should show good taste and avoid slanderous and libelous accusations? In all their investigative reporting how many have they done on the UWP?
What they are doing is tearing down society, spreading division, rumors, hate,political strife and propaganda. They openly call for going back to a time when there was bloodshed in Dominica clearly inciting violence.The public do not see them as being absent of any BIAS OR MALICE but full of hate.
These guys on Q95 hiding behind the word JOURNALIST to make inflammatory statements,but they are nothing more than Tabloid journalist, bloodthirsty,power hungry wolves always on the prowl for anything that in their mind would bring down the PM.
Let us be carefull of these socalled journalist before BLOOD IS SHED.
.
When you listen to Tony astaphans and Charles Savarin you know exactly what to expect. They do not hide the fact that they are supporters of the DLP and their programming for what it is worth is meant to rebut what is hapening on Q95.
On the other hand, those on Q95 (Matt, Agelo and the man with the life-size ego, Lennox Linton) all profess to be journalist. Yet all they see is evil on the part of Mr. Skerrit. The UWP and its brand of politics according to them seemingly was made in heaven and not desrving of scrutiny.
The Tuscon shootings was encouraged by media talkshows that spewed enom and hate at people who does not support Barak Obama. In Dominica there is an equal atmosphere of hate thatis directed at Mr. Skerrit by the UWP radio journalists and Tim Durand’s nightly news. “Merchants of hate they are”. No doubt they find problem with the Prime Minister’s alert security detail. Whena former Prime Minister go public with a sarcastic denunciation of efforts toremove Prime Minister Skerrit by force of arms thatmustbe taken in strides. He never says what he means and He never means what he says. The Prime Minister and Tony better be careful. that man is a proven foreigner to the truth.
all they see is evil on the part of Mr. Skerrit . . . . I ASK what else is there to see?
AND why not IGNORE Lennox? OR sue him?
A WHOLE RADIO PROGRAMME JUST TO ANSWER LENNOX??? WELL ALL YOU COME OUT PAPA
lennox have a whole radio programme to attack one man Roosevelt Skerrit so what you saying?
‘What i find is the Medi here is too biased and lean more towards the political side of things rahter than the other importaant aspects. The MEDIA NEDS TO BE NEUTRAL or this could cause destruction of the people or the country in itself if this prolongs. Whay are people being paid to voice ony their opinions and mot much of fact and that of others?
objective reporting and truth to power are the order of the day here
That’s what you say and you are not GOD or the majority of Dominicans that say different.
DOMINICANS,
I SAY TO YOU AGAIN THAT WHAT HAPPENED IN THIS STATE, CAN EASILY HAPPEN IN DOMINICA. FOR WHAT HAPPENED WAS CAUSED BECAUSE OF POISONOUS TOXIC LYING HATRED RHETORIC WHICH GOT SPREAD BY ONE POLITICAL PARTY TOWARDS THE OTHER AND INFLAMED BY THE RADICAL TALK SHOW HOSTS. I SEE THE SAME PROBLEM HAPPENING RIGHT HERE IN DOMINICA EVERY DAY, WHERE ALLOT OF RADICALS ARE TURNING GOOD PEOPLE AGAINST EACH OTHER. THIS IS NOT THE DOMINICA THAT I ONCE KNEW, AND UNLESS YOU START FIGHTING BACK AT THOSE RADICAL POISONOUS INDIVIDUALS WHO SPREAD LIES AND HATRED BETWEEN YOU, DOMINICA WILL CEASE TO EXIST. GOD BLESS DOMINICA.
We already have elements such as Loughner at work in DA, hacking into emails and staging fire incidents to get at the government and its supporters. It has already started, and one only needs to pray to God that it doesn’t get worst, since desperate men will resort to doing desperate things.
this is a good post,,,all media houses in d/ca seem to have a side except voice of life lol,,,,but we should agree that the issues discussed on per say ‘matt in the morning’ are factual,,,,meaning they can be proven right or wrong,,,,also on mr linton’s show,,,,so should these issues be thrown under the rug,,,,don’t forget it is also these media houses which have the right to inform the populace,,,,now i know of many media houses,,,,whether t.v,,radio or newspapers who are balanced even if they lean,,,,,though not the most popular i’d have to say even if the new york post is leaning to republicans,,,they do balanced news even to the point where they endorsed the new governor andrew cuomo over the republican candidate,,,,the n.y daily news will put those democrats in their place when they step out of line even if the daily news is democrat leaning,,,,, it is our people in dominica who can’t have mature conversations and agree to disagree,,,,when u stand to lose ur job according to ur affiliation then we aint ready yet,,,,,no we aint,,,, when we as a people refuse to accept our leaders are doing foolishness but blindly deny even if the facts are in our face then we aint ready yet,,,,we r very immature,,,,to be honest i lean more towards the u.w.p,,,,but there are some things that i believe is utter non-sense n i won’t defend,,,,i believe the u.w.p need some new energized blood,,,,even if i believe that mr james is more capable than skerro,,,,his good intention will never be recognized more so because of the bad-blood which exist between him n the former freedomites who worshipped mama like a goddess,,,,,it is these freedomites who hold the reign of power and blindly follow labour,,,,, but which labourite will disagree or willing to withdraw support from skerro when all his corruption is glaring like sunlight reflecting off a mirror,,,,, no all is good with skerro,,, he can do no wrong,,,,this is where we are very immature as people,,,, we are blinded by party colours,,,,, whoever brought up the idea of colour in our politics did us a great dis-service,,,, i would love to see a party with no colours,,,,,one which welcomes all,,,,, a people who’d tell there leaders ‘u are wrong’ get it right n don’t make the mistake again,,,,, when i listen to mr linton’s show,,,i don’t get no word to go n shoot up a minister,,,, no one has yet to prove mr linton wrong when he brings the facts to their attention,,,so should mr linton just shut up,,,,this is what we want,,, to stay blinded intentionally,,,,we r not ready yet,,,,,,, when students don’t get there classes paid by the gov’t who promised to do so in a foriegn land and we as people because we support the gov’t we try to be negative towards such student or student body who are the future,,,, instead of holding the gov’t minister and his/her ministry responsible for such tasks,,,,accountable to answer the plight of those students,,, we hurl insults at the students and wonder “what is their motivation” then i’m sorry we aint ready yet,,,, growing up as a young man ‘still’,,,,, i bought the sun on a monday n the chronicle on a friday,,,,,, i always thought like the chronicle was pro-gov’t and the sun was pro-u.w.p,,,,,, but non-the less i bought both n my friday would not be good without a chronicle newspaper,,,,,i soon came to the conclusion that even if i believe that the latter was pro-gov’t they indeed had better articles,,,,, n i never looked at it as a gov’t newspaper,,,,,but whoa!!!! during the election season mr. baron i believe he was the editor or had some high-stake in the chronicle,,,,came out n published his story which was really against mr skerro,,,,, with the intention of enlightening us,,,, don’t forget his daughter was the attorney general,,,, we as a people came out hurling insults,,, intentionally blinding ourselves and try to devalue a great ‘dominican mind’ such as mr baron’s,,,, we had no excuse but to take it with a grain of salt because the excuse of ‘IS SOMETHING HE WANT HE COULD NOT GET’ couldn’t work this time since mr. baron is a well established man who do not need any job whatsoever or any favor to make his life more ‘pleasant’,,,, so my people when we’ll be ready to hold our leaders accountable for their actions only then we will truly be ready to move on as a nation
um admin last time i typed ‘SUN’ n “CHRONICLE” newspapers and they were edited out,,,,i guess u don’t want any free marketing but honestly it’s all innocent and besides every dominican knows of these two newspapers,,,,the latter have been in existence for over 100 years,,,i still have there anniversary copy,,,, so i’m hoping it wont be edited out this time,,,,thank you n have a good day
MAKE THAT SHORTER NEXT TIME
@ John Brown
Who are you to give directives? Have patience. Allow people to speak their truth. Have you ever read a book or sat in front of the TV and computer for hours? Consider the time you expend.
Mouth of the South had a valid reason to comment just as you do. If you have something good to state it could be long if not longer. If you do not have the patience to read it then by pass it but do not criticize and offer unbecoming, rude advice.
Those types of statements are the ones which start discords, wars, lack of peace and enmity. Be kind, be fair, be just, be peaceful and amicable. Commence practicing them. They are called “love and respect for one another.”
Listen people; America is not the place they portray themselves to be. This is the result of the evils they create themselves. That first amendment right; right to free speech, will be the nails that seal their coffins. Anyone can say whatever they please at whatever forum they choose. They have too much freedom with no consequences. This is not the first mass shooting and it will definitely not be the last.
If you look at the history of school shootings in America, these children are troubled. Just like this young man, they knew he had mental issues. Yet, they are allowed to be in society even if they are ticking time bombs. They are allowed to attend school with our sane children even if they are diagnosed as mentally unstable. This man did not become crazy overnight! As a crazy man, he is allowed to buy guns. He did not steal the gun. He bought it!
While we want to blame the talk shows, I will say they are really adding fuel with the fire. Millions of people listen to these talk shows yet they don’t go shooting everyone. The ‘system’ allows mad people to roam the streets and then, when they explode, we look for people to blame.
so u want to take away ppl freedom of speech…. hitler is ur father it seems. But u r right, we have more crazies in d streets than anyting else.
I totally agree with you on this, media houses should be neutral in terms of political aliances however they have a RESPONSIBILITY to the public to provide factual and truthful information. Not incite violence, hatred nor sow seeds of discord.