United States Special Edition : An Eminently Experienced And Genuinely Independent, International Journalist's Summary ...

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Here's a glimpse of what a genuine 'journalist' looks like.

Here's something that the particular journalist pictured above permanently preaches -- and practices -- period.

"It is not enough for journalist to see themselves as mere messengers without understanding the hidden agendas of the message and myths that surround it."

Realised yet that it's John Pilger's praises we're singing?

No matter. Read on.

Here's a few tasty teasers from his most recently published piece.

Having reported four presidential election campaigns, from the Kennedys to Nixon, Carter to Reagan, with their Zeppelins of platitudes, robotic followers and rictal wives, I can sympathise. But what difference would the vote make?

Of the presidential candidates I have interviewed, only George C Wallace, governor of Alabama, spoke the truth. "There’s not a dime’s worth of difference between the Democrats and Republicans," he said. And he was shot.

(snip)

Travelling with Robert Kennedy in 1968 was eye-opening for me. To audiences of the poor, Kennedy would present himself as a saviour. The words "change" and "hope" were used relentlessly and cynically. For audiences of fearful whites, he would use racist codes, such as "law and order". With those opposed to the invasion of Vietnam, he would attack "putting American boys in the line of fire", but never say when he would withdraw them.

That year (after Kennedy was assassinated), Richard Nixon used a version of the same, malleable speech to win the presidency. Thereafter, it was used successfully by Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton and the two Bushes.

(snip)

Nothing has changed. Barack Obama is a glossy Uncle Tom who would bomb Pakistan. Hillary Clinton, another bomber, is anti-feminist. John McCain’s one distinction is that he has personally bombed a country.

They all believe the US is not subject to the rules of human behaviour, because it is "a city upon a hill", regardless that most of humanity sees it as a monumental bully which, since 1945, has overthrown 50 governments, many of them democracies, and bombed 30 nations, destroying millions of lives.

Ready to read the rest -- right here?

Okay. Seeing as you've sifted through so much serious stuff - and since it's the weekend -- lets end on a lighter note.

But remember this -- many a true word is spoken in jest.

(Cross posted at Appletree )