“Haiti is in crisis, and an entire society stands on the brink of economic and humanitarian disaster. This disaster is not the product of some unfortunate circumstance, but the direct result of policies carried out by our governments,” says Anthony Fenton, a Vancouver-based activist and corporate media analyst who writes frequently on Haiti. In an essay written with Dru Oja Jay, the two political scientists accuse the media of a blatant disinformation campaign, and of failing to report how humanitarian groups are not being allowed the access that they require, while untold thousands of Haitians starve. Both men accuse US officials of running a covert campaign aimed at Haitian destabilization and regime change.
Meanwhile, writing in The New Republic, journalist Adam Kushner defends former President Bill Clinton’s 1994 move to return Jean-Bertrand Aristide to power, and emphasizes the importance of protecting democratically elected governments against coups d’état.
What A Friend They Have in Mel
Hail! Hail! Jack Black is the king of rock & roll
The video / DVD of the week, this week, is Richard Linklater’s inspired rock ‘n’ roll comedy, School of Rock. Starring Jack Black in a break-out performance — as a masquerading substitute teacher who is a manic devotee of ’70s musical bombast, including Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Black Sabbath and AC/DC — this DVD is exuberant, raucous and thoroughly endearing fun.
As he did with Dazed and Confused and Before Sunrise, Linklater provides the viewer with subtext and sobering reality. In the case of Black’s Dewey Finn, he shows us a man who hasn’t realized his dreams; although Dewey won’t be famous, he does finally find his niche: as a nurturer and promoter of other people’s talent.
Also new on video early in March: Looney Tunes: Back in Action, a not always successful live-action-meets-animation kid flick; Good Boy!, a simple and intermittently satisfying tale of a boy who wants to keep his dog; and two dreadful, absolutely forgettable films, Cold Creek Manor and Duplex.
Say Goodbye to Martha: Stewart Convicted On All Charges
Updated at 6 p.m. Friday, with commentary and TV links
Well, it looks like “that’s all she wrote” for style maven Martha Stewart, as a jury found her guilty on all charges in her obstruction of justice trial Friday. Stewart is expected to go to prison when she is sentenced on June 17.
The New York Times story on Stewart’s conviction reports that the charges against Ms. Stewart would carry a possible sentence of up to 20 years in prison, although federal guidelines could reduce that to about a year.
A personal observation: There is something terribly wrong with the American system of justice when O.J. Simpson can get away with murdering his estranged wife and her lover (based on findings in the American civil courts, on a preponderance of the evidence); when CEO of Enron and Bush pal, Kenneth Lay, has yet to be charged in the ongoing multi-billion dollar investigation of his company’s fraudulent practices; and when myriad other “evil-doers” — who’ve added nothing to the sum total of our existence on this Earth — play round after round of golf with their buddies, unmolested by the courts, while Martha Stewart awaits a lengthy term in prison.
This story will continue to be updated throughout the day as analysis becomes available. Listen to this early, and breathlessly emotional audio report from MSNBC, or have a look at any one, or all of, these TV reports from Canada’s CBC, Britain’s BBC, and / or, from the United States, CBS.
Meanwhile, the Smoking Gun has just posted the jury verdict online.