Mar. 01, 2002 - 19:56 MST

THE WONDERING JEW

On Earth ?

Cokie and Steven Roberts had a column in our Rocky Mountain News this morning (1/3/02) Titled, "Public Being Kept In The Dark." Jeepers, I knew that all along, what I didn't know was just how far our present administration would go to do that very thing.

Seems as if the Pentagon has hired Jerry Bruckheimer, the man who made, "Black Hawk Down," to produce a 13 part, "reality TV," series focused on the troops in Afghanistan." "The military retains final approval rights," Cokie and Steve say.

Cokie and her hubby say the exact same thing I am thinking, quote, "What the Pentagon wants the public to see of the war might be based on a true story, but it won't be the whole story, reported by independent journalists who don't have to clear their copy with the military brass."

Later Cokie and Steve say, "The whole point of the show is to blur the line between entertainment and information, to deceive the viewing public into thinking that a series, "based on a true story," is just as valid as the real thing."

Their view is about the same as the one I hold, "But the Bush administration is using the war, and its own soaring poll numbers, to clamp down on legitimate requests for information. As presidential historian Richard Reeves puts it, this White House is "reversing a 30-year trend toward openness in government, that started after Watergate."

Cokie and Steve also say that it is true, "Hundreds of suspected terrorists imprisoned in this country have virtually disappeared as well -- held imcommunicado for months outside the prying eyes of the press." They also mention that the administration has prevented public disclosure of presidential papers. - - - - - "This White House," Reeves concludes, "is determined to shut down both leaks and dissent involving events new and old.""

In my opinion our country is rapidly headed toward a dictatorship that is being propagated and multiplied by our present administration. Seems like everything I read points in that direction.

Makes me wonder about the Hollywood connection as well, are we going to witness the new, greatest show On Earth ? . . . . . . . .

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