RE: free speech for sale

Ann Krohn Rick (Ann.Rick@colorado.edu)
Thu, 10 Jun 1999 10:48:17 -0600 (MDT)


Insidious stuff.

Monsanto comes to mind when I think of corporations that control the free
flow of information in both heavy-handed and subtle ways.

Heavy handed would involve the infamous "pulping" of the Ecologist's
"Monsanto" edition: http://www.gn.apc.org/ecologist/
and the threatened law suit against Fox Television for attempting to air a
critical rBGH story: http://www.foxbghsuit.com/index2.htm

Most troubling are SLAPP suits threatened against individuals who may make
disparaging comments, or voice critical opinions.

I recently ran across this quote by an australian academic, Alex Carey that
seems right on:

"The twentieth century has been characterized by three developments of
great political importance: the growth of democracy, the growth of
corporate power, and the growth of corporate propaganda as a means of
protecting corporate power against democracy."

We are awash in corporate-manufactured propaganda that distorts our very
world-view. One Web site that I've discovered recently that aims to "out"
the billion-dollar public relations industry is the Center for Media and
Democracy: http://www.prwatch.org/index.html

Perhaps some of you will find these Web sites useful. I live my life with
uncomfortable knowledge, that I can only assuage by action, no matter how
slight. But it beats joining the ranks who buy into the ubiquitous
television-induced hallucination that "all is well" except for underarm
wetness...

Ann
professional gadfly