Mainstream Media Trying to Cover Up Failure

Letter to Editor,
Editorial page, Lexington Herald-Leader,
published June 25, 2005,
with accompanying political cartoon
by Tom Toles of the Washington Post (*see note below)

Headline
Mainstream Media Trying to Cover Up Failure

In regard to the Downing Street memos, the liberal media prove once again that they are not credible.
The memo tells us what many already knew: President Bush misled us into war, knew that the intelligence was cooked and, by inference, was simply lying when he repeatedly affirmed that war was the last resort.
Now The Washington Post, the Los Angles Times and The New York Times are telling us that the memos are not news because those papers knew all along what Bush was doing.
The fact is that none of the supposedly liberal media told us that or even challenged Bush at the time. In fact, the White House line that the Iraqi war was justified was repeated without critique in the liberal media.
Now the medla say the news from British intelligence memos that Prime Minister Tony Blair and Bush had been planning the war since 2002 and that intelligence would need to be rigged to justify war is not news.
That is simply vast butt-covering.
If Democrats and progressives want something to be mad about, it should be the continued butt-covering by the mainstream media.
They still continue to downplay the memos, which could be the first legal proof that President Bush treasonously lied to the American people and cost us thousand of lives and billions of dollars with no foreseeable end in sight.
If this can be proved, what we have is political malfeasance that would make the "impeachable " behavior of former presidents Bill Clinton and Richard Nixon look like kindergarten high jinks.
Don't count on finding any appropriate information in today's mainstream corporate media.
Paschal Baute

*Note: Tom Toles Cartoon appropriately selected by editorial editor shows a newspaper page of classified section, with, in the corner, the words: "Correction. The Downing St. memo seems to be at odds with pretty much everything you remember seeing in the media in the run up to the Iraqi war. Your memory is in error. We regret your mistake."

The only thing the cartoonist did not add (maybe his editor deleted it) was
"Signed: The mainstream corporate media."

Memorial Prayer Service, KMI Alumni, Louisville, Ky, June 12.

Memorial Prayer Service
for KMI Alumni and faculty who gave the
“last full measure of devotion” (Lincoln at Gettysburg)
to their country, June 12, 2005.
Executive Inn West, Louisville, Ky

Introduction: Presider, Reverend Dr. Paschal Bernard Baute, class of ‘47

Begin with Silent prayer of thanksgivings from each person present.

Prayer. “Almighty God, Designer of the Universe, Source of all Mercy and Forgiveness, look with favor on this gathering to honor our KMI classmates and teachers fallen in military action in many wars. Give peace to their souls as we honor their names. Let us be worthy of the heritage they have left us, that we may never forget the many blessings of liberty we enjoy in this blessed country of ours. Let us be dedicated to preserving that gift of life they gave, by increased giving of our own lives to the welfare of our communities and our country. All respond: “AMEN”

Roll Call: We call upon anyone present to announce the names of our KMI brethren, either alumni or faculty or employees who so gave their lives to their country. We may respond to the names read with the prayer response: “May they rest in peace.”

“Let us pray also for those many civilians who gave their lives in the World Trade Center bombing, and for our military who are now risking their lives again in Iraq and around the world, both for them and for their families. God protect them and bring them home safely. “AMEN.”

“Let us use the memory of 911 not as a call to arms, but as a summons to reflect on hatred, why it it is so strong and prevalent and what are our remedies. We ask that believers and religious leaders never use their religion or scriptures as a source of superiority or judgment but instead for accepting and loving one another as brothers and sisters under one God. “AMEN.”

Pause for Prayer Requests. We now ask for prayer requests from the gathered assembly.

Each Requestor ends each request with these words......”for these intentions, let us pray to the Lord.”

Then all present answer in unison: “Lord, hear our prayer.”

PAUSE FOR PRAYERS OF THANKSGIVING FOR GIFTS RECEIVED AT KMI:
Individuals present suggest some aspect of KMI life, e.g.
For the gifts of friendship and commeraderie we received...... all respond: “Thank, you, Lord.”

Closing hymn, Now the Day is Over, see music sheets separate.

1. “Now the day is over, Night is drawing high;
Shadows of the evening Steal across the sky.

2. Jesus, give the weary, Calm and Sweet repose;
With thy tender blessing, May our eyelids close.

3. Grant to little Children, Visions bright of thee;
Guard the sailors tossing, On the deep blue sea.

4. When the morning wakens, Then may I arise;
Pure and fresh and sinless, in thy holy eyes.”

and a final KMI verse for this occasion, June 12, 05:

Here’s to ALL our buddies, where’ver we may be:
Let us face the Bugler, calling us to Thee!


Paschal Bernard Baute