November 08, 2009
UTNE READER

Safe and Sorry

October 23, 2002 Issue
By Erica Sagrans 
Article Tools
Print
Comments
RSS
Bookmark and Share
A

RELATED CONTENT

nthony Gancarski, writing in CounterPunch, connects highway searches that cause traffic jams, the Bush administration's justification for bombing Iraq, and how the D.C. sniper is being used as propaganda to support the war against terrorism.

Gancarski has little sympathy for the hyped-up news stories of 'Sniper on the Loose.' Instead, he wonders if these newscasters "had never spent time in Southeast D.C., or had never seen two winos beating the hell out of each other...as neither of them looked to have anything left worth protecting."
The media and the government have instilled a palpable fear in us, Gancarski writes, and he questions what good the news is doing in making people so scared they won't go to the gas station for fear of getting shot on the way to the pump. Though the sniper incident could be interpreted as a flaw in our nation's security, it's instead spun as a justification for why so much protection is needed, just as other recent high-profile crimes have been used to explain why ever-increasing public surveillance is necessary.
--Erica Sagrans
Go there>>
Bookmark and Share
RSS | Comments | E-mail | Print

Comments

Add Your Comment

We’d like to know what you think. To comment, please use this form. E-mail addresses are never displayed on comments, but they are required to confirm your comments. First time registrants: You will receive an email confirming your email address. Once you confirm, your comment will be posted. Questions about our comments policy? Click here.

Line breaks and paragraphs are automatically converted — no need to use <p> or <br> tags.

New to Utne Reader?
Sign up to share comments.
Asterisks(*) indicate required fields.
Name*
Your name appears next to your comment.

E-mail Address*
This will be your login ID.

City State Zip Code

Password*


Confirm Password*

Comments
1500 character limit (Offensive materials and/or spam will be removed, no HTML allowed)
Please Note: Your sign-up must be verified via e-mail before your comment is published.
FEATURED ARTICLES
MOST POPULAR


Pay Now & Save $6!
First Name: *
 Last Name: *
Address: *
 City: *
State/Province: *
 Zip/Postal Code:*
Country:
 Email:*
(* indicates a required item)
Canadian subs: 1 year, (includes postage & GST). Foreign subs: 1 year, . U.S. funds.
Canadian Subscribers - Click Here
Non US and Canadian Subscribers - Click Here
Want to gain a fresh perspective? Read stories that matter? Feel optimistic about the future? It's all here! Utne Reader offers provocative writing from diverse perspectives, insightful analysis of art and media, down-to-earth news and in-depth coverage of eye-opening issues that affect your life.

Save Even More Money By Paying NOW!

Pay now with a credit card and take advantage of our Earth-Friendly automatic renewal savings plan. You save an additional $6 and get 6 issues of Utne Reader for only $29.95 (USA only).

Or Bill Me Later and pay just $36 for 6 issues of Utne Reader!