MSNBC has been doing a fine job covering and responding to the revolution in Egypt - Lawrence O'Donnel and Rachel Maddow in particular, and especially eloquent, as always. But something has been misisng from MSNBC's nightly commentary - a voice of outrage, verging on inchoate but searingly lucid. A voice that could take our government to task for not supporting the people of Egypt over the non-democratic President of Egypt more strongly. That voice would be Keith Olbermann's.
By in effect firing Olbermann last week - I don't care what it's officially called - MSNBC silenced a voice and the insight and passion behind it, at one of the most world-wide revolutionary times in recent history. The world is watching what Obama does, but there's no insistent voice, sometimes rude, but unafraid to take the unambiguous moral high ground, no progressive voice like to shout the truth to our President.
MSBNC could not have known this would happen in Egypt at the time they let Olbermann go, but this is what happens when petty corporate bureaucrats tell us what we can hear and what we cannot. Today, in Egypt, pro-Mubarak thugs attacked journalists. MSNBC used no physical force or threat, but is what they did to Olbermann ultimately any different?
3 comments:
I know, if there was such a thing as 'bad timing' this would be it.
Because of the 'agreement', he can't make any TV appearances till at least late June or early July. And who knows what could happen between now & then.
He's not completely muzzled, however, as he's active on Twitter. In fact's he's opened a 2nd account on there: @FOKNewsChannel.(FOK standing for 'Friends of Keith', incidentally.)
Thanks - I just followed it!
Preach it brother Paul! Agreed!
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