28 August 2008 - A Different Perspective

Thursday, August 28, 2008

A Different Perspective

I am currently going through the same type of experience that I did for 9-11 while in Brasil. The experience is to view events in America insulated and isolated from the American mass media.

Like many other people, I remember exactly what I was doing on September 11, 2001. It was a beautiful sunny and temperate morning in Araucaria, Brasil. Our Site Manager was away, so I was the acting Bechtel Site Manager. Early in the morning our Document Control Supervisor came in and told me that there had been a terrible accident in the United States. Brasilian media was reporting that an airliner had crashed into the World Trade Center. No more than 30 minutes later she came in quite upset and stated that she didn't know what was going on but that another airliner had crashed into a building in New York City. It was at that point that I authorized setting up the job site training television to monitor the situation. The realization that a major historical event was occurring became apparent. Shortly there after, we got a phone call from our client that they were evacuating the job site as well as shutting down their office in the city. They were inquiring what we were going to do.

I replied that the project would remain open and continue all normal activities but with a heightened security awareness. There had been no threats or any indications that our project was targeted or even noticed by any outside threats. It may have been tempting as well as socially acceptable to hop on the bandwagon that we were all about to be attacked by outside forces of evil. But the facts as were known at the time did not support that type of mind set. I remember telling the Document Control Supervisor, that we were only a small group of people in an isolated part of the world far from America and to start reacting or behaving as if we were about to be attacked would be arrogant.

In the days and weeks that followed, our exposure to the horrors and tragedy of September 11 was filtered in that we only had access to BBC News. The BBC limited their coverage to reporting the facts and to a great extent did not delve into the emotional trauma of the events. BBC coverage of 9-11 was not 24 hours - 7 days a week.

Not being exposed to "news" coverage constantly and devoid of much of the emotional aspects of the events allowed us to move on with our lives without feelings of guilt.

To this day, I know that I and the other expats on that project have a different perspective on the tragedy of September 11, 2001 than Americans who remained in the US and were subjected to the mass media coverage of all aspects of the story.

This week, I consider the political events in Denver and the ones coming up next week to be similar opportunities to view American media frenzy and obsession. Americans consider themselves to have a free press and take great pride in that presumption.

It is true that the government does not control the press but I would hardly consider it to be "free". Rather, my opinion is that the press is heavily manipulated by influential people and groups to achieve their goals of either maintaining or acquiring power.

For America, the news is no longer the reporting of facts and letting the viewer form their own opinions. Today, from afar, it is plain to see that "news" is entertainment and orchestrated to convince viewers of the righteousness of the particular media outlet's positions.

For all the money that has been spent and yet be spent in order elect the next President, it is difficult to accept or to believe that the best that we could do is a choice between Obama and McCain - not to say that Clinton would have been any different.

The hyperbole associated with the selection and election process is embarrassing to try to explain to people outside of the country. The results are equally embarrassing and difficult to defend .

The saving grace is that this election or any election is not about saving the world or even saving the USA. To believe otherwise borders on arrogance.

It boils down to who will be on the inside and who will be on the outside of power with the ordinary people, as usual, only observers.

It is all about power - that's all. The primaries, conventions, campaigns are merely sugar coating and wrapping paper.

A sow's ear will never be a silk purse no matter how it is packaged or how it is described.

Tomorrow's blog will be less political and more about enjoying life - the life that we choose.