news/propaganda/China & the Interview

[Doug Millison]

Big Bird,

Having lived in China for an extended period of time, as a fluent speaker
of Chinese (the Mandarin dialect), and being present in Beijing with the
CCP outlawed Falun Gong and unleashed a massive propaganda blitz to
demonize that peaceful neo-Buddhist sect, I say with confidence that the
only propaganda blitz that compares since that time is the one the US
government unleashed on September 11 with the willing (craven) cooperation
of the US corporate media.

While you're on that world propaganda tour, I suggest you spin through the
UK and France, where you will see major daily newspapers doing what they
should do -- asking serious questions and probing deep to find the truth
(or as close as they can get to the "truth") behind the spin and deceit of
government leaders and spokespeople during this war.  Le monde, the
Guardian, the Independent -- they make the US corporate media, including
the revered NY Times and Washington Post, look very lame in comparison.  I
expect the situation's the same in some other countries, too -- those are
the three papers I've been reading every day now since September 11. All
you have to do is compare today's statements from Rumsfeld, the State
Dept., Bush's spokesman, to the stories based on same in those papers --
consistently, the US papers and broadcast organs shy away from asking tough
questions and exploring alternatives.  The US media have also failed to
consistently report civilian casualties (although they went in depth into
trying to understand how "friendly fire" could kill some US soldiers),
they have failed to accurately or consistently report alternative views or
dissent.  Deny or disagree with this if you wish, but it's the case, and
has been observed to be the case by observers all over the world.

On another subject, Naoki's translation of the Playboy Japan was a quick,
and as he mentions in the message I posted, a rough summary -- he wanted to
get something out as quickly as possible for me and my P-list friends.  He
is working on a more finely rendered word-for-word translation which I will
share with Pynchon-L.

So, at best the version we have all seen is a rough translation of the
originating Japanese reporter's translation/interpretation of Pynchon's
remarks -- assuming, that is, that the article is what it purports to be,
an interview with Pynchon.  I'm witholding any judgements until I see a
more polished translation -- Naoki is capable of it, it just takes a bit
more time than he spent the other day over coffee -- and learn more about
the circumstances of the interview and its publication.

-Doug