Pynchon interviewed in Playboy Japan re 9-11

[Jules Siegel]

> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Paul Mackin" <paul.mackin at verizon.net>
> To: <pynchon-l at waste.org>
> Sent: Tuesday, December 18, 2001 10:50 PM
> Subject: Re: Pynchon interviewed in Playboy Japan re 9-11
> 
> If Pynchon said anything remotely like what's below then we would have to
> conclude that Altzheimers has set in. Don't laugh. It's possible.

Johannes Rasche sent me this along with the Playboy piece and asked me what
I thought. For the record, I agree with Pynchon 100% and I think that anyone
who would consider his remarks symptoms of Alzheimer's is a perfect example
of why Pynchon does not allow himself to be interviewed.

It is absolutely dumbfounding that anyone on pynchon-l could say anything
like this. The following item, however, which could have been written by
Orwell, made me aware how desperate the situation in the United States is:

---Begin forwarded text---

Date:    Mon, 17 Dec 2001 15:30:11 -0500
From:    David Carlson <dcarlson at JOU.UFL.EDU>
Subject: SPJ PressNotes for Monday, Dec. 17, 2001

SPJ PressNotes for Monday, Dec. 17, 2001

Compiled by Barbara Smith
SPJ Ward Neff Intern
University of Florida
College of Journalism and Communications

WAR ON TERRORISM
Publisher is booed during commencement speech

A newspaper publisher's commencement speech was drowned out by hecklers when
she mentioned threats to civil liberties posed by the federal government's
investigation of the terrorist attacks. Janis Besler Heaphy, president and
publisher of The Sacramento Bee, was delivering the midyear graduation
address Saturday to about 17,000 people at California State University in
Sacramento. When Heaphy raised questions about racial profiling, limits on
civil rights and the establishment of military tribunals, the audience
interrupted by clapping and stomping feet for five minutes. University
President Don Gerth tried to quiet the audience, but Heaphy stopped speaking
after more loud heckling erupted. Heaphy told The Sacramento Bee afterward
that the hecklers were merely blaming the messenger.

Source: The Associated Press, via Yahoo!
http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/ap/20011216/us/publisher_booed_1.html

---End forwarded text---

It sure makes you understand how Hitler was able to take power, doesn't it?
These are very dangerous times, indeed. Pynchon is afraid of chemical
warfare. The real threat is psychological warfare.

When William Safire, Nixon's press agent, denounces Ashcroft's "kangaroo
courts," and explains that other journalists are silent because they have
good reason to fear government retaliation, you know we are in big trouble.

SPJ-L, the main general journalism list, just went through a censorship
crisis. The list administrators began cracking down on supposedly off-topic
messages (mainly about supposed self-censorship of war coverage by the
American press) despite strong resistance from list subscribers of all
political persuasions, some of whom -- among them the most influential --
have left the list in protest.

After I forwarded two lines and a URL from a subscriber who had been
suspended I received a warning that I would be bounced if did it again. This
was so infuriating that I left the list. Another subscriber pointed out that
I was being warned for violating a rule that hadn't previously existed.

SPJ-L is an off-shoot of the Society of Professional Journalists, a very
Establishment American group, which seems to be responding to some kind of
outside pressure. One very vocal and aggressive subscriber who was bounced
threatened to take legal action to force the list owners either to stop
meddling or to set clear and reasonable terms on what the list is about. He
feels that as a paid member of the society he is entitled to access to the
list.

The only other important list, CARR-L (about 3,000 members), strongly
discourages any political or social discussion, even if related to
journalism. SPJ-L is always going to be subject to the political whims of
the Society of Professional Journalists governing board. There's a need for
an independent email discussion list for professional communicators,
apprentices and fans.

After the New Year, I am going to announce the formation of a new media
discussion list, newsroom-l. I'm just waiting for the installation of
Mailman. Anyone interested in being invited to subscribe can email me
privately. Do not reply to pynchon-l, as I am not a subscriber, and will not
receive the message.

-- 

JULES SIEGEL Apdo 1764 Cancun Q. Roo 77501
http://www.cafecancun.com