fwd: I Lost My Brother on 9-11; Does He Matter?

[Doug Millison]

http://www.alternet.org/story.html?StoryID=11686

I Lost My Brother on 9-11; Does He Matter?
David Potorti, AlterNet
October 10, 2001

[Ed's note: On Tuesday, September 11, the writer lost his brother, James
Potorti, at the World Trade Center. James worked on the 96th Floor of the
first tower for a company called Marsh & McLennan.]


On October 8th, as most Americans rose concerned and curious about the
military action taking place on the other side of the globe, NPR's Morning
Edition host Bob Edwards asked Cokie Roberts to weigh in. "Leaders of
Congress were quick to issue a statement in support of the military action
in Afghanistan," he said. "Were there any dissenters?"


"None that matter," she replied.


It's a jaw-dropping statement when you think about it, one that says
nothing and yet says everything. There was opposition to the bombing. But
how much? From whom? But before you go demanding simple facts or objective
reportage, let's cut to the chase: it doesn't matter.


It's an opinion unlikely to be shared by California Representative Barbara
Lee, the only member of Congress brave enough to vote her conscience in
declining to authorize the use of military force. Or to other members of
Congress who expressed similar concerns. Do they matter? To countless
Americans who share their concerns, they do.


But in a larger sense, of course, Roberts is right. In a media universe
where you're as likely to find right-wing conservatives like Roberts (or
Juan Williams, or Maura Liasson, or...) on ABC, Fox, or NPR, the facts
don't matter; only the framing. And in the hands of biased pundits posing
as objective journalists, the framing is always going to be the same:
pro-military, pro-government, and pro-war.


Still, Roberts may have done us a favor with her comment. Those three
little words tell us worlds about the values informing the operation of
U.S. intelligence, the State Department, and the Pentagon. Understanding
those words may bring us some much-needed clarity on U.S. policies
seemingly at odds with U.S. values.


Have sanctions against Iraq have killed more than 500,000 innocent
children? None that matter. Did bombing Yugoslavia kill more civilians than
soldiers? None that matter. Did lobbing cruise missiles at a Sudanese
pharmaceutical factory result in the deaths of medicine-starved civilians?
None that matter.


The phrase is useful for understanding domestic policies as well. At the
Koyoto summit, did any significant criticisms of U.S. energy policies
emerge? None that matter. Has the U.S. stance on eliminating the ABM treaty
produced any significant concerns from the rest of the civilized world?
None that matter. Has U.S. reliance on the death penalty inflicted any
damages on our moral authority? None that matter.


It's equally handy at explaining our current crisis. Are the militaristic
responses to the terrorist attacks likely to endanger the lives of more
American civilians? None that matter. Will the war on terrorism endanger
the civil liberties of Americans at home? None that matter. Will bombing
Afghanistan cause any significant improvements in the lot of the innocent
Afghan people? None that matter.


And let's not forget: it's a handy phrase you can use at home as well. Will
network news divisions, owned by defense contractors, give us any useful
insights into the workings of the U.S. military? None that matter. Will you
hear any coherent news reports from outside of a narrow, statist
perspective? None that matter. And are there any mainstream media outlets
willing to criticize U.S. foreign policy? None that matter.


Thanks, Cokie. By telling us it doesn't matter, you've done more than
express your biased political opinion. You've explained the arrogant,
provincial, and value-free attitudes at work behind American foreign
policy. And you've also given us valuable insight into the mindset of the
terrorists behind the events of September 11.


Won't innocent American civilians die in the attacks? None that matter.
Won't Islam be defamed in the eyes of other nations? None that matter. And,
in the end, are the attacks likely to achieve much-needed changes in U.S.
foreign policy?


None that matter.