Bias in the Media

As I was organizing some of my media files for some upcoming articles I came across this little gem:

Now regardless of whether or not you agree with the plight of the Bundy family, or have even heard of it, that is some blatant propaganda. In the interest of full disclosure I am personally biased because I have met these people; I have stood with these people. I would never represent myself as an objective journalist writing for a community news outlet. 

So in case you're not familiar with these humans, let me break this hit piece down for you:

1. Cliven Bundy is not "anti-federalist"

Cliven and Carol Bundy raise cattle and grow watermelons, among other things. They are the last ranchers in Clark County, Nevada. Cliven is a fan of the Constitution and would be most accurately described as a "consitutional originalist" or "literalist." They could also be described as "federalists," because they sincerely believe in and advocate for a central (federal) government to carry out the duties specifically described in the Constitution. [^1] 

I point this out to clarify the loaded allegation built into that label, not to argue for or against the Constitution. For those of you who are familiar with this family, I know you have seen them called "anti-government" quite frequently. Obviously it would be ignorant to assert that someone simultaneously is against government, but loves its founding document. Sure it might make sense to remark one is against the current manifestation of the government, or aspects of it, but not the the concept of government in general. 

2. Nineteen political prisoners were "housed" (in a prison)

This one is nothing new, but it always sticks out to me in the news. It seems like they always use euphemisms like "housed" or "lodged." No matter who it is they are describing it makes my eyeballs roll when I read it. In this case it is particularly ironic though, given Nevada Southern Detention Center's history of shenanigans. [^2][^3] It's important to keep in mind that this is a federal detention facility for humans who have not yet been convicted of any crime. 

Imagine for a second being in a federal prison for two or three or more years before you even get your day in court. Then imagine that facility is owned and operated by CCA (CoreCivic, Inc). They recently re-branded the company from Corrections Corporation of America after a long list of allegations all over the country. [^4] 

3. "..his band of more than a dozen like-minded supporters.."

I think this one pretty much speaks for itself. Clearly there is an implication here. If you don't think so: What's the first phrase you think of when you hear "band of --?"

4. "..Armed standoff."

No propaganda piece would be complete without this worn-out dog whistle. Just look at the pictures from April 2014. Very few, if any, members of the Bundy family were actually armed. On the other side of the fence was a massive standing army, complete with MRAPS, military-style battle fatigues, and sniper/spotter teams. In fact,  the vast majority of the protesters were unarmed. Sure you can see several pictures of a few people who had firearms on their person, but how many of them had the last name Bundy? And so what if they did? On an unrelated note the Bundy family was not part of any militia - not then not now. More on that later. 

combat slippers?

5. How silly must this author feel now that the charges were dismissed with prejudice?

Even after the federal government's best attempts to railroad a conviction they failed not once, not twice, but three times! What's more, the final attempt ended with the judge citing a laundry list of misconduct by the prosecution. This is just a taste of one tier of defendants. Many are still in cages for these same charges. More on that later. 

So what do we do about this bias?

I would love to read your suggestions! Here's what I did:

Much love,

Ed, the virus

[^1]: http://p4cf.com/faq/

[^2]: https://www.reviewjournal.com/local/local-nevada/corrections-employee-commits-suicide-at-pahrump-federal-detention-facility/ 

[^3]: http://p4cf.com/campliberty/

[^4]: https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/2016/10/28/cca-changes-name-amid-ongoing-scrutiny/92883274/