|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
July 12-18, 2002 pretzel logic Smoke and Mirrors
The blowing of smoke up one’s ass is a time-honored tradition wherein the blower tries to deflect the blowee from a desired course of action through obfuscation, misdirection, stonewalling or, as in the case of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, all of the above plus yelling. For the second time in three weeks, City Paper contains a story about foreigners being “disappeared” by the federal government. And as in the case of the previous story, about two Arab men detained by the FBI at the Liberty Bell in the days following Sept. 11, FBI spokesdragon Linda Vizi responded to questions by breathing fire (News, “Did Feds Foil Terrorist Plot Against Bell?,” Brendan McGarvey and Howard Altman, June 27, 2002). This week, staff writer Daniel Brook writes about seven Pakistani men who were scooped up by what witnesses say was a small army of FBI agents and U.S. Marshals (see story). When Brook called the FBI looking for information about the incident, Vizi ripped into him. “I called her on July 5 and tried to be perfectly friendly,” said Brook. “I asked her about the FBI action that I was researching. She began to yell at me.” “Her line was, ‘There is no public-source information.’ She was yelling this at me and made reference to having ‘gone through all of this with your editor, Howard,’ before. She sounded exasperated that yet another City Paper reporter had the gall to call and ask her questions. “I told her about the witnessed FBI action in the early-morning hours of July 3 on the 2300 block of South Seventh, but she didn’t seem interested in the details.” Funny thing, those details. What Vizi had “gone through” with me three weeks ago was my attempt to get a straight answer out of the FBI about the two Arab men who were detained on Sept. 16, 2001. City Paper had high-level sources who said that the incident happened and that the feds foiled a plot to blow up the Liberty Bell. When I called Vizi for comment, she blew up, yelling at me that the sources were wrong, that I was wrong and that nothing happened. Subsequent phone calls to the Philadelphia Police Department and the Independence National Historical Park contradicted that stance. Spokespersons for both agencies said on the record that they detained two Arab men on the date in question and turned them over to the FBI, which took them away for questioning. Was Vizi lying? No. She was blowing smoke. Ever since Sept. 11, U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft, with the blessing of the president, has begun to dismantle the Bill of Rights, finding ways to do away with due process. Under the U.S.A. Patriot Act, suspected terrorists are no longer required to be “arrested” to be held. They merely can be turned over to the Immigration and Naturalization Service for detention. There are no pesky public records created. In both the case of the two Arab men detained on Sept. 16 and the houseful of Pakistani men detained on July 3, spokesdragon Vizi was technically right about nobody being arrested. But getting a straight answer out of her about the matter of detention was a fruitless loop. When I tried to explain to her the police and park ranger versions of events on Sept. 16, Vizi again yelled, talking loudly over my explanation. When Brook quizzed her about the Pakistanis, she yelled at him. I understand that Vizi has a job to do. Believe it or not, I respect that very much. But we in the press have a job to do too. We might not carry guns or badges or risk our lives in the mountains of Afghanistan, but the system of government that was created around the corner from my office 226 summers ago depends greatly on a vigorous, free and independent press. Reporters would be betraying the spirit that created this nation if we rolled over and played the obedient lap dog to the federal government. Yelling at us while we are trying to gather information does our country no good. Neither does blowing smoke up our collective rears. Fortunately, our relations with other governmental spokespersons tells me that our problems with Vizi are not the result of boorish behavior on our part. During my research on the Liberty Bell detentions, Philadelphia Police Inspector Bill Colarulo and Independence National Historical Park spokesman Phil Sheridan proved themselves to be the utmost professionals, providing information in a timely manner with no animosity. It was quite obvious that to these men the Constitution still matters. I have dealt with Sheridan for a few years and always found him to be a forthright, honest spokesman. Colarulo, recently appointed by Commissioner Sylvester Johnson to open up lines of communications between the police and the press -- and the public as a result -- is proving himself to be equally as honest and forthright. One of the biggest changes under Colarulo is that telephone calls to the police’s public affairs office are returned within hours, not weeks or never. That reporters get a straight answer out of the government is not just some esoteric argument for the media elite to have over drinks at the Pen & Pencil Club. A government of the people, by the people and for the people shall perish from this earth when the government forgets that it answers to the people and finds that it has to blow smoke up our asses to protect theirs.
Recent Comments
About the Creation Museum `Patrick Rapa, you're the joke. BAD article.` » Get a Map of Philadelphia Sewn into a Blanket `Hey, perfect for "the city of neighborhoods" I bet West Mt Airy, Fishtown, Gray's Ferry, Powelton Village and Germantown will want their own.` » Local couple arrested for skipping out on tip `Bradley,
There is a basic minimum of service required at a restaurant in which a 15% tip is what is the norm expected. A good server who exceedes expectations ` » Council's problematic bicycle crackdown `Last year I was stopped in an intersection waiting at a red light when i biker on the sidewalk did'nt look in front of himself and by the time I saw him ` » 'Cause flashmobs are awesome: Freeze 'n' read at noon `Pretty good turnout for the "Literacy 'Freeze' You" event. It was more regimented than other flash mobs I've been a part of, with organizers coordinating ` » Medical Tourist `I would like to add my perspective as a medical researcher who has been involved in stem cell studies for the past 5 years. The fact is, the only difference ` » THE GOOD WORD Vol. 13: Collin Flatt of Phoodie `Ah, good to see our Collin in something other than the police blotter. Dude, you really have to stop braising people's pets. That is clearly the thigh ` » Medical Tourist `Dear Profit in Unregulated Clinics. The ICMS is a nonprofit organization. It is not interested in profit. By law, it can't make a profit. What it is interested ` » Medical Tourist `Dear Profit in Unregulated Clinics. The ICMS is a nonprofit organization. It is not interested in profit. By law, it can't make a profit. What it is interested ` » Phila Pols say Foxwoods should get the boot
`The writer asks, "why, then, do there seem to be efforts afoot in Harrisburg to help the faltering casino afloat?"
Answer: Because the local investors ` »
Web Exclusives
Repertory Film Your weekly guide to local film events, festivals and under-the-radar screenings. Tim Hecker Sat., Nov. 21, 7:30 p.m., $12 with Aidan Baker, Kung Fu Necktie, 1250 N. Front St., 215-291-4919, kungfunecktie.com. Something Good DANCE REVIEW: Fräulein Maria Letters to the Editor What You Say Icepack
Amorosi on the news, nightlife, gossip and bitchiness beats.
Popular Articles
Invasion of the Body Slammers How South Philadelphia became the center of the alt-wrestling universe. The Nutter Special We're not so different from the Iron City. In a Class by Itself THEATER REVIEW: The History Boys 666
There's slightly demonic stuff everywhere you look.  Academy of Natural Sciences: Family Four-Pack of Tickets | Mango Moon | Prive | Bliss | Raw Dawgs Saloon | Cream and Sugar | S & H Kebab House | Cafe Nola | Copabanana | Hollywood Tans: $50 for $25 HALF OFF DEPOT Why live life at full price? 
"Great vision without great people is irrelevant."
—Jim Collins, Author,
"Good to Great" 
Search Real Estate
Today's Big Deal:
| ||||||||||||||||||
