Bayard & Holmes
~ Piper Bayard
Big Media, Big Politics, and Big Business all profit financially and politically when they keep the public worked up in fear and/or outrage. They are not our friends. Let’s take some of their power back with a few facts.
Outrage
Throughout media, “US officials” report that a Russian spy ship has “appeared” off the East Coast – the first such sighting during the Trump administration.
Facts
- Russian spy ships have been “appearing” off the US East Coast since the invention of the radio – literally over ninety years.
- If we want to get technical, Russian spy ships have been “appearing” off of US coasts ever since Russia could sail to the US coast.
- It is entirely possible that this is the first time journalists have bothered to notice Russian spy ship patrols.
- According to the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, territorial waters extend 12 nautical miles (22.2 km; 13.8 mi) from the mean low water mark of a coastal state.
- The Russians, Chinese, North Koreans, Iranians, and Emperor Palpatine can legally park their entire navies 14 miles off the US coastline and have a bacchanalia if they want to, and they are breaking no international laws.
- The Russian spy ship Viktor Leonov was 30 miles off the US coast as of February 15, 2017.
- There are no allegations that any Russian ships have violated US territorial waters.
- US ships regularly cruise coastal waters of Russia, China, North Korea, Iran, and every other country on the planet that has a coastline.
- Merriam-Webster defines “official” as “one who holds or is invested with an office.”
- Merriam-Webster defines “office” as “a position of responsibility or some degree of executive authority.”
- Well over 800,000 people in the Intelligence Community hold top secret clearances, which would indicate “position[s] of responsibility or some degree of executive authority.”
- If I had cited to “officials” in my freshman journalism class, I would have flunked and become the department poster child for shoddy journalism.
Bayard & Holmes Opinion
Where the hell have “journalists” been for the past ninety years? This is like watching seven-year-olds discover Knock-Knock Jokes. These same “journalists” couldn’t even find Russia on a map before it hacked the DNC last August.
Outrage
“Russia Deploys Missile, Violating Treaty and Challenging Trump” ~ The New York Times
Facts
- Versions of this headline are being paired throughout media with “news” of the Russian spy ship.
- Russia did indeed deploy a new intermediate-range missile, which can be considered a violation of the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty.
- Russia deployed this missile in December, 2016, before Trump took office.
- The Obama administration was aware of the Russian missile program in 2014.
- The Obama administration warned Russia in 2014 that it was violating the treaty.
- The Obama administration warned Russia again in 2015 that it was violating the treaty.
- Russia now has two batteries of the new cruise missiles.
Bayard & Holmes Opinion
While the arms treaty issues will certainly pose a challenge to the Trump administration, Putin threw down the Arms Gauntlet during the Obama administration. This recent missile deployment is not about Putin “challenging” Trump like some sort of international cock fight, as the headline implies. It was just time for Putin to test his new toys. He’d have done it no matter who won the election.
Unfortunately for all of us, Trump threw down the Screw-You Gauntlet when he started his administration by publicly telling off all of the top media muckity-mucks. The media has picked up that gauntlet, and the public is nothing but a pawn in the Media War.
Bottom Line
Spy ships are old news, and Putin has had his missile agenda for a very long time. Media and politicians also have their agendas. None of these agendas include an informed, educated public.
This is informative. I always have been skeptical about what I hear in the media, but I’m even more so now. Even if there is truth to it, I don’t think the media goes out of their way to tell the whole story. I’m not overly thrilled with Trump, but I agree with the idea there would be nonsense no matter who won the election.
So glad you are finding our posts useful.
If you guys would add some comic strips and crosswords, you could totally replace my morning newspaper, because I certainly trust your news reporting more than the media’s. Actually, that’s not much of a compliment, since I don’t trust a word they say, but I have every confidence in both of you. Thanks for being there and giving us a source of truth.
LOL. Thank you, and you’re welcome. We’ll see if we can get one of our kids to come up with a comic strip.
Obama’s awareness of these missiles two or more years ago reminds me of the game John Fricking Kennedy played with Russian missiles in Cuba. He was aware of the missiles in the spring of 1961, as was anyone who read “Human Events,” but he ‘suddenly’ discovered them in the fall of 1962 just in time to make a grandstand play shortly before the Congressional elections, saving the Democrat party from losing the election.
I agree, one never knows if the media is exaggerating or not presenting all the facts. Thanks for the clarification B & H.
Our pleasure, Mel. Hope all is well with you.