We have to rely on a comedian for the truth?

It is a sad time when we as citizens and consumers of the news have to rely on a comedian to set the record straight about how the media cover crime and why it matters.

Yes, Jon Stewart does it again.

Last night on The Daily Show he illustrated, using humor, something that is actually quite outrageous--CNN falling all over itself to bring us BREAKING NEWS about the Boston bombing attack.

Here is part one:

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/wed-april-17-2013/the-most-busted-name-in-news

Here is part two:

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/wed-april-17-2013/the-most-busted-name-in-news---exclusive-and-first

Watch both and see that CNN's obsession with the story and its strong desire to be first led it to be wrong, all day long. My question is, why must we rely on a comedian to show us what is wrong with our news?

And oh yeah, Jon Stewart also illustrated another important reality that has been largely ignored by the media now and that was ignored in the past, too. See it here:

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/wed-april-17-2013/zero-dark-hurty

My question is, since torture is ILLEGAL under both US and international law, when will we hold those responsible for it accountable?

Does the US torture its own citizens?

Yes, according to those being held in solitary confinement in US prisons.

But you rarely if ever hear about it on the mainstream news.

The other day NPR had a story about it, where guests claimed that since the states built so many "super-max" prisons, they filled them up, even with people who were not intended to be in those cells. As a result, there has been a form of blowback where some states are now closing these facilities, feeling they do more harm than good.

Now, Democracy Now takes on the issue of solitary confinement.

Torture in U.S. Prisons? Historic Senate Hearing Takes Up Solitary Confinement’s Devastating Toll

download:   Video Audio Get CD/DVD Transcript |

In the first-ever hearing of its kind, a Senate panel heard testimony this week on the psychological and human rights implications of solitary confinement in U.S. prisons. While defenders of solitary confinement claim it is needed to control the most violent prisoners, many of the people called to testify at the hearing described how it can cause intense suffering and mental illness. We’re joined by Anthony Graves, a former Texas prisoner who was fully exonerated of a murder conviction after spending 18 years behind bars, the bulk of that time on death row and in solitary confinement, and by James Ridgeway, a veteran journalist and co-editor of Solitary Watch, a website that tracks solitary confinement and torture in American prisons. [includes rush transcript]

Guests:

Anthony Graves, former Texas death row prisoner who testified Tuesday at the first-ever congressional hearing on solitary confinement in U.S. prisons. Graves was fully exonerated in 2010 after spending 18 years behind bars, the bulk of that time on death row and in solitary confinement. He is now an active member of the movement to abolish the death penalty.

James Ridgeway, veteran journalist and co-editor of Solitary Watch, a website that tracks solitary confinement and torture in American prisons. He writes regularly for Mother Jones and is a 2012 Soros Justice Fellow, along with his reporting partner, Jean Casella.

http://www.democracynow.org/2012/6/22/torture_in_us_prisons_historic_senate#.T-hPgmEltAk.facebook

US running secret prisons

... and will not assist with investigations into them, for obvious reasons.

As noted in the book, prisona rarely make the news, even when they need to.

This story, from the St. Pete Times (where I am reading the paper!), spills the beans about US secret prisons used to torture terror suspects.

That these prisons exist is a travesty. That the US will not cooperate with other civilized countries and allies wanting to know the truth is even worse.

http://www.tampabay.com/news/washingtonstates-push-citizenship-challenges/1142389