I know that most men, including those at ease with problems of the greatest complexity, can seldom accept even the simplest and most obvious truth if it be such as would oblige them to admit the falsity of conclusions which they have delighted in explaining to colleagues, which they have proudly taught to others and which they have woven, thread by thread, into the fabric of their lives.
Leo Tolstoy
I consented to that interview, to those photographs and to allowing that magazine to probe into some of the most upsetting events in my family's life. I consented to that interview with the hope that I could play a small part -- however infinitesimal -- in changing not the debate itself, but rather the tone of the debate. I thought that the writer Karen Lowe did so, and that by publishing her story about our conflict, our experience, our story and our truth, National Geographic was doing some real unbiased reportage that showed nuance, something out of the ordinary and in fact, quite extraordinary.
I guess I'm wrong. Despite the fact that the article got nearly two hundred comments on the website for the short time that it appeared after February 14th, as well as thousands on its Facebook page and many hundreds of "shares," when you click on the link now, a blank, white page comes up with a couple of ads marching along on the top. Navigate the Sea of Cortez By Night, one reads, and SUBSCRIBE FOR ONLY $12 says another.
The magazine has not replied to my inquiry about why I can't access the article, and I'm still waiting to hear from Ms. Lowe who is waiting to hear from the magazine.
Shut down, whited out, censored, the low smolder whose heat nipped -- just barely -- at the fabric of my own life is now a cold, steely resolve.
Just too strange.
ReplyDeleteOr not. I've heard of other articles like it that sort of kind of push at boundaries and offer nuance being censored as well.
DeleteFunding from the POWERS? Follow the money.
ReplyDeleteYup.
DeleteMust be some kind of legal threat to them somehow? This is really a mystery.
ReplyDeleteI hope you get an explanation, this is too strange. I would have thought Nat Geo was above this sort of thing.
ReplyDeleteUgh. I try so hard to give folks the benefit of the doubt, but sometimes it is really hard.
ReplyDeletekario -- This is when Carrie's "there are no accidents" really comes to mind.
DeleteIt's so upsetting. I wonder if Denise might be on to something. I hope you get an answer. I also hope you have your own electronic copy of the article.
ReplyDeleteCan you believe that I don't? However, a person contacted me who had done a little research and found an electronic copy online at another site. It looks weird, but it appears to be all there, even with photos. I'm going to provide the link on a separate post.
DeleteDenise is ABSOLUTELY right. Follow the money. Big Pharm... HMOs...AMA... One pick up by a venue with even more exposure than facebook could cause an enormous shake up
ReplyDeletehang in as you always do. it was not personal. I wish I'd had the chance to read it. the fact that it was yanked tells me it was powerful and threatening to the powers that be...
xo
Someone actually rooted around online and found the article -- it looks weird, but it seems to be all there. I will put up the link soon!
Deleteall i can say is that the writer probably truly has no clue, and is just as baffled (at best).
ReplyDeleteFrancesca -- I really like and admire the writer, and she has kept me posted on what she's found out. Like you suggested, she probably doesn't know and is only going on what the NG editors are telling her.
DeleteI read the article and I don't remember anything that would create legal issues -- so I doubt it was that. I also find it hard to believe that it was about money from Big Pharma. How often does Big Pharma advertise in National Geographic?? Admittedly, I don't read it, but it doesn't seem they would be dependent on income from pharmaceuticals or HMOs.
ReplyDeleteI still think it's probably a technical issue with the web site, though why they haven't fixed it by now is baffling. As I said before, I can't imagine that they would spend time and money on that coverage, publish it and THEN pull it. It makes no sense.
Steve Reed -- I wouldn't be surprised at anything, to tell you the truth. All the comments here are interesting, and more keep coming in.
DeleteThe measles surge really started last year, fueled largely by travel from the Philippines where they are experiencing measles outbreak despite repeated high coverage vaccination pulses. There is also research suggesting that major outbreaks with the current two measles vaccine schedule would begin to occur about now as those with lifelong immunity from natural infection age out. CDC whistleblower, Dr. William Thompson has given thousands of documents to Congress and a hearing is supposed to happen any time now at which MMR autism research fraud is likely to be one major focus. Another whistleblower case against Merck citing fraudulent changes of data to make the mumps component of MMR appear to be effective enough to retain license is currently in the courts. The truth about other CDC manipulations of thimerosal and autism (and other neurological disorders) data is likely to reach critical mass also as these other revelations are coming out. In terms of the shareholders of the corporate media, all our media is controlled significantly by a powerful few who also control and profit from the pharmaceutical industry. My opinion (which needs better research to back it up, but there is a growing amount of research demonstrating vaccine side effects) is that vaccination is a major source of profit (not just solely through direct vaccine sales) and a coveted tool for social engineering on the part of some, and I've seen a lot of vaccine concerns censorship since I've started following the controversy (nearly 10 years now) in the "mainstream" media.
ReplyDeleteJ Bishop -- Thank you for your interesting and thoughtful comment. I tell you what. I didn't think I could be any more mistrustful of "the system," but I grow ever more dubious. I appreciate your update and hope that others visiting my blog will read the comments, too.
DeleteBefore I read any of the comments my first thought was the pharmaceutical companies. I work in healthcare and often joke about working for "The Illuminati" but sometimes I wonder if maybe it is not a joke.
ReplyDelete