#4158: Mike Norton: Chamberlain replies to Arthur (fwd)

[Robert Corbett <bcorbett@netcom.com>]

From: Greg Chamberlain <GregChamberlain@compuserve.com>

> I cannot allow Greg to misrepresent my views,
> and allude to my 'sympathies' 

These are not hard to figure out reading Charles'
posts any more than any other Corbeteer's are.


> ...what really gets my goat is the deafening 
> silence emanating from his fingertips concerning 
> the disgraceful reporting on Haiti by Mike Norton 
> in recent months.
> Does Greg agree or disagree that Norton's 
> reporting has reached a new low?  Yes or no?

No, I do not agree.  I thought it was obvious that's 
what I thought in my first response and that it didn't 
need to be spelled out.


> He himself wrote in post #4079 "I am NOT trying to 
> cover up for deficient reporting, which of course 
> exists." Well, Greg, does it exist in this case or not? 

Again, no.


> Haiti Progres produces unashamedly partial 
> interpretations and analysis of the weeks news, 
> events and trends. 

Which are nevertheless stuffed down the reader's
gullet masquerading as the unbiased Truth.


> ...attempts by Aristide to postpone the elections 
> until November (what happened?)

He was probably persuaded to change his mind,
perhaps under foreign pressure.  Just as he was 
"persuaded" in 1995 to drop his campaign for not
stepping down as president.  Whatever he was 
persuaded to do, I believe the intentions
attributed to him in these two instances existed.


> ... the kidnapping (or was that just a guy staying 
> with his mistress)

You could be right here, as I noted at the time.
Rather similar to Aristide's claimed "eight
assassination attempts," when there were far 
fewer than that.  Why did he need to exaggerate?


> And Greg, please do me a favour and leave out 
> the one about how the poor wire reporters are 
> under such time and logistical pressures - I don't 
> buy it. Mike Norton is not some novice. He has 
> been there for years, and clearly knows what he 
> is doing.

You "don't buy it."  OK.  Have a go at his job yourself 
and then you'd realise.  Long-standing  journalists 
like him still have to operate under the same
"time and logistical pressures."  Can you explain
how these would diminish with the years?  It is
simply convenient for others to pretend they don't 
really exist.  


        Greg Chamberlain