"Remember the Maine"

We went to war with Spain because (I am told) they supposedly blew up the battleship Maine.

The Discovery Science Network produced and aired a marvelous and thorough one-hour documentary covering the sinking of the Maine, in which it is shown that in the subsequent century, substantial evidence has been put together proving that the battleship had suffered a major fire in its coalbunkers, which set off huge explosions in its powder magazines. That, not the Spanish, sank the Maine in Havana harbor. Did we go to war for the wrong reason -- for reasons known only to the administration? Perhaps.

My first boss in Television was a complex, volatile man, who would fly into a rage whenever something happened that displeased him. After one particular incident when he accused me of gross stupidity, I spent a few hours to find the paperwork to show him that he was wrong, but when I triumphantly walked into his office with the "evidence" of my proper behavior, he didn't want to look at it. He said that the incident was over, and yelled at me again for "dwelling in the past."

I wonder how, when our president is asked about WMD's, he can reply that it was history -- in the past --and was no longer relevant? My former boss could get away with that, but the President of the United States shouldn't be allowed to.

Korea, Vietnam, Panama, Granada, Kuwait, Afghanistan, Iraq.

These events, and many more, present themselves as a conundrum. They are history and, of course, we could be learning the truth, and the lessons from such truths.

It would serve the public interest if each of the broadcast networks produced at least one documentary about the events leading up to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Present realities are more frightening then the ones from our history. The events that propelled us into this present war should be -- MUST BE -- explained.

About 15 years ago, I attended a conference at the Aspen Institute. The then President of CBS proudly spoke of his networks glorious history in producing major documentary programming. During the question period I asked, "How long will it be until you stop taking credit for the work of Edward R Murrow"? Many in attendance were upset with me for "being impolite to a guest speaker.

I expect that it is simple to cover the Michael Jackson trial, the death of the Pope, and the Royal wedding in England, and to present insipid reality shows. How about presenting the ultimate reality show, THE WAR, and the events leading up to it?

How about asking Bob Wright, Sumner Redstone, Michael Eisner, and Rupert Murdoch the same question? Do they consider that they have ANY responsibility to serve in the "public interest, convenience, and necessity" in owning over the air broadcast networks? Do they think that they hold a trust for the American People, or just another instrument for their own profitability?

I wonder what they would say.

Norman Horowitz

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