Opinion: More about Jonah ‘Mad Max’ Goldberg on Katrina
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In our latest Blowback, New Orleans resident Marie Gould takes exception to Jonah Goldberg’s column about media malpractice during Hurrican Katrina. Excerpt:
Many of the nation’s foremost engineers long ago decided the corps had become technically stagnant and have called for the feds to allow nongovernment engineering firms bid on much of the work now being controlled by the corps -- a very conservative point of view. Mr. Goldberg could have added some thought to the debate by pursuing that claim. Instead he choose the lazy way out with a column everyone has read a million times: Attacking the liberal media for attacking President Bush.
Gould’s not the only one who reacted strongly Goldberg. To see more, both negative and positive read after the jump.
‘At The American Prospect’s TAPped blog, Matthew Duss quotes Goldberg’s statement that the media ‘couldn’t find those bodies stacked to the ceiling or a single rape victim from the roving bands of ‘Mad Max’-style marauders. That’s because nobody was raped or murdered in the Superdome,’ and adds:
Yes, who was it, in a moment of characteristic cruelty masquerading as humor, that first made the Mad Max-Katrina connection? Jonah Goldberg. Thanks for reminding us.
That hyperlink, through a circuitous path, will eventually take you to an Aug. 29, 2005 post by Goldberg over at The National Review’s Corner blog, entitled ‘Attn: Superdome Residents’:
I think it’s time to face facts. That place is going to be a Mad Max/thunderdome Waterworld/Lord of the Flies horror show within the next few hours. My advice is to prepare yourself now. Hoard weapons, grow gills and learn to communicate with serpents. While you’re working on that, find the biggest guy you can and when he’s not expecting it beat him senseless. Gather young fighters around you and tell the womenfolk you will feed and protect any female who agrees to participate without question in your plans to repopulate the earth with a race of gilled-supermen. It’s never too soon to be prepared.
Doghouse Riley dopiles on, with some further Goldberg quotations and a certain panache:
SWEET Lordy Gordy, I realize there’s probably not a subject on earth that Goldberg hasn’t embarrassed himself about, and, further, I know that refusal to admit the obvious swims in his political bloodstream, as well as being a prerequisite of employment and a consequence of Lazy Brain Syndrome, but Jesus. ‘Grow Some Gills’ Goldberg is going to bring up Katrina, let alone criticize someone else’s work? Or show his face again? for that matter.
But not all the reaction was negative, not by a longshot. Thoughtful journalism-watcher Ed Driscoll called it ‘a must-read piece’; D.B. Light opined that ‘from Katrina on the MSM has abandoned any pretense of objectivity. What we now have is unabashed advocacy journalism rooted in mid-twentieth century liberal bias. No less than Hollywood the MSM today is telling stories rather than printing the truth.’ And Michael Siegel asked, ‘Do you think they’ll ever own up to their hysteria? Don’t count on it. The media never do wrong.’
My favorite, though goes to JoezRepublicanPage:
I just wonder how many times the press talked about ‘schoolbus’ Ray Nagin the Mayor of his great chocolate city BEING the one WHO caused the VAST MAJORITY of the DEATHS , and the stupid Governor who could not get her act together and call the PRESIDEN of the UNITED STATES and ask for FEDERAL TROOPS as is required under LAW for her to do before the President can take over a STATES rights do control their own troops,,, WHAT oh you did not know that , wake up and stop listening to the LIBERALS and the puppy dog PRESS CORPS,,,, WAKE UP AMERICA , there are a lot of things going on that you should be aware OF !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!