9/10/20 Today the NYer posted an article entitled “Is Russian Meddling as Dangerous as we Think?” (As Tonto once asked the Lone Ranger, “What you mean ‘we,’ whiteman?”) The online subhed sums up author Joshua Yaffa’s message: “The specter of foreign manipulation looms over the coming election. But in focussing on the tactics of the aggressors we overlook our weaknesses as victims.”
Earlier in the Trump Era I tried to put “Russian meddling” in perspective with this exposé. I was faintly disappointed but not surprised when it was generally ignored. Over the years you get used to being blacklisted. Billy Bragg means it when he sings, “If you got a blacklist I wanna be on it.” But maybe he wouldn’t be singing it if he hadn’t broken through.
The New Yorker piece has got me thinking about making a podcast. Maybe read aloud from William Blum’s book “The CIA — a forgotten history.” Maybe bring it out tomorrow, the National Day of Self-Pity. —FG
