I am so sick of pro torture propaganda in the corporate media, and that definitely includes NPR.

From Glenn Greenwald in Salon 6/22/09:

Anyone who believes that NPR is a "liberal" media outlet -- and anyone who wants to understand the decay of American journalism -- should read this column by NPR's Ombudsman, Alicia C. Shepard, as she explains and justifies why NPR bars the use of the word "torture" to describe what the Bush administration did. Responding to what she calls "a slew of emails challenging NPR's policy of using the words 'harsh interrogation tactics' or 'enhanced interrogation techniques' to describe the treatment of terrorism suspects under the Bush administration," Shepard hauls out every trite and misleading bit of journalistic conventional wisdom to dismiss listeners' concerns and defend NPR's Orwellian practice (as I noted recently when writing about The New York Times' refusal to use the word "torture," NPR's compulsive use of Bush euphemisms has been a constant complaint of the excellent blog NPR Check).

From Blazing Indiscretions 7/1/09 which indirectly led me to the Greenwald article I cited above:

I've been following this discussion/debate closely. I read Ms Shepard's lame excuses (and she's a journalism professor, too!). I've read the comments at NPR. Today I learned about Ms Shepard's refusal. "Vermont's NPR Station" and North Country Public Radio (both of which have award-winning local programming I enjoy) are always asking for money, but donations cannot be earmarked to local programming. So, next time my local public radio stations ask for a hand-out, I'll tell 'em, don't expect any dosh from me until they - as an affiliate - tell NPR to clean up its act.

Contact NPR and Tell Them to Stop Lying About Torture!

Here is the text of the email I sent NPR:

http://www.npr.org/ombudsman/2009/06/harsh_interrogation_techniques.html

This column was the most disturbing pro torture propaganda I've seen in a long time. It's bad enough that the author claimed that sleep deprivation is not torture, despite the fact that it is one of the most common and devastating forms of torture employed.

I also have to take issue with the author's insistence on the propagandistic term "harsh interrogation techniques" when referring to torture. "Harsh interrogation techniques" is a propaganda term invented by the Nazis to try to give themselves legal cover for their crimes.

The acts of torture committed in our country's name cannot honestly be disputed as such. Claims to the contrary constitute deliberate lies. The acts of torture referred to by fascists in this country as "harsh interrogation techniques" fit exactly within the legal and cultural framework against torture.

When a supposed news organization calls torture "enhanced interrogation techniques," it goes beyond mere pro torture bias. It is a shameless act of pro torture advocacy.

NPR stations are not going to get a dime from me until the ombudsman is fired for using her column to advocate in favor of torture and until NPR stops lying about torture in order to promote it.

NPR went downhill severely when it started running commercials. (Yes, they are in fact commercials, regardless of whatever bs euphemism you use for them.)

NPR is now as unreliable, rightist, and propagandistic as Faux News and Rush Limbaugh. Donating to NPR stations is a complete waste of money.

Don't trust anyone who refers to torture as anything but.