MSM boycott - 17 March to 23 March 2008

Up to 10 am this morning, I received 3 smses calling for the boycott of MSM. The message goes like this:

Dear Malaysians, "BUY NO PAPERS, READ NO LIES". D NST, STAR, B.Harian, Utusan, TNesan & even d SUN now r feedin lies 2 Msians. Dey cud not accept d elections defeat & r now attackin d oppsition. There r bigger problems brewing in UMNO, MCA, MIC, Gerakn & PPP but not mntion. LETS STOP BUYIN them 4 1wk fr Mon 17/3 till 23/3. See Msiakini, Msia2dy, BBC ,CNN, AlJazeera. Pls send msg to 10 ppl u know NOW.

Though I do not fully support the concept of total blackout of reading MSM reporting, I do however support the idea of stop feeding such entities with funds (and click here to know why). In fact, I have ceased such patronage since November last year in protest of their bias reporting which is ultra pro-establishment (Read: Pro-BN).

So I happily pass the message to more than 10 people as only via a hartal will these newspapers understand we don't like biased reporting. In less than 10 minutes, a friend reverted to say that, in good faith I suppose, that one shouldn't cease reading newpapers as one would need to know what policies and views of the government for one to then find out the direction the nation is heading and from there, to pray for the nation based on concerns one note. To her, it is better than stop reading these news altogether.

But MSM keep on spinning...

Source: http://photos.igougo.com/pictures-photos-m334045-p99727-Lies.html

Well, I am very sure we are on the same stand i.e. on reading the news but we have different approach on how to register our discontent. For her, it is no action other than praying and waiting on the Lord to make changes. For me, I pray to God to ask Him to intercede for the nation but at the same time, sending a symbolic message to the MSM where it hurts the most will definitely register my disagreeable with their lopsided reporting.

So I replied her we must stop buying newspapers simply because one can't get fair reporting from MSM (well of late they appear to be repenting). I suggested she try alternative reports found on online news sites. She disagrees of course because she said people in general are able to discern whatever they read on newspapers. They don't just read to gain knowledge but also to see, hear and discern. To top it off, she started with a retort, "What is fair?..." Sigh...

I was cheesed by this. I replied to tell her that the problem with the world is not because there are presence of evil but because good people did nothing to stop evil. I told her it is her right to vote whomever or whatever she wants (Read: BN). I can imagine she went ballistic since her reply took a silent irritating play of words that people can discern regardless of what they read despite the little biased information available and before ending with a good day. Yup, scream and shout before slamming the door shut. Yup, that's how one should treat your naysayers.

Anyway, it seemed obvious she believes the media is somewhat biased but not enough to convince her to source for alternative views and news. She may have voted for BN as she viewed PAS as the real threat to the state of our nation (Huh? Yes, I am lost too considering what anyone can see with their own eyes and hear with their own ears when they visit Kelantan). Nevermind that the so called multi-racial coalition in power have continuously undermine her civil rights as a citizen of this country and the leaders of this coalition insulted her kind as pendatang, the irony is she might have cast her lot, out of fear, to support the devil she knows rather than with a non-existing devil which she has unfounded phobic ideas.

Is it too much to ask to just consider reading alternative online medias for once? Showing this kind of upfront dismissal when she has yet to spare even a second to read news from Malaysiakini and Malaysia-Today for the benefit of doubt speaks much on her call to discernment.

Again, I find it very confounding when someone who has such in-depth knowledge of our legal adversarial system would be able to proclaim discernment without even looking at the other side of the story. How is she able to exercise proper discernment remains a mystery to me. I reckon she sees signs on the wall that somehow eludes me.

Can anyone out there tell me how will I know about ills afflicting our nation if all one hears are only good and wonderful news about this nation reported by propagandist MSM?