(Having occasionally written and donated some articles to The Shadow during the last three decades--which were occasionally published by the Lower East Side anti-war newspaper--thought 2022 was now a good time to interview by email The Shadow's editor, Chris Flash, about the newspaper's history, Manhattan's "fourth estate" and New York City news coverage in the 21st century. Text of interview originally was posted on Upper West Side Patch's website).
What about the New York Times and The Nation magazine? How is The Shadow's editorial approach different than the editorial approach of the editors and media gatekeepers at publications like the New York Times and The Nation magazine?
CHRIS FLASH [CF]: The NY Times and other state media that pushes state propaganda in order to mold and shape public opinion in advance of a new invasion/occupation of a sovereign nation by the U.S. are clearly working for the state, so we KNOW what to expect from them.
But gatekeeper media, that presents itself as "alternative" or "independent," is far more SINISTER, because they dupe the public into believing that they are reporting on/revealing what state media won't report, while they push the same narrative as state media, marginalizing those who present contradictory evidence or points of view.
Unlike those who portray themselves as "independent" media, The SHADOW is dedicated to expressing the TRUTH, regardless of how hard or unpleasant it may be to believe. We really are NOT afraid to tell it like it is, because, unlike state media and gatekeeper media, we have NO agenda other than to spread awareness.
A great example would be our exposing the role played by the FBI in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. Though sealed by a judge overseeing the trial of blind sheik Rahman, on whom the bombing rap was being pinned, secret tape recordings made by the FBI's plant in Rahman's mosque revealed that the FBI arranged for the bomb to be planted in the WTC basement, where it exploded. When FBI informant Salem demanded to know WHY they "let the bomb go off," his FBI handler said: "You know why we're doing this; we're doing this for A HIGHER GOOD." [That is an EXACT quote.]
A nationally broadcast radio, cable-tv and internet daily news show called Democracy Now!--which has been funded in recent years by the foundation of a former White House Chief of Staff and Press Secretary in the 1960s of then-U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson--claims to have been providing, since 1996, alternative news coverage for Upper West Side anti-war listeners and viewers.
Yet I've heard complaints from some anti-war folks--who questioned the official story of what happened in Lower Manhattan on Sept. 11, 2001 and who questioned the actual scientific basis for requiring masks to be worn, Big Pharma-produced vaccine injections to be required or New York City's economy to be locked down during the last few years--that Democracy Now! producers have excluded proponents of their alternative points-of-view from appearing in a regular way on the Democracy Now! show.
In what ways do you think The Shadow's philosophy of how "the fourth estate" of journalism and an alternative media group should operate editorially is similar or different to the Democracy Now!'s producers' notion? And how many times have you been invited to appear as a guest on the New York City-based Democracy Now! daily show since 1996?
CF: If true that Democracy Now! has excluded those who offer points of view that confront the lies of state narratives, that is unfortunate. We have a high regard for Democracy Now! journalist (and Young Lords member back in the day) Juan Gonzalez, who was the ONLY person presenting truly investigative reports for the Daily News, which usually pushed him past page 20 in each issue, until he split.
Democracy Now! did present a debate between Dylan Avery, creator of the amazing 9/11 documentary Loose Change and several staffers of Popular Mechanics who LIED through their teeth as they spun tales on how THREE World Trade Center towers collapsed at FREE FALL speed, though only TWO towers were hit by planes, completely ignoring basic physics which made such collapses without controlled demolitions IMPOSSIBLE.
Though we are not accusing Democracy Now! of anything, it should be pointed out that the state sets up and funds "alternative" media in print, on television, cable, online and radio, that provide great reports and coverage that seemingly counter mainstream media that distorts, mis-reports or ignores meaningful news while pushing state propaganda. By doing so, they build credibility so that, when needed by the state, they can be used to support, advance and promote whatever new state propaganda campaign arises.
Loyal readers, viewers and listeners, having put their trust in their favorite "alternative" media, are more likely to believe what they are told by their "indy media" source(s), though they are being LIED to in a more sophisticated manner. A great example of this is NPR, referred to as "National Propaganda Radio," by those who know better.
It is no secret that certain political groups and certain "alternative" media who appear to be attacking and exposing the uber-wealthy and the corporate state destroying the environment while keeping the population economically enslaved are actually funded by those they appear to be dedicated to opposing.
This is known as "controlled opposition," that ensures that those funded by the one percent will NEVER be effective, that drains and misdirects energy of political neophytes looking to join a righteous cause, while enabling the state to monitor those who join certain groups and engage in certain actions. This has been well-explained by Jim Marrs, in his book Rule By Secrecy.
Truly underground and genuine independent media like The SHADOW are funded and staffed entirely by volunteers. Though they don't have the same range or distribution as state media and state-subsidized "alternative" media, it is THEY who should be supported, as they have not been corrupted or controlled by any group or organization.
If any anti-war readers on the Upper West Side wish to either pick up a copy of The Shadow to read or subscribe to The Shadow, how can they go about doing this?
CF: On the Upper West Side of Manhattan, The SHADOW is available at Word Up Books and at Sisters Books, both on Amsterdam Avenue. We are also available at hip bookstores on the Lower East Side and across the U.S. and by mail for $2.00 at P.O. Box 20298, NY NY 10009. (end of article)
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