Glenn Greenwald and the American Left

In the one corner, we have TYT and its satellites, and The Intercept and others.

In the other corner, we have Glenn Greenwald, Aaron Mate,Chris Hedges and Jimmy Dore.

There’s a war brewing folks, and it is a championship fight.

You see, some writers go on Fox News, some refuse, and still others are never asked.

Now Chelsea Manning is weighing in, the welterweight champion, to smack-talk Glenn Greenwald.  The crowd goes wild!  Fights break out in the stands.  The audience is attacking one another over this surprise development, sports fans.  And you are here to see it live!  What a show!

If the deep state could ever be given credit for such original thinking, this would be its dream.  The truth-telling critics of America at each other’s throats over stupid nonsense nobody really cares about.  Meanwhile, too late on that global warming thing.  Pandemic safety has to be weighed against rising suicides and homicides.  Not one, but two governors have killed hundreds of their own citizens. 

As long as everyone’s reliable rabble-rousers are pitted against each other in service to an algorithm, they neglect the America they claim to champion.

Glenn Greenwald is a powerhouse of a journalist who will command attention for a long time to come.  Yes, he is abrasive and obnoxious.  His former coworkers seem to hate him.  None of that matters.  His detractors would do well to realize that they should learn from him, because he isn’t going anywhere.  All the sniping is going to do is show everyone how little your opinion means in the marketplace.  He built his own base and doesn't need traditional media platforms.

Aaron Mate actually went to Syria to report on it.  How else are you supposed to report on something?  The TYT model relies on comments on the reporting of others, often by comedians.  There is no substitute for doing the footwork on the ground.  None.  That reality does not mean TYT and The Grey Zone need to be at odds.  They inhabit different places in the information ecosystem, that’s all.  Calm down, already.

TYT analyzes other people’s headlines.  They do it well, and Cenk offers excellent insights as someone who has actually run for Congress and has mainstream media experience.  TYT is a giant highlighter in an ocean of information.  TYT has also successfully organized massive numbers of people and given a platform to rising progressive voices.  That’s creating a powerful base, and much needed on the left. It is not enough to bitch and moan, you need to organize.  TYT has done an outstanding job of organizing, whatever you think of Cenk.  And they have a real nose for talent, even if there is a falling-out eventually.  In the end, it will be TYT that has a lasting political legacy.

The Intercept does great work post-Greenwald.  Now this is the group I can understand hating on Greenwald the most.  He got them all started on their current gig, and it seems there is a little resentment and jealousy there.  The Intercept, as a whole, made the decision to back away from harsh lighting on Democratic politicians.  “They are captives to fears about what people on twitter would say, what their friends and colleagues would say,” explained Glenn Greenwald on Rising with Krystal and Saagar.  So when their founder wouldn’t hold back his reporting, he was forced out of The Intercept.

Each group has a place and a role.  Each does its job well.  This hate-fest just hurts the left. 

Seriously, can’t you just focus on your own role?  All of you? 

A cognitive neuroscientist on The David Pakman Show framed current extreme politics as part of the  reaction to pandemic-related fear.  The right’s reaction is obvious: refusing to wear masks or get vaccines, attacking immigrants, telling old people just to die for the economy.  David Pakman was trying to understand why the right was behaving so badly as compared to the people on the left, in his eyes.  Several times, the neuroscientist had to direct Pakman’s attention to the Black Lives Matter protests as the left's reaction to the same fear.  Then the right reacted to Black Lives Matter with Blue Lives Matter, and the left started with Defund the Police as a reaction to that.  

No mention of our current leftist squabbling, but it could explain the deranged attacks on near-allies within the American left.  So far, the bickering has included blackmail threats, name-calling and criminal accusations.  

It is hard to get a clear idea of what is happening when in the middle of it, let alone why.  One thing is clear.  These childish attacks are very emotional and are gutting the effectiveness of the American left.  The energy spent on pettiness could be put to good use.  Right now, it isn't.