Belief is with them mechanical, voluntary: they believe what they are paid for—they swear to that which turns to account. Do you suppose, that after years spent in this manner, they have any feeling left answering to the difference between truth and falsehood?
William Hazlitt

I’ve been playing mainstream media’s little “game” for more than three years now. The game involves trying to have an actual conversation with one of them. Unfortunately, this isn’t as easy as one might think. Nowadays, the media is virtually inaccessible to the general public unless you enjoy speaking with employees in the mailroom or circulation department. Forget trying to talk to the big players, the plastic heads we see every night on television or their editors and producers. Editors and producers have now achieved “untouchable, unknowable” status. The average person will rarely be considered worthy of live discourse with one of them unless, perhaps, you give birth to a three-headed baby and somehow link it to Michael Jackson. If you happen to witness people being shot in the mall, chances are Rita Cosby will have you repeat yourself several times on national television in order to further feed their speculation. They might even trip over their own feet to talk to you in such a circumstance. Sadly, the more sensational, ridiculous or scandalous a story is, the more easily it triggers the press into action. Let’s not pull any punches here: the established press has seriously devolved into “trash over truth” tabloid garbage. As long as there’s a public demand for it, they’ll keep feeding it to you. So, stop demanding fiction and filth and start demanding truth. When their ratings start spiraling downward faster than the dollar, they’ll get the message loud and clear.

Of course, not all scandals get reported in the news. The 9-11 cover-up is perhaps the biggest scandal going on right now and nobody in the mainstream press is even raising an eyebrow. So, I decided to make some phone calls and send e-mails to major news networks, talk-radio stations, mainstream newspapers and alternative media. In the last month, these venues have received a significant amount of communication from me. What they do with it is anybody’s guess. I’ve called all the major media outlets to let them know about the release of 9-11 On Trial by Victor Thorn. Since this book proves that the government lied to the public about the World Trade Center collapses, I figure this is major news - the biggest story of the century. So, let’s see if major media bites on big stories or if they’re only into parading gossip, myth and speculation as fact.

At many news services, the phones are answered by either a computer-generated recording, or in some case, a taped message from someone who actually has a pulse. On occasion, you may get a live human, but this doesn’t rate as actual progress, since they won’t tell you anything. We’ve all been treated to the endless main menu directory that seems to be so popular nowadays whenever you call some organization, and the media is no different. So what happens is you end up on hold in a never-ending vacuum of dead air or muzak, while waiting in an invisible line for your call to be routed to yet another robotic voice answering system. You could spend an eternity withering in phone hell, being punted from voice mail to voice mail, leaving message after message. No one will respond unless, as I’ve pointed out, you pull that mutant baby out of the hat and have the pictures to add to their ratings. Does anyone in the media even pay attention to messages on their voice mail merry-go-round? You would hope so, right?

Years ago, one could call a media newsroom and a live person would pick up the phone and speak to you. A few weeks ago I called the FOX newsroom (for the umpteenth time) and a real person actually answered the phone. She assured me I had reached the newsroom. Great! However, this was as far as I was going to get. Talking to this woman was like trying to learn the words to a song being played backwards. The curious thing about calling FOX: you cannot get anyone’s name. Not even a first name. Not even initials. Names are classified material at FOX. But since I wanted to send Bill O’Reilly Thorn’s new book, 9-11 On Trial, I needed the name of a producer or assistant in order to make sure it got to O’Reilly. No such luck. FOX News will not give out any names - period. I asked the live person, “How do you people get mail?” The response was, “Just send the book to the show.” In this case, that would be The O’Reilly Factor. Are they totally paranoid or what? It was a very weird conversation. I expressed concern that my package might get lost in the shuffle, but was told the mailroom people have their act together. I was left with no other option, but find it hard to believe that no FOX employee ever receives business mail personally addressed to them. This is how they hide. You send them mail and nobody has to take responsibility for what happened to it. That’s slick. So the package was sent and I waited. Of course, it would be unthinkable for anyone to call and confirm that O’Reilly got this book, so another call was made the following week to see what had happened to it.

Once again, Ms. No-Name answers. She gives me the same speech and I ask if my book has arrived. She has no idea. I am then connected to some nameless mailroom employee, who is speaking a very broken mix of hybrid language which I can barely grasp. Supposedly they have their act together in the mailroom, according to Ms. No-Name. They do not. The mailroom flunky can’t tell me anything about this package. Since no progress is being made with this department, I am redirected back to Ms. No-Name, who then supposedly left a message for Bill O’Reilly’s assistant. All No-Name would divulge to me was the gender of this person. She is a woman. Now that’s an inside scoop for ya. I’m told the woman might return my call. She might? Okay, so now I know O’Reilly’s assistant is a woman (surprise, surprise), but when I ask her name (since she now has mine), I am denied. This information is too classified for Joe Q. Citizen. Not surprisingly, the woman has yet to be heard from.

Phone calls to CNN were even more annoying. After the initial three-ring run-around I was connected to Senior Booking Director Gale Chalef. Ms. Chalef seemed highly irritated by my phone call and made it clear that she had no interest in a verbal exchange with me. No interest in the biggest story of the century - just measurable impatience because apparently her time is more valuable than mine. Chalef rudely instructs me to “Send an email to me with whatever it is you’re pushing.” I tell her I’m pushing the truth about 9-11, that it involves no conspiracy theory and is based on physics and mathematics, physical evidence and expert witness testimony. Hurriedly, I explained that our local newspaper is interested in running an article on this book and I urge CNN to cover this important story. Ms. Chalef’s reply: “Just because your newspaper is reporting on it doesn’t make it national news.” I countered with, “Are you saying 9-11 isn’t national news?” She repeats herself that just because our local newspaper is running an article on 9-11 doesn’t make it national news, so I ask if I can quote her on that. She promptly hangs up on me.

My calls and e-mails to other mainstream print news organizations have also hit brick walls. At the New York Post, an operator did provide me with the address and name of a person to which I could address my package, and a book was sent. I don’t know if they’ve received it. I may never know. I’ll keep at them until they tell me one way or the other. The book has also been sent to Peter Jennings at World News Tonight, and I’ve left several phone messages and e-mails at The New York Times, Daily News, Canarsie Courier (Brooklyn’s oldest newspaper), CBS, NBC, MSNBC, ABC, C-Span, Newsweek, and so on. No live humans, just more rides on the voice-mail message-go-round.

I’ve had slightly more luck with getting some responses from so-called “alternative” media, although they employ similar filtering mechanisms. If they give a name, generally it’s a first-name only. Of course, they do make sure they get YOUR name right off the bat - and the reason why you’re attempting to bother them in the first place. You see, their time is more valuable than yours or mine.

Air America is another well-known alternative news outlet. You would think that they’d be interested in 9-11 truth, wouldn’t you? They’re supposed to report the stories mainstream won’t touch. If they have an ax to grind with the Bush administration, this story should be right up their alley, right? Guess again. In fact, one of their producers, Gabrielle Zuckerman, who works on The Al Franken Show, actually replied to a few of my e-mails.

Subject: Media Inquiry from WING TV
Attention: Gabby Zuckerman - Media Inquiry
re: The O’Franken Factor

Hello Ms. Zuckerman,

Lisa Guliani here from WING TV. Hope all is going well for you. I’m dropping you a line to let you know that in about two weeks we will release 9-11 On Trial, a book that refutes the official government version of events in regard to the collapse of the World Trade Center towers, and proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that there is zero possibility that it could have happened the way they’ve portrayed it. To prove that it was physically impossible for the plane impacts and burning jet fuel to collapse the towers, we rely on physics, mathematical equations, scientific formulas, expert testimony, the laws of nature, and physical evidence. No “conspiracy theory” is involved.

In the end, the results are so damning to the government’s official story that their credibility is absolutely shredded beyond repair. With this brief description in mind, we would like to appear on the O’Franken Factor show sometime to talk about this book, and also our upcoming televised video presentation on this subject. It is attracting quite a bit of attention already, and we would love to appear on Air America programs and introduce your audience to this research and discuss it. Drop me a line sometime and let me know.

Best wishes, Lisa Guliani, WING TV

Zuckerman: We’re focusing on political battles happening in Washington DC at the moment. There are a host of other shows on our network who might be interested. I’d suggest contacting them.

Gabrielle Zuckerman - The Al Franken Show - Air America Radio

Guliani: May I ask why you’re not interested?

Zuckerman: Thank you for thinking of us but we’re going to pass for the time being.
Best, Gabrielle

Guliani: Ms. Zuckerman, We’re approaching you with absolute proof that the World Trade center towers did NOT collapse the way the government says they did. As a news and political force that positions itself in stark opposition to the policies of the Bush administration, by denying us an opportunity to reveal this information, do you realize how peculiar your response will seem to the public? I look forward to your response.
Best wishes, Lisa Guliani - WING TV

Zuckerman: Unfortunately we don’t have the resources to vette this story. I’d suggest you submit it to the Washington Post or The New York Times where they can get an investigative reporter on it and then we’d be able to run with it.

Guliani: Why do you need resources to do an interview? All the legwork has been done. We’re not asking for a full-scale expose from you, just an interview. I cannot imagine why or how you could even resist such a story.

Zuckerman: Let me just posit this to you – if someone approached you and said that Elvis was still alive, wouldn’t you want to check it out? I understand that you’re convinced of the truth of your story, but that’s not how journalism works. We need to independently verify and stand behind the interviews on the show, and as I mentioned in my last e-mail we don’t have the resources to vette this story. Thank you for your pitch, but I’m going to have to point you in the direction of the other programs on the network.

Guliani: Well, please allow me to posit this to you. I think it is very condescending of you to compare 9-11 with an Elvis Presley sighting. We’re talking about 9-11, the biggest story of the 21st century. Rather than taking an apathetic position on this information, you should be banging down the door to find out what the proof is. Please explain to me, considering that you apparently have the resources to do interviews on other subjects, why you aren’t even interested in LOOKING at the information we have? This book will be out in less than two weeks. I urge you to please reconsider and look deeper into what I’m saying. This is of vital importance.

Zuckerman never responded. Basically, they would rather report on political theater in Washington than on the truth about 9-11.

I’ve sent e-mails to Janeane Garofalo, Laura Flanders, Randi Rhodes and a slew of others. The producer for Randi Rhodes did reply, requesting a copy of the book, which was then sent to them. I’ll be following up with them. Air America’s Unfiltered and Morning Sedition producers have not responded. I called Terry Keaney, who is in charge of programming for Air America. Her voice message advised me that while she will not discuss media inquiries over the phone; she will accept e-mail inquiries. Very well, Ms. Keaney. I’d like to know when exactly I might expect a reply to my e-mail to you dated Sunday, February 6th? I know Ms. Keaney received my e-mail because I got her auto-generated response. Typical.

Alternative Radio was another disappointment. David Barsamian is the big kahuna over there, and his employees tell me he won’t touch stories on 9-11 - ever. No reason given, he just won’t touch them. One of his staff members sounded sheepish even saying this, and admitted she agrees that he should report on this information. I’m sorry, she says, but he just won’t do it.

This sounds pretty bleak, doesn’t it? Well, there are many good internet talk radio hosts - people like Duke Skorich, Darrell Smith, Kelly McGinley, Jeff Bennett, Rick Biesada, Meria Heller, GeorgeAnn Hughes, Michael Corbin, Vyz, Clay Douglas, Andre Eggelletion, John Stadtmiller, and others who aren’t afraid and will bring you the goods. The list is longer than those I’ve named here, and we appreciate them all. It is plainly obvious to me that the only media receptive to reporting straight-up news without hesitation is to be found mostly online. The silence of other prominent alternative press personalities, while deafening, speaks volumes to me. What is it saying to you?

This silence we’re seeing simply reinforces the notion that there is nothing alternative or independent about many of those within the media with whom we’re all familiar. Like their mainstream New World Order counterparts, these people are about as far away from the real deal as they can possibly get. Ask yourself why the self-proclaimed alternative press has a problem exposing the biggest story of the 21st century? Doesn’t truth in news matter? Instead, they choose to steer your attention away from what’s important, or simply avoid the issue altogether because they’re too “busy” trying to suck more money out of your pockets.

It’s discouraging that this wall exists between media and the people it’s supposed to serve, and it’s reprehensible that the very same people we’re supposed to trust to inform us about what’s really going on have the audacity to bite the hand that feeds them in this manner. Nevertheless, we mustn’t allow obstructive behavior to deter us from what must be done. Each one of us must utilize every possible avenue available to get the word out to America, with or without the help of the gatekeeper press, whether it’s labeled mainstream or alternative. They have slowed the process down, but they haven’t been able to stop the flow of information. This is why they hide from people like you and me, because they know that the truth is here and it’s about to hit them right between the eyes. No wonder they exhibit this desperate, paranoid need for anonymity, filtering mechanisms and screeners. We must work harder to rouse the attention of America, to counter the lies and spin, to overwhelm these media cowards with the very thing they fear - the truth. Ignoring us will not make us go away.

The question is: will truth ever mean anything to the intellectual prostitutes currently sitting on the most important criminal cover-up of our time, those who represent this nation’s establishment, and a good chunk of alternative “media”? I’d say “time will tell,” but in all honesty, the clock’s winding down on us. We must put pressure on our handcuffed press NOW. Walter Lippman once said, “The news and truth are not the same thing.” Folks, we must not settle for just being an "alternative". Truth and news should (and must) go hand in hand. I’m putting all you mainstream and alternative cowards on notice: the games are over. We’re coming in. You’re either with the people or with the “terrorists”. Which is it?