Fairness in Blogging

OK, I bag on the MSM a lot. So it's nice to see some old-fashioned muckracking journalism.

The first stories lay out a beauracratic nightmare encountered in long-term recovery at Walter Reed. Crap housing is one of the failures spotlighted.

The followup is also well-done.

OK, let's take a look at why I consider this a good piece of journalism.

1) It spotlights a real problem. We aren't talking some terrorist in Gitmo whinging because his lobster dinner is cold. Wounded GIs living in moldy rooms is a real problem.

2) The article wasn't written in a manner that uses the the problem as a way to take cheap shots at politicians or to push a partisan political agenda.

3) Follow-up. This is a serious failing of Journalism Today [tm]. Something is the Story of the Day, and you never see any follow-up. I hope sincerely that the WaPo keeps on this story.

Now, it traditionally is considered a Bad Thing to 'skip the chain of command' and let outsiders into Army business. Calling your Congressman is the equivalent of waving your penis in public, etiquette-wise. The Media is about as trusted as a convicted ax-murderer. BUT, in this case I believe it is and was appropriate. There are likely good folks in the system, but the system is broken beause it was not designed to house hundreds of Soldiers for long periods of time. So the system needs to be fixed from above and outside. The officers involved aren't going to scream and shout because they will get told, 'Find a solution' but won't be given any help. A reputation as a whiner doesn't get you promoted to general.

I had some more to write on the subject, but there's this really smokin' hot chick nibbling on my ear and I've forgotten what I had to say. Gotta run.