According to the editor, ninety percent of Spirit readers have attended college. That sounds high, but maybe the things I say sound high too.
This blog, "Land of the Blind" is meant to be about politics and media, and today I'd like to sound off a little on local media.
The reason I got involved with Metro Spirit is not because I love to party downtown, it's because I think the news in Augusta is pretty bad and the Spirit could do better as the "alternative" news source to cover things that the Chronicle, the local TV stations, and the local radio shows either don't touch or slant the way we all know they do. (After all, we're all educated here, right?) Not to say I'm not grateful for the opportunity to write here- I absolutely am.
But the story that motivated me to actually start writing is one that we don't seem to hear about. It's a story about Georgia that doesn't get told in Georgia.
Months ago when I read about the impending execution of a man with a strong case of innocence who couldn't get a trial to consider his innocence, I searched to find local coverage of it. I didn't see any and got the idea to encourage some. I called TV stations, radio stations, and newspapers. Most told me to get lost. When I called the Spirit, I was relieved to talk to a decent human being who nevertheless told me that it would need a local angle. Looking back I realize I should have just created a local angle somehow. (I regret not setting up a dunk tank downtown- are those expensive? Would Austin sit in it?) I've missed a lot of opportunities on this, but with your help it's not too late for a big push from the state's second biggest city. It's easy. Just read about it (it's interesting reading- I've had my nose in this one since October) and sign a petition.
Don't listen to me. Read what a big shot has to say about this shocking thirty car pile-up of craziness in our very own state justice system. If you don't like bleeding heart liberal Jimmy Carter, I bet you like Libertarian and death penalty supporter Bob Barr. Don't trust Desmond Tutu? How about former FBI director (and another pro-death penalty guy) William Sessions? Noam Chomsky, Howard Zinn (come on, I thought you guys went to college), the Pope? The Indigo Girls? No, the Indigo Girls don't help at all, do they? Unless of course you're in college right now and trying out some new stuff. How about let's go back to the very beginning- what about hearing from the guy whose cries for help brought the hero cop to his doom?
Please take a minute, see what's up, and sign a petition saying you don't want this execution to go through without a fair trial first. (Not to point fingers, but Chatham County is known to screw up with death sentences.) You don't have to know he's innocent to sign. In fact, you can't know. I don't care how close you came to graduating college, you're not Matlock! Signing only means that we mean to be a civilized country that values truth and justice. Love America while you sign. And if you're a professor please sign this special smartypants petition to make an extra impression.
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