Alarmism needed on US government shutdown showdown

By FERDINAND MWONGELA

The US federal government shutdown two weeks ago, and no one is talking about it. International media report the shutdown like it were a trivial happening in some God forsaken backwater company.

Oh wait! They are not, because if they were reporting on something in some backward country, the headlines would be screaming. ‘Inept government’, ‘quarrelsome politicians’, ‘economy in the doldrums’, ‘country gone to the dogs’ and a few other choice phrases come to mind. Following the aftermath of the Westgate attack, coverage on international news media was alarmist, one would have been forgiven for thinking that our entire security apparatus was falling apart, and it was every man for himself.

Camouflage

I came across satirical piece on how the US media would report the shutdown if it were happening elsewhere on a certain website, and I quote: “Six years into his rule, Obama’s position can appear confusing, even contradictory. Though the executive retains control of the country’s powerful intelligence service, capable of the extra judicial execution of the regime’s opponents half a world away, the president’s efforts to govern domestically have been stymied in the legislature by an extremist rump faction of the main opposition party.”

That alone reminded me of something about the US media; they camouflage problems at home while trumpeting about the neighbour’s problems. The concept must be somewhere, hidden amidst my journalism lessons.

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I wonder what it would be like if media in third world countries took the story and ran with it, you know, much like the way we cover US elections with gusto and special editions. Or like the international media cover virtually everything from this end of the ladder.

Glee

It would certainly be refreshing to see Americans raising furore online on the coverage of their country. Much like the local ‘twitterati’ came out guns, oops sorry, 140 characters blazing, on the portrayal of their country at a crossroads in the run up to the last General Election. Remember the chaps in some forest covered in some unga-like substance? The show on the other foot situation certainly seems like an idea a few chaps I know would jump at with glee.

Stockpiles

And then Slate winds up their satirical piece: “…the current crisis has raised questions in the international community about the regime’s ability to govern this complex nation of 300 million people, not to mention its vast stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction….”

We would, of course, hopefully, get together and give the country governed by one of our own a helping hand, send a few cows, maybe even some oil. But maybe I am dreaming and need to spend more time off the web, doing something healthy like running across Mombasa.