Do you ever find yourself reading something and thinking, "W
ell, that was very simple."? I'm going to guess not. We expect things to be simpler. We are wired to find short-cuts, to find the simple way that everything works. So, when we read, or write, or look at everything around us we do not instantly expect it to be chaotic or the thousand shades of gray that it is, we expect it to be a bit clear and calm, at least. We expect it to be simple, and we start to take simple for granted.
Not so strangely, then, I came to the subject of news, journalism, and media with the impression that it was simpler. Not simplest, mind you, but still simpler. It's not. There is truly so much more to dig up here in what I'm about to share. The "rough draft of history" will always be in need of updating. Yet, more importantly, it will always be in need of checking and re-checking.
The CIA's Mysterious Role in the Arrest of Nelson Mandela seemed like a rather interesting article for a history nerd such as myself, and it isn't anything short of that. Rumors have circled for decades that the CIA may have had a hand in the arrest and 27 years Nelson Mandela spent in prison. Due to his election as president after being released from prison, his efforts in the anti-apartheid movement, as well as his awarding of a Nobel Peace Prize, there is much concern surrounding these rumors. An ex-CIA agent did come out at one time, stating he had a role passing information along about Mandela, leading to his arrest. However, both the ex-CIA agent and Nelson Mandela have passed away now, and Mr. Mandela had no concerns with the idea that the CIA may have helped put him in jail. So, why should we still be concerned about this issue?
Well, my first idea to find an answer to that question, was to learn more about the article's author,
The Washington Post journalist, Adam Taylor. The one in question, is a reporter of foreign affairs for The Washington Post who originally lived in London, England. Interestingly, he has gained some internet defamation, due to his reporting. A blogger, named Mike Cernovich has accused Adam Taylor of copying unreliable European government sources in his writing. So, I had to go do research on this man as well, to see if he was a source to be trusted. My first queue that he perhaps wasn't reliable was the fact that The Washington Post has not given any attention to these claims, (as far as I can find). It is not clear whether Cernovich works for or is accountable to any journalistic company, trustworthy or not. He is a lawyer, which is the most he will state. By his own writing with it's harsh, unprofessional, and evidently opinioned words, it appears Cernovich is rather a trouble maker than a good source. Otherwise, I found Adam Taylor to be a trustworthy.
Next, still trying to answer the question, "Why this issue?", I decided to do a background check on the Washington Post itself. The more I did that, the more I realized how tiny a background check it was, but, it should still be said. First off, I must simply state: business in America isn't just big, it's huge! Jeff Bezos owns The Washington Post, as of fall 2013. He also owns Amazon.com and many other media outputs through his company, Graham Holdings Company. On a little (but not so very little, honestly) sidenote, Jeff Bezos's net worth is more than 60 billion. Independently of it's billionaire owner, The Washington Post has been know historically as a more left-leaning media output, which has endorsed Republican candidates and right-wing actions at times, too though. But, it has been noted over the years that other media sources either help push The Washington Post either to the left or right, but still mainly the middle, to keep business going.
Due to the fact that we are looking at decades worth of rumors, and likely the CIA, it makes total sense that this issue is difficult to resolve. I think Mr. Mandela himself realized this issue may never be completely clarified, and did not even look at it as an problem worth his attention. So, maybe it's not worth ours either? Well, not exactly. History is always being discovered, rediscovered, rewritten, and rechecked. It is important to push to clear it up do the best of our abilities. And, more or less, which I lean to more, we may trust The Washington Post in it's reporting to us the new developments in uncovering history's secrets. Yet, always, so long as we are wary. Do not let names, or fallacies, or opinions blind you. Use the clever mind God has bestowed on each of us, to rightly determine the right from the wrong. Continue to be vigilant. Prudence and vigilance are some of the first steps in changing you and, inevitably, the world for God's glory.
Resources:
The Washington Post;
https://www.washingtonpost.com/people/adam-taylor
The Atlantic Journal-Constitution;
http://www.ajc.com/
The Sunday Times;
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/?sunday
The Wall Street Journal;
http://www.wsj.com/
Crime and Federalism;
http://www.crimeandfederalism.com/2014/02/adam-taylor-of-the-washington-post-caught-plagaziring-government-propaganda-site.html
Forbes;
http://www.forbes.com/profile/jeff-bezos/
