April 27, 2005

Where Are the Fact-Checkers?

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One year after the Abu Ghraib scandal first broke, the Wall Street Journal has come out with a disturbing op-ed on the subject. Reading through it, I was struck by how much information was incorrect. My personal favorite is, “No evidence has been produced to support allegations that the abuses were ‘systematic’ or that they were inspired or condoned by superiors up the chain of command.” Umm, what rock has the Wall Street Journal been under? Rather than rant on and provide a counterpoint to their every point, I’ll take a tip from the Journal’s article: “Unpacking so many falsehoods takes more space than we have.” Indeed. So, I refer you to the Human Rights Watch report released today, since they’re not as concerned with how much space it takes them to unpack falsehoods. And, if you’re so inclined, send a copy of Mark Danner’s Torture and the Truth to the Wall Street Journal; they could use the background information, apparently.

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Take the next step: Help us fight for the truth.

Investigative journalism, like the story you just read, takes time to do. Months of research. Weeks of writing, editing, and fact checking—and putting together the photography, art, video, and audio that tell the stories in a new way, illuminating new perspectives and voices

We can afford to take that time because we don’t report to an oligarch or corporation with a special agenda. We report to you, and for you. That’s why we unabashedly pursue the truth and relentlessly shine a light into the darkness.

In this month’s Summer Membership Drive, we’ve got to raise $200,000 to support more crucial investigations. This is a pivotal moment in our nation, with democracy on the line, and we can only do this work because readers like you step up. Every donation, of any amount, makes a difference here. We cannot do this work without you.

So, we’re asking: Will you support independent journalism that demands those in power answer for their actions?

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