Two days ago my entry included a link to a letter from a couple of Emergency Medical Services workers that was posted on an EMS website. The letter described horrible deeds by local police around New Orleans during the worst period after Katrina hit.
I noticed today that the EMS site has replaced the letter with a link to the same letter but posted on Socialist Worker Online, with a request that all correspondence be directed there. The reason for the change isn't explained, but this probably means that the original report is not credible.
The Socialist Workers and their ilk are reprehensible on various levels, but one of their more annoying qualities is the way they stealthily attach themselves to the concerns of other people in order to create an illusion that they're leading a real movement. During the massive antiwar rallies in American cities, before we invaded Iraq, I was appalled that the idiotic ANSWER International somehow got in the driver's seat. Tens of thousands of marchers were coordinated, without even realizing it, by an outfit that thinks the North Korean regime is delightful and actively works against peace efforts in the Middle East.
I apologize to my readers and reject the culture of excuses. No excuses -- I screwed up.
Perhaps a professional journalist would have done better, but professional journalists seem to err so much these days, either towards deferential caution or the reinforcement of propaganda. They often don't earn our trust either. We bloggers must learn on the job.