MARCH 2017

from the EDITOR
PUBLISHED BY
The Chaldean News, LLC
Media Minded
EDITORIAL
EDITOR IN CHIEF
Vanessa Denha-Garmo
MANAGING EDITORS
Denha Media Group
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When I was studying
journalism
at Wayne State
University for my undergraduate
degree, I wrote
a paper about the media
and their relationship
with past presidents. At
the time, Bill Clinton was
our President. I referenced
a book called, The Press
and the Presidency: From
George Washington to
Ronald Reagan, authored
by Sarah Mile Watts and John William
Tebbel. I have been thinking
about that paper and the book in
particular a lot lately. The two only
wrote the one edition, but I can’t
help but think a second edition
is long over-due. My paper ended
with Clinton giving an overview
of how the media has covered the
presidency over the years, and how
the authors explore the shifting and
often dangerous press-president relations.
As we look at the infancy
of the Trump’s presidency, we can
at least surmise that his is a lovehate
relationship with the media.
I have been in the media, and
working with the media for more
than 20 years. It is truly a part of
my fabric. I think my emotions are
mixed between love and hate, respect
and disgust with the media today.
Having been in it for so long, I
know first-hand the challenges and
the responsibility. A professor once
said that if we were to pursue this
profession, we would be the most
powerful people in the world. That
statement has proven to be true a
million-times over. There is great
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VANESSA
DENHA-GARMO
EDITOR IN CHIEF
CO-PUBLISHER
power in the pen and with
those who have access to
the airwaves.
Today, the media are
not the only powerful
people and this presidency
is proving it. With social
media platforms, anyone
with a large following,
including the President,
can garner just as much
and sometimes even more
attention that any single
media outlet can provide.
It has always been my belief
that Barak Obama became the 44th
President of the United States, despite
his lack of experience and
virtually no name recognition,
only because he utilized the biggest
platform in the world – The Oprah
Winfrey Show. I don’t believe there
was a more powerful public forum
he could use than the one the
Queen of Talk provided.
That show has since ended and
social media has emerged, foreverchanging
the media climate. We
all are adapting, fighting and struggling
with the “new” media. Some
issues only get the fair coverage
they deserve on social platforms.
Or, perhaps you can tell the real
story on your own platform if the
news isn’t covering it.
As far as we can tell, this President
will spend the next four
years in a tumultuous relationship
with the media. I think he is in a
“dammed if you do, dammed if you
don’t” situation. Both sides are to
blame. The old saying goes, it takes
two to tango. They are both engaged
in this dance. His untamed
tongue has triggered some of the attacks
and biased reporting, by some
media outlets, has prompted the
President to tangle via tweets.
Among the many controversial
stories in the news today was
the President’s executive order to
ban entrance of refugees or anyone
from seven Arab Countries. I am
one that doesn’t believe it is a Muslim
ban although, I do have question
as to why certain countries
were not included. However, I do
support the priority status Christians
were given for many reasons.
My opinion on that can be found
on our website.
For the purpose of this edition,
we give you the cover story that focuses
on an interview from Senator
David Trott on the issue, as well as
a side bar on his opinion about it.
We have spent that last 13 years
covering the plight of Christians
in Iraq. I co-produced the documentary
Marked on the topic. We,
as Chaldeans, know first-hand the
suffering of our brothers and sisters
in the Middle East. We must support
any effort to help them. That
was the main reason I agreed to go
on Fox 2 Detroit’s Let it Rip with
Huel Perkins and Charlie Langton.
Despite being challenged by
Congresswoman Debbie Dingell,
in her often emotional style that
the platform itself creates, I stood
my ground. This was not about
banning Muslims. It is about protecting
our country and supporting
anyone persecuted.
Regardless of the platform, the
real power is in truth. Not political
and personal agendas or media
biases. It is speaking truth, which
I always believe comes out eventually,
so why not tell it in the beginning.
You don’t need a pen that drips
powerful ink, or have a voice that
is heard by millions. You need only
to use whatever platform you stand
on to utter words of honesty and integrity.
It’s about you being mindful
of the media not about the media
controlling your mind.
Alaha Imid Koullen
(God Be With Us All)
Vanessa Denha-Garmo
vanessa@denhamedia.com
Follow her on Twitter @
vanessadenha
Follow Chaldean News on Twitter @
chaldeannews
Recent Development
On Tuesday, February 21st, Sterling
Heights’ city council voted
unanimously 7-0 to approve building
a Mosque. In the April issue,
we will take a deeper look into the
relationship between Chaldeans
and Muslims in the United States.
6 CHALDEAN NEWS MARCH 2017