Short Memories

A few weeks ago Barack Obama was excoriated by the right wing press and Polish government for having called the Nazi extermination camps located in Poland 'Polish death camps'. The president apologized for this gaffe, but few journalists recalled that back in 2008 the Polish foreign minister made the following joke. “Have you heard that Obama may have a Polish connection? His grandfather ate a Polish missionary.” The Polish government had not denied the statement, but protested that its intent hadn't been racist. Short memories are a blessing for the media. No one can remember anything, since most of what they report is crap.