AIG mess shows power of the media

Let me preface this by saying people are properly indignant by the excesses of the AIG mess. It is indeed an abject lesson in corporate greed. That being said, I have been mildly amused and not a little frightened by the way the media has fanned the flames against the leadership of AIG. Our elected officials are falling all over themselves to be first in line to denounce the greedy sobs in front of as many cameras and microphones as possible.

It dawned on me how easy it is for politicians, with the aid of the media, to turn a large portion of the population against anything, anyone or any group. That's not to say that AIG didn't have this coming, their personnel moves are nothing short of a public-relations nightmare. But we hear politicians demanding the names of employees who got bonuses. What happens if those names are made public and some indignant taxpayer takes it upon themselves to extract revenge on one of them?

How difficult would it be for someone in a position of authority to manipulate the media ­- whip the general population into a state of frenzy - over some issue that this individual can use for his or her own interests?

Thomas Butler Palatine