Can Polarized Americans Trust Their Own Eyes?
By James Donahue
Our nation is caught up in what may be its worst test of endurance yet; the radical financial take-over by big corporate bosses while the professional clown in Washington keeps all eyes focused on him. Never a day passes that the Trump isn’t announcing some new and even more controversial policy decision than the last.
Recently Trump was calling for capital punishment for drug dealers, for increased interest on outstanding student loan debt, is opening all offshore waters to allow for oil and gas well drilling, and is calling for a “space fleet” of military conquest of space. He has cut funding for the Environmental Protection Agency and sent home key staff at a time when that agency is needed more than ever in its history. He is turning over large sections of the nation’s treasured parks to the mercy of oil, gas, lumber and mining interests. This and other terrible news is flashing before our eyes with such speed that most Americans are becoming immune to the shock; not knowing where to start in defense of the personal values that are being snatched from under our noses.
Columnist Chris Hedges, in a recent commentary about the media’s role in this ongoing national blight wrote:
“The press, giddy with its newfound sense of mission and purpose, is carrying out a moral crusade against Donald Trump. The airwaves and print have shed their traditional claims of ‘impartiality’ and ‘objectivity.’ They fulminate against Trump, charging—falsely—that he was elected because of Russian interference and calling him a liar, ignorant and incompetent. They give airtime to his bitterest critics and bizarre associates, such as Omarasa Manigault-Newman, a onetime star of “The Apprentice” and now a fired White House aide, and Stormy Daniels, the porn actress who says she had a sexual relationship with Trump. It is great entertainment. It is great for ratings. It is great for profits. But it is not moral, and it is not journalism.”
Indeed, but with so much daily chaos . . . including the daily firings of key White House staff . . . the placement of controversial characters with shaded history in their place . . . and Trump’s radical insults on foreign allies . . . where do journalists turn for genuine news stories? The circus is so loud and colorful that attempts by professional research journalists to get “the real story” are squashed in the rush for the top story of the hour.
Hedges writes: “The most astute critics of empire, including Andrew Bacevich, are banished, as are critics of corporate power, including Ralph Nader and Chomsky. Those who decry the waste within the military, such as MIT Professor Emeritus Ted Postol, who has exposed the useless $13 billion anti-ballistic missile program, are unheard. Advocates of universal health care, such as Dr. Margaret Flowers, are locked out of national health care debates. There is a long list of the censored. The acceptable range of opinion is so narrow it is almost nonexistent.”
It is obvious the dying print empire and public television networks, are also bought, owned and controlled by big corporate bosses who influence the direction of the cameras and lights when alleged “news” events are happening. True journalism is not dead, but the men and women who believe in it are now driven into private and financially struggling Internet news blogs like this one.
And we find ourselves turning to editorial commentary because we are finding an outlet here to vent our daily frustrations.
As experienced journalists we share a great fear; that our demise will lead to extreme control of a misinformed citizenry. When this happens villains like the ones now ravaging the halls of state and federal government will drive our nation into permanent oligarchy. Our cries from the sidelines will be silenced forever.
By James Donahue
Our nation is caught up in what may be its worst test of endurance yet; the radical financial take-over by big corporate bosses while the professional clown in Washington keeps all eyes focused on him. Never a day passes that the Trump isn’t announcing some new and even more controversial policy decision than the last.
Recently Trump was calling for capital punishment for drug dealers, for increased interest on outstanding student loan debt, is opening all offshore waters to allow for oil and gas well drilling, and is calling for a “space fleet” of military conquest of space. He has cut funding for the Environmental Protection Agency and sent home key staff at a time when that agency is needed more than ever in its history. He is turning over large sections of the nation’s treasured parks to the mercy of oil, gas, lumber and mining interests. This and other terrible news is flashing before our eyes with such speed that most Americans are becoming immune to the shock; not knowing where to start in defense of the personal values that are being snatched from under our noses.
Columnist Chris Hedges, in a recent commentary about the media’s role in this ongoing national blight wrote:
“The press, giddy with its newfound sense of mission and purpose, is carrying out a moral crusade against Donald Trump. The airwaves and print have shed their traditional claims of ‘impartiality’ and ‘objectivity.’ They fulminate against Trump, charging—falsely—that he was elected because of Russian interference and calling him a liar, ignorant and incompetent. They give airtime to his bitterest critics and bizarre associates, such as Omarasa Manigault-Newman, a onetime star of “The Apprentice” and now a fired White House aide, and Stormy Daniels, the porn actress who says she had a sexual relationship with Trump. It is great entertainment. It is great for ratings. It is great for profits. But it is not moral, and it is not journalism.”
Indeed, but with so much daily chaos . . . including the daily firings of key White House staff . . . the placement of controversial characters with shaded history in their place . . . and Trump’s radical insults on foreign allies . . . where do journalists turn for genuine news stories? The circus is so loud and colorful that attempts by professional research journalists to get “the real story” are squashed in the rush for the top story of the hour.
Hedges writes: “The most astute critics of empire, including Andrew Bacevich, are banished, as are critics of corporate power, including Ralph Nader and Chomsky. Those who decry the waste within the military, such as MIT Professor Emeritus Ted Postol, who has exposed the useless $13 billion anti-ballistic missile program, are unheard. Advocates of universal health care, such as Dr. Margaret Flowers, are locked out of national health care debates. There is a long list of the censored. The acceptable range of opinion is so narrow it is almost nonexistent.”
It is obvious the dying print empire and public television networks, are also bought, owned and controlled by big corporate bosses who influence the direction of the cameras and lights when alleged “news” events are happening. True journalism is not dead, but the men and women who believe in it are now driven into private and financially struggling Internet news blogs like this one.
And we find ourselves turning to editorial commentary because we are finding an outlet here to vent our daily frustrations.
As experienced journalists we share a great fear; that our demise will lead to extreme control of a misinformed citizenry. When this happens villains like the ones now ravaging the halls of state and federal government will drive our nation into permanent oligarchy. Our cries from the sidelines will be silenced forever.