That Can't Be Right? Nor Left!

While always a component of our lives, the media has never had so much of an effect on American Society as it does now. And it isn't good.

I grew up with news sources that held themselves to a high standard that would only allow their content to provide facts. As close to the truth as their efforts could bring. There was nothing worse than for a reporter to knowingly present a story that was made up or skewed to deceive the public.

Now, the media has left that principled approach to reporting so far in the rear view mirror that its content is now no more real than reality TV. They have to slant the stories to achieve an agenda. They have to tell me what to think. They have to convince me that either a conservative stance is 100% good and the liberal stance is 100% evil, or vice versa.

"Propaganda to the left of me. Propaganda to the right of me."

In the decades that I have been on this planet, I have never, ever: seen, heard, smelt, or felt anything that was 100% anything, except perhaps orange juice.

What is most disturbing now is that most Americans are buying it. People I have known my whole life to be good-hearted are now spewing the most hateful crap because they heard it on TV. And they recite it so robotically that I am afraid that I have been thrust into a 1950's sci-fi movie where all the humans have been replaced by droids. Stepford takes over America!

What is America to do? What can I do? What can you do?

Think. - Think for ourselves. Think for yourself. There is no way a billionaire's parrot, whose paid hundreds of thousands of dollars, no matter what accent you give him, can talk with any authority about the life of a person who works for a living. In fact, there is only one person who can talk for you. You! But please spend more than a few minutes thinking about what is happening around us so that the words you share are truly yours. Especially if you are hearing things that "feel" right. Hearts were meant to feel. Minds were created to think. If your only response is about what you feel, then you are using THEIR words, not YOURS.

Share - Then actually share those words. Propaganda can only exist if it also suppresses well-thought out opinions. They have to yell loud, far, and wide using a well rehearsed script that abides absolutely no hint that any other thought could possibly be true.

Respect - Last time I checked, we were all Americans. Left, right, conservative, liberal: whatever title you pick, you are describing other Americans. Citizens of our country. Whose right to speak is just as strong as is yours. And just as strong as the electronic images of talking parrots spewing propaganda on TV, or on the web. You cannot respect this country without respecting that right of free speech for everyone. IT IS THE FIRST AMENDMENT. The single most important right in the Bill of Rights. The single most powerful weapon we have to defend our country - The UNITED States of America.

Every American is afforded the right to speak their mind. Even if you disagree with what they say. Especially if you disagree with what they say. It is what makes our country different from EVERY other country that has ever existed on this planet. Be proud of this. Respect this. Celebrate this. Defend this. Fulfill this. That is what an American is more than anything else.