First I must make a confession. I no longer watch the news…not local, not CNN, not MSNBC not any news. Any info I get comes from bloggers, liberal radio and other internet sources. I turned off the tv on Nov. 3rd after Kerry’s speech and haven’t watched one iota of news since. So maybe I’m not really qualified to speak on this topic…but that’s not going to stop me.
After listening to Randi Rhodes and some of the Majority Report tonight I began to think about our media. Most people get their news from cable stations because it’s easy. Flip the channel on the hour and catch up with the headlines. But the headlines are probably not telling people what they need to hear.
Was there any discussion on today’s news about the laws being passed that give pharmacists the right to refuse to dispense medication based on their so called moral beliefs?
Was there any mention in the news about a state passing a bill today that allows any medical personnel immunity from prosecution for refusing to treat anyone they consider not moral or against their own personal moral beliefs?
Did anyone happen to see a great story about how our judicial branch of government is being threatened by rightwing zealots?
I think by now you get my drift. We have been waiting for the American people to wake up. An illegal war didn’t do it. Election irregularities didn’t even cause a stir. Social security has some looking through the squinting eyes as one coming out of a deep sleep. And now Terry Schaivo has people getting out of bed.
Okay so now the alarm clock has started to ring. So what do we do now. The stories I mentioned above are the ones that will get people moving –believe me they will jump out of bed if they see what is really going on here. The Schaivo case has proven that. The recent polling shows this without a doubt. It is the bedroom issues that are going to get America moving again. No one wants the government to tell them how to pray, believe (or not) in God, or to make so called moral decisions for them.
So its time for us to get moving also. Talk these issues up! Start writing to CNN, MSNBC,etc. E-mail Matthews, Olbermann, Russert, and Stephanopoulos(I’m sure I murdered that name!). And don’t stop with the supposed fair and balanced press. Hit the real conservatives too. I know Fox is a hopeless cause but some conservatives are not. True conservatives who have been seen to disagree with the repugs on the Shaivo case will possibly be receptive to this type of discussion. George Will is one that comes to mind.
Maybe, just maybe these stories will get some coverage. I don’t know if this will work, but I do know it will never work if we don’t try. And if it doesn’t…well my favorite pastime is telling everyone I know (and some people I don’t know) what is going on in our government these days.
I know many of you will think that this is a futile cause but I am tired of waking up each morning more depressed than the last. I’m tired of feeling helpless and hopeless. And most of all I’m tired of looking at my kids and wondering what kind of future they will have if our country keeps traveling on its present course. So…tomorrow I will start writing to anyone and everyone with any ability to get these news stories heard.