Media

Manipulated

Valerie Cullers 9 Comments

“Go ahead and hate your neighbor. Go ahead and cheat a friend. Do it in the name of heaven, you can justify it in the end.” (From the song, “One Tin Soldier”)

Last evening, I went for a walk with my neighbor. She was talking about how she was cornered by a person at a gathering. This person asked who she was going to vote for. My neighbor said, “That’s my business.” We can all agree the person asked an impertinent question. Who we vote for is entirely our own business, but my neighbor felt pressured by this woman/ who is rabid about her politics. My neighbor is not a party person. She votes for the person she thinks will best do the job. She does not want to be intimidated by people or put into a box to be checked about which party she belongs to.

I think we can all relate to how my neighbor feels. We live in a climate where the media and influencers like to cause a rift or division among people because of their political views. You see, if people are busy hating their neighbor because of their political views, they will not look up and really evaluate what is happening in the government. A good, hard look at the activity or inactivity in Congress is a real eye-opener.

As citizens in this society, we must not fall for this manipulation. I grew up in a time when Democrats and Republicans worked together to pass bills in the House and Senate. The good of the country or state was more important than taking a hard line on issues and refusing to work for a compromise that would get the problems solved. We now live in a time where political gridlock is par for the course, and citizens are supposed to accept this inaction as normative.

Let’s wake up to this societal manipulation. Quit listening to media influencers who denigrate the people in the opposing political party. The majority of Americans have similar concerns about most of the important issues. How we address those concerns should include both sides of the political equation having a say in the solution.

Jesus said, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” And yes, that includes the neighbor who has a Trump – Vance or Harris – Walz sign up on their lawn. Don’t fall prey to the notion that we should denigrate those who hold a different political view than we do.

Photo by Beasternchen. Courtesy of Pixabay.

The Press Gets Played Like A Fiddle Every Time

Valerie Cullers 5 Comments

pexels-photo-37719.jpegAll through the campaign and now during the Trump presidency, I have watched him play the media over and over. “There is no such thing as bad publicity,” is a quote often attributed to P.T. Barnum. It would seem to me that the President believes this and takes advantage of the media practically on a daily basis.

Time and again, I have watched the President make offhand remarks that could be construed as offensive. Sometimes the remarks are downright offensive, and the media has picked them up and ranted and raved about them incessantly. Most of the statements that the press has made into issues of national import could easily have been ignored, and the press could have focused its time and energy on matters of true national importance.

There ARE real matters of national importance, and it seems the press cannot bring itself to focus on them because the President keeps saying things that drive them crazy. I had an uncle who used to do the same thing, i.e., if things were too quiet, he would make some outrageous statement and everyone in the family would focus on it. He would sit back smiling as he watched everyone react to what he said.

I see this played out over and over again on a national level. This week, it is about what he said to a Gold Star widow, and every newscast in the country led with it. Of course, we all care about the feelings of the wife of one of our brave soldiers who gave his life for our country, but the press has made it into a sideshow. Again, they have been duped into spending their time criticizing the President for a poor choice of words instead of focusing on the real issues that are going on in the country. Have you heard anything about Houston, Florida or Puerto Rico this week?

As a person who would like to watch the news without this drama being continually played out, I would like to say to the press, “Stop it! Don’t take the bait. Don’t continue to totally focus on the foibles of this President. We will all be much happier and better informed if you will focus on the issues that concern us.”

If you don’t think what I’m saying is true, think back to the election. Hillary Clinton could not get any traction because the press was continually focused on Donald Trump. Most of the focus was negative, to be sure, but he still held their attention, and they continually reported on him. The press seems to be proving P.T. Barnum correct,and it is a shame to be sure.