News in the Age of MAGA

Many of you who read this blog regularly will remember the name Walter Cronkite. He was the anchor for the CBS Evening News from 1962 to 1981, and was known through that time as "The Most Trusted Man in America." His honors included two Peabody Awards*, a George Polk Award**, an Emmy Award, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom***. 

I can remember the deep, calm voice of Walter Cronkite announcing the news of the day with clarity and gravitas, ending his broadcasts with his signature sign-off, "And that's the way it is for (date)." His was the voice that reported on many of the biggest events of the 20th century: Watergate; the Iran Hostage Crisis; the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy and civil rights pioneer Martin Luther King Jr.; and the American space program, from Project Mercury to the Moon landings to the Space Shuttle. 

Contrast Walter Cronkite's news with today's news, which is a national embarrassment.

A fractured media landscape allows us to pick only the "news" outlets that report what we want to hear, and some major outlets - like Fox "News," Newsmax, and OANN - are aggressively and proudly partisan, stoking outrage while ignoring facts that contradict their narrative. "Reporters" fail to push back against obviously untrue statements, fail to demand proof of the most outrageous allegations, and allow their interviewees to present utter balderdash without effective questioning.

As one example, on a CNN program yesterday, conservative commentator Scott Jennings thundered in outrage at great length on what he saw as the violent "liberal" language and aims of the Charlie Kirk murderer, while refusing to acknowledge similar violent language common to right-wing advocates (and, indeed, Der Furor) ... and the moderator did not force the issue, instead only limply acknowledging the "anger" of the right.

The First Amendment to the Constitution forbids the government from "... abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press ...," and yet mainstream news organizations have largely failed to push back against threats coming from Der Furor and his wholly-coopted Department of Justice to do just that. The so-called defenders of freedom of speech and the press have backed down in the face of threats from Der Furor, instead of holding the line of press freedom and an informed public.

Our treasured freedoms are under attack as never before. A GOP-dominated Congress goes along, as does a cabinet and Supreme Court stacked with Der Furor's incompetent and kowtowing appointees. In the words of the old Joni Mitchell song, "... you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone." 

And, at the rate we're going, it'll be gone all too soon.

Have a good day. Speak up for your freedoms, even if those we depend upon won't. More thoughts coming.

Bilbo

* Which honor "the most powerful, enlightening, and invigorating stories in all of television, radio, and online media."

** Which honors "the intrepid, bold, and influential work of the reporters themselves, placing a premium on investigative work that is original, resourceful, and thought-provoking."

*** Which honors individuals for "... a lifetime of significant achievements in the arts, public service, science, or other fields." It has been somewhat cheapened during Der Furor's administrations by being presented as a reward to such outspoken and divisive conservative political figures as Rush Limbaugh, Rudy Giuliani, and Charlie Kirk.