|
Dissolve into Evergreens
|
||||
|
WWKDD Standing Around Out of Control Driving Around a Little Loco-Motion HAL Up and Away Escape from Exile Opps, my bad A historical look at marriage Just a couple of qu... Justin Oldham - Politics and Patriotism
Wilco The Flaming Lips The New Radicals John Mayer Zero 7 Dream Theater Radiohead Death Cab for Cutie The Notwist O.S.I. Ani Difranco The Shins Elliott Smith Badly Drawn Boy Chroma Key Coheed and Cambria The Streets Andrew Bird Sufjan Stevens Atom Site Feed 
|
7.01.2004
OK, its been a while since I've covered this topic but I am still amazed by the sheer stupidity exhibited by both sides here. Liberal = free thought, free expression Conservative = Orthodoxy, authority (in a simplified nutshell) So taking that into consideration: Why aren't more Conservatives speaking at graduation ceremonies? Could it be that universities are traditionally institutions that promote free thought and free expression? Or is it a grand evil conspiracy by the liberals to stifle conservative voices? The Young America's Foundation spokesman feels it is "a real disservice" to students to prevent them from hearing a balanced variety of ideas at graduation. Last year he represented YAF on a panel about liberal bias on college campuses at the 30th Annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC). Liberal bias on college campuses? What are we to do about that? Next they'll be telling us that there is a conservative bias in church. Isn't it dishonest to expect colleges, an institution dedicated to liberal ideas and values to give balanced time to voices that advocate a strict adherence to authority? Do we really want people like John Ashcroft, who thinks that giving a U.S. citizen the right to challenge their indefinite detention by the U.S. government an "additional right", speaking at a Law School graduation? Do we want people like Tim Lehay, a creationist with a whacked out apocalyptic vision of the future speaking to a crowd of engineering students? Or even better, would we want Bush up there explaining how terrorists are EVIL to some newly minted philosophy graduates? Hell, they'd either get booed or laughed off the stage. So we can't take this whining seriously. Its just another attempt to shame liberals into giving conservatives a bully pulpit from which they can denounce liberals and the value of free thought. And straight into my other peeve for today. What's with everyone calling their Public Relations "news". The NRA now has a news station. Can we take that seriously. We know they are a lobbying group for looser gun restrictions. That's fine, they have every right to do so. But c'mon, you know what kind of "news" to expect? Anchor: "This just in, assault rifle used to prevent burglary, let's go live to the scene!" Reporter: "Yes, Cam, thank GOD that this American Citizen had an assault rifle when this man [image of blood soaked sheet covering a body] tried to break into his home early this afternoon. Thank GOD for the second amendment right to BEAR ARMS. We're lucky the liberals and John Kerry have not had a chance to prevent this honest citizen from exercising his rights as laid down in the constitution. NO telling what would have happened had this event occurred AFTER the November election and a ANTI-GUN John Kerry had been sitting in the White House! Anchor: "Wow, I shudder at the thought! In other news.. we'll find out which guns taste better when shoved down your throat." Sure, you can editorialize all you want but don't try to dress it up as news. I can't even bring myself to call 80% of what's on cable "news" programs news at all. They're shouting matches. Its like Jerry Springer but with Capital Hillbillies instead of the real thing. What makes programs like NRA news any different from that "news" show late at night where the guests sit around and talk about the new "calcium" supplement? It all comes from this absurd notion that its fair because "the media" have been biased all along. The media is biased towards conventional wisdom, its how they can tell a story in such a short span of time. But once you assume its deliberate you can rationalize doing the same thing for your own views and dressing it up as "news". We all know what news is supposed to look and sound like. Its a reporting of the facts as they happen. We know editiorializing when we see and hear it as well. It pushing an interpretation of the news. Let's not confuse the two ok? (and yes, my satire of NRA news was an exaggeration) |
Comments:
Post a Comment
|
About Me
Any Box 
|
||
|
Dissolve into Evergreens
|
||||
