Seventy-One Hit, Twelve Dead and Counting

A young friend posted this on Facebook this morning: "Cannot adequately express how DEVASTATED I am that the legend of my generation seems to be shootings and terrorism. what is wrong with this world?"

That heartfelt post got me thinking about the question and contemplating my favorite irritant, "Media and the end of a Civil Society".  I doubt that anyone will disagree that the alleged shooter, James Holmes, was mentally unbalanced, but what are the cultural influences that feed the manifestation of that unbalance?

We've always dealt with random acts of violence and senseless chaos and mayhem, of one sort or another, but with the invention of Television and the subsequent proliferation of instant, mindless and unfiltered (not censured; filtered) daily delivery of horrific images and thoughtless and discourteous human interactions, the slide into incivility and arrogance became accepted.

Violence is part of human nature, it is a protective mechanism which, under mindful circumstances, can be useful, even life-saving. Violence untempered with civility and the recognition of the humanity of our fellow beings leads to the kind of violence to which my friend refers.

We're not that long, as beings, off of all fours. As societies  emerged and the competition for resources increased and we formed extended family units, tribes, to ensure our survival. Tribes led to territorial imperative and thus the dehumanization of those of other tribes, cultures, races and attitudes.

We dehumanize because it's easier. It's easier to call someone an asshole than to empathize with what may be causing that behavior. It's easier to dehumanize than to accept someone's differences as we wish them to accept ours.

This dehumanization manifests itself in the absence of courtesy and acknowledgement, the disappearance of the simple civilities of "please" and "thank-you", "if you don't mind" and "may I?".  

We dehumanize all Middle-Easterners as "terrorists". All African-Americans as "lazy", all Latinos as "illegals." All Poles as "dumb" all Irish as "drunkards". Get the idea?

All kids, have always played war games, whether they've been fighting with sticks or acting out militant motion pantomime as in mock sword fights.It's part of our nature. Today those games take on a frightening reality with the addition of the electronic devices of our generation and thus the dehumanization, violence and takes on a fantasy aspect that transfers to our relations with actual people.

These games, the violent cartoons, the blood and mayhem newscasts, the plethora of bloodthirsty, demonic maniacal movies and Television shows are not the cause, they are the reflection. They are a mirror of our attitudes not the initiator. They reinforce our innate need to separate to protect ourselves and our turf. Our source of survival.

So what is the answer? It starts at the moment of birth with a loving, nurturing parent who views the newborn as a whole human being, an independent being that deserves respect and affirmation of sovereignty.

  

That may not be the magic panacea for all of society's ills, but it's a damn good start.

Whatever Happened to Journalism?

I started my career in broadcasting when radio was less than a quarter century old; when major markets had only three or four television stations and those of us who were lucky enough to find our way into the media were just trying to figure out what the "one-eyed monster" was all about. We were inventing television and redefining radio as we went along. We had studios equipped with one or maybe two black and white cameras, and if we wanted to change lenses we did so on the air. There was no audio or videotape, no satellites, no 24 hr "news cycles" and no cable. If you wanted to record something you actually cut an acetate record or used Craig Curtis' new technology called Kinescope.

We, plunged forward with an idealism and intellectual integrity that, at best, could be called naive.

Of this we were sure, news was sacrosanct. When we went on the air we were journalists in the tradition of the newspaper columnists, writers and reporters who preceded us and from whom we learned. Broadcasting was taught in the journalism classes in both High Schools and College. There were no talking heads, no anchors filling time interviewing other anchors who echo their opinions. When there was a difference of opinion among qualified experts and guests, nobody tried to shout each other down with half truths and hyperbolic bullshit. We treated our audience and ourselves with respect. 

Today, when I force myself to sample what purports itself to be news, either local or on cable, I am heartsick. No matter where you look it's the same fear mongering, chirpy, over made-up chipmunks and concerned faced silver haired and tonged anchors mouthing endless platitudes aimed at convincing us that something "could've' happened except for the fact that they themselves are on guard and on the scene.

Now, why this harangue? Because last night I watched the first episode of HBO's new original drama "THE NEWSROOM".  From the opening Jeff Daniels monologue, aimed at an anchor to be, through the evolution of the program it is obvious that  Aaron Sorkin the producer/writer, is fed up with the state of broadcast news and is willing to say so in no uncertain terms. Check it out, so far it's an honest attempt to comment on the cynical underestimating the intelligence of the American audience, the disappearance of broadcast journalism and what might be a way to bring it back.

We STILL don't learn shit from history

Part 2.

The following is from Democratic President Harry Truman, while on a cross country campaign tour in 1948. On September 19, Truman said: "You stayed home in 1946 (referring to the mid-term Congressional election) and you got the 80th Congress, and you got just exactly what you deserved. You didn't exercise your God-given right to to control this country. Now you're going to have another chance."  

Then on September 20th: "Understand me, when I speak of what Republicans (The 80th Congress) have been doing. I'm not talking of the average Republican voter," Truman told the twenty-five thousand people spread across the lawn of the State Capitol at Denver.

      "Nobody knows better than I that man for man, individually, most Republicans are fine people. But there's a big difference between the individual Republican voter and the policies of the Republican Party. Something happens to Republican leaders when they get control of Government.

      Republicans in Washington have a habit of becoming curiously deaf to the voice of the people. They have a hard time hearing what the ordinary people of the country are saying. But they have no trouble at all hearing what Wall Street is saying. They are able to catch the slightest whisper from big business and the special interests."       

Sound familiar?

We don't learn shit from history!

Years ago I did a radio interview with PBS Program Host and Historian David McCullough. His monumental biography of Harry S. Truman had just been released in paperback and I was lucky enough to catch him for a chat. The book, Truman, is over 1,100 pages and took more than 10 years to compile and write. I didn't have time to do more than a quick scan before the interview, but at that time I was blown away by the meticulous detail of both the man and his Presidency, including the political machinations and divisiveness between the sitting Democratic President and the Republican Congress. (You've just guessed where I'm going with this.) A couple of weeks ago, perhaps out of guilt, I picked it up and started reading. 

The parallels between 1947 and today are shocking. Just as shocking are the reversed partisan politics between the Bush administration and his equally recalcitrant Democratic Congress. The only thing lacking to make the comparison perfect is the fact that Truman didn't have to deal with the 24 hour cable news cycles and instantaneous and uneducated media bias of Fox and MSNBC and their ilk. Now what's the point of all this?  It's to recognize the almost divine intervention of some sort of higher power in the framing of the United States Constitution. Administration after administration from John Adams on has faced the exact same resistance and partisan bickering as did Truman, Bush and Obama. And yet, through crisis after crisis, military conflicts, economic disasters, 2 world wars and a usually incompetent Congress, the United States and our abused and battered representative democracy has survived. 

Customer Service (AN OXYMORON)

I'VE JUST WASTED THREE HOURS ON-LINE AND ON THE PHONE TRYING TO:

A. Book a flight using United Mileage Plus Miles (Nope)

B. Use United Mileage Plus Miles for an Upgrade on Star Alliance Partner Air Canada (Nope)

C. Acquire a New Chase Sapphire Credit Card, website problems (Nope)

D. Talk directly to Chase Sapphire without going through Chase Mileage Plus (Nope)

     Cannot access Sapphire without going through Mileage Plus Portal (Nope)

E.  Apply on-line for a Capitol One Venture Card (Nope)

F.  Deal with 5 Capitol One website time-outs including an application verification time-out (Nope)

G. Make sense to the Filipino Capitol One Representative before he disconnected the call (Nope)

H. Convince the second Capitol One Filipina Representative that the first Filipino Representative had said that my application was approved (FICA Score over 800) 

and finally I've got a rewards credit with Miles I can actually use (Yes)

Now, I've got to go take my Blood Pressure Med's.

NO WONDER THE 99% IS SO ANGRY AND IT AIN'T GONNA GET NO BETTER FOLKS! 

Our Demopublican Government

Well it's silly season and the giant poobahs have taken up the cudgel, mounted their media steeds and are charging at each other with vicious abandon. Ho Hum.The only good thing about this Presidential Election is that it will be over November 7th.

(Click the picture for the full story)

Smiley with an Idiot Twist

Thanks to my good friend, Photoshop Wizard and fantastic Photographic Artist Klaus Lange for the new Smiley which I will use gratefully when appropriate. For a real treat, visit Klaus's website;  The Astonishing Beauty of the Sides of Ships You'll be amazed at what you sea.