May we never confuse honest dissent with disloyal subversion. Dwight D. Eisenhower
This quote jumped out at me when I was looking for peace quotes for yesterday’s blog about International Peace Day. I immediately thought of Fox News and Conservative Talk Radio. There is no honest dissent on these entertainment networks because they are more about ego and opinion then they are about honesty. Fox News and Talk radio are really acting more as disloyal subversion to the healthy workings of this nation.
They don’t want our government to succeed. Instead they want, just a minute I am unsure what they want, maybe that is because they spend so much time and resources on what is wrong. I know they want the right to carry guns. I know they detest government oversight. I know many disbelieve in science. I know many hate social security and medicare because they don’t like the government helping people out. I know they don’t like change. I know they don’t like taxes but they want government protection, fire services etc. I know they don’t like people who think differently or have different religious beliefs. They focus much more on what the problems are than the solutions.
Then all this got me thinking or wondering about the human psyche and curious about what is going on inside for most of us. Are we in a time of disruption because we are about to make a leap in consciousness? Are we bleeding emotionally from less caring about each others? Is there a dumbing down because of TV driven by opinion and misinformation not exploration and the pursuit of learning? Do we as individuals feel less powerful to bring about real change when Washington DC is gridlocked by the influence of money? As a planet have we become so populated that we feel the need to hang to that status quo more desperately? Have many given up their individual ability to think critically/objectively becoming more rigid in their thinking in an attempt to feel less afraid? Is there more anger going around and less tolerance of others happening in our country? Are people forgetting the bigger picture that we are all connected on this speck of a planet, are they forgetting the importance of compassion for each other?
These are some of my concerns as I look around and see so many people all stirred up about things that are going on even when there is a clear need for change like in healthcare. There are no clear solutions but anger, less tolerance, closed-mindedness, blame, and rationalization are not working for the good of anyone.
There is an interesting campaign happening over at Buzzflash.com about Fox News. Check it out.