I find it amazing and humorous the overwhelming reaction to Harriet Miers’ nomination to the Supreme Court. This reaction exemplifies an exhausting string of news reports that we, the American People, endure on a daily basis thanks to the 24/7 cable news coverage, our local news, and the rags we call newspapers. At 5:00am each morning our television powers on to wake us up and help start the day. Each morning the news anchor tells us about every death, robbery, and car accident from the day and night before. My wife switches over to Fox News as she gets ready for work. The “Friends” spend the morning talking up the so called “major” news story the entire morning. It doesn’t matter the story. Each is talked about like it is the most important thing that has ever happened.
For the past few weeks we have endure the terror of Katrina “kicked up” for massive news distribution. When the President nominates a trusted friend and attorney for Associate Supreme Court Justice and we conservatives have a little trouble with the fact that we don’t get to smack down the LibDems, the media cranks up the story to say the President is now weakened.
I would love to turn on the television, pick up the newspaper, or cruise the net and find stories about things that are really important. During Katrina I was among several staff members and volunteers who spent hours working a donations drop off warehous for Katrina victims. The local media came and covered the event, squeezing it in between a couple stories of death and destruction. This type of donation work occurred all over the country. How much major news coverage did you see about it? We heard over and over the disaster that is New Orleans. We heard about the body counts, the displaced, and the ruin. What we heard little about was the overwhelming outpour of support from America.
The President gave a great speech yesterday about the War on Terrorism (the most important issue of this time). President Bush, under fire by the media and many conservatives for the Miers pick, understands that we must stay focused on the life and death struggle with radical terrorist. Instead of the War on Terrorism, we endure the media orgy over the fact that Rush, Sean Hannity, and Republican politicians are upset that we don’t get a fight over the nomination.
The Reconstruction of Iraq (which is the follow up phase to the Battle of Iraq) is marked with violence and struggle. Much like the reconstruction of the South post-Civil War, this is a long, hard road. Thanks to the media we know all about the death and destruction. When was the last time you saw a widely distributed story about the successes happening in Iraq? Did anyone see a MAJOR story on the elections in Iraq and Afghanistan? We will never see these stories. They violate the media mantra “If it bleeds, it leads”.
I’m proud to be a member of a group of Americans who focus on the success of our efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan, the wonder of the American reaction to Katrina, the understanding of the true reasons of high gas prices, and have the ability to turn off the bleed and lead crap that is streamed into homes across this country. Do I mean we should not be aware? NO! I’m just saying that you must have the “intestinal fortitude” (as Rush would say) to sort through the news reports and find the events of the world, then form your own opinion. Don’t let Katie and Matt, Fox & Friends, The View, or Rush Limbaugh tell you what to think about the events of our time. Use the head and heart God gave you, listen to the facts, and react to them based on your morals, beliefs and experiences.
I believe that America is the greatest nation ever give to the world by God. I believe in Liberty, limited government, personal responsibility, Christian morals, and the constitution. I react to events based on this filter. I recognize my bias and the fact there is another side to the story. However, I can see events for what they are and identify when things are not on the up and up. For example, President Bush’s neglect of our Northern and Southern borders is obscene. I support the President on most things, but the borders and immigration is out of control. I may be a conservative, which puts me on the President’s side ideologically, but this issue is a disaster. My point is that we should interpret the events of the day on our own. We should make our decision about where to invest time and energy based on what’s real and not react based on what someone else is telling us. America is the greatest country in the world because God has blessed us and because we are a nation of free thinkers. Don’t let America slide into the mindset that plagues the rest of the world. Remember, Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness!
