CAN THE MAINSTREAM PRESS BE REVITALIZED?
by Gary Stevens, ©2012
(Jul. 17, 2012) — Yes, the spelling in the title is correct. The implications are not humorous but disastrous. This article could include other descriptive terms such as “The Story of the Un-story” or “Can You Spell R-E-P-O-R-T-E-R ?” but the best-suited by definition is as it appears at the top. According to Webster’s, not only does “corpse” mean- 1. a dead body, (but also) 2. Something once vigorous but now lifeless and of no use. It is this application of “corpse” appearing in the title that we elaborate on further.
Last week (I first saw it on Friday the 13th from a C-Span clip), the press corps were all gathered in the Press Room as Jay Carney fielded questions from (alleged) reporters. One reporter who had objective thoughts still needing answers running around his cranium asked, “Will the President release his college records?” since much of Mitt Romney’s past has been turned upside-down, inside-out, and stretched beyond recognition. The response from Jay Carney was ASTOUNDING! Name-calling in true Alinsky style was the order of the day initially by labeling the inquiry a “Trump question.” Then Carney followed by blatant lies and twisted sentences of nothingness until he sneered at the question as being “preposterous.”
Although we could spend paragraphs detailing the tactics, obfuscation and lack of transparency this regime labors to uphold, we shift our attention to the journalists present witnessing the exchange. The largest – no, let me clarify – “THE STORY” of all time is, has been, and continues to be an unvetted, undocumented putative president occupying the Oval Office and “The People’s House.” The threat of a reasonable, normal question regarding Barry Soetero (his last legal name) and his past sends ominous clouds of dissent throughout the room. Why is that? What happened to the Fourth Estate of accountability in free speech with a free press?
Rather than state the obvious actions of lamestream media being political pawns and mouthpieces, let’s explore the aspect of mental and moral meltdown for these network news agents. Picture the scene referenced above. The press room is nearly full. Most networks and news agencies are represented as their appointed reporter listens with pen/pad in hand (or iPad, iPhone, iDon’tknowanymore, etc.) and the Press Secretary illustrates control by lies, insults, fumbling word incoherence, non-answers, and circle sentences that never land on the subject matter being asked about. If you have a conviction about your right to ask questions, you are already on notice (by the “Don’t ask that question law) to tiptoe around any important issue. Most (not all) sitting under the spell of DC unwritten, seldom spoken, journalism protocol are rendered intellectually hampered from the start. The mental disarming happens by the way you are made to feel. The emotion overrides an otherwise alert thinking process. Looming large in the public discourse with politically powerful people is the fear of being made to look a fool. This regime specializes in this very well. Consequently, the rooms of reporters are subconsciously self-labeled fools before they speak or write for their publication.
Crippled by the dilemma of not asking a question deemed acceptable by Carney, a moral bridge is crumbling internally. Their sensibilities are becoming dull from consistent hammering of what to think, what to report. “Can I be true to the values of real journalism? Can I put my fear aside and ask a pressing question the American public deserves to have answered? Should I just be generic so I get called on from the podium? Is my job safe with this network? How long can I tolerate the absolute lies from this administration? Do I compromise my integrity and report this nonsense?”
To be sure, some in the room want a paycheck and have little interest in truth, integrity, and investigative reporting. Others vacillating in a range of “What should I do? Can I report what really is going on?” Still, there are one or two who will brave the onslaught of false ridicule. The bloggers and commenters of today reveal many stories that are relevant and important. Oh, yes, discernment is required in every venue of news gathering/reporting. My hope is that there is a reporter with great exposure who comes out of the stupor with microphone blazing in truth to tell a desperate nation that we’ve been lied to. We’ve been deceived. A moment in time when breaking through the fog of self-deception and the inspiration of bravery overwhelms his/her soul with love for God, country and ethical values, causing a hero to be born. Let it be so. Are you that person sitting in the DC Press Corpse?