In a society where subjectivity is masked as objectivity…
… where opinion is offered as news…
… where persuasive rhetoric is free-flowing…
… the following story disturbs me…
Dozens of emails have been uncovered between the Department of Justice and Media Matters. Public Affairs Director Tracy Schnakler and Media Matters staffers planned and discussed how to attack reporters who covered potential improprieties in which the department’s reputation was in question, such as the Black Panther voter suppression case and the “Fast and Furious” gun operation scandal.
Here’s the problem:
Media Matters is a subjective, partisan advocacy group. It started with millions in donations from liberal philanthropists connected to the Democratic party.
The Department of Justice is to be an unbiased branch of government, funded by our tax dollars. There is no ethical reason for an objective government entity to coordinate efforts with a liberal advocacy group.
Hence, with less than 50 days prior to the election, the Intramuralist must again encourage you (if you dare pay attention) to receive your news from a “newsworthy” site. If your primary news comes from The Huffington Post, you are being seduced by liberal rhetoric. If your primary news comes from The Drudge Report, you are being enticed by a conservative slant. Opinions that come from these sites do not qualify as news; we cannot fool ourselves by thinking otherwise. I often find their sensational headlines to be embarrassing, especially if thought to be equated with good, responsible journalism.
As said here previously, we encourage being as “least skewed” as possible, as paying attention to “skewed” sites does not make any of us an informed voter; it only makes us a manipulated one. We thus recommend 2 sites for nonpartisan information:
Both of the above sites offer extensive liberal and conservative opinion, and no slanted opinion is manipulated to appear as if it is something it is not… unlike The Huffington Post and The Drudge Report.
Let me therefore respectfully challenge all Intramuralist participants — acknowledging that in the next 2 months, partisan faithful will be charging after us, caring not if they distort the truth; their goal is only to obtain our vote. Truth is lesser in importance.
My challenge, therefore, again comes comparable to fasting…
Those who embrace fasting as a personal discipline speak of its many benefits. Most prominent among them are good health, minimization of toxins, and a strong renewal of a pure mind, thereby allowing their bodies and brains to function more effectively. Persons who regularly fast attest to thinking more clearly and feeling better about themselves.
If we were to “fast” from skewed news sources for the next 50 some days, I wonder… would it minimize the “toxins” from our brains? Would omitting the hereby identified propaganda and persuasive rhetoric assist us in thinking more clearly? That is, what would happen if we agreed to eliminate the employed rhetoric which allows us to mythically believe we are receiving accurate news? … which emboldens us into thinking we are informed voters? … and which allows us to think our passions and perspectives are potentially, possibly, self-righteously pure?
I prefer functioning effectively. I prefer minimizing the toxins… minimizing the Huff Posts, Drudge’s, and opinionated journalists on TV. They are not news. Thus, I’m becoming a new fan of fasting… starting now… for at least the next 50 days.
Respectfully,
AR