I See Dead People

“I see dead people” is, of course, a line from the 1999 psychological horror film, The Sixth Sense. The movie tells the story of a frightened boy (Haley Joel Osment) , who claims to be able to see and talk to the dead, and his equally troubled child psychologist played by Bruce Willis who in a surprise plot twist really is dead. 

 That line came briefly to my mind this past week just after the Republican Convention ended. For the first time since the primary elections were held here in Indiana I had a brief moment of panic or maybe despair. I’m not sure what set it off, but I think it was the sudden realization that John McCain might have produced a miracle that could save his campaign if Democrats fail to take his new team mate seriously. 

 Time to roll up my sleeves, I thought, as I logged onto http://my.barackobama.com to see if there were any local campaign activity with which I might connect. Horror of horrors…I found a half dozen “groups” that had been formed in this area during the primary season, but little or no apparent activity that seemed recent…the website, in vivid bright blue, had the quiet ambiance of a morgue. I believe the site has the backbone structure to be an awesome tool for the campaign to reach supporters as well as a vehicle for supporters to come together. Perhaps I did not understand the purpose of the website, but all I saw indicated it was being horribly under utilized by supporters. Now I’m wondering…is this organization ready for the next two months? I can’t answer for you, or the organization…but I know when I am giving everything I can to make sure George Bush’s term ends in Jan 2009. Are you giving everything? Don’t under estimate the appeal of the McCain-Palin ticket here in the heartland. Under estimating them would be a deadly mistake for Democrats. The Campaign for Change needs your time, your talent, your enthusiasm, courage, and your dollars….most of all it needs your time. Please call the Campaign for Change office here in Lafayette and volunteer. (765)429-5137 The office has moved since the primary but still easy to find at 514 Main Street. The clock is ticking.

THE MOST TRUSTED NAME IN NEWS

Insanity. Albert Einstein is credited with describing insanity as “Doing the same thing over, and over again and expecting different results.” By that definition I certainly must be insane. Each day for months now I have turned on my television, switched the channel to CNN or it’s sister CNN Headline News hoping to hear some news coverage of current events and each day I can stomach about five minutes of coverage before I want to vomit. To be fair, much of what I am about to say could be said of many other network and cable news organizations.
I don’t know exactly when it happened, but some time ago “the media” decided that what American viewers wanted was entertainment, not news. Programs like “Entertainment Tonight” were born. They were plugged into time slots near or next to “the news”, I guess in hopes that some “newsiness” would wear off on it and that viewers might begin to confuse the “entertainment” with real coverage of important current events. Well it comes on just before the local news so it must be news too! It seems to have worked. The coverage given to “Hollywood gossip” is now quite interchangeable with any “news” program….stories cross from entertainment to news without anyone even noticing. What is Paris doing? What’s wrong with Tom Cruise? Which glamour girl is cheating on which boyfriend? Who kissed who. Who needs to be in drug rehab and who is in trouble with the law? WHO CARES?
I don’t object to a program devoted to this trash….er, uh….I mean these kinds of stories, but I do object to those same stories being foisted upon viewers of News programs. What terrifies me the most isn’t the fact that I see these stories reported regularly on CNN Headline news, what really frightens me is I think many viewers believe these kinds of stories ARE news or that they are important enough to report along with stories about real issues that affect millions of people.
Be afraid, be very afraid….the media would have us believe that viewers would rather hear about Paris Hilton’s latest antic than to see coverage of human rights violations in places like the Saudi kingdom, or genocide in Darfur.
The coverage of both of our major political party conventions speaks volumes on what is wrong with Television news coverage. There has been much hand wringing from both the right and the left about the media. They are too liberal, Fox News is too conservative, the media gave the current administration a free pass on all kinds of issues, they treat Barack Obama like a rock star, they don’t ask John McCain the “hard” questions, they give McCain a free ride, and on and on. You know what? I think it’s all true, all of those charges are true because journalists no longer know how to be journalists. Journalism has been replaced by entertainment.

The most trusted name in news has provided us with hours and hours of something they call analysis. Analysis is performed by placing two or more (but always an equal number of each opposing view) entertainers on stage at the same time and then allowing them or encouraging them to, make faces at each other, interrupt one another, yell back and forth, talk at the same time, and in general act in ways that would warrant a spanking if they were our children. Seriously now, if our children behaved like that there would be punishment involved. Wouldn’t there?
While hurricane Gustov approached the mainland U.S. just as the GOP was preparing their extravaganza in the Twin Cities there began to be talk among the pin heads about what would be “appropriate” for the GOP to do. Naturally the GOP opted to “look worried” to wring their hands and assure every one that the administration was on top of things and that they would put the safety of our country first over the party being held in the Twin Cities. hmmmmm??? Our President decided to stay in Washington so that he would be in a position to take necessary action in case of a calamity.
I can’t help but to remember what the leaders of the GOP were doing on THE VERY DAY that Katrina struck New Orleans. That’s right….they were having a party at a posh exclusive country club in Phoenix. They didn't look very concerned about hurricane victims during this party. Seems the mainstream journalists have forgotten all about this. Gee...what an inconvenient picture this photo op has turned out to be. So....One wonders, what's all the hand wringing about this time around?