Congresswoman Shot – Journalism Died

Totally agree. I thought immediately that this man sounded mentally ill. Dr. Sanity thinks he’s a paranoid schitzphrenic. And the media explodes in a self-serving frenzy of speculation and finger pointing. Are they so ignorant that it never even occurs to them that the shooter might not be a Republican/Democrat extremist taking his cue from Palin/Tea Party/Obama/et al? Or do they only consider investigating what they want to report, and not what might actually be true? thanks for being another voice of sanity. I’m really repulsed by the coverage of this horrible event.

Skye, for the most part, I agree with your entry. But on one thing I have to disagree; journalism, real journalism, died in the 1930’s when those who did not promote the social agenda of FDR were locked out of any and all access to the Capitol and the White House. Journalism took its last dying breath when Walter Cronkite reported that Americans had lost the Tet Offensive, althought history has proven we won Tet.

Journalists lined up against the wall, depending on their own personal political agendas. And with the advent of the “Cronkite” technique, adding opinion to the simple reporting of facts, became the norm, not the exception. After my ten years with The Wall Street Journal, one thing became clear; financial reporters were conservative, all others, even at the Journal, were left wing radicals who had come out of journalism schools like Missouri University, that were some of the most liberal (or progressive, if you perfer) schools in the nation. They were taught that not only could they report the news, they could mold public opinion, i.e. Cronkite style.

Now with 24 hour news cycles, and lots of hours and print columns to fill, what onced served as opinion only, now becomes journalism. Talking heads, who have to fill a segment, and knowing that sensationalism brings viewers and readers, they have totally jumped the shark. How dead is journalism? Its soul descended into hell during the campaign season of 2008, when a little known, first term senator from Illinois with a history of associating with shady characters, was given a pass because he was the dream of all those liberal journalism students coming to fruition.

But Americans are not stupid people. And eventually, as the truth comes out, they begin to ask why they are not being told the truth in the first place. And they resent the Fifth column of the Fourth branch of government (the press) lying to them and they will rebel. Hence, the 2010 elections. Now, those elites, who thought they could not just report news but mold opinion, understand the gig is up. MSNBC, the NYTimes, LATimes, CNN, all watching their ratings swirl down the toilet. Enter the psychotic frenzy stage; make obscene, liabelous, false statements that are sensationalist in nature. If people are talking about you they will read/watch your frenzy. RATINGS.

I have known what has been happening for years, but yesterday, and today, my simple political policy disagreements with the left has turned into stomach wrenching contempt, and the only way to quelch those who use the “Cronkite” technique is to make damn sure no one is reading or watching what they are spewing. You see, one constant remains; revenue. If the NYSlimes is not selling papers, or MSNBC has no viewers, and no advertisers, they will change what they do. In the end, it is left up to us, the little people, to make sure that journalism returns to the voice of the people that Benjamin Franklin, et al, believed it was.

The reason there was no help for this guy is that mental instability is normal behavior for the left. If you don’t believe it, just look at the wild ranting of the main stream media and all the Democrats in congress that got on TV. The truth fell victum again to the ideology of the keepers of socialism.

The left is trying to do all they can to delegitimize the opposition that just destroyed them in a tsunami in November. So many have dreams of making this an “Oklahoma City moment” where Clinton was able to use that bombing to demonize his talk radio opponents. As to “tone down the rhetoric,” that’s left wing speak for don’t say anything critical of their legislation or goals. It is just a variant on the race card, similarly used to cut off debate.

Skye – you forgot to add that Fox News also confirmed incorrectly that Congresswoman Gifford died. In a world of 24 hours news – there are going to be such mistakes. You say that trying to score political points and dollars of the dead is despicable and yet your post then goes on to try and score political points purely against liberals.

Palin isn’t responsible for the actions that caused a lone crazy person that is Jared Loughner to try and assassinate Gifford and murder others including the 9 year old girl. Targeting and such language is common place and we can’t cotton wool society to ensure that all the lone unstable nuts out are unable to take every political metaphor literally or interpret any meaning in their own warped way. However I think it would healthier if political discourse and rhetoric on both the left and right could be toned down somewhat. That won’t stops the lone nuts but at least the more sane people won’t get whipped up into such an exaggerated frenzy. Wouldn’t be good for once that those on the left and right condemned all those who use violence and actual incitement of violence against our elected officials – without the point-scoring?

@KansasGirl:

My thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families.

@Snakeeyes:

Upon reading the responses regarding the death of journalism, perhaps I should clarify my point on the state of journalism.

It is more personal than I expressed on this post. Yesterday was the nail in the coffin, whatever hope I help for a resurgence in true journalism was extinguished.

@savage24: You nailed it. Shrinks have been saying that Liberals have a mental disease, this just proves it further.

Six people shot and a policeman dies outside a nightclub in the liberal mecca of Baltimore. Sister Sarah sure has been busy this weekend.

Skye, Skye, Skye… such exaggeration. The only public figures and media outfits suggesting a Tea Party or Conservative connection to this shooting are those long recognized by any mildly engaged, thinking individual as propagandists of the extreme left. Tsk-tsk. No sane, responsible person would ever even imply such an idea. Only the lowest form of filth would attempt to secure political advantage through such reprehensible methods.

@Skye: amen.