As much as newscasts upset me with their content, at
least we have a society that has open communications. Think about that.
Facebook content may seem vile at times, but it is a reflection of people
finding their voice and using it. Yes, the language can be testy and
disrespectful; but let’s face a simple fact: our times are filled with change,
upsetting news, and a social order testing its boundaries.
That is a recipe for people confessing confusion and
anxiety.
It doesn’t help that such times embolden bullies to act up
and act out. They naturally abuse these opportunities. However, there are
cooler heads among us; they speak balance, logic and tolerance. Just the thing
to restore peace to conversations running amok.
This process uncovers people who pay attention to the issues
and go deep to understand them. These folks also share their findings with the
rest of us. We become better informed as a result. Imagine that; open
communications benefit me with more and better information. It prepares me for
more conversations with those who don’t have all the facts, but are hungry for
them. Together we become better informed.
And that’s how open communications is supposed to work.
An open, free press works much the same way. Hopefully, they
have more resources and trained staff to weed out the junk from the facts and
keep us all honest. They also operate quickly and respond to emergencies, lying
of leaders, makers of propaganda, and other manipulators of truth. The press
does a lot of work and contends with many people who don’t want them to
succeed. If the press is stymied, the bad guys have an open field to do their
bad things.
The press is the public’s primary defense against political
power gone mad. It is also our primary asset to discover truth in the midst of
chaos and danger.
Making the press a scape goat for things we don’t like to
read about, is dangerous business. A nation without an open and free press is a
target for possession by evil forces. Observe any nation with a history of
tyrants and dictators. See how the press was diminished and beaten back. Radio,
TV, internet outlets, newspapers and books – all are elements of the press. Denigrating
them denigrates public power and rights.
Let truth be the arbiter of facts. Always pursue facts and
their relations with one another to build the full story of what did go on,
what is going on, and what the probable outcomes will be if allowed to
continue. This is the role of the press. Trample on it and watch your freedoms
disappear.
There are ill-informed people in our midst. There are
ignorant ones as well. And emotionally disturbed fellows, too. Such combinations
of ‘public’ when riled up are foes to contend with. Keep our balance. Keep our
eye on facts and truth. And have the courage to speak your truth to all.
Social media may be messy, but it is available and free. Use
it for good. Spread truth and balance. But always speak truth to power. The freedom
of speech, press and assembly is the only power we the people have each and
every day to maintain our own governance and social order.
Use it.
June 28, 2018
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