One of the most interesting things about the current national political debacle is not just the polarization of the people, but the closing of the American mind to opposing opinions. This goes for both sides of the aisle. Many do not want an objective press. A good number on both sides merely want a press that parrots their own biases.
We know the Left has a low tolerance for free speech and opposing viewpoints. We’ve seen this in action for at least thirty years, coinciding with the start of the politically correct movement. It’s the inherent fascist in them that drives it. Granted, some of it is just hysterical emotion. Other facets of their hatred of anything that disagrees with them is thought out quite cold and hard. They’ve closed their minds to a free press because that could mean they could see an opposing view. They want Pravda. Most of the time in America, they get it. But, I’m now seeing the same phenomenon on the Right and it’s disappointing as hell.
As a news analyst, every morning I comb various media outlets for story ideas and quotes. That includes the NYT, L.A. Times, and most of the major networks. 90 percent of the stuff I read is ridiculous. But there is an occasional interesting bit. Now, the ironic stuff is when I look at some conservative sources, especially on social media, in criticizing the Left they use the same kind of absurd sources as the Left, just mirror images. When I point out the factual problem with the sources I’m basically told to naff off, commie. This is from people with the cognitive skills of rutabagas.
It’s not that they are interested in reading the NYT or WaPo. They are not interested in reading anything even vaguely objective. Not even stats, legal opinions, quotes, etc. Not unless it comes from a source whose editors live on Neptune. They, just like their leftist counterparts, do not even want raw data unless it’s run through a conservative blender. They don’t want a fair or objective press. They want Pravda as well. Only their version of it.
From those sources I have been informed recently that the president should stay in office by deploying the military to keep him there (Yeah, who cares about the Constitution or rule of law?) and is actively planning such, that Chinese Communist troops have secretly invaded Canada in preparation for an invasion of this country on January 20th, and that Bill Barr, the day his resignation was announced by the president, was named to the Board of Dominion. Aha! Dominion! Now it all becomes clear! Except that upon actually reading the news release the company was Dominion Energy, a power company in Virginia. And even the release looked a tad suspect. I could go on, but you’ve undoubtedly read the same stuff.
So, if you’re a conservative and reading this, I’m imploring you, think for yourself. Take this column and anything else you read and hold it up to the scrutiny of your own logic, intellect, and common sense. Do not buy a premise or info just because it seems to emotionally validate you, but do so because it looks objectively correct in the harsh light of empirical and factual day. The alternative is a thought process mirroring the worst of the Left. Not a fit fate for an adult.