Don’t Argue With Neanderthals!
For those of us who are long-in-the-tooth and, I’d certainly like to believe, for most of the rest of the country, the current political scene is–to say the least–distressing. Whatever happened to a frank-but-respectful exchange of ideas? Whatever happened to compromise?
Today, someone who has a different opinion is “out to destroy our way of life” or, equally absurd, “hates America.”
What nonsense! The people who actually believe that crap are just stupid. But the people who peddle that claptrap, who willfully present “news” that isn’t true—Are you listening Roger Aisles?–are simply despicable.
In this election year, everything, especially the rhetoric, has escalated almost out of control and the consequences are worrisome and, in many cases, downright scary.
Here’s a good example of this very bad trend. This photo was taken by one of our NARP members traveling in a rural area that will be on the route of California’s high-speed rail line. Would you say these people are way, way over the top? Would you say someone needs to throw a net over these bozos? Would they seriously prefer a six-lane freeway instead? Because that’s what it would take to move the same number of people when California’s population increases by 25 million people over the next several decades.
Somehow, some way, cooler heads must take us back to a time when we could disagree–even disagree vehemently–but with the discourse remaining civil. Because to borrow from the sophisticates who authored that sign, this SH** has got to stop!
Not sure how Roger Ailes figures into your posting on California High-Speed Rail.
I do know that one of the best hours of journalism on TV is the 5 p.m (Central) FNC Special Report with Bret Baier. Actually, last week according to Nielson, FNC was not only the leading cable news channel, it was ranked number one ahead of ALL ad-supported cable channels, (which means they beat ESPN, USA, TNT, TBS, and HGTV.
Specifically, regarding the 5pm hour, total audience for FNC-Baier was 2.492 million, CNN-Blitzer 803,000, and MSNBC 553,000. Sometimes Bret even beats the broadcast networks.
Sounds to me like Fox is doing something right. And to clarify, I’m one of those 2 and a half million who watch Bret Baier. Of course you know my other passion, other than recognizing professional journalism, is enjoying long-distance passenger rail.
Charles, you and I are going to have to agree to disagree on the subject of Fox News. Words cannot adequately describe my dismay at that organization’s posing as an outlet for legitimate journalism. Objective sources too numerous to name have over and over again denounced FOX for reporting absolute untruths as fact. And large numbers in the ratings means only that there are a great many people in this country who are being seriously and dangerously misled.
Thanks for posting that photo Jim. These are the same Cretans (apologies to the residents of the Greek island) that had banner signs adjacent to fields that were killed by herbicides like Round-Up reading “Stop the Congressional Created Dust Bowl”. Yes, they are the same ones that have signs reading “Build Dams not High Speed Rail”. Oh, and these are the same growers you see while driving I-5 or Highway 99 using overhead sprinkler systems to water their crops at 2 or 3 in the afternoon in bright sunshine and temperatures in the 100’s while we reuse the water from melted ice cubes and have buckets in our showers to save every drop possible. These are the same idiots that are trying to kill California High Speed Rail at the ballot. As that Election Day gets closer, I’m sure we will be seeing reports on Faux News encouraging the Nimby’s and the short sighted to vote early and often.
Makes you wonder, doesn’t it.