Dennis Miller is one of my favorite comedians. My favorite part of his television show was his "Rant." Starting out with "I don't want to get off on a rant here, but..." he would launch into a well thought out, well-articulated rant on a specific subject, pointing out the inconsistencies in many things in our society. His language was sometimes a bit too foul for my tastes, but his points were nonetheless valid. He would always end up with the words, "Of course, that's one man's opinion. I could be wrong."
The majority of our politicians, political commentators, professional educators, and major media outlets appear to be well versed at one or more variations of the "rant," but they seem to have lost sight of the fact that they could be wrong. Why? Because we let them get away with it. We no longer demand fact-supported, logical, reasoned debate on any issue.
We are a soundbite society. We want our news much like we want our food - fast, flavorful, filling, and without much nutritional value (for the brain, in this case). We don't just suffer from physical obesity. We suffer from intellectual malnourishment.
Politicians are the most egregious offenders. I don't know if U.S. forces in Iraq committed a horrible crime or not. It appears they might have. Does that justify the diatribe from Senator Murtha, an outspoken critic of the war, that they committed "cold-blooded murder?" They may have, but it serves no intellectually honest purpose to splash those words across the worldwide media. If they committed murder, believe me, it will happen soon enough. If they didn't, nothing anyone says can change the image. Sen. Murtha wants us out of Iraq and it doesn't matter to him whether he is right or wrong - as long as he gets his way. The Senator has established himself as prosecutor, judge and jury - and in the process has served to discredit the thousands of men and women who serve this country honorably. Is this right or left or wrong?
Other politicians are targeting "big oil," charging price fixing and price gouging. Government investigators have reported they cannot find any evidence of the charges leveled by Congress. But the absence of wrongdoing doesn't make headlines, so the truth is blithely ignored as the politicos vow to investigate anyway (posturing for publicity's sake) and tax those obscene profits. Of course, if those obscene profits are taxed sufficiently millions of private investors and thousands of pension funds will see a reduced return on their investment - all in the name of making politicians look like they are protecting the public, when they are only protecting their sorry image. Is this right or left or wrong?
I noted that Amy Klobuchar, a candidate for the U.S. Senate from Minnesota, has shown herself to be a qualified candidate based solely on her soundbites. She states that "it's time to put people before Halliburton," a meaningless statement that doesn't define what people are going to be before Halliburton and to what benefit. I guess we should conclude Halliburton should either work for free or maybe we should pay the "people" to not do what Halliburton does. Has anyone taken the time to find out what Halliburton really does? Besides being in oil, this company provides many services no other company in the world can, and sometimes virtually overnight. That capability is not cheap. Check it out for yourself.
Ms. Klobuchar also stated that it's "not right for millionaires to get tax cuts." I guess people who pay the most taxes should just pay as much as the sanctimonious scions of the left dictate. Fomenting class envy is rule number one in the left's playbook of misinformation. The 16th Amendment to the Constitution established the right of the Federal Government to levy an income tax. Too bad it didn't say anything about not using the income tax as a hidden method of redistributing wealth. It doesn't because it never would have passed and wouldn't pass today with that rationale. I don't have a problem with helping anyone who is truly in need. I do have a large problem with giving money to so many people for so long that you've created an entire segment of the population totally dependent on the Federal government's social programs. Buying votes is wrong no matter who does it, no matter how it's done.
Educators appear to be predominantly liberal. When I was in elementary and high school, I can't honestly remember if we even discussed things in terms of liberal or conservative, or Republican or Democrat. We discussed issues based on our understanding of the facts and morality (try that one today) and our teachers ensured we understood there were at least two sides to all issues and we were exposed to them. Today, we let school children out of school to participate in environmental and social protests in lieu of academic education. We even use public buses to take them to immigration "rallies." And on college campuses, conservative speakers are often heckled to the point they are not allowed to finish their speeches - so much for academic freedom. I loved my ROTC days as I was forced to endure countless anti-war and anti-military diatribes, in the name of academic freedom, as part of my college education. Freedom isn't free and academic freedom in 2006 is a myth. Is this right or left or wrong?
The major print and broadcast media used to be the guardians of truth in our society. They used to report the news. Now, they say they report the news and claim to "interpret" the news. Last I heard a newscast it was in English and in no need of interpretation. Of course, in choosing what to report and in presenting their interpretations, the tone is clearly anti-everything to do with the current administration. Whenever any President makes a speech, at the end, the media tells us what was said and then the opposing party makes a rebuttal, and then the media tells us what the opposition said and why it was right or wrong.
The media commissions polls to make news - usually against the current administration. I was under the impression their job was to report what happens, not to try and make something happen. Every day there's a new poll about a myriad of issues - the President's popularity, immigration, the war in Iraq, prescription drugs, alternative sources of energy, global warming, global cooling, ad nauseum. You name it, they can take a poll about it and tell you in less than 36 hours how your life will be unalterably affected based on the results. I've already said my piece about polling several weeks ago, so you know what high regard I have for polls and their results. I just wish these "reporters" would write or look straight into the camera and state what they just wrote or said is their opinion and that they could be wrong. Don't waste your time holding your breath.
This is one man's opinion, I could be wrong.
If we remain the land of the free, it will only be because of the brave. That's neither left, nor right, nor wrong - it's the truth.
Well, that's what's been on my mind....
