The last time that the United States had a network TV journalist, his name was Walter Cronkite. There are no such journalists these days, but there are the sociopaths who use national television in their obvious attempts to tell America what to think -- under color of "objective journalism". For working purposes in this article, let's coin the term "journapaths" for these sociopathic journalists.
They have many tricks up their sleeves, but one common trick in its general form is to say that "something" is "nothing." Why? Because journpaths want to feel superior. "Something" is more challenging. Also, "something" requires follow up, and journapaths would sooner keep their feet up on the desk. They want to be vaunted, superior beings, albeit with their feet on the desk. They feel superior, and hence more comfortable, with "nothing" in place of something.
This week has included two excellent examples that illustrate what I just said.
April 15 was the day of anti-tax protests across America. It is understandable that Americans don't like giving up a pound of flesh to "feed the beast," paying taxes to a federal government that is even more sociopathic than journalists. I did not go out to participate, but these protests had my sympathy. It's bad enough when one has to pay taxes. But, what is this MSNBC idea that we're supposed to like it, as well?
The anti-tax rallies were something, but remember that journapaths feel superior, and hence more comfortable, with "nothing" in place of something. So, on MSNBC, they pretended that they couldn't understand the protests. They belittled the protests by accusing Republican organizations of "astro turfing," by which they meant the making of artificial grass roots. Translation: Something is nothing.
Keith Olbermann and Rachel Maddow may be more enlightened than some in the media, but not this week. They evidently felt a need to belittle the anti-tax protests. After they explained that Fox News was behind the protests, well then -- having explained away something as nothing, they could once again return to feeling like vaunted, superior beings. Also, having dismissed American discontent as "nothing," it requires no follow up reporting. Isn't that sweetly convenient? As I said above, journapaths would sooner keep their feet up on the desk.
The second thing this week was a Texas initiative to assert its state sovereignty rights under the 10th amendment of the U.S. Constitution. In fact, Texas is only the latest state, among many, to come out with such a measure.
Chris Matthews pretended that he couldn't understand why a state would be unhappy with the federal government. He had Congressman Tom Delay on his show, and Delay was in favor of this move by Texas. Yet, Chris Matthews exclaimed that this was "wacky talk." What we learned is that Chris Matthews sees no reason for discontent. He feels that one and all should be as happy with the federal government as he is.
To disagree with the discontented -- in these days of America, getting looted to the bare walls -- is to suggest that you yourself are contented, or "fat and happy." Chris Matthews is a TV star who can be fat and happy, living on easy street, and keeping his feet up on the desk.
But, for discontented Americans, the tax protests and the Texas initiative were something.
In America, when something really was happening this week, MSNBC once again told Americans what to think. Apparently, only wackos dislike taxes, and a Texas state initative is "wacky talk." Translation: Something is nothing. MSNBC was trying to put out a brushfire of popular discontent. Even Olbermann and Maddow had the implicit subtext that we should all be as content as these fat and happy MSNBC people.
Can America simply keep what it has? No! As soon as we have "something," watch the news media go to work on the matter, applying spin to "something," so that after their report, you are persuaded that it was really nothing. The journapaths love to tell America what to think. It just stikes me that this week, they were especially transparent. MSNBC ought to adopt a new slogan:
"Be content! Don't Worry, Be Happy!" MSNBC would like to keep its feet on the desk about discontented Americans. In essence, this week they said that (1.) protesters should sit down and shut up, and (2.) Texas should sit down and shut up. This tells me that (A.) the discontent exists, (B.) it came into evidence this week, and (C.) MSNBC missed the story by missing the point. Apparently, America is only allowed to have the problems that THEY report on, spun THEIR way.
MSNBC also has the continuing problem of Joe Scarborough. In their morning time this week, they have Joe Scarborough still defending torture as an important interrogation technique and indispensible tool of the type of policies that he supports. I'd like to call upon MSNBC to fire Joe Scarborough, or at least adjust the title of the show. I feel that "Morning Joe" ought to be renamed "6000 B.C." --If I ever want to watch a Neanderthal, I'll turn on that show.
Did I hear a rumor that MSNBC is being removed from basic cable, and turned into a pay channel? Hooray! --If true, this means that I can "cancel my subscription to MSNBC."
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Update note: On April 18, I edited to add three words - qualifiers - at the beginning of this post. I will repeat the beginning below so we can see the edit. The added words are in [brackets]:
The last time that the United States had a [network] [TV] journalist, his name was Walter Cronkite. There are no [such] journalists these days...
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