Outrageous times for talk radio "In my car-bound venture, I kept thinking of the old adage, ''Truth is the first casualty of war.'' But this time, truth became a casualty before the first shot was fired. Truth was wounded in the prewar. Half-truth now limps dangerously to the front line.

In many ways, talk radio seems to have taken up where yellow journalism left off. It bears the trademark disregard for history, casualness about facts, and a penchant for propaganda"
Excellent OpEd piece by Ellen Goodman on the current state of affairs of yellow journalism radio. She could have added Don Wade of WLS, here in Chicago. Since I am out of the house at 6 am, I have little time or opportunity to listen to that drivel. That is why our obligation as educators is to have students use higher level thinking skills so that they can make a thoughtful decision based on weighing the information that comes their way now and in the future.
10:44:19 PM  #  comment []

Veterans for Common Sense Veterans for Common Sense http://www.veteransforcommonsense.org/

eterans for Common Sense seeks to inject the element of Common Sense into debates over war and national security.  In an age when the majority of public servants have never served in uniform, the perspective of war veterans must play a key role in the public debate over national security issues in order to preserve the liberty veterans have fought and died preserving.(from site)

A site to check out. It irks me that folks who have never been in uniform, much less battle are crying for war. What is up with that. In addition ,it is ok in their minds to send other peoples kids to fight your ideological battles. Most likely these pundits do not have relatives going into battle.
6:57:28 PM  #  comment []

American Indian Op Ed against Yellow Journalism Good article on the present Yellow Journalism in the media from an American Indian writer. "Yellow Journalism is a type of journalism high on exaggeration and bias, purposely misguiding readers to achieve the financial and political purposes of particular publishers and editors. " " Today, it is mostly electronic and it rides the airwaves and cables of America. Journalism is thus reduced to "talk" about the news. In the electronic fireplace that television and radio were supposed to become, we see mostly the representations of several dozen talking, and more often yelling, heads. Chickenhawks - pundits and policy-makers that never experienced combat - the vast majority jingoistic to a fault, cheer for the bombs to fly. The cry of "America: love it or leave it," and the straight-out willingness to insult the other side, are constant. From Bill O[base ']Reilly and Ann Coulter to Rush Limbaugh to Shawn Hannity and Laura Ingraham, would-be GI Joe[base ']s and Jane[base ']s parade through the medium, clamoring for war as the only course of action for a determined America. Even though in these pages we have stated reasons for American Indians to participate in this war, the shrill bellicosity of many on the right is, nonetheless, disconcerting.

This is Red-road journalism. Our advice to journalists, young and old: look for solutions; look for the best and most accurate information; seek wisdom. Do not skew the news toward strictly political viewpoints. Good politics, comprehensive decisions that can help our peoples, we believe, will follow.

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Good Article
6:13:45 PM  #  comment []

Things that make you go hmmmmmmmmm.

I am trying to figure out the psychology behind statements said by fellow citizens that the Pro Peace Marchers are "Terrorists" and should be charged with treason?
I think these folks need to take step back and see that the marchers are for PEACE. If one is for peace than one must support the well being of our troops and can also march for peace. They are not mutually exclusive as some folks and media "talking heads" would make you believe.

Or

Why do national news anchors or commentators try to pit families that are supporting their husbands and wives who are in the middle east against the Pro Peace Marchers? I think that is unethical. Little kids do that on the playground. Why do supposedly grown people with an ethical obligation to be as objective as possible, resort to such behavior? Like thinking folks cannot see through that.

Or

Some folks saying, the Pro Peace Marchers have a right to free speech BUT.... There is no BUT... There is or there isn't free speech. If one is solid in their patriotism as a citizen, one can support ones troops and criticize a morally inept administration.

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The question is having a moral constancy, that the late Cardinal Bernadin espoused. A vision that was disruptive to many as it should be. There should be a consistent ethic of life, not a selective one.
5:17:16 PM  #  comment []