Facts. This election season has exposed the U.S. inhabitants who are beholden to injustice, racism, misogyny, hate of most any kind, crimes, insurrection & lies — and is o.k. with preachers, politicians, parents & pundits who are beholden to the same. And, we see how money can, indeed, be the root of and investor for evil. We can choose Reverse or Drive. I’m movin’ on AND driving forward. Some reflections…
Since I was a child, three newspapers have played a role in my life. I was allowed to read the. L.A. Times as a kid. I didn’t just read the comics, but got interested in real stories. Mayor Tom Bradley’s election was important, because my mom worked on his campaign, I recall. Another major news moment for me, was reading the Times, while on our living room floor, scared about the Manson murders — will the killers come to our house?
Moving to Akron, not only did I read the Akron Beacon Journal, but I also delivered it in our neighbors (my first job). I had a red wagon (papers were heavy-especially on Sundays). I even had an employee; a neighborhood friend (or one of his brothers, if he couldn’t work for some reason). I even won a trip to Niagara Falls and a Buffalo Bills game, for getting new subscribers. Then, I learned Buffalo isn’t fun in the winter. A blizzard on our return, caused us to have to be transported to a downtown hotel and trudge to the newspaper headquarters to await our parents (it was cool to be in a real newspaper operation, as we waited). The Beacon Journal was where I read about the death of baseball great, Roberto Clemente and his death, while en route to help earthquake victim in Managua, Nicaragua. I never heard of that place before, but i knew it was far away. It is shameful that some politically-motivated folk seek to ban a book on his life — and too many others.
As a full-fledged adult, Washington Post became my paper. And, I’m “old school”, too. Digital options are fine, but I respect and prefer paper (books; magazines; newspapers). Since Jeff Bezos bought the Post, I continued my daily delivery, until early this year, when I shifted to Sunday only. Mainly because, the deliverers routinely: missed days when they should be delivered; delivered on days that should be paused; delivered to the space between my stairs and neighbors house; delivered to the lone bush in my yard.
My sources of credible, respectable information are varied, but the Post has been the “home” source — until now.
The non-endorsements of a clearly more credible candidate vs a clearly corrupt one, is mind-blowing. This is the moment where I am reminded why I have struggled with the integrity of media/journalism. I wrote this to Dan Rather, and Americans -in 2018, because I am old enough to remember where we could trust the media to tell us the truth. The 1938 War of the Worlds radio show drama was a moment where people were duped into believing lies. Today, and our political drama takes it to another level. People are walking dead, because they have succumbed to the poison of disinformation. I quit the Washington Post, and other places, people and spaces that don’t serve me. Boycott what you need to, to create a world that is good to/for you.
If you have learned nothing else in recent history, know that billionaires and judges have a price. Sadly, truth has been devalued. Deception has gone mainstream and main screen. History tells us that hate has always had financiers. Today brings the same hate & funding script, with a different cast of funders. We cannot afford to sell ourselves, our justice, our peace short.
Your silence in any of this is consent.
Every election has consequences for somebodies. So, choose wisely! Do not invest in companies, people, politicians, preachers or products that don’t defend, respect and protect YOUR body-and those you care about.
