Whoever Controls The Media Controls The Mind….
Tonight as I watched my local NBC affiliate in Washington, DC. Jim Vance, who is a respected anchor and one that doesn’t mince words, made his opinions known that he would like to see the bodies of the victims of Newtown, CT put on display as a way for us all to know what a bushmaster rifle will do to a child. Mr. Vance did not give us his original idea, this was started by Roland Martin on CNN. The basis of their reasoning for this horrendous act is they believe it will “transform” the conversation on gun control and make us all realize that certain guns need to be banned. As Mr. Vance put “we need to think with our guts instead of our minds” and by displaying these pictures in the same way during the 50’s and 60’s the body of Emmet Till lying in his casket “transformed” the civil rights movement, our conversation on gun control will be transformed as well.
As a parent, I’m appalled at this suggestion. Has the media no mercy for the parents who lost their children? Will they use whatever pawn they can to keep their narrative alive? There is no good to come from the display of a dead child.
This kind of statement is from the same media that “praised” the art of the body of a man jumping to his death from one of the Twin Towers on 9/11. This is the same media that repetitively shows us daily that they live by the creed “if it bleeds, it leads.” Evil is good for business and the media knows that they more they push this agenda, the better for their narrative.
In my opinion, we do not need to see these images to reinforce the events. Death should not be about ratings or page views. This kind of action does not move the story forward. Will it bring the children who died back? Ask 9/11 families why they avoid the news on every anniversary of 9/11. It is because EVERY day is 9/11 for them, they do not need to relive it. They live it daily with the lose of their family members and the glorification of the events just cuts them deeper.
Where is the respect for human decency, where are the journalists that do not let their own personal views cloud their judgment and their work in reporting the news. Journalism is not about giving your own opinion. Unbiased reporting is what is needed now more than ever. Every day we see on cable news that the news is more about the journalist who insert themselves into the story rather than giving the public the truth.
As Jim Morrison famously said, “Whoever controls the media controls the mind” and apparently he was prophetic in his statement. Our media is out of bounds and we need step away from those who wish to give us their opinion than the unvarnished truth.
The ideologues who lead the crusade against weapons have no moral compass other than their own purpose. No spectacle, no affront, no argument is too obscene to them as they are justified by the righteousness of their cause. Facts are no obstacle to them. Connecticut already has one of the nation’s most stringent bans on “assault weapons” and it serves not one wit that it did nothing to stop this catastrophe. But, that matters not.
Powerful….true….compelling….right on!
Thank you, Dan. Very much appreciate your comment.
Agreed, Jack. The truth apparently gets in the way of a good story. Our media needs to find their morals but I sadly because we are in the decline of the age of information. Too many are tuned in and turned off to reality by the media today. The media is keeping on their narrative not the truth
Those who own/control the media wish they can control our minds. It is our job to not let them. I think that your post was awesome! I also think what Jack pointed out about the most stringent bans not serving one wit is powerful as well. I support our rights and will vote to uphold them.
In 1991 I read Neil Postman’s “How to Watch Television News” and it would make sense today. I have always had an issue with advertising within the news, which means ratings drive the news rather than reporting. News should have no advertisers.
I read an article in the mid 1990s about how much depression is generated from watching the news, and since I was online already then, I chose to no longer watch television news and in fact deleted TV from our home. Since then I pick and choose the places I view and read the news. This does not mean I hide my head in the sand, but rather seek out diverse points of view and reports of any given major news item. I attempt to choose good writing and reporting even if I don’t agree with the point of view, but I delete “sensationalism” when it rears its ugly head.
The control by media is a very alarming thing.
Thanks, Bev. It is up to the people to protect our freedoms – all freedoms. We the people are the ones who control and as a collective it is our job to keep our media, politician on their game. We have to speak up and speak out when it appears the rogue figures of country try to triumph over the will of the people.
Thanks, Casudi. It is truly alarming when anyone tries to control the thoughts of another. News has integrated advertisers – such as the sponsorship by Starbucks of the Morning Joe program on MSNBC – we appear to have had our media jump the shark as it were with creating more entertainment than news. I only watch my local news when we have weather events such as the snow we have coming today. I do find that I want to hear all sides and use critical thinking to make up my own mind as for the truth. I am opposed to those who seem to take the media at their word. There has always been bias in reporting but not as blatant that we have now with so many outlets who insert their own truth instead of reporting the facts.
It would be like having a discussion on absenteeism – the people who need to hear it aren’t there. According to the experts and media pundits, violent video games and music of the same genre have little to no influence over our behaviours – yet we rate them. Interesting how someone from the same “field” would suggest that a picture would change everything.
An unbiased news report – now there’s a fresh idea.
Thanks, Redge. Yes, isn’t interesting that the media wants to use a photo to embed in us the image of the tragedy, yet the games, music are left out of the discussion and we are told they have no impact on us. What I found striking as well – 500 murders in Chicago this year alone, yet these same media outlets are not asking to see their autopsy photos to “transform” the discussion only these poor kids in CT. No death should be exploited but it strikes as odd that no one is up in arms over those murders…..
Our media, no further description there, has been out of bounds for quite some time. It’s just that lately more of us are paying attention to how far they will go. I’m with you – Jim Vance’s suggestion is abhorrent. But then for me, watching 9/11 over and over and over again every year, is abhorrent too. These pictures do more to help us remember the evils than to get over, around or through them. Why can’t reporters, journalists, lead intelligent discussions around – what now? How can we fix?
It’s absolutely alarming to think about where this is going to lead our children who are sucked into the vortex of where things are going. I mean really, what else do they know?
Thanks, Patricia. I agree it’s alarming. In my lifetime, I’ve never seen the blatant abuse of press power like we have today. No picture will help us transform the conversation, rather what will help is treating people like people, forget the agenda and rancor that our media tries to stir up and focus on what really matters to bring the culture change that is needed to get us pass these issues. We are a divided country and the press keeps making us remember that more often than not.