Drinkin' the Kool-Aid

The Jazz Bus: Drinks The Kool-Aid?
Once there was a time when we as a people stood up for things and not necessarily just lambasted against things. During that era, our media, our press, our newsmen, were actual “news” people who were reliable and trusted; not just a talking heads, a pretty face, or worse, entertainers posing as news folk. In that same age of accurate and fair reporting our politicians displayed a general sense of public decorum with a respect for the people they represented, even those who did not vote for them, as well as a respect for other politicians and of course for the positions to which they were elected. Acting in a civilized way, being Gentlemen (women) was the order of the day. One could be adamantly opposed to an ideal or principle and debates of such could get somewhat heated. But personal diatribes and insults, I do not remember being thrown about as readily as they are today. Politicians were never above the law, manmade or in a moral sense, and maybe, unfortunately, indiscretions were hidden from public view. Today, not so much; sneeze and its front page fodder.
Scanning the channels at 6pm, 10pm and 11pm I see that most of our news programs are “news” only in their network calling it such. Mostly the hour is reserved for faux news regarding Lindsay Lohan’s latest stint in rehab or some reality show hag from Jersey who punched someone out. This in not “news” and should not be reported as “news”. What it is should be considered is hype, pure and simple. The so-called news programs of today continue to push their own networks shows in search of higher ratings and almighty advertiser’s bucks .Truthfully, I don’t care who is on this seasons Dancing With The Stars, nor do I need an instant recap of tonight’s episode of American Idol. I cannot imagine Walter Cronkite reporting something like that. Ask most people about recent developments in the lives of David Hasseloff or Charlie Sheen and you will receive an hour‘s dissertation. Ask about North Korea and get that far away look.
Pundits like Beck, Obermann, Rush, Maddox, O’Reilly, Imus, just offer comments, insults, innuendo, and many times poor attempts at humor. As Jon Stewart appropriately said, “we are just op-ed”. For me, Dragnet said it best, “Just the facts, ma’am”. Give it to me raw, only the truth, report it and let me filter out what and how I am to believe.
Recently I became entangled in political discussion. What started as two people’s soft points of view rapidly deteriorated by my compatriot into a name calling angry vent, all against me. I was called an “idiot” (which I might be) and was “obviously someone who drank the kool-aid” (first time I heard that outside of a Grateful Dead concert). All because I suggested that Carl Paladino, a man attempting to capture the role of Governor of our state and others (including Andrew Cuomo, his opponent) should develop a strategy of displaying what they stand for, not just what they are against. I added he was “out of line” in his recent comments which had nothing to do with any merits of Paladino’s candidacy. I further suggested Paladino appeared to be a bully and his outrageousness is simply a ploy to “get him some press, nothing more”. My opponent in this discussion had no idea what Paladino stood for , and told me so, yet adamantly and boldly declared , if he “hates Obama then he’s good enough for me”. My discussion mate shouted she was a “tea partier”. Me, I am just a cocktail partier. Dad was right; never discuss religion or politics over a few “diet cokes”. So I ask "where do we go from here"? Jazzbus@gmail.com