I never thought I'd have to write these words, but then, I never thought I'd see a president like Mr. Trump, a man who thinks it's okay to call the media "scum," "liars," and "the most dishonest people"; who has encouraged his followers to threaten journalists during rallies; and who stated that the media are "the enemy of the American people." I understand that no one person is responsible for the current climate we are in, but the person at the top often sets the tone; and as I see it, the tone the president is setting is having profoundly negative consequences on those who work in journalism.
Here are several troubling examples. Yesterday, the offices of a newspaper in Louisville, Kentucky were shot at. One of the reporters who works for that paper noted that he regularly receives anonymous death threats. (I am told he is not alone-- more reporters are finding this is part of being a journalist in 2017.) And a few days ago, a reporter who was doing nothing more provocative than asking a question about the healthcare law was body-slammed by Republican candidate Greg Gianforte of Montana; Gianforte also screamed at him, and then tried to lie about it and blame the reporter, saying he was a "liberal journalist" causing trouble. (To her credit, a reporter from Fox News saw the event and defended the journalist's version of what happened. But it didn't matter-- the Republican candidate won anyway.) The president called it a "great victory." But I don't think it was.
What bothered me about both stories, and others involving journalists being pushed or attacked (whether physically or verbally), is the lack of outrage from most of my Republican friends. I've read on social media that the journalist beaten up by Mr. Gianforte "deserved it," or "had it coming." After all, isn't that how you treat a "liberal journalist"? In a world where the president himself seems to make excuses for violence and threats against reporters, it seems to me that this isn't going to get better any time soon. (Republicans in congress didn't cover themselves in glory either--few condemned what their candidate had done-- after all, he won, and isn't winning all that matters?)
I know what some of my Republican friends will say-- "Yes, but Democrats are just as bad." Sorry, but I don't recall any Democratic presidential candidates in my lifetime saying that it's okay to attack a reporter. I know that many presidents, from both parties, have disliked, or even hated, the coverage they got from the media. But I don't recall any of them egging on a crowd or asserting that the media are the enemy of the American people-- that is how dictators and autocrats speak; and it gives permission to Mr. Trump's supporters (many of whom have already been stirred up by his harsh rhetoric) to lash out at the first reporter they see.
And by the way, when Mr. Trump accuses the mainstream press of being "fake news" or the "fake media," he is being dishonest. Fake news refers to quotes that were never said, and events that never took place. I have not seen mainstream reporters making up quotes or making up events when reporting on his administration. Not agreeing with the coverage doesn't make it fake. I know he much prefers "friendly media" (Fox News, right-wing talk shows, Breitbart, etc); but again, whether he likes a story or not doesn't mean the story is fake-- and it doesn't make it okay to assault the reporters trying to cover the news.
To everyone who defended Mr. Gianforte's thuggish behavior; to everyone who agrees that reporters with allegedly liberal views deserve to be assaulted; to those who have worn shirts that say reporters should be lynched (not funny, and especially scary to black reporters); and to those who have sent around memes that make excuses for threatening reporters, you are making things worse. I am fine about your wanting to only read right-wing blogs, or believe ridiculous conspiracy theories. I am not fine about your belief that we don't really need a free press (or that only the journalists and commentators with whom you agree are worthy of respect).
I fear for our country if this sort of behavior continues. So, if the president won't do it, then it's up to you: stand up for the rights of journalists and let them do their job, whether you agree with them or not. You may think intimidating and threatening so-called "liberal" reporters is okay. But I can assure you, it sets a terrible precedent. It's a dangerous game the president is playing; and I beg you to put a stop to it... before we turn into a country where dissent is punished, and freedom of the press means only whatever the president wants to hear.
Monday, May 29, 2017
Saturday, May 13, 2017
What I Learned From My Mother
As Mother's Day comes around again, I find myself wondering what my mother (of blessed memory) would say about the world of 2017. I think about this often, and not just on Mother's Day-- the ways our society has changed, both for good and for bad. When my mother died of cancer in September of 1989, the internet was not yet a dominant force in society and social media didn't exist. In fact, as I've noted in other posts, my mother lived before instant communication was possible: few people knew about email in the 1980s, and even fewer envisioned smartphones or texting. (Many people still struggled to program their VCRs.) But even if the internet or social media had been available, I doubt my mother would have used them-- she was very much a Luddite about technology, and she always preferred seeing people in person or talking with them on the phone. She was also a big fan of writing thank-you notes or sending cards (with hand-written messages).
In 2017, there are so many new inventions that simplify our lives; but the thing my mother would marvel at the most is the difference in how we talk to each other. She never appreciated rude behavior, and she believed children (of any age) should speak respectfully to their elders. She loved to read, she appreciated anyone who spoke well and had a good vocabulary, and she enjoyed listening to educated people debating the issues of the day. So, I wonder what she would say about the Trump presidency (note to readers: while my mother tended to be a liberal, my father's views leaned conservative, so I heard both perspectives when growing up). No, I am not talking about Mr. Trump's politics-- I am talking about how he expresses himself. My mother grew up in a time when politicians spoke very differently from how some of them speak today.
Don't get me wrong: political campaigns were never courteous events, even in the "good old days." As the fictional character "Mr Dooley" remarked in 1895, "Politics ain't beanbag." But even politicians who were the most bitter rivals would not have cursed during a political speech, nor can I imagine Ronald Reagan or Lyndon Johnson (both of whom were well-acquainted with bad language), publicly expressing their beliefs about their opponents in vulgar terms. I've remarked on this before, since I vaguely recall watching presidential debates on TV when I was a kid-- but in my mother's day, political campaigns were mainly conducted in a manner that was passionate but respectful. Society did not think kindly of a politician who lost his temper or violated social norms (like refusing to shake hands with someone).
My mother taught me that the two most important things in life were caring about others and treating others courteously. She didn't just talk that way; she lived that way. We had some relatives (as every family does) who were not the nicest of people and who sometimes showed her no respect. Yet she always tried to be courteous to them. No, she wasn't a doormat and she didn't allow people to be rude. But she tried to give them a chance to change; and if they disappointed her, she never came down to their level, nor did she get into shouting matches with them. In her own way, she let people know when she'd heard enough, and she let them know when they had gone too far. She was much more patient than I am; but I must admit, it was fascinating to watch her deal with people who made the mistake of underestimating her.
I did not always get along with my mother, and I know I often tried her patience. I could be exasperating sometimes, and I know that what I wanted out of life career-wise was not what she wanted for me. (Yes, she wanted me to be happy and to succeed, but she never understood why I wanted a career in the media; she believed a more stable occupation like teaching would be better, but she gradually came to understand that my heart was in broadcasting.) However, more important than whether we always agreed (and what mother and daughter always do, except in movies?), I believe that I have honored her by living as she taught me to live. She taught me to always be ready to do a mitzvah (a positive action that make the world better in some way), and she taught me to avoid being harsh or cruel in how I speak to others. Courtesy and good manners were so important to her; and if she were alive today, I think it would sadden her that both seem to be in short supply. So, once again, this year as every year since she died, I will do a mitzvah in her memory, and I will continue to make an effort to speak courteously. I know I won't always succeed, but she'd want me to keep trying. And so, I will.
In 2017, there are so many new inventions that simplify our lives; but the thing my mother would marvel at the most is the difference in how we talk to each other. She never appreciated rude behavior, and she believed children (of any age) should speak respectfully to their elders. She loved to read, she appreciated anyone who spoke well and had a good vocabulary, and she enjoyed listening to educated people debating the issues of the day. So, I wonder what she would say about the Trump presidency (note to readers: while my mother tended to be a liberal, my father's views leaned conservative, so I heard both perspectives when growing up). No, I am not talking about Mr. Trump's politics-- I am talking about how he expresses himself. My mother grew up in a time when politicians spoke very differently from how some of them speak today.
Don't get me wrong: political campaigns were never courteous events, even in the "good old days." As the fictional character "Mr Dooley" remarked in 1895, "Politics ain't beanbag." But even politicians who were the most bitter rivals would not have cursed during a political speech, nor can I imagine Ronald Reagan or Lyndon Johnson (both of whom were well-acquainted with bad language), publicly expressing their beliefs about their opponents in vulgar terms. I've remarked on this before, since I vaguely recall watching presidential debates on TV when I was a kid-- but in my mother's day, political campaigns were mainly conducted in a manner that was passionate but respectful. Society did not think kindly of a politician who lost his temper or violated social norms (like refusing to shake hands with someone).
My mother taught me that the two most important things in life were caring about others and treating others courteously. She didn't just talk that way; she lived that way. We had some relatives (as every family does) who were not the nicest of people and who sometimes showed her no respect. Yet she always tried to be courteous to them. No, she wasn't a doormat and she didn't allow people to be rude. But she tried to give them a chance to change; and if they disappointed her, she never came down to their level, nor did she get into shouting matches with them. In her own way, she let people know when she'd heard enough, and she let them know when they had gone too far. She was much more patient than I am; but I must admit, it was fascinating to watch her deal with people who made the mistake of underestimating her.
I did not always get along with my mother, and I know I often tried her patience. I could be exasperating sometimes, and I know that what I wanted out of life career-wise was not what she wanted for me. (Yes, she wanted me to be happy and to succeed, but she never understood why I wanted a career in the media; she believed a more stable occupation like teaching would be better, but she gradually came to understand that my heart was in broadcasting.) However, more important than whether we always agreed (and what mother and daughter always do, except in movies?), I believe that I have honored her by living as she taught me to live. She taught me to always be ready to do a mitzvah (a positive action that make the world better in some way), and she taught me to avoid being harsh or cruel in how I speak to others. Courtesy and good manners were so important to her; and if she were alive today, I think it would sadden her that both seem to be in short supply. So, once again, this year as every year since she died, I will do a mitzvah in her memory, and I will continue to make an effort to speak courteously. I know I won't always succeed, but she'd want me to keep trying. And so, I will.
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