October 14, 2008 - Politics
I try to still above the political fray. That doesn’t mean I avoid talking about politics with others, but I rarely actively campaign for any candidate or proposition, etc. But, lately I have felt compelled to comment on some of the inconsistent and just plain dumb ones I have encountered during this campaign season.
The most vivid today is California’s proposition 8 which is a reaction to the California appellate court’s decision upholding same sex marriages. If this proposition is passed it will codify the proposition which was passed 8 years which did the same thing.
This week the ads for and against the proposition are running night and day. The ads against have become really annoying. The latest one I’ve heard asks people to vote against he proposition and keep government out of our personal lives. Now, that is ridiculous when you consider the history of this issue. Same sex weddings only became legal and valid in California after a lawsuit and a ruling by an appellate court. If that isn’t government action and interference in the issue I don’t know what it.
I have had several discussions with others on this issue. I hear things like, "they already have domestic partnerships which give them all the same rights, what else do they need?" "Same sex marriage is immoral." "Banning same sex marriage is the denial of a personal, civil right, the right to marry."
I guess my response is that we are talking about a civil union, one recognized by the courts and laws of the state. Personally, I understood that is what the domestic partnerships accomplished.
One of the most disturbing things I have heard is that if this proposition is defeated then gay marriage will be taught in the schools as a legitimate option. I’m sorry but I don’t want my kids taught that boys can marry boys and girls can marry girls in school. Let them learn about those things on the playground instead of the classroom.
Like any touchy subject this proposition has caused some controversy. Last week I received a forwarded email that said people were stealing yard signs for yes on proposition 8. Then last night on the news the lead story was about a man who was passing out yes on proposition 8 signs who was beaten.
Ridiculous.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Thursday, October 9, 2008.
For the last two or three years my wife and I have watched and listened to NBC’s Today show as we get ready to leave for work in the morning. When we first started watching Katie Couric sat at the anchor desk with Matt Lauer. I for one was impressed with the mostly non-biased, professionalism that I saw each morning.
I don’t remember the date but I can tell you why, in my opinion, that professionalism left the Today show. This morning was another example of that. Since Meredith Viera has taken her seat next to Matt Lauer I have seen, on an almost daily basis, the interviews conducted on the Today show become sniping, cynical attacks rather than news pieces.
This morning was just another example of that. Meredith Viera was interviewing campaign workers from both of the presidential candidates. First, Meredith Viera smiled, almost laughed when she said that there was a technical problem and the woman from McCain’s campaign couldn’t hear what was going on so she would continue with the man from Obama’s campaign. Then, as usual, Meredith Viera interrupted both individuals when they were trying to answer her questions, not with pertinent follow-up questions, but with what she obviously thought were witty remarks.
I am old enough to remember when reporters, journalists, set aside there personal politics and reported fairly without trying to influence the viewer, they reported, supplied information and left the viewer to take that information and make their own informed decision. I’m not naive, I’m not saying that in the past all reporters were always unbiased. But, I get real tired of turning on a news program, be it the "Nightly" news or a "News Magazine" and feeling like I have tuned into a political ad.
I only single out Meredith Viera because we watch the Today show in our house. I could probably say something similar about the other network morning shows.
The bottom line for me is I would like to see reporter, and interviewers, return to the non-partisan, non-biased ways that I remember. Those qualities are not that far away. I watched Tom Brokaw act as moderator for a recent debate and I don’t recall seeing, or hearing, one remark that I would consider biased.
For the last two or three years my wife and I have watched and listened to NBC’s Today show as we get ready to leave for work in the morning. When we first started watching Katie Couric sat at the anchor desk with Matt Lauer. I for one was impressed with the mostly non-biased, professionalism that I saw each morning.
I don’t remember the date but I can tell you why, in my opinion, that professionalism left the Today show. This morning was another example of that. Since Meredith Viera has taken her seat next to Matt Lauer I have seen, on an almost daily basis, the interviews conducted on the Today show become sniping, cynical attacks rather than news pieces.
This morning was just another example of that. Meredith Viera was interviewing campaign workers from both of the presidential candidates. First, Meredith Viera smiled, almost laughed when she said that there was a technical problem and the woman from McCain’s campaign couldn’t hear what was going on so she would continue with the man from Obama’s campaign. Then, as usual, Meredith Viera interrupted both individuals when they were trying to answer her questions, not with pertinent follow-up questions, but with what she obviously thought were witty remarks.
I am old enough to remember when reporters, journalists, set aside there personal politics and reported fairly without trying to influence the viewer, they reported, supplied information and left the viewer to take that information and make their own informed decision. I’m not naive, I’m not saying that in the past all reporters were always unbiased. But, I get real tired of turning on a news program, be it the "Nightly" news or a "News Magazine" and feeling like I have tuned into a political ad.
I only single out Meredith Viera because we watch the Today show in our house. I could probably say something similar about the other network morning shows.
The bottom line for me is I would like to see reporter, and interviewers, return to the non-partisan, non-biased ways that I remember. Those qualities are not that far away. I watched Tom Brokaw act as moderator for a recent debate and I don’t recall seeing, or hearing, one remark that I would consider biased.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
.jpg)