Main stream news has abandoned truth!

I watched Martha Raddatz on ABC News this morning. I usually try to look in on that show (and it is a show) because sometimes they actually present a valuable element to the knowledge and understanding Americans need in order to inform our lives. Today was not one of those informative shows however. In fact, it was quite the opposite. It presented an unbalanced and one-sided view of a crisis that impacts everyone American citizen, and it did so with a distinct and obvious bias.

I realize that Martha is just a talking head reading a predetermined, teleprompter-powered script written by various editors and word-crafters at ABC News. It is important for all of us in America to realize that what she is delivering is a “product” of the ABC News machine. Like all products it needs to be sold. That is how “news” is delivered these days. A product, made of editorial opinion, wrapped in hi-tech imagery, delivered by talented and well-seasoned presenters with a purpose other than that of pure “news”. But in what has become typical Martha Raddatz style, she asked leading questions, with the obvious intent of getting her interviewee to wade into the muck with her. I was happy to see that neither Val Demings nor General Dempsey joined her in that trap.

If I assume for a moment that ABC News had in its plan to provide balanced and unbiased coverage I would have expected to see a clear analysis of what has happened in America since the murder of George Floyd. That analysis should have dissected the events and presented the distinctly different pieces. They should have had the “balls” to separate those who protested the death of George Floyd and the racial discrimination and bias that it displayed, from those who bastardized that tragedy by rioting, looting, burning, assault and murder of innocent Americans. Those are two distinctly different things and thus two distinctly different (though connected) news stories. One is protected by our Constitution while the other is not. Not taking the time to make that point of difference plays to the social / political energies of the moment and disregards, and disrespects, the mass of law abiding Americans and the Constitution we all hold sacred.

Instead, in their show today, Martha and her editorial team presented a completely one-sided view of events. They showed video clips of interactions between the protesters and those policing those events without context, highlighting the very few adverse interactions that claimed showed aggressive behavior on behalf of police. They never bothered to point out that of the hundreds of thousand of protesters and policing authorities the vast, VAST majority occurred peacefully and with mutual respect. Not once did they present anyone from the “other side” of this national tragedy. Anyone who had been assaulted, had their businesses burned, seen their livelihoods, and often life’s work go up in smoke. They never showed images of violent thugs beating business owners and innocent bystanders. They never showed the hordes of thieves breaking into and stealing everything and anything they decided was theirs for the taking. They never talked about the dozens of police officers and other peace-keepers who were pelted with rocks, bricks and Molotov cocktails. They never highlighted those who sought to be keep the peace and protect the innocent who were severely injured, hospitalized or just plain murdered. NO! Not once! Because it did not fit their narrative!!

And in perhaps what is their greatest display of disrespect for America and Americans they showed images of police and National Guard troops surrounding and protecting the Lincoln Memorial. They presented that situation like there was something wrong with those troops being there to assure the safety and sanctity of that great monument. That their presence created unnecessary tension and risk of conflict. That twisted, Pulitzer-prize pursuing bit of media manipulation is testament to just how morally corrupted many major US news media have become. Rather than point out that these peacekeepers where their to protect that monument, they chose to spin it as them being there to confront the protesters. Disgusting! One-sided! Biased! Bullshit!!

I, for one, was glad to see the police and National Guard there protecting our great countries heritage. I am happy to see that someone is willing to stand up to anyone who would deface such a monument. I am proud of all who would take that stand against the anarchy and chaos of the past weeks that corrupted whatever the memory of George Floyd might actually mean. I am not proud of “news” media that uses their platform to present a distortion of the truth in pursuit of their personal, political perspective.

I will likely continue to watch George, Martha and their Sunday show from time to time. But I will do so with great skepticism and distrust of their truthfulness for a long time to come.