ISSUE: Who Do You Trust? The Threat to FREEDOM of the PRESS, Freedom of SPEECH & Our LIBERTY

In every country whose citizens are governed by a dictator, communism or other form of totalitarianism , it is found to be necessary that the traditional mass media, (newspapers, television, radio, magazines) and now, the internet, are all controlled by the state, for obvious reasons. To be successful, rule-by-force requires consistent, focused, one-story (theirs), one way communication that supports the government’s ideology, agenda and their actions (laws, restrictions, enforcement, etc). Any dissent, all contradicting stories, information, opinions or possibilities, no matter how true or plausible, are banned, forbidden, censored, by force as needed.

“Freedom of the Press, if it means anything at all, means the freedom to criticize and oppose.”
                                                                 George Orwell

From the time of the pharaohs of ancient Egypt to Kim Jong-Un’s dictatorship of The Democratic People’s Republic of North Korea today, the spreading of truth is like planting the seeds of dissent and discontentment, a feared and formidable threat to their rule and control over their people. Hitler’s, Fascism. The Soviet Union. Uganda’s, Idi Amin. Communist China today. Truth is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. Vladimir Lenin openly expressed what dictators and totalitarian governments have always known:

“Why should freedom of speech and freedom of press be allowed? Why should a government which is doing what it believes to be right allow itself to be criticized? It would not allow opposition by lethal weapons. Ideas are much more fatal things than guns. Why should any man be allowed to buy a printing press and disseminate pernicious opinions calculated to embarrass the government?”

But, how is that possible in any nation of freedom loving citizens? Well, war and revolution are, clearly, the fastest way to control the mass media. But, how does a dishonest, dictatorial-leaning leadership (ideology) gain control of a free nation’s mass media without people realizing it? Without firing a shot? Without them knowing it until it’s too late?

Actually it’s easy, as Hemingway once wrote about another sudden and unpleasant realization; “Gradually, then suddenly.” It starts with using the media to spread lies and their story. Then, it moves to influencing editorials, and the selection and spin of which news is reported, first with advertising dollars to mislead good, trusting, busy, uninformed people. That is followed a steady, calculated, increasing degree of ownership of the newspapers, television and radio stations, and in today’s world, the most popular social media, until they have enough control to change the rules and the minds of the unknowing. And, enforce them, as they see fit. Gradually, then suddenly….

But, you may ask, “How could we not see it coming?” Well, it seems to me, in the past, far more people were skeptical and questioned what they were told; especially about issues of importance to them. They did their own research because they had to, asked more direct questions and used a healthy dose of skepticism and common sense to form their opinions and beliefs. As the Information Age progressed, more channels of news and knowledge were born to deliver the news far and wide. Radio and television, in particular. And, in the early years of radio and television, when many of the newspapers, radio and television were owned by small, independent mom and pop businesses, there was enough balance, diversity and openness to deserve much of the trust people placed in the news and views that were being reported at that time. Edward R. Murrow. Walter Cronkite. 60 Minutes. Ted Koppel. After some time, many of these sources of news often proved to be mostly unbiased and trustworthy. So much so that people began to relax their skepticism and questioning. Thus began the giving up of personal responsibility for what they believed, to the widespread trust and belief of what was reported by the media. “Hey! I read it in The Times!” “So and so said it on the news.” We were relaxed about the sources of what we were told, and overly confident that it would not change.

Then, slowly, the trustworthy sources of mainstream news and commentary were acquired, purchased by powerful interests, in a coordinated effort to filter and control the news. Very effectively, I might add. Biased views, incomplete news, spin reporting. And, out the window went unbiased, trustworthy news. Fast forward and welcome to 2020, the Age of Fake News and Selective Information.

“A nation that is afraid to let its people judge the truth and falsehood in an open market
is a nation that is afraid of its people.”       John f. Kennedy

At about the same time these powerful interests were acquiring our formerly trustworthy sources of information, a new form of media was born. Social media was originally planned to be the unfiltered exchange of information among people in shared groups. MySpace. Facebook. Twitter. YouTube. Then, not surprisingly, those sites evolved to include commercial and political interests. And, that was okay; no problem there. Yet. That is, until lots of people began expressing their political concerns on social media about what was being reported by the mainstream media. Questioning and challenging media news and views. And, questioning what was being reported as factual, trustworthy news, in the only forum people have available to them. And, getting noticed. Getting noticed by the politicians and the elite wealthy who control mainstream media.

The truth?                                 The whole truth?                                 And, nothing but the truth?

As the questioning and challenging grew, the controllers of mainstream media knew they had to act, had to slow, then silence the skeptics. Those same powerful interests that control the major news sources, quickly gained significant monetary, legal and political influence and, in many cases, control of each American’s ability to voice his or her opinion on social media about the issues most important to them. Censored! Selectively, that is. If the owners or influencers behind social media do not agree with a posting or position, and consider it sufficiently detrimental to their cause and interests, no matter how well researched, logical and plausible it may be; “Censored”!

“Whoever would overthrow the liberty of a nation must begin by subduing the freeness of speech.”
                                                                       Benjamin Franklin

As a result, we are continuously bombarded with false, biased and incomplete ‘news’, on both sides of the political aisle, by a managed, political media about whom too many people take and mistake, without hesitation or question, as the truth. Citizens giving up freely, without a fight, their right AND responsibility to decide the truth for themselves. As such, the people of America are now divided, and find themselves at political, social and humanitarian extremes, by what we’ve been told by the now biased, and untrustworthy media. And, by many people believing without question, what they are told by the controlled media.

An old, former mentor of mine once told me that, “Whenever you hear widely differing versions about the same event, conditions or occurrence, the truth almost always likes somewhere in the vast wasteland between the two extremes.”

So, who DO you trust?                                 Who CAN you trust?                                 Who WILL you trust?

And, what are you willing to give up if you’re wrong?                 Your freedom?

Well, there is no doubt that, I am responsible for what I choose to believe.
Perhaps, we can all seek to better and more fully understand all positions, before taking a stand.
Perhaps, we can be skeptical about controversial things we are told.
Perhaps, we can all, be open minded.
Perhaps, we can all question what we’re shown and what we are told.
Perhaps, we can use common sense* in our decision about that which we choose to believe.

Or, perhaps, some will just choose what they want to believe, even if it may not turn out to be so, because they want to believe it. Because they want it to be so. Even if it isn’t.

It seems to me that everyone is free to believe and act, freely. And, to experience the amplifications of their choices.

So, who will you trust?                 Caveat emptor….

*Common sense: “sound and prudent judgment based on practical knowledge and a simple perception of the
situation or facts.”
Common sense cannot provide the truth, the best answers to our most important issues.
Common sense, however, can often provide effective questions to clear out smokescreens that obscure the truth.