My War on the Media - The media assaults us every day with their sound-bite version of the 'truth.'

It has been over thirty years now since the main character of the movie "Network" declared "I am made as hell, and I am not going to take it anymore." Yet little has changed in the way our media conducts itself since then. The media still assaults us every day with their sound-bite version of the "truth." As a result in our increasing complex world, we find it harder and harder to discern the facts and make up our own minds about what the truth really is. Therefore, I see no alternative than for truth-hungry people such as myself to wage an internet-based, guerilla "war of words" on the media.

First let's define the enemy properly. It is said that the media is "liberal." I would agree, and even many in the media admit, that it seems that a large group of the talking heads we see on television are of the left-of-center persuasion. Nevertheless, I would say that the media as business is nether liberal nor conservative, but rather shallow opportunists taking advantage of sensational events to gain "market share." I will have to admit, that by it's nature, and often times much to its dismay, the printed media is more objective, as it cannot manipulate images as easily as television or, increasingly, movies. Also, most newspapers and periodicals that have been around a while have been forced to at least have a token objective (often labeled derisively, "conservative") journalist on their staff. So the enemy, is sensationalism and the false images it creates.

The sensational media always hides behind the first amendment to the Constitution, the first of the Bill of Rights, which reads "Congress shall make no law … abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press …." This fundamental principle of our freedom in the United States does deserve to be protected at all costs. However, one has to wonder how the abuse of this freedom by the modern media protects it. The history of the government of men shows that when rights are abused, then governments restrict them or take them away. With rights come responsibilities, and today's media clearly abuses their rights by refusing to take seriously their responsibility to be comprehensive, objective and factual – their excuse is, "facts or good news, is no news," what an insult to the intelligence of the American people.

So be specific about your complaint, you say. Okay, the other day I was watching one of the major news programs (which one is irrelevant, as they all broadcast approximately the same content) which showed the usual assortment of "doomsday news" from Iraq – shot-up cars, bloody bodies in the streets and pictures of hostages - fine, all facts and part of the news. Yet, even though the Iraqi people had just successfully accomplished their first real election in decades, no mention was made of this fact, or of any positive viewpoint coming out of that election. Of course, the media pundits will whine, "we did show a positive side of the Iraqi elections." That's deceptive and they know it - the camera is a very deceptive tool. It is not objective to show a positive factor in isolation one day, and then follow it by five days of the "dark side." Further, instead of having even a few minutes of positive news from Iraq after showing the day's terror events, this particular newscast chose to show a ten minute piece on Janet Jackson's poor performance at the Super Bowl last year, with the usual footage of her trying to cover up her bare breast. I rest my case.

So, how will we wage this guerilla war to find the truth? Simple, the only way we are going to get objective news is by going and finding it ourselves. For instance, if you want to read about the positive side of the election from a first hand observer, a U.S. soldier involved with Iraqi people taking part in the election, go to www.parmedia.org. This young man will give you a refreshing, and in my opinion, objective first-hand look at what is going on in Iraq. This is the future of the truth – shared person-to-person on the internet or perhaps via talk radio.

What are objectives of this guerilla war on the Media? – simple, force the media to become more objective by getting objective news to people through other means – primarily the internet.