I last wrote a piece for this space back in October 2016 and haven’t quite mustered the energy to write since we elected our current government.
I’m a conservative, and since 1980, a Republican. I did not want to see Trump nominated and don’t approve of him as a person or as the leader of my party. Since the election I’ve been stuck between a “rock” of Trumpism and the “hard place” of the left and its governing philosophy. It’s a situation I’m convinced is shared by most Americans.
I’m writing today because the left is assuming the fact of a Trump presidency gives them the high moral ground on their entire agenda, and the Monitoreditorial of Aug. 16 is a case in point. And, as ever, when the left believes it has the high ground it also believes the ends justify the means (then of course denounce Trump for doing the same thing).
The issue under discussion is media bias. Trump is worthy of nearly all the character attacks, but that doesn’t mean he’s always wrong (even if his tactics always offend my old-fashioned sense of decency).
A great many Americans are very concerned the media, hence the message, is controlled by the left, and though Trump is typically tactless, the concern is real.
The editorial “Enemies of the people” employs all the boring and expected rhetoric of the left while sidestepping entirely the core concern. I don’t think the editorial staff on the Monitor are uneducated or lacking intelligence, so they must know the basic argument that the Monitor and other media of its ilk aren’t biased is specious. They can’t seriously believe that newsrooms and editorial staff that are entirely (or nearly so) left-leaning can be fair minded in presenting the news. (Would you agree the right-leaning staff at Fox News is fair-minded in their story selection and presentation?)
While I don’t want to wander from the media bias point, the larger concern applies nationwide to all the sources of information and the bureaucracies that manage government function. While I don’t have the research arm to present definitive studies, it is common knowledge that the teaching profession is heavily dominated by people who are left of center, as are the government bureaucracies that manage the daily events of our lives. What got me on this jag is the first paragraph of the editorial: “Journalists don’t choose this life for pay or pension, job security or power; they choose it because the stories matter.” Really! So, tell me why 90 percent of journalists are of the left? Maybe one reason they choose the profession is because they understand the power of the pen? Maybe one of the reasons teachers choose their profession is for the power inherent in disseminating information and molding young minds. Perhaps it’s even possible people enter government service to exert influence over events?
The editorial’s third paragraph is another rhetorical ploy – the straw man (and another that arch enemy Trump is notorious for employing). Most of the criticism of the media is not about the media “lying” so defend that all you want – so what? What the media does (the Monitor is a prime example) is to choose stories to cover that fit the leftist narrative and write articles that omit information that might call the narrative into question – an obvious indication you believe most of your fellow citizens aren’t smart or well enough educated to see through the rhetoric; insulting us and driving us to vote for whomever opposes your point of view.
Your next paragraph chastises 51 percent of Republicans polled for agreeing with Trump that the press is the enemy of the people; another nasty piece of work on your part. As the left seems want to do, you find a target for outrage. I’m sure it occurs to your editorial staff that perhaps many of these poll respondents are just plain angry at the oppressive bias exhibited by mainstream media; and in anger they lash out. It would have been a more interesting article if you had done some research on the motives of the 51 percent (also interesting if you had investigated the validity of the polling).
The next paragraph destroys another straw man. Almost nobody believes the media conspires to undermine the administration and foment a coup, nor does any rational person believe the media is a monolithic presence. What we believe is the vast majority of media in this country is controlled by the left, and we aren’t buying the B.S. that humans are normally successful in overlooking their biases.
Then, you tell us what we already know about Trump. While all you write is probably true, it would be really interesting to see a news organization examine some of the leftist mouthpieces with the same diligence. The reason that never happens is precisely because the media is biased to be only interested in exploring stories that reinforce their paradigm.
Funny that in the Monitor’s closing of this piece you state “that makes journalists dangerous to the powerful.” Wow, but journalists don’t take up their profession for the power.
(Steve Mongan lives in Concord.)