Down the Rabbit Hole

(note:  I found this picture via a search on Google images)

(This is the path from here to there...).

Remember Sandra Fluke? 
I'll leave the details of the story to Wikipedia or a quick Google/Bing search. 
For the purposes of this post, I remember that Rush Limbaugh didn't just disagree with her; he called her names and was very hateful. 
Over the last couple days, Fox News pundit Monica Crowly 'tweeted' a comment after hearing that Sandra Fluke was engaged..."to a woman?". 
So unnecessary, and mean-spirited.
(I believe the comment was intended to be disparaging, though I also believe that being called a lesbian isn't an insult, just not true in this case)

There's an area in the playground where the mean kids play.  In America, it's in the media. 
If they overhear something they don't like they'll pass judgement, then mock and deride and ridicule - in an outrageous and personal way.
It's not about disagreeing on principle or policy. 
The mean kids only want to create a hostile environment. 


I was taught to ignore people like this.
But, I'm afraid if I ignore the behavior its a tacit approval.
It feels like a slippery slope we've been going down.

It occurs to me there have been people like this all along in world history - mean, ugly-hearted people.
I can't fight human nature - and I don't want to fight the freedom in America to say mean and hurtful things.
What I don't want is for the mean people to have so much influence.

Their influence comes from the reach of their voice.
And what gives their voice reach?
Media.

Rush Limbaugh's show is syndicated by Premiere Radio Networks.
Premiere Radio Networks is a wholly owned subsidiary of Clear Channel Communications.
Clear Channel was founded in 1972 (in Texas!) by Lowry Mays and Red McCombs.
In a 2003 interview with Fortune Magazine, "We're not in the business of providing news and information.  We're not in the business of providing well researched music.  We're simply in the business of selling our companies products."

Interesting note:  In 2008, Bain Capital (former employer of Mitt Romney) took Clear Channel private and is the current owner, along with Thomas H Lee Partners.

What's my point?  I don't know - it's just stinky, I guess.
(Texas? Rush Limbaugh?  Bain Capital? ugh)


And it reinforces the obvious...
Mad Men are ruling the World.
(For those who don't know the TV reference, Mad Men is what early advertisers were called because they worked on Madison Avenue in NY, and "Mad Men" is an AMC TV show about those early advertising agencies in the 60's; Larry Tate redux.  And for those who don't know that TV reference, Larry Tate was the owner of an advertising agency on the 60's sitcom "Bewitched" who would do anything for a sale - he had no integrity...but it was for laughs.)

Since our economy is based on what people buy (instead of what we produce), we're being ruled by people who want to sell us things.
They'll play on our emotions to get us to buy things.
And I'll bet there's a study that says people buy more things when they're afraid than when they're feeling personally secure.

Which is why the news media loves to make us scared.  They don't want to inform us - they simply want a platform to sell their products.

I don't think my writing makes sense - I spend a lot of time making it this confusing - so I apologize.
But, it's a representation of my thought process; the rabbit hole I fall down every once in a while.
I am often astonished and sad and I feel powerless.