One of my favorite musicians, John Prine, has a song called "Spanish Pipedream" and the last chorus goes like this:
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We blew up our T.V. threw away our paper
Went to the country, built us a home
Had a lot of children, fed 'em on peaches
They all found Jesus on their own
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For a long time now I've been a big consumer of TV and cable news, newspapers, news magazines, news websites and blogs. Thinking I need to know what the lying bastards are up to, I've watched and read them all.
On any given day I might tune into Bill O'Reilly so see what ridiculous thing he is going on about. I'll read the New York Times. I'll read Bill Kristol. I'll watch Fox News and CNN. I'll read Newsweek or Time. I'll seek out news on the Religious Right. I'll keep up with the pseudo-idiots at PowerLineBlog.com.
I mean, the best way to fight the evil bastards is to know exactly what they are up to, right? Challenge them at every turn - that's the winning strategy, right?
So I've paid attention in excruciating detail to Valerie Plame, Steven Colbert, Tom Delay, Dick Cheney, the Iraq War, George Bush, the Diebolded Elections, the War on Terror, Gay Rights, the environment, Hurricane Katrina, the Swift Boaters, the Patriot Act, and all the rest of the lies this administration feeds us via the MSM.
I've written letters to the editor and called executive producers. I run my own little political board. I've gotten involved in campaigns. I've fumed, vented, ranted and raved. I've marched, waved signs and protested. I've given money. I've debated and blogged. I've done my best to expose people to the Truth.
It's fairly obsessive. You might even say it's addictive.
But the media goes blithely about it's business of feeding us the same lies and disinformation that we all know is false. And they know I'm paying attention because I tell them I am.
With my letters, phone calls, emails, blog posts and board links, they have proof that I'm out there and that I'm consuming. Like a crack addict or a heroin junkie, I come back every single day to get my fix of what they sell.
As long as I'm consuming they will keep on feeding me The Lie. They repeat the Neo-Con Lie without remorse or accountability. It's the same thing day after day. They are the dealers and I am the junkie.
I will be a junkie no longer.
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We blew up our T.V. threw away our paper
Went to the country, built us a home
Had a lot of children, fed 'em on peaches
They all found Jesus on their own
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I've taken this to heart. While I haven't blown up my TV, I refuse to pay attention to the MSM anymore. I don't think I can give up Stewart or Colbert, but I've quit all the rest of it cold turkey. I'll get my news here and from places like it.
It's the only power I have left.