When I look in the mirror, I seldom recognize myself--my inner image is younger, slimmer, and doesn't have nearly as many gray hairs. But what I don't see is an ignorant bigot. Unfortunately, that's what many of today's pundits would like me to see.
If you look carefully at the mainstream media, it's obvious that there is a concerted effort to make me think that I'm something I'm not--manipulated by a constant stream of "everyman" pundits who are intended to represent the idiot in all of us. Who knows? Maybe if we look in their mirrors long enough, we might begin to morph into their idea of who we should be.
Perhaps the worst offender is Glenn Beck, who giggles his way through some of the most racist commentary on television.
Here's James Zogby on HuffingtonPost.com:
Never shy to share an unenlightened view, Beck, for example, will note "I'm not an expert, but..." and then proceed to make his case using a mishmash of clichés that reflect the prejudices of conventional wisdom.
And what's his background that makes him qualified to represent us as a "pundit?" He was a disk jockey from age 13 until 36; he is an ex-alcoholic and drug addict, a divorcee, and dropped out of college (theology) after one semester. He is the epitome of "reverse elitism" and anti-intellectualism in America, yet we allow CNN to tell us he is "just like us."
And what's "just like us?" A bigoted, ignorant fool who "can predict World War III with a smile." If he hates France, perhaps I should too. If he thinks Muslims are terrorists, maybe I resemble that remark.
Then there's Steve Doocy, the cohost of Fox & Friends> Since his background is slightly more traditional (a degree in some unnamed major from University of Kansas) he has to go a little farther to convince the public that he's an ignorant fool. He had practice, since his main background is in children's programming. And of course, he has an audience--most recently, violinist Gretchen Carlson--to yuck his double entendres and prove that you don't need to know anything about politics to appreciate how insightful a political novice can be. The women on these shows have their own strict code--short skirts, silly giggles and hero worship of "the boys."
Of course, that's not us. More Americans consider themselves Democrats.
From 2004-2006, Republican identification declined from 34% to 30%, while Democratic identification increased by less than a percentage point (33.6% to 34.3%). During the last three years, the percentage of Americans identifying as independents increased from 31% to 34%.
The majority of Americans are not former disk jockeys, former addicts, or proud caricatures of "red necks." The majority of Americans aren't racist bigots either. But watch television long enough, and you might think so. (After all, those drop-outs and proud anti-intellectuals are making more money than I am!)
Are we simply allowing this to happen? Glenn Beck has
consistently lost viewers for HLN, until now it is the lowest-rated cable prime time, and yet he gets a "promotion" to ABC in the morning as a "pundit." (Guess graduating high school is a big deal these days!) That means lost money for the network. Why does it continue?
It's not possible to assume that CNN isn't watching the books. They can't be ignoring thousands of complaints, or boycots from half a dozen groups. The only possible conclusion is that it is a deliberate political effort. This seems to be a new twist on the "Overton Window"--if onscreen "pundits" show you idiocy long enough and often enough, the window on acceptable ignorance widens and we are more willing to jump through it ourselves. The financial losses that they endure are back-door political contributions to the Republican cause, which do not have to be listed on any campaign finance report.