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POPE IN AMERICA/


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The Pope spoke at a school a few blocks from where I live.  A full two days before his arrival the streets were cleared, making street parking a real problem for three days. That is about all I have to report.  I had zero interest in seeing him, or hearing anything he had to say.

It is interesting to me that so many people have such strong feelings for him both positive and negative.  I wonder what percentage of American truly worship him?  It was hard to avoid hear news account of thousands of people lined up over night just to catch a glimpse him speed by in a motorcade.

I feel like it is everyone else but me who thinks it is crazy to go through so much effort to see any man (I appreciate many people believe he is divine).

The same goes for all the media attention paid to Donald Trump.  Again the media would have you believe that the majority of Americans want him in office, when I'd bet money it is just a small percentage of people.  

If the media bother to discuss candidates in terms of issues and qualifications--rather than celebrity.  i doubt Donald would have any support at all.

But the media will milk the Trump candidacy, and the Clinton email scandal, for all that it is worth, meanwhile the public goes along largely ignorant standing in line to see the Popemobile whiz by

What a country.

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The media sponsors televised debates and airs interviews and reports what the polls show.  But they don't put words in the mouths of the candidates, and the outrageous things candidates are saying are what generates public interest and influences public opinion, IMO. Those running for office acquire supporters by saying what certain groups of people want to hear.  The worst and most dangerous thing about this is that lying has been elevated to a new level and those who are caught in lies just continue to repeat them, counting on the strategy that if you repeatedly tell a lie, it begins to register as true in the minds of the people who want to believe it.  Fact-checkers are having a field day debunking some of the falsehoods, half-truths and misleading statements candidates are making but it doesn't have any effect.  The  mindset of the electorate is becoming increasingly receptive to the idea of rejecting political correctness and embracing outsiders who don't represent those currently doing such a bad job of running things.   Come election time it is possible that once inside the voting booth, people will come to their senses and vote for someone who is reasonably qualified to be POTUS.  

The Pope's wide appeal is a form of the mass hysteria.that is very easy to induce in religious people looking for someone to idolize and renew their hopes   He was, indeed, like a rock star who attracted millions of groupies.   And, of course, his visit was a historic occasion and many just wanted to be able to tell their grandchildren that they saw this world famous figure.  

The current state of America is inevitable. The turmoil and clashing of ideals is how things have evolved because the very diverseness that made up the great melting pot has now become an alloy of divisiveness. 

America will be tested in the coming months.  What happens after November 2016 will determine whether this nation will pass or fail, whether it can put aside all of its differences and come together as one country.  I tend to think ol steady, moderate, political veteran Joe Biden might be the best hope for this.  We shall see.    

Edited by Cynique
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I did not watch the debates because, issues are never discussed.  Debates are a festival of who can get the best sound bite in, they are broadcast to drive ratings (generate revenue) through entertainment.  No one truly comes away informed about a candidate's ability to govern, just who is the most glib and entertaining.

The polls are just as useless. What good it is to query an uninformed, non-voting public about how they feel ('cause they don't know) about a candidate's position.

Besides, what difference does it make what the public thinks?  Politicians do what the ultra rich and corporations say do.  People have zero impact on what politicians do, nor do labor unions.

Fact checkers don't matter.  People are moved by their emotions, not facts.  Donald Trump has been lying his ass off on things that are easily verified, but none of it matters, because he is going to get rid of 11 million Mexicans, and build a "beautiful" wall that the Mexicans will pay for.

For some reason I don't think my grandchildren will care if I saw the Pope.  Indeed, if they knew I waited on the street overnight to catch a glimpse of him, I'd hope they'd think I was stupid, or perhaps a product of my time.

I've come to the conclusion the it really does not matter who wins the office of the president, because whoever is in office will do what the plutocrats say. Until this changes, and I see nothing to indicate that it will, we are going to see the rich continue to get richer and the poor get poorer.

I was naive enough to think Obama would make a difference.

I was dumb enough to think Occupy was the beginning of actual positive change.

The Million Man March is next Saturday and you barely hear anything about it.  Not that it matters because not only did things not improve for Black men, in the 20 years since the first march, they got worse.  The twitter account for the MMM has less that 2,800 followers (The Nation being on Twitter seems oxymoronic to me anyway).

So I'm sure you'll understand why I'm under no illusions that the Pope's presence here will not amount to a hill or beans.

 

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LOL. Humm. The Pope coming to America wasn't being touted as anything other than a good will visit.  I don't think anybody seriously expected his visit to amount to more than a hill of beans. But what's so stupid about those who wanted to see him from a historical perspective? Witnessing history is not a shallow pursuit.  And I can't believe that you are crushed because Obama being president hasn't made a difference.  I don't EVER remember you being anything but cynical about Obama either as a candidate or as president. As for political polls, they are not devised to measure people's intellect and ignorance. They are a barometer of what trends are emerging, which can be intriguing to observe. The debates exposed the candidates not issues, and their rants appealed to those who related to what was being claimed even if it was untrue. The campaign has provided a platform for prejudices and prejudiced people are responding in full force. Nobody is denying that this presidential race is a farce and speaking of farces, when it comes to black people, everybody knows it, but nobody says it; as a race, we seem doomed to come in last place. 

Glad I'm old.  

  

Edited by Cynique
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Cynique I know it was 8 years ago, but I was quite high ("high" for me as someone whose range of emotions is narrower than most).  I attended one of his political rallys (and I never do that type of thing)

Looking back at the video now (see below), I see that it was nothing more than a hype rally featuring gospel singers, comedians, celebrities, and dancing elephants.

Almost a year before I shot this video, I expressed by unrestricted support for Obama. Cynique don't you remember how I teased you and others, who did not have the same level of support for Obama as being, dare I say it, "self-hating negroes."

The next time I recall Obama being in Harlem, he was charging 36K a plate.  But by that point I was in Dr. West's camp, wonder WTF?!

Well in 8 years my perspective on these matters has changed.  

Sure Cynique you and I are saying the presidential race is a farce, but the media is behaving as if we should be taking this all this bullshit seriously.  

People are prejudiced, because they are ignorant, they are working with the information that they have.  If the media did a better job, reporting on reality, we would be less prejudiced.  

When it comes to the Black race, we may be doomed as your suggest, but one of the reasons I sit behind this computer everyday is to try change that.  While it has been an uphill battle, there are glimmers of hope.  It is a good thing I like a challenge, because from a business perspective I should have given up years ago.

Robert Reich, author of Saving Capitalism: For the Many, Not the Few, seems to believe there is hope for America. Historically when other countries head in the direction America is they become fascist states (think a Trump presidency, with control of both houses and the Supreme court). Reich believes America has always reinvented itself. But he is a white man, so I can see why he has such an optimistic perspective...

 

 

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Sorry, that's not how I remember things being 8 years ago when it comes to Obama. There was no reason for you to chide posters about being self-hating negroes because everybody but you was enthusiastic about Obama's running, (Folks like Carey, A Woman, Mzuri, ABM,  Ferocious Kitty, Yukio, Yvette, Li-Li, Linda, Crystal  and maybe even Kola and Chris Hayden were pro-Obama) I was a little luke warm about the idea of him being a black "savior" and so were you.  Your calling us self-hating negroes had more to do with hair and color issues, not a lack of support for Obama.  

Racial and religious prejudice didn't just crop up when the media became an invasive force.  They've always been  human foibles that people acquired from interacting with those different from themselves, and  certainly you don't think that whether this campaign is to be taken seriously or not, that it should not be reported about.  IT'S NEWS!  And actually it could be taken seriously because it's a reflection of the discontent and disgust that are casting a pall over the country. Are you suggesting that this "Rejection-of-Insiders" phenomenon should just be ignored?  What do YOU think the dreaded media should be focusing on? What generates traffic to computer sites?  LOL   And why are you quoting Robert Reich instead of Ta-nehisi Coates? tsk-tsk. 

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LOL, is has been a minute since I've laughed out loud from something someone wrote here.  Thanks Cynique.  I don't know what's wrong with me I'll quote TaNehisi next time :)

I'm not sure how you could say I was "luke warm."  You should follow the link, read what I wrote, and see if you come to the same conclusion

Sure prejudice existed before the media, but the media has the impact of heightening the impact.  People's prejudiced are exaggerated, reinforced, and augmented.  That is not news that is propaganda

The media should behave like proper journalists. I don't care if it is TV, the Web, print or radio.  There should be an unbiased commitment to the truth.  The media should not be used a tool of corporations to generate revenue by manipulating us and capitalizing on our ignorance and stupidity.

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OK. I followed the link and Voila!   My goodness! That was 7 years ago. What a treat that thread was to read. Back in the good ol days.  Yes, I was wrong about your early commitment  to Obama and the skepticism of the rest of us. Altho I don't remember posting any of that, I must say that I was consistent because I continued to remain on the fence when it came to Obama while others changed later.  You did fall under the sway of Cornel West and became disillusioned with Obama half way through his first term while his previous detractors came to his defense because it was so obvious that the Republicans were stifling him. I did and continue have mixed emotions about him - to this day.  

Give me an example of how the media spreads propaganda and encourages racial prejudice? Good journalism requires that the facts be reported.  How this effects those who read the facts stems from their own shortcomings. If people are dumb they have only themselves to blame.  The media is not a babysitter..  If you had your way, people would go through life, paranoid and suspicious about everything, never trusting their own ability to exercise good judgment about what the real deal is, never allowing themselves to enjoy something just for the sake of enjoyment.    I really don't think anybody is fooled by Donald Trump or that the media takes him seriously.  His supporters just don't care about his phoniness so they deserve what they get. 

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I guess I know that I have very little control over any political issue so I don't worry about that stuff at all. I tend to worry more about how to make more money. I look at President Obama as exactly what he is, a president/figurehead. I am proud that he is a brother and I have no shame at all in being proud of his accomplishment in attaining the presidency, but I didn't expect any real change at all. 

I have always been a person who looks at the grassroots as the answer to any problem. If you can mobilize enough people you can make things happen. The problem is in reaching enough people to create any disturbance in the force.

The Pope/religion/politics are all in place because people tend to have no self control and need an overseer. 

Troy, I guess it's admirable that you want the media to do their job, but that simply isn't going to happen. A popular musician was posting on Facebook the other day that he wished there were more music journalist. I responded that it would be nice if they were out there and that music journalist sold enough ad space to warrant real coverage, but the reality is that websites have to have clickbait to maintain interest and pull people from Facebook. Unless all music journalists spent time making top ten lists, just having more music journalists around wouldn't help with anything. I bring this up to say that it is the same for what you hope for the media. We could have better media outlets, but it won't matter if the people aren't watching and listening. We end up in the same place complaining about how crappy the news is and how shallow people are in their pursuit of seeing history and saying they were there. Which is basically what is going to happen with the MMM, Occupy and every other faux grassroots movement... the people attending simply want to say "I attended." They don't want to change anything. If they did, they would get active and change things.

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Cynique yea I miss the good old days too :wub: I hold out hope that things will come back around again, but social media seems to have a stranglehold on our community; as a result independent, black owned, platforms, may become a thing of the past--with the exception of reckless and foolhardy folks like myself.

I'm glad you followed the link Cynique (try to find something posted on Facebook even 7 months ago, let alone 7 years ago).

Yes, Cynique, people should go through life, suspicious about everything; because we are being constantly lied to.

Donald Trump was on 60 Minutes last Sunday--the media indeed takes him VERY seriously; as a result the masses do too.  That broadcast itself was an example of media propaganda.  How many other presidential candidates have been on 60 minutes?

Bernie Sanders seems to think he can be effective where Obama failed.  Bernie is definitely speaking in a manner that I have never heard Obama speak; in fact, Bernie is sounding a lot like Cornel West.  

Chris your ability to make money IS a political issue.  So while I agree we have no impact on what our legislators; what they impact our ability to make money and even our ability to mobilize at a grassroots level.

Pride in Obama is nice, but I would have rather see some positive change for our Brothers out here, and would take anyone, over Pres. Obama, who could have make that happen.  I appreciate that human may not even exist.

I agree the media will not do their job... no they WILL do their do their job, which is to maximize shareholder wealth-- i.e. make rich people rich people richer. 

You know Chris I'm tired of people complaining on Facebook about a problem they helping to create. (I used to be one of them)

That musician, and all the others, need to get their butts off Facebook and interact on the websites that publish music journalists.  People will follow them there --if that is the ONLY place where one can engage with them.  

 

 

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Political candidates are interviewed on news programs like 60 Minutes all the time, Troy. I'm in total agreement with Bernie but his ideas are too radical to implement. Like you, Troy, he is a maverick but in order to achieve success, Independents are inevitably forced to emulate those who are successful and this involves compromising their scruples and deferring to the pragmatism that will neutralize their high ideals. Trump is a political maverick and his potential lies in the fact that he is already ruthless and greedy, this being how he became a success in the corporate world.  Crusaders and idealists don't fare well in business or politics.  They end up in academia where they write books and teach classes about ethics and abstract philosophical ideas.

Journalism has to walk a thin line between accuracy and sensationalism. Journalism is also about editorializing, and editorializing is subjective, so a distinction has to be made between fact and opinion.  That's why people should consider the source of what is reported. We live in a superficial world so we have to distill reality by reading between the lines and following the tried and true lesson of judging people not by what they say but by what they do. Bottom line, is that News is, what it is.  And the media may not be perfect but the alternative is to not hear about anything to believe or scoff at.  

Edited by Cynique
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Completely agree Troy!!! I stopped short of saying to that musician, if you had this dialogue on your site you could empower yourself and empower a journalist, but I didn't say it. People are literally contributing their own demise. I try to balance it and get people to leave, but it's all wishful thinking. I eventually resort to using the platform and using my platform equally and unfortunately to my own detriment because ultimately people are simply not willing to spend the moment it takes to register for disqus and comment on your site. You know this well.

Oh, money is political, but the politics of it don't stop me from making. If you have what the people want they will buy it. Unfortunately for me, they won't buy it directly from me, but they will buy it from Amazon.

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"Trump is a political maverick and his potential lies in the fact that he is already ruthless and greedy."
"Crusaders and idealists don't fare well in business or politic."

Cynique I could not agree more with those statements.  This is why I would not "sleep" on Trump.  Folks don't think he will win, because they overestimate the public. 

Also Bernie has not been on 60 minutes, neither has the majority of the other candidates.  Bernice gets a lot less coverage than Trump, simply because Trump drives ratings.

Just to clarify, I consider journalism to be quite distinct from editorial.  In journalism, the opinion of the writer should not be obvious to the reader.  Journalists are not Vulcans, so it takes a skilled one to do this.  We have few skilled journalist. (think: the opposite of  Don Lemon or the entire on Fox "News" Station)

Today the overriding factor in "journalism" is how much revenue can be generated. Media properties are getting desperate.  Chris talks about attracting readers with "Click Bait" and it is rampant, especially among the top Black owned websites, check out the website Madameoire they are riddled with advertising, little of the content is original (seemingly all the big sites just recirculate the same stuff), you have to scroll through 10 pages to read an article, hunt of video that started playing as soon as you load the page, etc.  News sites are headed down this path.

The business models have collapsed. I just read even Bloomberg is laying off journalists...

Chris, you should have told the musician what you thought, but I'm sure the musician like many folks are literally addicted to social media.  This is not just an analogy.  Much in the same way a crackhead will destroy everything around themselves for another fix.  Writers, musicians, whoever will watch all of the platforms that supported them die, rather than get get butts off Facebook.

Cynique, sure the media is not perfect, but the alternative is not no media.  The alternative is for is to figure out a way to make it work better in today's world.  I guess that starts with us supporting those platforms.

 

 

 

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I assume, Troy, that you don't put the Sunday morning new shows such as "Face the Nation" and "Meet the Press" and the George Stephanapolos (sp?) Panel in the same category as "60" Minutes". Why?  Hillary Clinton and Carly and Ben and Jeb have all appeared on these shows.  

The print media, specifically newspapers, are what I use as a yardstick when it comes to the communication industry and their reports which don't have bylines are straight news, adhering to the what, where. when, why, and who paradigm.  All newspapers have an OpEd section and that's where the editors take positions, and columnists express opinions.. This is journalistic tradition and is as it should be.  I think you are more focused on TV news and magazine shows and on-line social media which are more geared toward entertainment. 

It should be noted, however, that it's a new day, and a different audience.  The media gives the people what they want, and politicians are now following suit by catering not to principles but to the prejudices of certain segments of the population.  This is the name of the game in 2015, along with the pervasiveness of electronic gadgetry. I don't think "reform" is on the horizon. Time brings change - obviously not always for the better.      

Edited by Cynique
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I agree with most of what you wrote.  I don't put "Meet the Press" in the same category as 60 minutes because 60 has a much larger audience, than Meet The Press, by an order of magnitude.

Besides your typical Trump voter is definitely not watching Meet the Press, They are probably pulling double shift at Walmart, still at church, or running negroes out of their neighborhoods.

Most people don't read newspapers and fewer watch meet the press.  Increasingly, younger folks get their news from social media.

Honestly I don't think Trump will get the Republican nomination, but if it happens I would not be surprised.

By the same token.  I don't think Hillary will get the nomination either.  The media is biased against her for some reason.  This email issue just will not go away.  In this case I don't think it is drawing out a scandal for mere ratings, because the general public doesn't even care about it.  This email issue will probably will be her undoing...

 

 

 

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