Congressional Black Caucus plays footsie with Satan

 

Seems to be a lot of fuss going on in the blackosphere recently about the decision made by the Congressional Black Caucus to partner up with the goon squad over at FOX TV, those rightwing nutjobs who could even be fun and lovable in a sickly entertaining kind of way if they weren’t quite so much like the Nazis.

I’m sorry. Was that over the top? My bad, and you’re absolutely right; the point here should be to act like an adult and fight fair, not to act like those goose-stepping Nazis over at FOX News.

Man. There I go again. OK, look, allow me to start over. I’ll be good this time. Promise. That was kinda fun, though. I have to admit.

Anyway, on to the point of this post. A lot of my brothers and sisters out there are getting up in arms and righteously indignant because the CBC has agreed to partner with the notoriously conservative FOX News crew (was that better?) to host two presidential debates – one for the Republicans, one for the Democrats – later on this year. Since the proposed Democratic debate is scheduled to take place on Sept. 23, 2007, at the Fox Theater in Detroit – my hometown – I figured I had an obligation to weigh in on this thing. 

First off, I can’t stand FOX News, but then you probably already figured that part out. That means I completely understand why the ruckus over the CBC’s decision to cozy up to FOX when there are certainly other alternatives for partnership that might not create such well-earned controversy. FOX specializes in right-wing lunacy, but then that should come as no surprise since that has been their mandate ever since the beginning. That’s why they were created; under the guise of presenting a conservative alternative to the so-called “liberal media” (which is a huge joke to anybody who has ever worked at a major news organization at anytime during the past 20 years or so), they have essentially employed themselves as fire-breathing pundits from the Dark Side, out to defend the sacred morals of right-wing conservatives everywhere. But as anyone who is really paying attention to these clowns can attest, their only real business is entertainment. 

It’s a ratings game, folks, and any fire created on sacred conservative territory by the despised liberals – that would be us – is great for their ratings. It says they’re doing what they’re supposed to be doing and creating the anticipated response. They toss out the bait, and we jump.

Look, I don’t mean to belittle the efforts of anybody who is behind this thing, I really don’t. And if I come off like that, my apologies. Seriously. And as for the characterization of FOX News as entertainment, that characterization pretty much applies to most news these days, not just FOX. Doesn’t mean it’s harmless, just that FOX has figured a new angle to the game to draw more viewers. They draw traditional viewers because they predictably espouse the company line. They draw additional viewers – that would be us – because we can’t help but watch to see what these nuts are gonna do next.

Guess I’m saying all of that to say this in  my typically rambling fashion; don’t be fooled into thinking that if this movement succeeds in separating the CBC from its alliance with FOX that the CBC will then be  left with far superior magical alternatives. All you need to do is check around and see who owns the major news organizations in this country and you’ll start to see the true dimensions of the game.

FOX? Please. FOX is CBS is ABC is NBC is all part of the game, and they are all playing their assigned roles. Once upon a time, before the days of the multinationals and the super mergers, it wasn’t quite this bad. It was never great, but it was much better than it is now. What we are watching now in the place of news is a well-scripted made-for-TV drama (or sitcom, depending on your sense of humor). Whether it’s FOX hosting this thing or some other crew, do you really think we will suddenly become witness to the truth and the light on the night of those debates? And do you really call those charades debates anymore? C’mon, man.

It’s a damned game, and we’re all getting played.

So what do I suggest, you ask? I say let it ride, is what I suggest. I say let’s not make this more of a news item than it already is, and let’s stop helping FOX attract even more viewers on the well-worn backs of our collective outrage.

I say let’s get focused on something real.

  

~ by Keith A. Owens on April 5, 2007.