"When Is It Time?"

I attended a meeting of the International Counsel of the Television academy on November 19th in New York. The program included a news panel and when it came time for questions I asked "Did the panel believe that with the Electronic Media basically dominated and controlled by General Electric, News Corp. Viacom and AOL that there could be any meaningful criticism of the government and it's policies?" The moderator (a Brit) thanked me and said, "Next question please." While he was certainly joking he was in fact only half joking because people are indeed sensitive to being critical of the Media when it pertains to the Media's criticizing the government.

I do know that in the 60's the Nixon administration certainly pressured the US Networks into remaining silent in their criticism of the war in Vietnam. I was at CBS when Dr. Frank Stanton stood up to Nixon and Agnew and supported a position critical of the war. He was indeed courageous. When will it be time or will it ever be time for the US Media companies (you know those supposedly liberal news guys) to be overtly critical of the administration of what it's doing.

We have been asked to give up many of our freedoms in order to assist the authorities in apprehending terrorists. We have been told that we will try non-Americans by a military tribunal, we are precluding lawyers from speaking privately with their clients who are suspected of terrorism, we are supporting the Northern Alliance (today's good guys) in their war against the Taliban who were yesterday's good guys but today's bad guys. We have incarcerated many many people who the government considers might be terrorists without due process.

I'm also concerned that our secular nation is recruiting God, calling for a lot of prayer, using words like "Crusade" and singing the very inspirational and patriotic" The Battle Hymn of the Republic" whose lyrics include, "Mine eyes have seen the Glory of the coming of the Lord\212In the beauty of the Lillie's Christ was born across the sea with a glory in His bosom that transfigures you and me. As he died to make men Holy, let us die to make men free, while God is marching on." Why can't we as a nation in this terrible time of crisis "Relinquish control of God" and not try to control him as do our present enemies. How about a new admonition, "May God bless the people of the United States of America, as well as almost everyone else (we leave out the bad guys)."

What better time is there for our President to once again ask the nation for support in drilling for oil in the wildlife sanctuaries of Alaska? Wouldn't it be unpatriotic to deny this to the President when our oil comes from Middle Eastern states whom under the best of circumstances are not thrilled with us and it is probably only because they need the money that they continue to supply us with oil.

Amide the horrors and the aftermath of the September 11th events I wondered whether President Bush would use the events of the 11th to restate the necessity of our nation to build a nuclear defense shield. On the other hand it is reasonable to look at these events and say "Why build a Missile Defense System when our enemies can send their weapons of mass destruction to the United States by Federal Express or UPS."

It also appears that for a variety of reasons the economy is not doing well which will leave President Bush to provide a "Stimulus Package". Now what do you expect that is going to be, training for the unemployed? Probably not. What about federal funds to repair our interstate highway system? Probably not. Is there money to change our rail system from that of a third world nation to that of approaching the systems of Europe and Japan? Probably not. What will the President propose? I expect another tax cut mostly for the "rich".

When will it be proper for the Democrats to appear on the Larry King Show, Meet the Press, The Fox News Channel, CNN etc. and say something besides " I support the President" and have the political courage to disagree with President Bush if not about the war in Afghanistan then about a few other things?

My mother was born in 1903 and lived her life with a book of rules. "Should" was an important word for my mother in issues such as, "You should take a sweater, you should only go out with Jewish girls, you should go to Temple every Sabbath and on all major and minor Jewish holidays." I expect that if she were alive today she would say at a time like this "Norman, we should support the President."

Well mom, I would be sorry to disagree and while I would support the President in trying to bring the September 11th perpetrators to justice, I cannot support the notion that responsible dissent to the war and other issues should not be verbalized by the loyal opposition.

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