Seeing life through a prism

                            Seeing  life through a prism 

         Woven throughout the wonderful fabulist works of J.K. Rowling, J.R.R. Tolken and others are a cast of mystical characters who possess magical powers. With the wisp of a wand or the flash of a glistening ring, they can alter reality. Ugly and vicious things become attractive floral compositions. Nasty people are softened to kindly old neighbors. In short an appealing environment is created, like Mr. Roger’s neighborhood. Everything is wonderful every day.

          I had to reach back through memories of Robert Heinlein, H.P. Lovecraft, Isaac Asimov and other fabulists to try and understand how such a mystical environment could indeed be created.

          In modern history, dictatorships like Russia, China, North Korea and other repressive societies, mental thought processes, among the populace are literally controlled by a network of State-run media outlets. Every aspect of society passes through these selectively colored filters and comes out like a happy version of a Mr. Roger’s neighborhood.

         To be sure, there are skeptics in those lands who doubt the official version of time and events portrayed. But, in general, the great mass of citizens sees and hears the official explanation for everything that happens. When that is all that you see, hear and listen to, there is a good chance that you will believe what your senses tell you.

          In the United States of America, we have a rather aggressive media that prides itself on ferreting out the truth of any situation and reporting it as news daily. As far back as John Peter Zenger in the 1700’s, the American media has a reputation for reporting the truth of any event, even if it is critical of the governments in power. Awards like the Pulitzer Prize commemorate their valiant effort and efficacy in letting American citizens learn what the truth of the matter is, regardless of the “official story.”

       Like everywhere, there are exceptions. One particular television network, borrows their prism from the Russian, Chinese and North Korean models. This network unabashedly colors, paints and otherwise distorts the news daily so that a kinder and softer interpretation of the events surrounding a former U.S. President are presented in a fashion pleasing to large groups of citizens. Reports on a march to sack the U.S. capitol and seize control of the government, using thousands of armed rioters, becomes, with the magic of their prism,  a normal crowd of tourists visiting Washington.

        Reports of voter suppression become efficient means of controlling voter fraud, thought virtually none has been reported in America for decades. Horrendous speeches by ultra conservatives trashing minorities and other ethnic, racial and at-risk groups are factored in as “purity of race” intentions. This also includes trashing U.S. veterans. Most of the rhetoric involved comes right out of  the Himmler/ Hitler playbook from Germany in the 1930’s. Like those rascals, this current group elevates hatred of “them” to a patriotic frenzy. They inspire fear and paranoia amongst the citizenry and tell people that they alone can protect America from “them.”

       One always wonders why normal people can buy into all of this hooey. I think it is in part because some folks depend on this certain media outlet to hear the news. Naturally, they are fed the softened slop that will paint even the most horrific monster to look like a cherub. The viewers then wonder what all the noise from other T.V. stations is about? And maybe they are all even persuaded to buy his expensive sneakers, engraved jackets and MAGA Hats.

     It isn’t magic spells, by trolls and ogres, that we have to worry about in America. It is a slow and constant drip of alternate versions of time and events that is coloring opinions. It settles in the unconscious of the viewer like a lethal dose of poison that alters reason, honesty and decency.

      I don’t know how to lift this spell from America, except to encourage people to watch several different media outlets and try to piece together a newer and fairer reality that will help them decide on what to do this November.

         Remember America, who we are, a nation of immigrants who have built a great nation that is the shining light of democracy in the sometimes-hostile environment of a very troubled world. The personal rights and freedoms that we hold were purchased for us by the blood of our finest young men and women, now lying in battlefield graveyards  across the globe. God Bless them everyone.

                                    -30-

                                   (750 words)

                         Joseph Xavier Martin