by Dean Hartwell
Thanks to a
recent ruling by the Federal Communications Commission, companies may now own a
larger share of media markets than before. This decision will undoubtedly
result in fewer newspapers and radio and television stations bringing us news
on current events.
What other
sources of information can the public rely upon for the truth?
We could try
the Internet. Though the Net contains much disinformation, it also has
much information. Some sites have power, too. One may recall the
Trent Lott debacle late last year, in which the former Senate Majority leader
praised the segregation policies of one-time presidential candidate Strom
Thurmond. It wasn't the mainstream media that pursued the story.
According to Arianna Huffington,
website journalists like Josh Marshall of www.talkingpointsmemo.com, Glenn
Reynolds of www.instapundit.com, and
Andrew Sullivan of www.andrewsullivan.com
that kept the story going (www.ariannaonline.com/columns/files/121902.html).
We could also
turn to movie documentaries. One of the best in this genre in recent
years was Michael Moore's Bowling for Columbine. Not only did it
provide accurate statistics on handgun-related violence around the world, it
challenges the audience to think of ways this violence can be curtailed.
His interviews of people like former National Rifle Association president
Charlton Heston, James Nichols (brother of Terry
Nichols of
Lastly, we also
have books. Some recent books explain current issues and events to
us. Take Arianna Huffington's
Pigs at the Trough, for example. She gives the names and misdeeds
of corporate leaders who have fleeced their companies and
asks us why none of them have gone to jail.
Or try books
that analyze historical events. Sidney Blumenthal's The Clinton Wars
is one such example. An employee of the second Clinton Administration, he
tackles every accusation ever publicly made about the
Some books tell
us what the future of politics holds for us, like The Emerging Democratic
Majority by John B. Judis and Ruy
Teixeira. The two study voting trends in
several growing social groups and conclude that the Democratic Party will
benefit from these trends in coming years.
The government
has taken away many voices from us. It is time for us to seek out new
ones. In doing so, we can find our own political voice.