End of an Era?

It is with great sadness that I heard about the bankruptcy of Chrylser today. Yes, it's sad when this happens to any business or person, but this hits particullary hard. Dodge and Chrysler are deeply entrenched in our history and culture. Cars like the Dodge Charger, the Challenger, and the Baracuda are models know to many generations. Chrylser defined the muscle car of the 1950-1960's. And who doesn't love a Dodge Ram?

'They' say this a "controlled slide" and that Chrysler will come out the other side a stronger, competitive car company. We should all hope so. And we also hope that all the American car companies learn something from this. Build meaner, leaner, and cheaper. The American people will support companies that support them.

The Media Truth

The buzz for today is that Miss California lost the Miss USA crown because of her answer to a judge’s question.  It has been on national TV, the newspapers, and the internet. You Tube has many choices for you to watch the same video of her answer. 

My question is why did the runner up last year lose?  Did we ask ourselves that question?  Did we really need an answer?  Do we have a competition by competition score card to see where Miss California lost – if indeed she was even really in first place?  Or are they just saying she lost because she was beautiful and should have won if not for that one answer?

And about that answer – did she lose because she stumbled a little with her words or did she lose because she gave an honest answer.  Our country has freedom of speech.  It has been bought and paid for many times, so she has every right to say what she thinks.  Her audience has every right to agree or disagree with her, but they should not ever judge her on what she says.

However, the media has put this on the front pages.  She lost because of her answer.  The media has decided what the truth is and is telling us all what we should believe too.  They are telling us that we do not have the right to say what we truly believe because it‘s not politically correct or because we might lose a crown – or a job – or friends.  How wrong is this? 

If she lost because she spoke her opinion, then shame on the judges and the Miss USA organization should be looking into that.  If she lost because her answer was not coherent, or well-phrased, then the judges were right and the media needs to leave it alone.  If she lost for other reasons, then that’s the way the pageant world works.  But the media should not be making this into more than it is.  What about the winner?  Where are the You Tube videos of her coronation?  Why isn’t she being interviewed on the entertainment websites? 

I’m sure that’s it more than that to the girls who were competing, but to a lot of people in this country, its just a pageant.  But it’s also just an example of what the media does to influence us everyday.  How many other important events happened Sunday that were pushed aside becuase the media could sensationalize this one?  While we are being saturated with this event what world events are going unnoticed?  

We need to be sure we question and look behind the headline.  We need to make sure it is headline worthy or is it just another way for the media to generate income?  Is what the media telling us an unbiased account or have they given us their opinion as fact?  Have the right questions been asked?  Are both side represented?  The public cannot form an intelligent opinion without having the facts from both sides.  No matter what the story, there is more than one side and more than one version – but the truth is somewhere in between.  

Write your Congressman?

I have heard this all of my life – “if you don’t tell your elected officials how you feel, then they can’t make informed decisions. “  “Letter writing will make a difference!”  Speak up and be heard!”

Well, I have decided to take heed and let my voice be heard. One stand that I made early this year (late January, in fact) was a subject that I felt very passionate about – the decision on whether or not to let the press publish photographs of the flag draped caskets of our fallen heroes . I not only wrote both of my congressmen, I also wrote the Secretary of Defense (who was actually the one who made the decision) and Michelle Obama. 

The “Decision” was made in late February – not what I had hoped – without me hearing from anyone that I wrote to.  Last week, April 10 to be exact, I received a letter from one of the Senators I wrote to, thanking me for my comments and letting me know that if the matter ever came up in session, he would remember my thoughts.  That was it.  No specifics of what my thoughts were and no mention of the fact that it had already been decided.  I don’t even think they (I know he has a staff member that writes these letters) even knew what my letter was about.  All they had was a notation that I wrote a letter and maybe they should send a response.  Now at the last election I voted for this guy.  But not next time (and he has been there for awhile and will run again!).  Not that I expected him to move mountains just because I asked him to.  Not because I got some stupid form letter from a staff member with his electronic signature on it, but because it took them 3 months to respond and still didn't even know why I wrote to them.  Three months to send me a form letter that didn’t even reference what my thoughts were.  Why did I bother to waste a stamp?!?!

This week – April 15 – I received a letter from my other Senator.  Still a three month response time, but this Senator is one that I thought was kinda weasely and that I didn’t vote for.   Without much expectation I opened the letter.  Yes, it was the same kind of form letter, but there was an extra paragraph.  He not only mentioned my cause, he “regretfully” told me that the decision had been made to allow the press coverage, but that if he ever had the chance to influence this matter, he would and would remember my thoughts.  Wow!  Next time he will get my vote. Do I think that he really read my letter?  No.  Do I think he wrote this one? No.  But he has the intelligence to hire staff members that do their jobs.  Who look at the letter they are responding to and tailor the response to it.  By the way, this had an actual signature and not a digital one (and yes, I can tell the difference!).  Maybe my little voice can be heard!

Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Michelle Obama are new in their postions and must still be interviewing for their staff.  Surely with all the unemployement we have in this country they will find capable people soon.