Save Public Media

If you live in the United States and can read this text, it’s possible that you learned some reading on Sesame Street. As you got older, you might have watched an episode of the science program Nova. As an adult, you may have watched news programming on the Evening News Hour. While it is fair to say that PBS coverage does tend to lean left of center; unlike other network news, however, PBS makes a concerted effort to fairly cover multiple sides of the issues. For entertainment, you might have watched Downton Abbey. And, during emergencies, you would have had continual coverage. Moreover, you may also have listened to the radio presence of public media. These services are available to everyone, rich or poor. This even includes those who can’t afford cable, like those people whom we pay tiny sums of money to mow our lawns and replace our roofs.

But, a vindictive President, his Cabinet, and Religious Right Republicans, are trying to get rid of PBS and other public media services.

If you live in the United States, please call your Senators and Representatives. The best way I’ve found to do this and not get added to ten email lists is ProtectMyPublicMedia.org. It doesn’t look like their privacy policy is crap. They also have an easy way to call your senators and representatives in one quick step. They provide a script, you call one number, and you get connected to your Representatives and Senators offices.

Trump’s efforts really have nothing at all to do with the bias of PBS, despite what he and his acolytes say. It has to do with one thing and one thing only: shutting down all but approved outlets of truth. This involves getting rid of the following:

1. Schools that veer from Trump and Religious Right approved presentation of truth. Does anyone have a suggestion for a Trump-approved agenda?
2. Closing down all science based programs that derive science knowledge using the scientific method (e.g. randomized controlled trials, evidence-based medicine, data driven programs). As an example, this means anything that involves vaccines or contradicts anything RFK, Jr. disagrees with. This is why he recently fired all the members of the vaccine board despite a previous promise, and renewed assurances that he would follow the science.
3. The destruction of Diversity, Equite, and Inclusion programs in any businesses and organizations that receive public money.
4. The disregard of the balance of powers between legislative, executive, and judicial branches. The Trump Administration is angling to create a situation where he can ignore the Supreme Court by exercising Presidential powers, acting effectively by martial law, not the rule of law
5. The Religious Right - and President Trump has happily agreed - that the notion of Separation of Church and State are flawed ideas. This means that private schools will start to receive the bulk of federal (and some state) funding through vouchers which will decimate local public school funding.

Please find an area of interest to you and get out in the streets to fight these changes that threaten democracy. Don’t listen to the twisted, half-truths that are designed to trigger your fear reactions about immigrants or other groups. You should be far more afraid of the people who can jail you without due process.