Journalism is Not Completely Dead

While it seems American journalism is dead, take heart in knowing small independents and social media are resurrecting reporting the facts as they are and not as the main stream media’s corporate overlords want it reported. Main Stream Media (MSM) caused outrage by reporting in a biased fashion that San Francisco 49ers’ quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s refusal to stand during the singing of the Star-Spangled Banner without reporting why he chose to remain sitting. Those who reacted in ugly, derogatory ways against Kaepernick’s silent protest showed their ignorance fueled by the MSM neglect to get his side of the story. It wasn’t until The Intercept gave voice to Kaepernick’s protest did other media start to pick up on the truth.  Kaepernick said, “I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color. … There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder.” Whether we like it or not, law enforcement across the country are killing people, black or otherwise, at a rate we haven’t seen in years instead of protecting and serving the public.  Kaepernick knew what few of us “Red Blooded Americans” know and that is that the Star-Spangle Banner is a racist song that advocated the killing of African-American slaves, but you would not have known that by the MSM’s handling of the account.  At the end of the third verse of the “The Star-Spangled Banner” it states:  “No refuge could save the hireling and slave From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave, And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.”  According to The Intercept article,  “The Star-Spangled Banner,” was written by Francis Scott Key regarding the Battle of Fort McHenry in Baltimore during the War of 1812. The War of 1812 was a war of aggression that began with an attempt by the U.S. to grab Canada from the British Empire. By the time of the Battle of Fort McHenry in 1814, the British had counterattacked and overrun Washington, D.C., setting fire to the White House. “And one of the key tactics behind the British military’s success was its active recruitment of American slaves.”  Orders given to the Royal Navy’s Admiral Sir George Cockburn read: “Let the landings you make be more for the protection of the desertion of the Black Population than with a view to any other advantage. … The great point to be attained is the cordial Support of the Black population. With them properly armed & backed with 20,000 British Troops, Mr. Madison will be hurled from his throne. “Whole families found their way to the ships of the British, who accepted everyone and pledged no one would be given back to their “owners.” Adult men were trained to create a regiment called the Colonial Marines, who participated in many of the most important battles, including the August 1814 raid on Washington.” This is why Kaepernick had the courage to not stand for the playing of the Star-Spangle Banner because, while change has occurred, it’s not enough to make us equal in this country. The article goes on to explain other abhorrent attitudes and behaviors of Francis Scott Keys toward African Americans, who, as a group, at that point in American history, were considered or valued as 3/5 of a white man. Hartmann pointed out that not a word has been said about the 49ers’ stadium’s namesake, Levi Strauss, a corporation that avoids paying U.S. taxes by relocating overseas. Who’s the real patriot here? Little attention has been paid to the other NFL player fighting for the 99 percent. Seattle Seahawks Richard Sherman, according to U.S.Uncut.com, is advocating on behalf of the us taxpayers. He wants to stop cities from forcing taxpayers to fund billionaires' stadiums. The little people who pay taxes get little in return for those stariums that the average taxpayer can't afford tickets to attend. In other news you can trust, Thom Hartmann reported on the latest from the Koch brothers, who are working hard to convert the U.S. to their form of government by establishing American Legislative Exchange Council and American City County Exchange (ACCE). Now, the Kochs are at it again, and they have help.  The brothers are unleashing the “Fueling U.S. Forward”, a pro oil and fracking organization, meant to undermine climate change efforts for renewable energy, according to an article on Environmental News Network — Know Your Environment, and Hartmann, and Lee Camp. The Kochs have been helped by politicians paid-off through the ACCE. Cities in states, such as California, Vermont, New York, and states, like Wyoming and Rhode Island, are banning or claiming to own water and the air in an effort to block measures that would help reverse climate change. In other examples of MSM negligence, Hillary Clinton slammed Russia for reporting the truth on her actions. By blaming Russia, she’s actually complaining about shows on RT (Russian television in America), and shows like Redacted Tonight with Lee Camp. He recently reported how MSM outlets are telling readers they are “free to vote their conscious” as Clinton has already won the election—the election that hasn’t taken place yet. Citing the electoral college votes, Clinton already has the 270 votes needed to secure the presidency. You see, our votes no longer count.   The popular vote—the we the people vote—just means we get to cast a ballot. It’s the electoral college vote that actually decides the outcome of an election. While those “electors” (people from different organizations, political parties, or entities,) are selected to elect a candidate regardless of the popular vote’s outcome. The electoral college used to reflect the popular vote, it is now corrupted and reflects the corporations and oligarchies. So, we can expect the election to be robbed from the voters like Bernie Sander’s bid for the Democratic nomination. Camp also reported or perhaps praised the “little peoples’” activism. Because of these little people tweeting and gathering in North Dakota, the protest against the Texas-based Energy Transfer Partners and the Dakota Access pipeline, the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe is not fighting alone to keep this pollution-making, environment-ruining pipeline off their land near Cannon Ball, North Dakota. The peaceful protests were ignored by the MSM media, but the tweeting and smaller news outlets forced it into the MSM. Also, Camp reported how the people and their tweets earned a Texas man a temporary stay in his execution. Jeff Wood was supposed to be executed for a crime he did not commit. All involved admit he did not commit the crime, but it being Texas, the state refused to address his innocence until a group of family and friends began a petition to “Save Jeff Wood From the Executioner,” and the twittershpere took up the cause. As has been shown, journalism is not dead and there is still power in the people, whether it be in body or in social media. Don’t be afraid to stand up for what is right