Seek out truthful news

If one wants to understand why many people in this country (including our president) distrust the media, look no further than Frank Ashley’s piece on Sept. 18 explaining the difficulty faced by the media today. He seemingly apologized for the public having to put up with news reported by newsrooms full of 25 year olds instead of Dan Rather or Tom Brokaw.

Yes, he’s glorifying that same Rather who was fired for lying about former President George Bush’s Air National Guard service. I’m surprised he chose Brokaw instead of that other paragon of virtuous reporting, Brian Williams. I doubt many Americans question the importance of a watchdog press exercising its First Amendment responsibility. The rebellion would appear to be against the superiority and condescension directed against them by people like Ashley.

Don’t presume that you have a monopoly on truth and virtue. Report facts, not opinion disguised as news. I doubt that Ashley was as upset with former President Barack Obama lying about how citizens could keep their doctors and insurance plans under his proposed health care program as he is with what is going on today. Get out of your ivory towers and listen to the “deplorables” out there. You might just learn something.

This story was originally published November 13, 2017 at 5:34 PM with the headline "Seek out truthful news."