Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Open Letter of Mahalo [thanks] to FoxNews

Fair and Balanced vs Obamaworld. We heard a bit of pitiful whining today by the alleged most powerful man in the world, President Obama. Apparently he believes, and we sort of quote: ‘there is one television station entirely devoted to attacking my administration…[journalist interjects ‘I assume you’re talking about Fox’]…I mean, that’s a pretty big megaphone.’ Yes, in terms of MILLIONS of viewers!

The reasonable person may ask, with all the positive press he is getting, why must he belly ache about Fox? They report…WE decide!!

I make no excuses. I am a loyal FoxNews viewer. I began watching FoxNews on September 11th 2001. That day, I had my usual choice of stations, ABC and CNN. [I became a CNN fan during the 1991 Gulf War.] I went back and forth between the two. Before that day I did not even know there was a Fox News cable news station. After having watched ABC [and believe me I cannot even to this day say enough about the wonderfully warm and tireless reporting of Peter Jennings. He will always be one of my favorite reporters.] and flipping over to CNN, the stories and experts were starting to repeat themselves and the speculation was endless. ABC had a former CIA agent on who was outstanding. When he was on I stopped everything to listen. But by mid afternoon I began surfing through the various channels and landed on FoxNews. It was like night and day! The reporters were out there and they were fast and furious covering so many angles of the day’s tragedies. The reporters were not only informed and confident they were human. What I believe I really loved most about FoxNews that day was the sense of Patriotism that was the clear underpinning of their news. For the next few days I continued to switch back and forth but more and more I began just watching FoxNews. I learned their schedule of programming and recorded Fox so I could watch when I got home. By the time the bad guys [terrorists who flew the planes] were finally identified by the government I was committed solely to FoxNews.

One of the first things that struck me about Fox was their free association with God! I exclaimed to my husband often that I could not believe what a great feeling it was to see reporter after reporter talk about God, refer to faith and the Judeo-Christian principles upon which this country was founded. Every one of the reporters was a patriot and persons of faith. Over the years we went through the triumphant ride into Baghdad with FoxNews, the elections of 2004 and 2008.

Here on Oceanic Time Warner, we have cable channel 112 that has thumbnails of 6 news stations and you can cursor over anyone of them to see/hear what they are reporting. FoxNews is always the only one who is about news all the time. The others are about social issues, entertainment, headlines but not the news that affects American’s lives in all aspects.

It is no big surprise I agree with such commentators as Dick Morris, Robert Bolton, Glenn Beck, Mike Baker; or, reporters such as Geraldo, Hemmer, Live Desk, Shepherd Smith, Oliver North or programming like O’Reilly, Hannity, Greta and Red Eye. I appreciate the different degrees of reasoning they each bring to the viewer. I may disagree with some of them some of the time but I appreciate their level of integrity and their continuing support of America and her people! [I always enjoyed Tony Snow and John Gibson too!]

Further, when you have a powerful coupling of patriotic reporters and viewer you have the best mix of opportunity to inspire the latent patriot within. Freedom of speech is a constitutional right in this country all of us know about but few of us utilize when it comes to politics. Not anymore! We understand the angst Dante wrote of when he said this: “The hottest places in hell are reserved for those who, in times of great moral crisis, maintain their neutrality." We are faced with the greatest of moral crises from the top down right now.

Being a loyal FoxNews viewer comes with a mixed bag of responses and yes a cost. When you say 'you heard on Fox' … the harangue you get is mind boggling. When watching Fox in a public area, doesn’t matter if you are the only one in a room watching it, someone comes in and changes the station without asking, views for a moment and walks out. But, I remember too, during the first weeks of the Iraq war everywhere I went FoxNews was on. Businesses, friend’s homes, malls, and airport lounges. One of my all time favorite television shows, “Boston Legal”, barely went a week without referencing FoxNews in a negative way. FoxNews is a phenomenon that exists today and it amuses me that it affects the alleged ‘most powerful man in the world’ to the point that he has to elicit sympathy from his adoring fans by complaining about FoxNews. It is really pitiful, I mean, REALLY pitiful.

To the folks at FoxNews/FoxNation I leave you with these salient words from Thomas Paine: “Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom, must, like men, undergo the fatigues of supporting it.” Please know, that in the case of this household, we continue to support you in what you are doing regardless of the heat we take from work associates, friends, neighbors and yes, sometimes family. You have awakened the American within and reminded us what we learned as children: The U.S. Constitution is a document that needs to be respected; the Flag should be honored; the National Anthem should stir our soul with reverent appreciation for sacrifice and that America is the land of the Free and home of the Brave. Further, one should neither remain silent when the desire to share your belief in God needs expressing, nor fail to exercise the right to encourage someone with/in faith!

Lastly, your news message reminds us we must be model citizens through a civil demonstration of our values and beliefs. It serves as a FOXLIGHT on the corruption tolerated by this administration, their disregard for citizens of America from all political parties or no party at all, and the questionable ethics of the current political environment. Mostly, you report on the many ways the current administration is trying to fade the Constitution to barely negligible. It is no wonder the leader of this country may be feeling a little heat because his feet are being held to the fire by viewers who have awakened from deep mental hibernation.

Thank you FoxNews, one and all, for doing an outstanding job of reminding Americans they are the ‘people’ and the government is to be ‘by the people, for the people and OF the people’. To all the journalists out in the field and in dangerous places, thanks. To all the anchors, thanks. To the Business folks, thanks. To ALL the WEEK END shows, THANKS!
And thanks too for reporting the NEWS and letting US decide what to do with it!


PINK SLIP DAY, Nov 2, 2010!

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