Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Chrissie Farthing on August 29, 2012 at 11:31am

I go to AlJazeera, RT or the BBC just to get away from the crap.  I also find I get a lot of news about the US that never seems to make it on to the American stations.  Of course you have to avoid getting upset when the rest of the world is shaking their heads and laughing at the carry ons that happen this side of the Atantic.

Permalink Reply by Joan Denoo on August 31, 2012 at 9:18pm

I gave away my TV set several years ago and watch on my computer: 

"Al Jazeera English,"

"AlterNet Gender,"

"Campaign for America's Future,"

"CEPR News (Center for Economic and Policy Research),"

"Columbia Journalism Review,"

"Common Dreams,"

"Daily Natural Hazards," 

"Democracy Now,"

"Economic Policy Institute,"

"International Rescue Committee,"

"Just Foreign Policy News,"

"Live Science,"

"National Partnership for Women and Families,"

"ProPublica,"

"RT (Russia Today),"

"Science News,"

"The Real New,"

"Think Progress,"

"U.N. Wire," 

When I gather all my political, economic and religious news, I open Atheist Nexus and see what everyone else is saying and add my 2-cents worth (there is no "cents" on the keyboard.)

 

Permalink Reply by Diane on September 2, 2012 at 5:25pm

Joan, thanks for taking the time to share all of your very good sources for believable news.

I'm with you all. My wife is glued to the TV every weekday evening watching the MSNBC line-up of leftish commentators. I try to spend time with her there, but soon feel like pulling my hair. I have to get physically away from them, even from the very cute Rachel Maddow.

However, I think the good guys have a role to play because they stir some emotions and values into the facts we like. Emotions and "values" are all the right has to sell, given the lack of facts on their side if the want to appeal rationally to the "unwealthy" and/or those voters who are at least occasionally mildly interested in evidence and reason. I read a disturbing article some months ago that argued we make a mistake in thinking the majority of normal, non-extremist Americans will be persuaded if we show them the truth backed by evidence and sound reasoning. They won't! the article's author said. He advised working harder, as hard as the right does, to sell our values (without resorting to the right's bald lies and other slime).
I experienced the reality of this in a careful and courteous discussion with a dear long time friend when I tried to, and did successfully, walk her back from each of the ill-informed "reasons" she offered for leaning toward Republican economic talking points. She finally just said, "I don't like to get into all of that when I pick who to vote for. I like to trust my emotions." Sigh,

Permalink Reply by Joan Denoo on September 7, 2012 at 2:05pm

Diane, I suspect you are not Diane, as you referred to your wife; however, I address your comments, whoever you are. 

Thanks for responding to my rather lengthy number of resources to which I turn for information. I still have to cull out the unreasonable ones (in my opinion), but I think, overall, I get a sense of what is happening without the USA propaganda machine. 

I don't like the fact that I do not tolerate being around people who are unable or unwilling to listen to my point of view, yet the unreasonable ones like to go on and on about theirs, even when informed I don't agree with them and why. I usually have principles, if not actual numbers. I learned long ago that if I make a mistake in numbers, people who disagree with me catch me in my error and it seems to justify not listening to anything I say. 

I read the same or similar article about, "we make a mistake in thinking the majority of normal, non-extremist Americans will be persuaded if we show them the truth backed by evidence and sound reasoning."

This gets to the a critical issue: BELIEFS. Some people, indoctrinated from birth to a particular belief system, find it virtually impossible to rethink their values until and unless their values let them down. When that occurs, many start searching for other beliefs that either fit their experience or discover another way of thinking works better than the old. Attitudes about racism or feminism, for example, stay glued to their neurons, or whatever keeps their minds bound to a particular belief system. 

Living in Killeen, Texas at Ft Hood in the late 1960s and early '70s, trying to talk to people about race was a useless endeavor. The My Lai, Courts-Martial, of Lt. William Calley took place there, and muscular and puny men in pickups, beat up or fancy, with rifles in racks in the back windows roamed the area looking for Jane-Fonda-type people and wouldn't hesitate to shoot. I was a "Jane-Fonda-type". Oh! Those were bitter days.

Sadly, your experience with your long time friend occurs far too often: "I don't like to get into all of that when I pick who to vote for. I like to trust my emotions."

There is a video I would like you to watch, it is about an hour but can be watched by chapter, and I think it tells a true story. If you disagree, please tell me and walk me through your reasoning. If I am wrong, I really want to know. I have to look up the site and will send it. The following is background for My Lai. 

An Introduction to the My Lai Courts-Martial By Doug Linder

Permalink Reply by Joan Denoo on September 7, 2012 at 2:19pm

The Crash Course

"The Crash Course seeks to provide you with a baseline understanding of the economy so that you can better appreciate the risks that we all face. The Intro below is separated from the rest of the sections because you'll only need to see it once...it tells you about how theCrash Course came to be."

 

"How long will it take?

"Chapters are between 3 and 20 minutes in length. All 20 sections take 3 hours and 23 minutes to watch in full.

"If you are interested in a quick summary of the Crash Course, watch our 45-Minute Crash Course presentation by clicking here."