By Nancy Thorner & Bonnie O'Neil -
Are you concerned about our country? Certainly, the 2016 election confirmed many of our worst fears, including that America is in a frightening decline. Once again the mainstream media has continued to confirm its blatant liberal bias which is not just disappointing, it is outrageous. Many media sources put aside any attempt for fairness in reporting in order to help a specific candidate win an election.
Consider this statement by the late journalist Michael Kelly: "What journalists choose and how journalists frame inescapably arises out of what journalists believe. As a group, journalists believe in liberalism and in electing Democrats." Knowing this blatant bias exists, do we think media sources will make any serious attempt to expose corruption by their chosen candidates once elected and in office? Will they continue to protect this person no matter the subject or issue?
Other than Rush Limbaugh, the entire media has been dominated by liberal Democrats for decades. FOX news, under the ownership of conservative Rupert Murdoch and the expert guidance of Roger Ailes, became the one exception to the media’s liberal domination, and in so doing, FOX grabbed the top spot in ratings, as Conservatives finally found a source that mirrored their political viewpoints. However, since Ailes is no longer with FOX, the hope is that Mr. Murdock's replacement will prove to be as talented as Ailes in keeping FOX programming “fair and balanced” and far more conservative than other media sources.
Concerned Citizens React
It is frightening for those of us who see present changes as detrimental to America and our future. It is shocking to realize those in high government positions are blatantly bias. Most recently, FBI Director Comey’s investigation and resultant decision about Hillary’s email scandal and the obviously flawed Clinton Foundation will be a subject discussed for quite some time. Comey had been considered efficient, talented, and unbiased by both political parties. However, it appears Comey proved to be as vulnerable as all the rest, as he set his principles aside to treat Hillary differently due to her position. If we needed any tangible proof of how far our country has declined, Conservatives would say Comey just offered it.
However, Director Comey must be credited with providing the facts, so at least the World knows the truth of Hillary’s carelessness with classified information while Secretary of State, and social media provided even more details of her disrespect for federal rules and laws. It will be interesting to know how history judges this issue and the entire 2016 presidential election.
What Can Concerned Citizens Do?
What can concerned citizens do when our leaders are proven to be liars, deceivers, and self-absorbed to the point of being above the law and losing sight of what made America great? Bill and Hillary have flagrantly violated established laws and protocol for all to see, and yet the mainstream media ignores or finds ways to excuse it. We no longer trust the exceedingly biased liberal mainstream media for fair reporting, so where do we go for facts and truth?
We can only hope America has not imploded to the point of no return, because this election proved integrity was the big loser at several different levels. The compromised media is one indicator of how far America has strayed from its roots, but it is not the only one that should concern us.
Liberal politicians and government officials have been producing a myriad of highly questionable and problematic laws and new policies which ultimately benefit their personal political agenda, not necessarily what is best for their constituents or our country. Politicians claim some of the more controversial new laws, i.e., illegal immigration, were enacted out of compassion for specific people, but, in reality, they have damaged and/or harmed our citizens.
Authors of these bills and laws neglected to consider the potential unintended, serious consequences these laws ultimately have caused. The damage and consequences not only have impacted individual citizens, but they are ultimately destructive to our whole nation as well. The exceptional nation that most of us have known and profited from is in serious trouble, and I suspect the vast majority of Americans have no awareness of that truth.
Citizen Awareness Paramount
If we can make our citizens aware of the various studies which describe definite patterns that occur in both the rise and fall of notable nations, perhaps America can be saved from the fate so often experienced by other countries. Scholars have discovered the first stage of becoming a great country is the move from bondage to spiritual faith. The second phase is from spiritual faith to great courage. The third stage moves from great courage to liberty. The fourth is from liberty to abundance. The fifth stage is where we see the start of the decline of a country, best explained by stating abundance has led to selfishness. The sixth stage moves from selfishness to complacency followed by a complacency that leads to apathy. The eighth step goes from apathy to moral decay. The ninth stage is from moral decay to dependence. The tenth and final stage moves from dependence to total bondage.
Does this pattern seem familiar? It should! This is a brief overview of what has and is happening in America. Now the question becomes how to prevent the last and final stage from happening and thus destroying America as we have known it for the past 200 years.
Founding Fathers Point the Way
America’s awesome beginning happened when God was at the center of our nation and the vast majority of our people respected and followed biblical teachings. Sadly, it appears the decline in which we now find ourselves most resembles the ninth stage, “moral decay to dependence,” with only the final stage left which is "back to bondage.” Did you ever think we could be dumb enough to follow the pattern of others’ mistakes, knowing it has always ended badly? It is a fool’s folly to think we can escape the fate every other nation experienced. We must break the cycle and reverse our present destructive course. Our only hope is to find a viable plan that will help us return to our beginning roots and that begins with people embracing a strong spiritual faith and abiding by God’s Word.
Elections are the answer our forefathers provided us to correct the system whenever it was off course. They knew that having the right people represent us in positions of authority was essential to our prosperity. However, has the American public become like the proverbial “frog in water” that failed to notice how hot the water gradually became until it was too late to jump out and save himself? Will our citizens realize the danger to America if all they see and hear comes from liberal dominated media sources that present one side of every issue? If so, will they demand equality? If so, how do they do that in the most productive way possible?
Americans want to trust news sources to provide accurate and complete information, without having to worry if their source is being fair and balanced. We want to know about new bills before they become laws, so we have an opportunity to express our views. That has become an important issue as we see politicians who are determined to change our country one secretly devised law after another. We must not allow ourselves to become complacent about politicians, especially as we learn some are cheating, lying and breaking campaign promises to win elections.
