Election Time--Unfair and Unbalanced

(Seen on the highway between Clemson and Pendleton, SC)

Are you as tired of this election as I am? Probably so. The trouble is we started much too soon...and it seems like we have been running this thing since 2013. Another problem is that it looks like social media will sink us all. So many people believe all the stuff they read on the internet and this is scary. Sorta reminds me of the time TV first became popular.  People would see something on that bland and white television and think it was true--just because it was on TV. That's what a lot of folks believe about the web. I'm glad they named it the web--because we are all tangled up in this bid-ness.

I've thought long and hard about what I want to say. We are a divided people. About as divided as I have seen in a long time. I have good friends on the Trump side and the Hillary side. Appears to me we don't have any perfect candidates this time. Also looks like we have forgotten our history. Some of our chapters in the story are downright embarrassing--but we have a selective memory. This idea of "fair and balanced" is a little crazy.

Ok. if somebody says the world is flat--are we going to give them equal time with the folk that say the earth is round. Both candidates have shaded the truth--this is part of what it means to run for office. The New York Times ran a two page fold-out the other day of all the Twitter messages Mr. Trump has sent out since this election began. Two pages. Very small type. It is nauseating to read.The lies this man has told us are really unbelievable. Just the idea that our President was not born in the United States which Mr. Trump said continually month after month is reason alone not to vote for him. Then--he stands up with a straight face and says: "I want to announce that President Obama was born in the United States." Duh. Does he think the American people are stupid?

If he is elected we are going to have to go to the cemetery and dig a hole and bury truth. For it will be four years of exaggeration and lies--and the country will drift and we will not know what to say. I'm counting on the fact that we, the people not only know better but will vote better.

I'm not exactly ready to move Hillary to sainthood--but put down the two resumes and I find she is eminently more qualified that Donald Trump. If you disagree this is the American way. But folks--fair and balanced is ridiculous. Our responsible press--and they do a fair job most days--have hooked into this fair and balanced thing and I hope they will learn their lessons. There is something besides the number of readers, the number of poll numbers and all this money they take to the bank. The word we must never lose in integrity.

One of our wisest pundits is Thomas Friedman. Of course I don't agree with some of the things he says. But--his column in Wednesday's New York Times ought to be read by everybody. Bottom line: he says the person we elect for President is a reflection of the people of the country. If we elect Donald Trump--well,  I can't even image a people in this country being so naive.

Jesus ain't running. I am not sure he would ever want to be on the ballot. But we do have to vote and we have a choice in deciding the kind of country we really want to be.

--Roger Lovette / rogerlovette.blogspot.com