CNN incitement to cynicism

Meanwhile a word on CNN and the public mood.

Local Direct TV in our condo limited us to CNN for news. While in Puerto Rico, of course, we were very close to Haiti and were absorbed by the earthquake and the horror of the devastation and human tragedy. What made us particularly uncomfortable was the knowledge that our government has a horrible history in both Haiti and the Dominican Republic. It has contributed to bad government and the ecological disasters. For more on Dominican Republic check out: "The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao" by Junot Díaz. Of course it wasn't until much later, nearly a month later, that this was discussed on CNN. I am proud of the many good works our government is doing through military and private actions, but there's a gnawing guilt about our history there.

Listening to CNN and it's frenetic tone in covering everything from Michael Jackson's doctor to a recent scandal in the sports world, to politics -- almost all in the same breath -- one understands why the American public is so cynical. Each time someone charges that a program doesn't work, they cover it as if it were news. Each time a situation suggests the possibility of scandal they cover it as news. A good example was the recent post-operative death of Congressman Murtha of Pennsylvania. He died after complications from gall bladder surgery. The commentators looked at each other and said: "Wow, that's routine isn't it? I had that surgery and nothing happened. Could it have been a case of hospital error?" This was all without understanding Murtha's underlying health conditions or what type of surgery he had. We've not heard a word since. (I have to add that Rep. Murtha did contract a post operative infection, as I learned when I returned home.) Also, see further comment on this posting.

I know they have a lot of time to fill but 1)leaping from one story to another without any connection between them and 2) creating anxiety rather than offering information as they report each story, contributes to the destructive tone of American political debate.

Thanks for the comments fellow bloggers.