8 July 2010 Hold the war news, this is important

8 July 2010 Hold the war news, this is important


This morning’s news broadcast contained less news than usual. For some inexplicable reason the topics of a economy in danger of returning to depression, the continuing oil deluge in the Gulf of Mexico, political polarization, high-seas piracy, and a host of other matters were felt to be less important than the career moves of a professional athlete.

I personally have no idea who plays what position for what team in any game at any academic or professional level. Nor do I wish to know this information. There are numerous “sports” channels that litter the cable feed, none of which I have ever watched. I object to programming by news channels wasting time with such unimportant subject matter when they spend so little time actually delving beneath the surface of the material that can and does have an effect on all our lives at multiple levels. Even the 24 hour news channels barely get beneath the surface in covering what is happening and almost no one touches upon why things are happening.

As the level of educational achievement in public schools declines, so does the level of information exchange. What was once written and broadcast at a level the average high-school senior might understand is now too difficult and complex for that senior. Third grade reading and comprehension levels are now used to structure speeches and other public addresses. That is quite disturbing.

This loss of intellectual ability should not be happening to a nation that likes to portray itself as the apex of political and cultural development. It has become apparent that we have failed to value education and personal intellectual achievement as goals for our citizens. We’ve allowed athletics to become a reason for staying in school instead of knowledge being the reason for schooling. At a time when we are unable to pay teachers for the core curriculum, we still spend fortunes to equip and transport athletic teams around the country. When we’re closing schools due to inability to pay the light bills, we should not be building &/or maintaining football stadia and basketball arenas. Never, at any academic institution, should a coach be paid more than entry level teachers.

We wind up with political candidates who view government as a game to be won. We wind up with athletes being carried through classes at high school and college levels. We wind up with athletes who never learn to study, who become politicians due to their popularity. We wind up with our nation becoming more involved in athletic gambling than with discovering how best to govern ourselves. We wind up allowing political parties to slide unqualified former athletes into elected jobs without anyone ever questioning their qualifications. Out athlete worshiping voters have never learned to become intellectually curious. So the mob elects candidates, who like the mob members, don’t measure up to the mark set by our well educated leaders.

Just as with cable feed, I’d rather get more depth, have leaders who are intellectually curious, and pay them honest salaries. I will never wish to pay for televised athletics. And I will never wish to pay elected leaders who behave like professional athletes.

Get with it, CNN. I don’t care what player goes where, when. You promised me news.