BIRTHDAY JUNE 5
BILL MOYERS JOURNALIST 1934
I’LL BELIEVE CORPORATIONS ARE PEOPLE WHEN TEXAS EXECUTES ONE.
HOW DO WE PROTECT THE SOUL OF DEMOCRACY AGAINST THE BAD
THEOLOGY IN SERVICE OF AN IMPERIAL STATE?
OUR MEDIA AND POLITICAL SYSTEM HAS TURNED INTO A MUTUAL PROTECTION RACKET.
AN UNCONSCIOUS PEOPLE, AN INDOCTRINATED PEOPLE, A PEOPLE FED
ONLY PARTISAN INFORMATION AND OPINION THAT CONFIRM THEIR OWN BIAS,
A PEOPLE MADE MORBIDLY OBESE IN MIND AND SPIRIT BY THE JUNK FOOD OF
PROPAGANDA IS LESS INCLINED TO PUT UP A FIGHT, ASK QUESTIONS AND BE
SKEPTICAL. AND JUST AS A DEMOCRACY CAN DIE OF TOO MANY LIES, THAT
KIND OF ORTHODOXY CAN KILL US, TOO.
PLUTOCRACY TOO LONG TOLERATED LEAVES DEMOCRACY ON THE AUTION
BLOCK, SUBJECT TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER.
IN AMERICA, ONE OF OUR TWO MAJOR PARTIES IS DOMINATED BY
EXTREMISTS DEDICATED TO DESTROYING THE SOCIAL CONTRACT,
AND THE THER PARTY HAS BEEN SO ENFEEBLED BY TWO DECADES
OF COLLABORATION WITH THE DONOR CLASS IT CAN OFFER
ONLY FEEBLE RESISTANCE TO THE FORCES THAT ARE
DEVASTATING EVERYDAY PEOPLE.
THE RICH TODAY ARE RICHER, THERE ARE MORE OF THEM,
THEY HAVE ROUND-THE-CLOCK PROPAGANDA FACTORIES
IN RUPERT MURDOCH’S EMPIRE AND RIGHTWING TALK RADIO
AND CORPORATE MEDIA HAVE THEIR BACK.
FOX MEDIA AND RUSH LIMBAUGH HAVE RAISED IGNORANCE TO
IDEOLOGY AND STUPEFIED AN ENTIRE POLITICAL PARTY.
NO MORE ROGUISH AND ROWDY BAND OF PREDATORS DID
MORE TO DEMEAN AND DESPOIL THE DEMOCRACY ON WHOSE
CARCASS THEY FEED.
THE SUPREME COURT CONSISTENTLY FAVORS ORGANIZED MONEY
AND THE POLITICAL PRIVILEGES OF THE CORPORATE CLASS,
WE HAVE A SENATE THAT IS MORE RESPONSIVE TO AFFLUENT
CONSTITUENTS THAN TO MIDDLE-CLASS CONSTITUENTS, WHILE
THE OPINIONS OF CONSTITUENTS IN THE BOTTOM THIRD OF
INCOME DISTRIBUTION HAVE NO APPARENT EFFECT AT ALL
ON THE SENATE’S ROLL CALL VOTES.
THE QUALITY OF DEMOCRACY AND THE QUALITY OF JOURNALISM
ARE DEEPLY INTWINED.
IF THE WATCHDOG DOESN’T BARK, HOW DO YOUM KNOW THERE’S A BURGLAR
IN THE BASEMENT? AND THE PRESS IS SUPPOSED TO BE A WATCHDOG.
CAPITALISM IS OUT OF CONTROL, THANKS IN NO SMALL PART TO
CITIZENS UNITED, THE SUPREME COURT DECISION WHICH SAID
THAT A CORPORATION IS A PERSON, EVEN THOUGH IT DOESN’T
EAT, DRINK, MAKE LOVE, SING, RAISE CHILDREN OR TAKE CARE OF
AGING PARENTS. YOU CAN’T HAVE A PEOPLE’S DEMOCRACY
AS LONG AS CORPORATIONS ARE CONSIDERED PEOPLE.
OUR DEMOCRACY IS A PLANTATION RUN FOR THE ARISTOCRATS — THE
CEOS, HEDGE FUNDS, PRIVATE EQUITY FIRMS — WHILE THE FIELD HANDS
ARE LEFT WITH SCRAPS.
CONSERVATISM IS LESS A SET OF IDEAS THAN IT IS A PATHOLOGICAL
DISTEMPER, A MILATANT ANGER OVER THE FACT THAT THE UNIVERSE
IS NOT CLOSED AND LIFE IS NOT STATIC.
FFOR THE FIRST TIME IN OUR HISTORY, IDEOLOGY AND THEOLOGY
HOLD A MONOPOLY OF POWER IN WASHINGTON.
CHARITY OFFERS CRUMBS FROM THE TABLE; JUSTICE OFFERS A
PLACE AT THE TABLE.
MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. SUBPOENED THE NATION’S CONSCIENCE.
HE WAS KILLED FOR IT.
BARACK OBAMA TREATED TOO LIGHTLY THE PEOPLE AND FORCES
DETERMINED TO DESTROY HIM. THEY SPAT IN HIS FACE AND DIDN’T
EVEN GET TICKETED FOR A MISDEMEANOR.
SECRECY IS THE FREEDOM TYRANTS DREAM OF.
WE SEEM TO PREFER A COMFORTABLE LIE TO THE UNCOMFORTABLE TRUTH.
WE PUNISH THOSE WHO POINT OUT REALITY, AND REWARD THOSE WHO
PROVIDE US WITH THE COMFORT OF ILLUSION. REALITY IS FEARSOME . .
BUT EXPERIENCE TELLS US THAT MORE FEARSOME YET IS EVADING IT.
GOD BLESS BILL MOYERS–A GREAT MAN WHO SEES THE TRUTH.