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This too shall pass Sonny

Sweet(s) Talk. …

As I write this column, we’re a week removed from the heinous and disgusting things that occurred at the Capitol building in Washington D.C. Actions that were so shocking and appalling, they will be remembered forever in our country’s history. Who is responsible for them and why they happened, are up for determination for each individual personally.

I am not and will not publicly share my thoughts on the who and why aspect of it, because at this point, those actions a week ago can’t be undone. What I will say about it is this: I was totally embarrassed by it. To be an American and an American citizen, I never thought in my life that I would feel that way, let alone utter the words.

As I have made clear several other times, I am a proud United States Navy veteran. I served our country knowing that I was defending the best country in the world, and the freedoms of the individuals who live in it. But when a group of individuals get together and abuse those freedoms for their own agenda and beliefs, I feel they’re embarrassing themselves, their families and their country.

As my Dad often says, “This too shall pass Sonny.” Well Dad, I sure hope so. …

I’m not sure if it’s human nature, or only in the nature of certain people, but some people feel it’s necessary to quickly find someone or something to blame or point fingers at in a given situation. I will use reporters and their reporting methods for example, in particular the national sports media.

Reporter John Doe is assigned to cover a weekly press conference for an NFL team. Player named “Bill Smith” is a star player on his team and throughout the league as a whole, so in some cases, every word he says, may hold a lot of weight locally and nationally, both to fans and media alike. Sometimes a given topic in Smith’s press conference generates what some may view as significant or perhaps even controversial answers. In some cases, the reporter(s) will use paraphrasing or lift quotes to point out the significant things Smith said in the interview or Q&A session. That’s not a new practice or done with intentional malice, it’s a form of reporting.

Instead of blaming the media for taking words and things said by Smith or other athletes out of context, maybe the athletes or whomever is being interviewed should have chosen their words better?

The person speaking the words gets a pass, but the reporter gets scoffed at for reporting the words. That sounds about as logical to me as a trying to ice fish without cutting a hole in the ice. But unfortunately it’s the world we live in nowadays. …

On that note, I came across this Tweet from a print media person, who works for a large newspaper in the mid-South.

“Folks who have never taken courses/worked in journalism telling journalists how they should do their jobs never ceases to amaze me.

These are often the same folks who can’t distinguish between a column and reporting.”

I couldn’t have said it better. …

Stay safe and healthy ladies and gentlemen. The coronavirus is not going away quietly unfortunately. …

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