Funny thing about that term “journalism.” The names of most other professions have as suffix “-ing” or “-y” (engineering, accounting, dentistry, harlotry), but the tail of journalism labels it akin to other “-isms” (fascism, communism, liberalism, socialism). Perhaps this implies that journalism majors are subject to the same type of doctrinaire mindset common to these other wonderful schemes of collective thought. It is quite possible that Weltzer’s conservative peers have experienced their own post-adolescent rejection syndrome by rebelling against the omnipresent liberal backdrop of much of the mainline infotainment masquerading as news.

None of this is particularly new information. The hallowed ideal of impartial news is of mid-20th century vintage at best, and has always been a pipe dream. Newspapers, in particular, have always been opinionated creatures slanted toward the pet interests of the guy who set the type (or sold the ads). Newsprint is rapidly becoming just a mere form of tree blight in any case.

The interests of news are far better served by the wide open spaces of the Internet, where the voices of thousands may be heard with ease, and where only the best memes endure. It no longer matters much that the old-line media have been co-opted by those of the liberal viewpoint. Truth as diversity-of-viewpoint is more vigorous and alive today than at any time in the nation’s history. No single group can silence the opposition, so far; as long as this state of affairs exists, we will possess a “free press.”

Greg Humenik
cyclotron operator