The Free Press - Front-line Soldiers in the Culture War

 

If you've read my rhymes before than you are well aware

I'm concerned the fabric of our nation's gonna tear.

We're divided into camps who cannot get along;

Each of us convinced the other side has got it wrong.

We can't even seem to all agree on basic facts;

True or false depends on how the president reacts

Which depends on how his friends on FOX report their "news"

Based on some conspiracy as asinine as Q's.

Donald Trump continues to attack the 4th Estate,

Saying they're the reason why America's not great.

He's called them "disgusting...traitors." Claims reports are "fake"

Anytime he doesn't like the news, for heaven's sake!

What about the evidence out there for all to see?

What about objective truth or plain reality?

Hard to spin the cold, hard facts ('though Giuliani tries)

Can't ignore that Donald Trump is telling voters lies.

Yet, somehow, the president has managed to convince

His supporters they should not believe reporters, since

They're all out to get him with their slanderous attack

And he needs true blue Americans to have his back.

So, they all fall in to line and truth's a casualty

In this culture war Trump's launched against a press that's free.

Journalists are patriots.  They're holding down the fort.

They deserve our gratitude and have my full support.

Vlad the Great?

(Portrait/Courtesy of thefederalist-gary.blogspot.com)

Putin and his cronies are attempting to suppress

Journalists in Russia who must toe the line unless

They would like a visit from some functionary who

Makes sure that the day they crossed the line is one they'll rue.

Visa violations; someone mugged the BBC...

Not so subtle clues that Russian media's not free.

If a visitor's harassed, imagine what it's like

Living in the shadow of a looming Putin Reich.

So much for the freedoms that the Russian people gained.

Not since in the days when Tzars (or Joseph Stalin) reigned

Has there been a press less free and fearful of the State,

Forced to sing the praises of their leader - Vlad the Great.

Egypt - Just Say No

Egypt sentenced journalists to 7 years in jail

Despite lacking any evidentiary trail.

Claimed that they were working for the Muslim Brotherhood.

We'd planned on resuming aid; now, I don't think we should.

To be fair, I didn't think we should have anyway.

These men aren't the first the government has locked away.

Al Jazeera's journalists may have to serve some time;

Hundreds of Egyptians received death for the same crime.

General el-Sisi, who is now the President,

Isn't someone we should send a single, U.S. cent...

Led the revolution, seizing power in a coup,

Calling for the deaths of leaders that he overthrew.

Journalists are under threat and so there's no free press.

Why on earth would we go wading in to such a mess?

Egypt's military's doing fine without our aid.

If we really want to help we ought to foster trade.