Dear American media,
It's only a matter of time before those of you suffering from cognitive dissonance, or perhaps afflicted with an absence of conscience, come to the stark realization that the only smoking gun you found was the one left in your hand after Hillary Clinton's character assassination. For years you have engaged in false narrative, unfounded accusation, reckless speculation, sowing seeds of suspicion, all the while disregarding crucial details in order to sensationalize so-called “scandals” that are much ado about nothing. Regardless of whether you were provided with a reasonable evidence-based explanation, you would focus on optics instead of performing your job with accuracy by reporting all the facts, the details, the nuance, countering arguments that have no basis in reality, dispelling misleading distortions of the truth while refraining from reinforcing preconceived notions and devastating misconceptions rife with contextomy. A staggering number of you – quasi-journalists turned unwitting agents – have insisted on deliberately taking controversially framed statements out of context, despite the futile efforts of those doing damage control by citing the original text ad nauseam. The open borders and private/ public statements were the latest in a series of shameless distortions that you chose to scandalize, when you were well aware she was referring to the future of green energy and how messy things can get behind the scenes while trying to move the country forward amidst conflicting agendas. These particular statements, which you have repeatedly invoked long after they've been put into context, were from those oh-so-scandalous speeches that you've convinced Americans are further proof that Hillary can't be trusted, proof that she won't be tough on Wall Street, despite the fact that her record proves otherwise. When are you people going to get it through your heads that the two can be mutually exclusive. For God's sake, Barney Frank has given a number of paid speeches, and he's the co-sponsor of The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. Elizabeth Warren's endorsement of Clinton's policies should speak volumes. In addition, there is absolutely no evidence she's done any favours or has been influenced in any way, shape, or form by Wall Street or donors to the Clinton Foundation. Although, she may as well have considering your first impulse was to hold her responsible for the requests of others – regardless of whether they were turned down – portraying the conduct of those over whom she has no control as an indication of some deeper ethical problem. Despite popular belief, there is absolutely no evidence of pay-to-play with respect to the A-rated Clinton Foundation; it is considered one of the greatest foundations of our generation by the head of Charity Watch. You have allowed one of the most highly regarded foundations in the world to be falsely characterized as some sort of shady organization steeped in corruption, which is a terrible misconception perpetuated by even the most highly respected media outlets, such as the Associated Press, whose misleading report was a blatant distortion of the truth, an exercise in how to lose credibility and respect in one fell swoop. The AP has since admitted that they found absolutely no proof of pay-to-play – too late, assholes – walking back their incredibly damaging claims that cast a shadow on Hillary's campaign and doubt on her integrity, further perpetuating the false narrative that she's corrupt and untrustworthy, despite unprecedented transparency. Many of you have drawn unwarranted comparisons between the incomparable, casting ill-conceived aspersions while abdicating your responsibility by exhibiting little understanding of the complexities of the issues on which you so incompetently report – appearing to take thinly veiled pleasure in the shameless perpetuation of this inexplicable, decades-long defamation campaign.
Those of you who chose to provide a platform for any idiot on the right to spew falsehoods with impunity and defend the indefensible are partially responsible for the alternate reality in which millions of Americans reside. This calls into question your capacity to feel even the slightest pang of remorse concerning the damaging innuendo left in the wake of your reckless choices – with potentially terrifying consequences – destroying the reputation and credibility of a woman who has dedicated her entire life to helping those in need. What I find infuriating is that you continue to raise the same question over and over again in hopes of identifying some mysterious variable that can explain the perplexing poll numbers concerning Hillary Clinton's trustworthiness and favourability – when you damn well know it's you. You control the smoke machine. You create the illusion of a fire where one does not exist. The fact that you have set the stage that would allow the inconceivable to occur is a demonstrable abuse of your powerful influence over the American psyche. Despite relentless Republican obstructionism, President Obama pulled America out of the worst recession since the great depression, providing years of record-breaking progress, shamefully receiving little appreciation while working tirelessly to repair the damage inflicted on your country after eight years under a destructive Republican administration, whose failed policies are still supported to this day, along with an even more extreme conservative agenda. Meanwhile, rather than demonstrating a command of the issues, your shoddy “reporting” has lead to an anti-intellectual movement, raising an army of ignorant, irrational, knuckle-dragging xenophobes, and as a result the horrifyingly surreal prospect of a Donald Trump presidency may come to fruition, with the help of Democratic complacency and voter suppression, turning election day into a travesty. Should your country experience a break from reality and elect an egomaniacal sociopath - a hateful, vile, vulgar, repulsive, cruel, abusive, aggressive, erratic, unstable, vindictive, arrogant, apathetic, condescending, disingenuous, manipulative, misogynistic, chauvinistic, bigoted, willfully ignorant, morally bankrupt, pathological lying narcissist; an utter hypocrite whose products are made overseas, buildings are made with Chinese steel, and whose supporters are encouraged to commit voter fraud while he claims the system is rigged; a pervert who makes incestuously lewd comments about his own daughters, remarks on the dating potential of little girls, “inspects” the bodies of naked teenagers, and boasts about the size of his penis on national television; a self-described sexual predator who has spent his life demeaning, degrading, objectifying, and sexually assaulting unsuspecting women; a climate change-denying philistine who seriously suggested the National Enquirer be awarded the Pulitzer prize; a reprehensible degenerate who takes pleasure in benefiting from the misfortune of others; a con-artist who has spent the better part of his life scamming the oblivious, stiffing small business owners, peddling in deceit, intimidation, and corruption; a phony philanthropist who uses donations made to his fraudulent foundation to settle lawsuits, cover business and campaign expenditures, engage in quid pro quo, not to mention a number of personal indulgences, including a six foot tall portrait of himself; a “black soul” who insults gold star families, criticizes prisoners of war, and mocks the disabled; a divisive, fear-mongering racist who legitimizes white-supremacy and the alt-right movement; a deranged demagogue who encourages the second amendment folks to assassinate his opponent, appealing to the false morality and deep-seated hatred ingrained in the twisted minds of those gun totin', bible thumpin' good ol' boys; a dangerously incoherent buffoon who claims to know more than the generals, but lacks the wherewithal to grasp the implications of nuclear war; a traitor who encourages foreign adversaries to commit espionage, and whose statements have been used as a recruiting tool by extremists; an aspiring war criminal who clearly stated that he would order the US military to torture detainees and kill their families, including women and children, further demonstrating a disturbing indifference to the heinous crimes against humanity committed by the very same ruthless dictators he praises, including torture, murder, tactical starvation, false imprisonment, the targeting of hospitals, schools, markets, aid convoys, and the use of chemical weapons, inflicting unimaginable suffering - should that Gigantopithecus ignoramus get his creepy little hands on those launch codes, the world will know exactly who to thank for the nightmare that is sure to follow.
As the world bears witness to the appalling spectacle unfolding in your country, Canadians are filled with a newfound sense of pride and patriotism, a source of light in the ever-encroaching shadow cast by the looming threat your misguided nation poses to the rest us. If the unthinkable were to occur, many Americans, I suspect, would seek solace in our country of tolerance and inclusivity, not unlike those to whom we've opened our hearts and our homes. It's no wonder countless numbers around the world consider our country a beacon of hope. Although often taken for granted, we value journalistic integrity and accountability, without which our bastion of sanity and stability would not exist. Our countries may have much in common, but one can certainly draw a sharp contrast between our respective media outlets and the methods used to raise public awareness. Americans are currently living in a fact-free era of manufactured controversy and deliberate omission, ushered in by the patently erroneous, shamelessly misleading, recklessly irresponsible, and willfully uninformed, which is nothing less than unconscionable, inexcusable – the epitome of media malpractice. Shoddy journalism can often be chalked up to a misguided attempt to present oneself as an objective observer, but as wisely stated by Christiane Amanpour, it is imperative that the media focus on being truthful rather than neutral. Are you aware of the tremendous damage that's caused by creating false equivalency masquerading as objectivity? Does climate change denial ring any bells? Despite the constant reminders staring you in the face each and every day, you've proven time and again that you give the consequences of your stunningly inaccurate reporting very little consideration. You seem to have forgotten your obligation to the American people and, in this case, to the world, not to entertain or mislead by breathing life into baseless narrative and conspiracy theories – providing fodder to those on the right – but to inform with great accuracy, even when it's inconvenient. It's glaringly obvious that many of you have yet to grasp the enormity of your responsibility, despite the unprecedented crossroads at which America finds itself, and the crisis of conscience you are sure to face when your loved ones raise questions concerning the pivotal role you played in leading them and their fellow Americans past the countless warning signs straight off a cliff. There's no do-over, folks. There's no time machine. There's no going back. This is it. For those of us residing in the rational world, not stuck in your satirical reality, this is clearly a no-brainer. If you don't believe me, read “Hillary Clinton Gets Gored” by Paul Krugman. I think you'll find it quite illuminating. Although, sadly, to the detriment of us all, the immeasurable damage you've inflicted on your country may be irreparable, and any attempt to retract the plethora of misleading assertions and incredibly devastating inaccuracies may be an exercise in futility, not unlike the latest walk-backs which received very little attention. A sudden course correction can't magically undo the countless misconceptions seared into the minds of most Americans, a consequence of your aggressive pursuit of the next big scoop. Although, with that being said, I'm not entirely sure how you could live with yourselves if you sit idly by until election day, when millions of misguided Americans base their decisions largely on your shameful reporting.
This epidemic of insanity spreading across your country, and the foundation on which such an environment could thrive, would never happen here, thanks in large part to our trusted and highly respected journalists, who put great impetus on substantive investigative reporting, rather than relying on sensationalism and hyperbolic conjecture, which is unbecoming of a serious journalist. Speaking of which, I'd like to make it clear that the Fact Free Network, better known as Fox, whose motto's irony has not escaped those thoughtful Americans whose moral compass remains in tact, determined not to be drawn in by the unrelenting lies, fear mongering, and revisionist history, apparently breaking down the capacity for reason, is not among those to whom this letter is written. It's common knowledge that Fox is not a legitimate news network, but is viewed by those who value facts and basic human decency as nothing more than a propaganda machine for the sole purpose of misleading the American people with a constant deluge of misinformation, working tirelessly, along with their shameless counterparts, to appeal to their viewers worst impulses, perpetuating the staggering ignorance and fear that plagues Canada's misguided neighbours to the south. No, this letter is written to those of you who have allowed the falsehoods, misconceptions, and deep-seated suspicion to take root, failing to deprogram your fellow citizens who have sadly been systematically brainwashed by those “black souls” on the right. Reporting under the guise of neutrality has brought you dangerously close to falling out of the realm of legitimate journalism, considering it's your very incompetency that created the vacuum within which ignorance and intolerance could thrive, where a large swath of the American people will remain forever a lost cause, damaged beyond repair, consistently voting against their own best interests. These are the very same misguided souls who would be directly responsible for the catastrophic disaster of a Donald Trump presidency, which would undoubtedly have far-reaching consequences beyond comprehension. If such a travesty were to come to pass, future generations will place the blame squarely on you, and rightly so. Although, our children and grandchildren may be too busy cursing you for the irreparable damage done by your stunningly irresponsible reporting on climate change, yet again playing the role as the objective observer while offering a platform of false equivalency to the ill-informed and those with a hidden agenda, including Republicans who have been instrumental in laying the groundwork that would allow a lunatic to be celebrated when making the outrageous claim that climate change is a hoax concocted by the Chinese – he's creative... I'll give him that. The irony in this farce of an election has certainly been unprecedented. Given the poll numbers regarding trustworthiness and honesty, you'd think it was Trump who released over thirty years of tax returns, and whose foundation has gone far beyond the requirements regarding transparency. You'd think that the fact checkers got it wrong when they concluded that 75% of what comes out of Trump's hateful mouth is false. It's no wonder Trump was named 2015's Liar of the Year. Despite popular belief, Hillary has been found to be one of the most honest candidates to run for president. It's Trump who is the least transparent and most dishonest candidate to run for office in the modern era, who's guilty of corruption, pay-to-play, ethics violations, and who has not only forged mutually beneficial relationships with shady characters around the globe, but has racked up a fortune in debt with a number of foreign banks, which anyone with half a brain would consider an incredibly serious conflict of interest. Why do Americans automatically associate change with something positive? When the US has made so much progress, clearly moving in the right direction, the grossly misinformed want to take the country in another direction – sending it backwards. Millions of Americans wouldn't share this view if more of you had simply done your job. You've let your country down. Now we are all paying the price for your incompetence.
If it wasn't so reprehensible one might find it almost amusing that those who allotted a significant amount of air time to Trump's empty podium, rather than focusing on Clinton's policies, etc., are the very same vultures who criticized her for failing to hold more press conferences, then turned around and vilified her when she responded truthfully to questions raised by reporters – if political suicide is not on the agenda, one would be wise to steer clear of whoever's holding the rope. When she defended herself rather than allow her apology to be misconstrued as an admission of guilt, instead of giving her the benefit of the doubt, you legitimized the witch hunt and open the door to a litany of unwarranted accusations. Sadly, she's become America's official punching bag. The way in which Hillary has been treated is nothing less than shameful and disgusting. I know I'm not alone in this sentiment given her extensive background in human rights, especially pertaining to the deplorable treatment of the most vulnerable in the deep south, and the number of witnesses who had a front row seat while she fought the Republicans and insurance companies in an attempt to provide Americans with universal health care. I'm certain all those whose lives she's touched over the past forty-five years are even more disgusted than I am with how she's been portrayed – the young offenders saved from being beaten and raped in adult prisons, children who wouldn't have otherwise received health care at such a crucial time in their development, or an education due to discrimination, not to mention the 9/11 first responders who were ignored by the very same politicians on the right who used them as political props. What about the millions of people around the world whose lives are saved every single day thanks to the Clinton Foundation, which may have to shut down because of those in the media who seem to have aligned themselves with the bottom dwelling dregs of society. As a consequence, the next time you're carefully noting the thread count on your new set of Egyptian cotton sheets or agonizing over which wine would pair best with your lobster roulade, many of your fellow human beings, the vast majority children, will be left to suffer and likely lose their lives. How do you sleep at night? Where's your humanity? While many of you were busy unfairly demonizing Hillary Clinton, the nutcases on the right have been given free rein and the validation they were so desperately seeking. These are the very same disgusting human beings who encourage their minions to chant, “Lock her up!” and suggest that Hillary should be shot for treason, but what should one expect when you've covered their dear leader in an objective light, as if he is a legitimate candidate, considering in any other advanced nation on earth he would've been disqualified ages ago. Given how low the bar has been set, the double standard knows no bounds.
There's much from which to choose among the number of blatantly false allegations, but what I have found particularly sickening, and what has done the most damage, is the perpetuation of the false narrative that Hillary Clinton lied to the American people, despite the fact that FBI Director James Comey, rather than provide some carefully crafted answer, amended his initial statement when questioned by Congressmen Elijah Cummings and Matt Cartwright, both of whom provided crucial information, validating what Clinton has stated all along – that she did not use her private server to send or receive emails marked classified. It's reasonable to surmise, as Comey acknowledged during the hearing on July 7, 2016, that one would naturally assume, including anyone with an understanding of the system and/ or who has read the official manual regarding classification, that an email doesn't contain classified information if the sender doesn't attach one of the following headers: Top Secret, Classified, or Confidential. I found myself on the edge of my seat when Cummings gave an impassioned plea, imploring the press to listen up, as this proved without a doubt that Hillary did not lie to the American people, despite what the Republicans would like everyone to believe, and what has been widely reported in the media. It was evident to everyone in the room, including the director himself, that those three damning emails he'd claimed were marked Classified – a statement steeped in muted satisfaction and responsible for the firestorm that would leave Clinton's credibility in ruins – were, in fact, not properly marked with a header, as required on all classified documents. Found in the body of each email – all three of which pertained only to scheduled phone calls – was a small “(c)” representing the lowest form of classification which, in the end, turned out to be a case of human error made by the sender. Unlike the thousands of work-related emails that were voluntarily turned over to the FBI and the thousands of personal emails she had been given permission to delete, any emails that were properly marked and deemed classified at the time were stored on an entirely separate government server specifically designed to safeguard classified information. Thanks to irresponsible reporting, millions of Americans believe that Hillary Clinton is not only a liar, but should be indicted, imprisoned, or even shot for treason for simply choosing to use a private server – which she had every reason to believe was secure – for communications that were either private in nature or considered unclassified. These communications were with trusted contacts, including highly regarded seasoned colleagues that one would naturally assume would not mishandle classified information. I urge you to find anyone in Washington who has been more transparent than Hillary Clinton, including those disingenuous hypocrites on the committee who, as pointed out during the hearing, use a private email account to send and receive work-related documents. Given their level of clearance, it's certainly possible that they have sent and received classified information through their personal email, but unless the FBI opens an investigation into their conduct, the American people will be none the wiser. Also, I don't recall this level of scrutiny during the Bush administration, when it was actually warranted. Secretaries of State Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice both used private email accounts, but I'm not aware of any investigation(s) into possible mishandling of classified information.
Setting a terrible precedent, as it seems confidentiality is no longer guaranteed, Dir. Comey released notes from Hillary Clinton's interview. Like clockwork, one of those self-righteous Republicans leaked part of the interview pertaining to Colin Powell. Hillary claimed that he had offered her advice regarding the use of a personal email account shortly after she was appointed Secretary of State. These remarks were not meant for the public. She had no intention of throwing Powell under the bus - as he suggested while doing that very thing to Clinton. Apparently taking advantage of America's unwarranted distrust, Former Secretary of State Colin Powell put out a statement denying that he advised her to use a private email account. Fortunately, Elijah Cummings released the email that Powell had denied sending to Clinton, corroborating what she had told the FBI. As usual, the only one thrown under the bus was Hillary. If we weren't all living in the Twilight Zone she would've been vindicated, but apparently it just didn't jive with the current narrative, so it was promptly buried. After reading Powell's email it was no surprise to learn that during an interview with a reporter he once scoffed at the suggestion of releasing his emails – which didn't seem to raise any eyebrows. After the hearing, the FBI recovered a number of work-related emails, many of which were duplicates that had been mistakenly included with her personal emails when they were deleted. Those who believe it was some sort of sinister plot to keep them from falling into the hands of the FBI should ask themselves... why would she choose to intentionally delete work-related emails that turned out to be no different from the tens of thousands she voluntarily handed over? In other words, just like all the rest, these emails were not marked Classified, or stamped Top Secret in big red letters, which I'm sure this manufactured controversy has evoked in the minds of most movie-going Americans. With regard to the jaw-dropping turn of events, any reasonable person – which would leave out those in the hunting party and their mindless hoard – who took the time to watch the hearing in its entirety and possesses the wherewithal to sift through the partisan logorrhea, would have come to the logical conclusion that if there was only one moment during the hearing that would be considered newsworthy, it would have certainly been the revelation concerning the three so-called classified emails – another example of inter-agency incompetency. Sadly, and to my disbelief, Cummings' plea fell on deaf ears, and the unapologetic disservice to one's journalistic reputation, not to mention one's country, would continue with impunity. Rather than hold another impromptu press conference, this time enlightening the public with information that would undoubtedly clear Hillary of the most devastating accusation, Mr. Neutrality, who I should point out is a Republican, chose to allow the most inconceivable miscarriage of justice in the court of public opinion to take place, the likes of which I had never seen... until now.
In an unprecedented breach of protocol, changing the course of the election appearing to be his sole motivation, Comey set the Clinton campaign ablaze eleven days before the election, based on what he himself admitted may be nothing of significance – utterly disregarding the damage his actions would surely inflict on American democracy. This stunning lack of competence and integrity has elicited bipartisan criticism from a staggering number of former prosecutors and high ranking Justice Department officials. Even Harry Reid claimed that Dir. Comey may have broken the law. The seemingly deliberate vagueness of the letter sent to a number of House Republicans left a void that he must have known would be immediately filled by those who are prone to making broad sweeping statements, dripping with damaging innuendo, once again breathing life into this manufactured controversy. Obviously, the sole purpose of this letter was to provide fodder to his buddies on the right who were chomping at the bit. Fortunately, this flagrant abuse of power hasn't gone unnoticed, raising questions about the different set of rules that are apparently applied to other investigations, including the investigation into the Trump campaign – specifically his advisers who have ties to Russia, which may not only jeopardize America's national security, but may lead to the destabilization of longstanding norms. It appears Comey only deems it necessary to follow standard procedures when an investigation involves a Republican nominee – as opposed to a Democrat. With respect to what transpired during the hearing, I had convinced myself that only a minority of you were being intentionally deceptive, while the vast majority were simply willfully ignorant, and just couldn't be bothered to watch the hearing from beginning to end – perhaps, in some cases, not at all. However, considering your dismissive responses during this election, and at times outright hostility toward those who have tried to set the record straight, including Hillary Clinton herself, I've come to the realization that it may be the other way around. Rather than admit you fucked up you chose to clear a path to the White House for a dangerous demagogue by ruining the reputation of a devoted public servant who has spent decades fighting for those less fortunate, casting doubt on the integrity of the most qualified person to ever run for office – the only person standing between you and utter catastrophe.
This latest absurdity reminds me of the multimillion-dollar witch hunt orchestrated by the Republicans – courtesy of the American taxpayer. After nine investigations they were forced to conclude that Hillary was, in fact, not responsible for the events that unfolded in Benghazi, unable to prove any wrongdoing whatsoever – but sadly the damage was already done, which is apparently all that mattered at the end of the day. Their findings haven't stopped them from using Benghazi to rile up their spiral-eyed rednecks, or exploit the grief of a mother who is obviously mentally unstable. If the Benghazi hearings hadn't simply been a partisan farce, a concerted effort to drive down Clinton's poll numbers – which Republicans in Congress have since admitted – the American people may have discovered how incredibly destructive Republican gamesmanship and obstructionism really is, which is apparently much more important to them than what's in the best interest of their country. No matter the consequences, no matter who gets hurt, preventing President Obama from fulfilling his commitments to the American people was always priority number one. Over the past eight years they've shamelessly blocked one bill after another, no matter how much it would improve the quality of life for their constituents, even going so far as to shut down the government despite the far-reaching implications – compromise is a dirty word, according to the GOP. During the hearing, a little known fact was brought to light concerning the role Republicans played in the tragic events that took place in Benghazi. People may have lost their lives due to Republicans' recklessness in the House – it was bound to happen. Those hypocrites in Congress cut embassy security in the budget, refusing to provide funding requested by the Obama administration. If they hadn't been playing politics, if their racially motivated hatred for the president didn't run so deep, if their vendetta hadn't been more important than the lives of Americans serving overseas, it's reasonable to surmise that those who died that night may still be with us today. It's also interesting how the same folks who are so outraged over what occurred in Benghazi fail to mention the staggering number of deaths around the world resulting from embassy attacks under Republican administrations – I don't recall this level of scrutiny with regard to those incidents.
Republicans have turned lying into an art form. Misleading the American people is their forte. They've discovered that if they're the loudest one(s) in the room, if they repeat themselves over and over again –no matter how outrageous the lie – it will eventually stick. They understand that lying, cheating, fear-mongering, voter suppression, and gerrymandering are the only ways they can get elected. Speaking of misinformation, with regard to the intervention in Libya and the so-called regime change orchestrated by Hillary Clinton, I'd like to remind those suffering from selective amnesia about the Arab Spring and the fact that a coalition of nations had to convince Washington to help prevent a genocide. The fact that Americans have got it in their heads that Hillary is some sort of warmonger, and has spent her political career advocating regime change is beyond me. She explicitly said in 2002 that it's the responsibility of the people to topple their government, which is exactly what took place in Libya. With respect to Iraq, the only mistake Clinton made was trusting George Bush – although, she was far from alone. Bush made a “very explicit appeal” convincing Hillary that “getting this vote would be a strong piece of leverage in order to finish the inspections”. He betrayed her. He betrayed the American people. She was not advocating war. Far from it. With regard to President Obama's red line, his primary mistake was thinking that those heartless bastards in Congress would put their humanity ahead of politics, ahead of the perfect opportunity to embarrass their adversary on the world stage, as he would be the first president in modern times to lose a vote on the use of force. Obama asked Congress, asked all Americans, “what message would we send if a dictator can gas hundreds of children to death in plain sight and pay no price?” He was prepared to give the order, prepared to intervene and help the Syrian people, but was mindful of being the president of “the world's oldest constitutional democracy”, and chose to seek authorization from Congress – following the will of the people – as polls showed that the majority of Americans wanted Congress to decide. What came next was predictable. Republican “lawmakers”, especially those in the House, claimed that Syria's civil war did not pose a threat to the United States, and didn't see a reason to intervene, despite watching little children convulsing and writhing in pain after being gassed by their own government, and listening to the desperate pleas from those struggling to survive, from those peaceful protesters turned rebels who found it necessary to stress the obvious – that they were not animals. Personally, I believe the entire international community should be ashamed of themselves, including the US and Canada. It makes me sick.
Over the years I have witnessed responsible, substantive, well-informed investigative journalism – a cornerstone of any healthy democracy – free from willful inaccuracy, misleading innuendo, and ill-considered hyperbole, devolve into some sort of quasi-journalistic infotainment currently in existential crisis, which has led to an aggressive form of intellectual malignancy in America, made that much worse by the lowbrow, IQ-droppin', hillbilly takeover, that has replaced quality educational television. If a country's political climate is a litmus test measuring journalistic performance, what does that say about you? And to those of you whose conscience is clear because you haven't intentionally lied to the American people, I hate to break it to you, but given the weight of your responsibility, especially during the most important election of our lifetimes, willful ignorance is just as bad. What has been especially infuriating is watching you amuse yourselves by making unseemly wisecracks about this election being a race to the bottom while drawing unfair comparisons rather than clear distinctions, all the while failing to take any responsibility for the part you've played in creating the mess in which your country has found itself. Even if we're lucky enough to dodge this bullet, there are a number of individuals that may not be so lucky, considering the level of incredibly dangerous rhetoric, its roots originating from the soapbox you provided to those whose sole purpose it is to perpetuate the outrageous mischaracterization of Hillary Clinton as the epitome of corruption and the myth that the system is rigged in her favour – which couldn't be further from the truth. It makes me sick to my stomach to think that our fate is in the hands of a misinformed electorate, including those sporting a Kool-Aid mustache courtesy of the fair and balanced network and their white-supremacist friends at Breitbart, not to mention the slew of other conspiratorial conservative media outlets, all of whom are the co-founders of the cult-like movement of lost causes, in which millions of misguided souls have departed from the rational world indefinitely. Whether or not the lunatics take over the asylum, I highly recommend some serious soul searching. Perhaps you should try channeling your younger idealistic selves who would be ashamed of the hacks that many of you have become. When drawing conclusions, journalists should engage in careful consideration, displaying some semblance of incredulity prior to receiving all the facts. It's your responsibility to raise awareness, correct the record, and provide your fellow citizens with the necessary tools to make well-informed decisions – so they vote for politicians who actually have their best interests at heart.
Sincerely,
A concerned neighbour
