Tuesday, July 8, 2014

Why the Ben Hoover debacle touches the people of South Carolina

There is something more profound operating in relation to the firing of Ben Hoover.
It is bigger than just one job and one newscaster. 
WIS is battling a fierce backlash from substantial numbers of an angry public. Protesters are lining the streets, holding signs, in opposition to WIS management. 
This is happening because Donita Todd, WIS-GM, is a tone-deaf media executive, who thinks her job is to come into South Carolina and dictate your values to you.
She is but one example. The corporately-owned State newspaper has had the same dictatorial attitude toward South Carolinians for years.
And it's not just a cultural or political authority Big Media wants to exert. Remember the Ron Morris fiasco in The State newspaper's sports department.
Thankfully, Steve Spurrier was powerful enough to slay that dragon. But it did not solve the problem of Big Media in South Carolina.
And scandals among our elected leaders just exacerbate the situation, to where we are even more demoralized.
Lexington County Sheriff James Metts is indicted. Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin is linked to ethics lapses and Lexington County Council is trying to burden residents with more taxes.
The federal government is wrought with scandal and contempt for fellow American-political enemies. We scream in protest, and nothing happens. We feel powerless and unrepresented.
If you are a law-abiding, faith-based, humble, hardworking citizen, how do you deal with all the chaos, injustice and lack of values?
It is out of control.
The same lack of values exists in our institutions, including the media.
The media is the most public, private business. The media has to find a way to serve the masses, almost like a government entity, and generate income.
And the people, who are suffering under the corruption among elected officials, need the media more than ever. But sadly, too many times our media is in bed with the corrupt.
Politicians have been able to sell us on the idea that opening our minds means being liberal. And part of being liberal is accepting a national, not personal, morality.
It's the “They're All Doing It” mentality. So if you don't want to be a square, if you want to be with the “In” crowd, you better get with it.
The command is to fit in with Washington's morals. It is the basis of how South Carolina has been weakened. We've allowed media executives to come in from other states, where their morality is different, and dictate our values.
South Carolina is Conservative. We are a state where we want to know, and like, our neighbors.
But if your values are not like the values of the media, you are not going to be in their club. The media is not going to favor you, if you don't not espouse their belief system.
But sometimes the people fight back. See Chik-Fil-A and Hobby Lobby. 
The backlash over the firing of Ben Hoover is a reaction from those who are tired of not being represented.
We are tired of being told what we should like, who we should like, and why.
Their values are not like ours. And sometimes we demand to be heard and treated fairly.


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