What Unites Us

 

Dan Rather, “What Unites Us: Reflections On Patriotism,” Thorndike Press (Large Print), 2017, 307 pp.

Dan Rather writes about what it means to be an American, reminding us of the principles upon which the nation was founded.  Rather brings to bear his decades of experience on the frontlines of the world’s biggest stories. As a living witness to historical change, he offers up an intimate view of history, tracing where we have been in order to help us chart a way forward and heal our bitter divisions.  He emphasizes:  “It is important not to confuse “patriotism” with “nationalism.” As Rather defines it, nationalism is a monologue in which you place your country in a position of moral and cultural supremacy over others. Patriotism, while deeply personal, is a dialogue with your fellow citizens, and a larger world, about not only what you love about your country but also how it can be improved.”  Dividing people and stoking animosity can pave a path to power (and in many recent elections, it has). This has been well known since the time of the ancients. But these divisions inevitably come at the expense of the long-term health and welfare of the nation as a whole.”

 “No one has a monopoly on the truth, but the whole premise of our democracy is that truth and justice must win out. And the role of a trained journalist is to get as close to the truth as is humanly possible. Make no mistake: We are being tested. Without a vibrant, fearless free press, our great American experiment may fail.”  There is no guarantee that truth and justice must win out.

To suppress the vote is to make a mockery of democracy. And those who do so are essentially acknowledging that their policies are unpopular. If you can't convince a majority of voters that your ideas are worthy, you try to limit the pool of voters. This reveals a certain irony: Many who are most vocal in championing a free, open, and dynamic economy are the same political factions that suppress these principles when it comes to the currency of ideas.”

 “…If this nation ultimately fails, I believe it will be because opinions, propaganda, and superstitions replaced facts as the basis for our governance. By doing so, we will have undercut a key strength of the United States over the course of its history, one that receives too little attention: science.”

 “In 1987, under President Ronald Reagan, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) abolished the Fairness Doctrine. In place since 1949, it had stipulated equal airtime for differing points of view. In this Reagan modified environment, media outlets felt less compelled to present balanced political debate, AM radio stations in particular, started to switch to a lucrative form of programming best exemplified by Rush Limbaugh's right-wing talk radio. For hours on end, Limbaugh, and others who followed his lead, would present their view of the world without rebuttal, fact-checking, or any of the other standards in place at most journalistic outlets. Often their commentary included bashing any media coverage that conflicted with the talk-radio narrative.”

 Rather worries “that our nation today suffers from a deficit of empathy, and this is especially true of many in positions of national leadership. It is a phenomenon that is born from, and that exacerbates, the broader divisions tearing at our republic. We see rising tribalism along cultural, ethnic, economic class, and geographic lines. And the responsibility for these divisions should fall more squarely on the shoulders of the powerful, those who need to be empathetic, than on those who need our empathy. When we live in a self-selected bubble of friends, neighbors, and colleagues, it is too easy to forget how important it is to try to walk in the shoes of others.”

“Simply put, we have more people talking about news and less original reporting. Whether on television or online, there is no shortage of analysis. But analysis is only as good as the information that supports it. The deep cuts to newsrooms in print and electronic media have resulted in far fewer reporters waking up each morning deciding what story they will chase. There is less investigative reporting ....”

“Orwell understood that a government that is beyond the reach of accountability has little incentive to tell the truth. Indeed, its power may arise from the obliteration of objective facts. In the world of 1984, contradictory statements lose all sense of context and we are left with preposterous slogans: “War Is Peace. Freedom Is Slavery. Ignorance Is Strength.” And yet Orwell asks us if there is no one with the power to call out a lie as a lie, does it end up ceasing to be a lie?”

My Notes:

Pg. 26:  The descent from patriotism to nationalism can be subtle and dangerous.  After the 9/11 attack, in a climate of panic and hubris, the Patriot Act was passed, undermining our moral traditions (torture), and ultimately launched a bloody and costly foreign misadventure (Iraq). Dissent was marginalized during a fervor of nationalism.

Pg. 63:  In WWI Congress passed an Espionage Act and a Sedition Act that were used to prosecute and imprison men and women for their speech.  The Supreme Court upheld these acts.

Pg. 69:  Presently, the institution of a free press in America is in a state of crisis greater than Dan Rather has ever seen in his lifetime, and perhaps in any moment in this nation’s history, from crumbling business models (advertising is going to social media), rapidly changing technologies, and some self-inflicted wounds. 

Pg. 72f:  In 1987, under President Reagan, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) abolished the Fairness Doctrine.  In place since 1949, it had stipulated equal airtime for differing points of view.  Radio stations started to switch to a lucrative form of programming best exemplified by Rush Limbaugh—right-wing talk radio.  For hours on end, Limbaugh, and others who followed his lead, would present their view of the world without rebuttal, fact-checking, or any of the other standards in place at most (tabloid) journalistic outlets.  In the 1980s and 1990s, the advent of cable television broadened what had been a limited number of stations into a diverse lineup of niche networks.  Into this business opportunity stepped Fox News and Mr. Ailes.  Their majority of programming is opinion rather than news, and this opinion is often in service of conservative political objectives regardless of the facts. 

Pg. 74: With the rise of the Internet, and, even more recently, social media, anyone can be a news publisher, regardless of their expertise, sense of fairness, or motives. 

Pg. 121:  Where once the American experience was one of a  spectrum from the rich to the poor living in the same neighborhood, now we live in pockets that insulate us from others.  There are many more in the ranks of the extremely wealthy, many fewer in the middle economic class, and a larger pool falling further and further behind.