European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 19, 1995, Darmstadt, Hesse Thursday january 19,1995 commentary the stars and stripes Page 17 Cal Thomas House speaker Newt Gingrich has decided to Boycott the sunday television talk shows for a month because he thinks their Only interest is in Quot trying to Start fights Quot and their programs arc devoted to a nitpicking argument rather than seeking 1 rut la he is right. The egos of some television journalists Are exceeded Only by their inflated salaries too Many Sec government officials As journalists play toys made for career advancement conservatives have Long engaged in Boycotts of television they Don t like entire Organ i at Intis a from morality in Media to the american family association a have sponsored Quot blackout Days during which supporters were urged to Boycott certain networks or not turn on the television at All or refrain from buying products sold by advertisers who bought time on programs deemed by these groups to be anti family or anti religious. This is the first Linic if memory serves that someone has sought to Boycott from within a to deprive the networks of meat for them to Chew tip. It is a fascinating tac tie with tremendous potential to alter the Way american Media conduct themselves and to Force them to be More responsible fair and accurate in reporting. Among the major institutions Only the Media have refused to accurately read the election results a or decider to ignore them. There have been a few sensible hires Peggy Weymier As religion reporter for acc before the election conservative columnist Tony Snow for Good morning America and Peggy Noonan for social commentary on Abc s today show. Snow and Noonan will have Liberal debating opponents but essentially nothing has been done to change the Way news is covered by the big networks. Tiik decisions about which stones to cover arid How to portray them remain in the hands of people who largely Eon Timic to believe in the Power of big government and who regard con v Serva Tive views and values us racist homophobic and unworkable. As Long As producers writers and reporters whose ideologies remain mired in the 60s direct the news republicans and conservatives will Seldom receive a fair hearing a rid tin Opportunity to debate their views on a level playing Field. Tunc in almost any morning to the today show and watch Bryant Gumbel pronounce every perceived evil originating in the Reagan administration As just one example As conservative Leader Paul Weyrich recently noted the favored position of the big Media is threatened because Many of their political friends with whom icy drank and ate Anil joked were sent Home by the voters. They have no ideological liking for the new Bunch and the feeling is largely Mutual they will try to cozy up to the new leadership but As Rush Limbaugh warned incoming freshmen republicans they will never be their friends because they hate what these new members stand for a smaller government less dependency on the stale and a reformation in moral and social Quot values. A a a what in republicans made a vow a contract Quot has already been used to Boycott the news programs and not to talk to the big networks until their ideas arc treated with fairness?.- republicans could seek Media outlets that provide respectful coverage to get their views across. That would increase the credibility and visibility of broadcast and print journalists with a serious commitment to. Their profession and not to heir personal political beliefs. Without republicans to fight against and nitpick the big Media would be left Wilh democrats lower ratings and virtually nothing to talk about shortly after the Connie Chung incident with Gingrich s Mother it was reported that lbs ratings have declined. Surveys have shown that growing numbers of people done to like the slanted and Sensa Vional reporting masquerading As a news Quot yet network brass seem to think the problem in t too much trash but too Little so let s expand the Gingrich Boycott it. take Long to shale up the news Industry a. A los Angelos times. A the visit to Woodson High school in the District of Columbia was a needed antidote to the depression 1 was in last week after Reading the worst news to come across my desk so far this year. It was the annual Survey of 333,703 College freshmen conducted by the american Council on education and a clan a higher education research Institute the Survey found the freshmen less interested and less involved in politics than any freshman class in the 29 years such polls have been taken. Less than one third of them said that Quot keening up with political affairs Quot is an important goal for them. In 1966, almost two thirds said it was important. Similar trends can be found in the number who say they have any desire to participate in Community programs or efforts to improve the environment or race relations the results were foreshadowed by another stir icy taken six years ago by Peter Harts research firm in a project co chaired by Terrell Belt Secretary of education in the Reagan Cabinet and by Hillary Rodham Clinton identified As a Little Rock lawyer i he study sponsored by people for the american Way a Liberal advocacy group focused on civic and constitutional issues found that Only one out of eight Young americans said that part of the definition of being a Good a in is voting or taking part in politics. Bell and Clinton wrote at the time that Young pen Pic have Learned Only half of America Satorv. Although they clearly appreciate the democratic freedoms they fail to perceive a need to reciprocate by exercising the duties and responsibilities of Good citizenship. People Lor the american Way or 1taw, look i he report As the Cue to get Busy and that is Why i found myself at Woodson Wilh my Friend Sandy Igor with who. Dirac is a Paw program called Vole. Ins a National Pron. T that gives hindi St Viool a a mors a Juanse 1o Register to vote right in their social studies classes dior wait tells me he got the idea four years ago from Paul Hanson who had been doing the same thing in Dade county Miami High schools for several years with the help of the Carnegie foundation the program now has spread to 2,000 High schools. Last year 100,000 students registered to vote As part of their final school year. One of its biggest boosters is Ohio Secretary of state Bob Taft a Republican who has set the goal of seeing that Quot every child in the state has the Opportunity to Register to vote while still in school Quot most schools run the program in the Spring close to gradual lion time in Washington d a it s done twice each year thanks to a c Ariu foundation Grant so that schools can make it Pari of their commemoration of Martin Luther King s birthday if they wish. The Woodson classroom we visited is run by a remarkable. High Energy fourth year teacher named Susan Ray she began by showing the video it a sends to each participating school. It. Recounts the struggle to gain the vote for women for minorities and finally a As part of the Vietnam protests a for Young people. All this is Remote history for these students. Hearing people from Luicir parents generation complain that soldiers sent to Vietnam were Quot too Young to Vole but not too Young to die Quot seemed incredible to Many of Ray s students. Who assumed that the right to Vole at is had always . Shall Tuv. She led them into a of the ques Davids. Broder Lions raised by the video what is the difference Between a kid and a grown up is it just a matter of age or is if a matter of taking responsibility is voting a part of Civie responsibility is it empowering a or just an empty ritual Ray is a terrific teacher and her students quickly showed that these were not academic questions to them. A Young woman named Casey said she Quot Felt left out Quot last autumn when Many of her neighbors who were old enough to vote were swept up in the Energy of Marion barrys successful comeback bid for mayor of Washington a classmate said that contest was flip cd caption a in National elections the Choice is simply Quot which White Man you want running Ray who had Given the class the Republican contract with America to read As the week s Homework asked How the republicans had done so the country. Carlos replied Quot a lot of people did t vote and now those people say a Why Are they doing this stuff Quot a ,. A. A so the people who voted gained the Power to decide for everybody a a Ray asked. Quot they ,. The discussion swung to King and to South Africa and then Back Home to the the District of Columbia. At the end of class Ray asked How Many wanted to Register. Every hand went up and the applications were filled out right there a to be sent in to City Hall. A Quot this is a Milestone in your life Quot Ray said a and that s exactly How it fell. A
