OPINION – It’s astonishing that in midst of the Information Age, we are among the most poorly informed societies in history.

This does not mean that most Americans are stupid, nor are they evil. For the most part, they simply do not know what they do not know and few are willing to question outside of the boundaries of approved opinion. Too much of what we “know” is emotionally charged mush being spoon-fed to us by highly paid spin-meisters.

Most mass media in America does not exist to inform us. It serves to promote an officially accepted narrative that too often fails to square with reality. Media deception most frequently consists of facts that are deliberately left out of a given story more so than out-and-out lies being told to us. The resulting ignorance is used to keep us divided.

George Zimmerman’s trial and the Paula Deen debacle are prime examples of media fabricated outrage calculated to incite racial division.

In Zimmerman’s case, the official tampering with reality began when the media described him as a “white-Hispanic” accused of shooting an unarmed black youth. This allowed the media to promote the “whites hate blacks” narrative favored by modern political correctness.

It was most clearly revealed when NBC edited the 911 audio of Zimmerman’s call to make it appear that he was focused primarily on Trayvon Martin’s race. NBC’s editing had Zimmerman telling the 911 dispatcher:

“This guy looks like he’s up to no good. He looks black.”

Zimmerman’s actual conversation with the dispatcher was as follows:

ZIMMERMAN: This guy looks like he’s up to no good, or he’s on drugs or something. It’s raining, and he’s just walking around, looking about.

911 DISPATCHER: Okay, is this guy, is he white, black, or Hispanic?

ZIMMERMAN: He looks black.

See how that works? Just a couple of key omissions and a man can be subtly painted as a racist monster.

NBC eventually fired a producer over the incident, but never apologized for, retracted, or corrected the editing falsehood. Once done, It would be easier to gather up a handful of feathers cast into a strong wind than to undo the deception.

In the case of Paula Deen, the media has eagerly repeated allegations that she used racially insensitive language. No amount of apologies will redeem her in their eyes. Once accused of hate, an accusation is equal to a conviction under the official narrative. When a person spouts off on occasion, that’s not ironclad proof that he or she harbors hatred. Except, of course, when the media is crusading to silence whomever they say should be silenced.

Never mind that the actions of her life have served to create opportunity and culinary enlightenment for countless people — regardless of their ethnicity. What she has actually done with her life must be forgotten because of the allegation that she may have said something offensive.

Consider the fact that virtually every productive adult in this country has also either spoken or laughed at insensitive language at some point in their lives. The narrative says that due to Paula Deen’s ethnicity, she cannot be held to the same standard of idolization as those entertainers who drop the n-word with every breath.

Apparently maintaining double standards still counts as having standards.

The media is offering to hold its audience’s jackets while the crowd gathers stones to throw. Joseph Sobran recognized this trend when he said, “We no longer recognize anything as a sin, but we still want to have our public sinners. Stoning them is so much fun.”

These are just two examples of stories that are dominating the news media without actually informing anyone. They are reported to us, not to enlighten, but to elicit thoughtless emotional associations that lead us toward a preordained conclusion.

Invariably, the conclusion at which we’re supposed to arrive imposes further limitations on what we’re supposed to think about or say.

The next time you sit down to watch TV, listen to the radio, or read an article, ask yourself this question: “Is this what I’m supposed to believe?”

It’s surprising how just a bit of well-placed skepticism can jump start our transformation from gullible marks to critical thinkers.

Bryan Hyde is a news commentator and co-host of the Perspectives talk show on Fox News 1450 AM 93.1 FM. The opinions stated in this article are his and not representative of St. George News.

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @youcancallmebry

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