11/23/2005

what you can do this thanksgiving

tomorrow when you're with family and friends is the perfect time to get the news out on real news, democracy now.


you can do that by talking but showing always works better.


so mike and i are encouraging everyone to use the holiday opportunity to watch or listen to democracy now with family and friends.


you'll be exposing them to the best news program there is and you'll be helping to get the word out.


and people who hear you talk about democracy now we'll now have seen (or heard) it and it won't be something they just hear of.


by seeing it (or listening to it) they'll have a better idea of what the show has to offer and be more likely to actually take the time for it instead of just always meaning to.


you're sick of the corporate media and their eagerness to parrot what ever some elected official says without offering any perspective? do something about it.


mike and i did on labor day.


the reaction was favorable.


people who don't watch still at least know it's out there and know what you're talking
about when you go on about it.


mike had 3 people end up watching regularly after being exposed to it. i can claim two who watch regularly and three who catch it when time permits. (which, judging from their conversations, is about twice a week.)


how do you combat misinformation?


the same way you combat ignorance, with knowledge.


want to reign in the out of control administration?


we'll need the numbers on our side and that's going to mean getting the word out.


each person that you turn on to democracy now is informed that there's an alternative out there.


just knowing that may make them think about what corporate media feeds them.


even better are the people who will become regular viewers or listeners.


i'm going to be asking 2 people for committments to listen.


they enjoyed the show but they can't watch because they're at work.


so i found out what stations, radio, broadcast the program in their areas.


both listen to the radio (music) at work. they can flip over and hear democracy now when it's on.


you can go to this page to find out whose broadcasting democracy now in what areas.

i'll be asking the two for a committment (and trade off that as a christmas gift which will seal the deal with those 2).

the best thing for our country is an informed public.

due to time constraints and interests, every 1's not going to watch or listen.


some people have no interest in the world around them. they just want to veg out on the couch and get lost in a csi or a law & order and when they have conversations they just want to talk about who screwed them over or a diet they're planning to start (someday).


but there are people who care. and there are people who don't follow the news because they care. they've been burned by the big 3 and cable with all the nonsense about which pretty girl went missing or some other gossip.


newspaper circulation is dropping, the networks' viewership of their evening news is dropping.


did the people die off? did they stop caring about the world?


maybe.


but maybe they just got sick of 'news' that trivializes and never questions.


if this holiday each of us managed to add 1 listener or viewer to democracy now imagine how amazing that would be. we'd be more informed and we'd be far less likely to fall for the spin that corporate media is happy to repeat without questioning.


think of how much easier the conversations would be if you weren't having to give the back story to some issue when you wanted to talk about it.


think how powerful an informed people could be.


so do it for democracy now, do it for democracy.


happy thanksgiving. i plan to blog tomorrow night but it will probably be after midnight.

check the common ills tomorrow and c.i. will give you a heads up about what's on democracy now. amy goodman gave a run down today but i've got my pie crust in the oven and need to wrap up here to finish the key lime pie i'm bringing.

remember mike's motto:

The Common Ills community is important and the Common Ills community is important to me. So I'll do my part for the Common Ills community.