Can You Hear Me Now?

The freedom of expression monument in Foley Square.

My plan was to write some scathing essay on the futility of free speech using this picture as a prop. I was going to use the old tree-falling-in-the-woods metafur (thanks to Zell Miller for the updated spelling and pronunciation of the word metaphor) as a way to talk about how frustrating it is trying to articulate a dissenting opinion in the current media climate. And while this sculpture/installation is aimed at the judicial branch it's really the furth (thanks again Zell) estate which has the most influence over freedom of speech. By the fourth estate I mean the media. What the actual fourth estate is I don't know. I think it has something to do with Napolean and France. Anyway, when people talk about the fourth estate today, what they are referring to is the unofficial yet essential civic function that the media used to perform by checking and balancing the behavior of whatever administration was in power.

It used to be when people talked about the three networks they meant CBS, NBC, and ABC. Now, when someone mentions the big three I automatically think of MSNBC, CNN, and FOX. The character of these latter day networks could not differ more from their esteemed predecessors. Whereas the news used to in some ways protect the public from the most egregious hijinks of the Government and big corporations, today they aid and abett those who have no regard for anything except acquiring more wealth and power. Now, thanks to testicularly-challenged propaganda robots like Wolf Blitzer, many -if not most- of the people in this country actually approve of the gigantic rat-fucking that's taking place right now. Their hearts actually stir with pride, and their brains fill with images of Old Glory; giving proof through the night, as they are systematically ripped off, lied to, bullied, and ordered into combat. The country is basically saying, with our great voice, "I want to be ruled by crooks."

To me this is an indication that the will of the people has been broken. Without killing anyone, dissent has effectively been neutralized. You may technically still have the right to free speech, but only because what you say doesn't matter. Even though a great many people may be of the opposition, they are like the defensive player in a football game, busy protesting to the officials that he's being held repeatedly, while the offense is already lined up and ready to score another touchdown. (I'm probably gonna tinker with this idea for awhile so look for updates -------- that means you Dan F.) Later - bz