The Mainstream Media Is Awful But Not Always Wrong | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Politics and Activism

The Mainstream Media Is Awful But Not Always Wrong

A broken clock is right twice a day.

14
The Mainstream Media Is Awful But Not Always Wrong
NPR

Donald J. Trump has been President of the United States for only a month. Let that sink in for a second. It has only been a month, but it has felt like months. Every day there is a new breaking story on the Trump administration, a new Trump tweet that may or may not be worth covering, a new reported “scandal,” and the list goes on and on. I think it would be beneficial for everyone to take a deep breath, maybe have a drink and gather their bearings.

“Are Liberals Helping Trump?” was a trend on Twitter recently. Of course, the question is referring to Liberals who have been protesting, marching and rioting as well as to the mainstream media, which has not cut President Trump any slack whatsoever. Through an objective lens, yes, Liberals are helping President Trump in some ways. However, Conservatives, at the same time, are countering this “help” by hurting their own credibility.

When Liberals show their crazy side, it helps Conservatives and Conservatism without question. Rioting, marching with vagina hats on, silencing Conservative speech on college campuses, becoming outraged over “orange swastikas” on the pavement, and having celebrities attack President Trump during their award acceptance speeches, does not benefit the Left like they think it does. There is a reason why Donald Trump is the President of the United States and the Left does not seem to understand that they are continuing to fuel a fire that caused their crushing loss this last November.

When the mainstream media picks fights with President Trump over small issues, when they write an article that is over a thousand words to simply say there is no evidence for members of Trump’s administration having ties to Russia (I am looking at you The New York Times), and when they are outraged that Trump chooses who can ask questions at his press conferences, it hurts the media’s credibility. All one has to do is look at a Gallup poll from September to understand that people, especially Republicans, are losing trust in the national media.

While Liberals and the mainstream media are helping Trump in several instances with their pettiness, a broken clock is still right twice a day. It is time for Conservatives to admit this and simply admit when Trump crosses the line.

I would like to take the time to make this important point. The words “conservative” and “Republican” are not synonymous. There are plenty of Republicans who are not conservative by any stretch of the imagination and they have ignored some of President Trump’s most glaring issues. For Conservatives, loyalty is supposed to belong to the Constitution; not to the party and not to the President. The United State's Constitution does not change but the party and President ultimately will. Conservatives need to remember this and stand up for the principles and values that they claim to hold.

With that said, during his first month in office, President Trump has had some issues that are not the end of the world but are still issues that should be addressed by Republicans and Conservatives. One of these issues regards the mainstream media. President Trump tweeted that the mainstream media is the “enemy of the American people."

The mainstream media can certainly be awful. On the other hand, they are not always wrong and simply because they have done away with journalistic integrity, does not mean they are the enemy of the American people or that they do not have valid questions and concerns. The tweet from the President was unnecessary and Republicans and some Conservatives praised it. The statement hurt President Trump’s standing with the media more so than it helped him and resulted in #NotMyEnemy trending on Twitter in response.

In a press conference President Trump gave the other day, a journalist asked valid questions about the United States’ relationship with Russia and how Russia's aggression will be addressed by the administration. If a Democrat was in the White House and the news was breaking as it has been on Russian actions, Republicans and Conservatives would never let it slide. While evidence of collusion with Russia is lacking, or that America’s relationship with Russia is getting worse, there are questions that need answering and Conservatives should not dismiss those inquiries.

Another instance from this month was when President Trump did not like a ruling from a federal judge who placed a hold on President Trump's executive order that implemented a travel ban. Once again, President Trump took to Twitter and took shots at a “so-called” judge. Whether Conservatives liked the ruling or not, many did not, the tweet was in the wrong. There is a reason why we have a system of checks and balances. Again, if a Democratic President had done this, Conservatives would have been outraged and would say that the President was destroying the nation’s separation of powers.

There are other statements that President Trump has made that are blatantly false yet he has managed to escape criticism. One such claim made by President Trump is that he had the greatest margin of victory in the Electoral College since President Reagan. While this instance may be small, instances like it should not happen and Conservatives should not spend time defending them. Conservatives need to state the President was wrong and move on. Is it too much to ask for a little honesty from those right of center? Can Conservatives take responsibility for a mistake before they let the mainstream media blow it out of proportion?

My hope is that Conservatives will start adhering to the Conservative values they claim to hold in the coming months. The Republican party needs a party of Conservatives, not a party of President Trump loyalists who are loyal to a fault. Conservatives should praise President Trump when he does something right and they should not wait for the Left's foreseeable outrage, whether it be faux or legitimate, to be capitalized upon.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
10 things that happen the second Thanksgiving is over
reference.com

To those who celebrate, you just spent an entire day cooking an elaborate meal with all of your favorite foods. You probably ate your body weight in pumpkin pie and mashed potatoes. What happens now? Oh yea, Christmas. It’s time to take out all of the decorations and Christmas themed things that have been sitting in the attic since last year; it’s time to make a reappearance. So, here are 10 things that happen the second Thanksgiving is over.

Keep Reading...Show less
Adulting

18 Things I Want To Do Now That I'm 18

I'm technically an adult, so I'm legally required to live a little, right?

2774
Happy Birthday Cake

For the entirety of my high school career, I was always seen as the goody-two-shoes. I never got in trouble with a teacher, I kept stellar grades, and when I wasn't doing extracurricular activities, I was at home studying. Even when I did go out, it was usually with a bunch of fellow band geeks. The night would end before 11:00 PM and the only controversial activity would be a fight based on who unfairly won a round of Apples-to-Apples when someone else clearly had a better card (I promise I'm not still holding a grudge).

Now that I'm officially an adult, I want to pursue some new things. I want to experience life in a way that I never allowed myself to do prior to entering college. These are the years that I'm supposed to embark on a journey of self-discovery, so what better way to do that than to create a bucket list?

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

10 Life Lessons from Christmas Classics

The holiday classics that shaped my life

1654
10 Life Lessons from Christmas Classics
Flickr

The holiday season is full of stress, debt, and forced conversation. While we rush through the month of December, it's important to take a step back and enjoy the moments before they're gone. Most families love to watch Christmas movies, but these beloved films provide more than entertainment. Here are 10 life lessons that I've learned from the holiday classics we watch every year.

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

200921
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

21342
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments