Subes for life!

Or … do you?

If you pay attention to the news these days, it’s a conflagration of stories intended to elicit emotional responses and get the listener engaged. None of the content is fair or balanced or non-partisan or neutral, of course. But, it’s quite striking when a distinctly opposing opinion is thrown out there.

I was listening to Pacifica recently on a trip meandering back towards Yosemite, and their coverage of the current conflict in the mid-east is dramatically different than what one sees on CNN or Fox or even NPR. What I’d call “normal” content is decidedly pro-Israel*, describing the atrocities of terrorists against our allies and fueling the pro-war contingent.** But after scrolling through mariachi, country-western, and religious channels (of which there are a-plenty in a lot of the central valley), I landed on Pacifica at 88.1 and was startled to hear less favorable (to Israel) coverage.

They interviewed Hamas. They interviewed Palestinians. They criticized Netanyahu. They debunked the viral nonsense about hospital tunnels and terrorist cells. They roasted the war mongers in the U.S. And most of all, they were steadfast in their pacifism.

But, one thing that caught my ear is their stance that Americans should be more informed, more educated about world events, and more opinionated about every atrocity going on. Everything, everywhere, all at once. We are privileged here, and we should know things and be involved and be concerned for all the right reasons.***

It reminded me of a flyer I found in SC last week:

A strikingly opposing position to what the normcore are fed on the daily. I don’t think I have an opinion of most matters any more (except for the opinions you read here). But, I do like to see healthy discussion and debate, and that’s not what we get here in the U.S. If you are exposed to any European content, you’ll see how educated people live and work, how accepting they are, how forgiving they are. [Just remember to give a, “Sorry!” or “Pardon!” now and then, and you’ll thrive. Also, mind the gap.]

And in the mean time, it’s OK to keep quiet. It’s OK to not be triggered. It’s OK to not be outraged by every thing you see or hear.

It’s OK to not have an opinion.

*I think a lot of people still believe the U.S. is a Christian nation.

**The U.S. has only not been involved in war for about 15 years of its ~250 year existence. Fact check that and decide for yourself if we’re still #1.

***That is to say, all the left reasons.