There is much to be spiritually and morally outraged about these days in MAGA America. A crazy war rages in Iran that has already cost over 1,000 lives, many of them children and at least six American soldiers.
The president of the United States follows after the Israeli prime minister—already guilty of war crimes in Gaza—to abruptly end peace talks and instead bomb children and schools, in a war of choice costing close to $1 billion dollars per day. No rationale given, no end in sight, and damage spreading all around the Mideast.
Plenty of disturbing news at home and abroad, but here I would like to focus on those who bring us the news.
In the last year, MAGA has stripped NPR and PBS of all their federal funding. One billionaire family now owns CBS, has wrecked its once heralded news division, and is fast becoming another Fox News propaganda machine. Yes, Fox who were fined $787,500 two years ago for lying about the 2020 election to the American people.
This same billionaire family is lining up to own CNN—a third version of Fox! Like Goebbels in Germany, propaganda marches on. The defense department is headed by a weekend talk show host from Fox.
Sycophants overseeing news is pleasing to the current powers that be. Expect propaganda from Fox, CBS, CNN with as little as possible reporting from NPR or PBS to counterbalance it.
The Washington Post is for all practical purposes on board to support the same ideology, thanks to the sellout by Jeff Bezos, one of the world’s richest men. When he bought the newspaper stationed in the nation’s capital thirteen years ago, he promised not to interfere with the reporting. Now he has buddied up with Trump and MAGA to satisfy his monetary lust and curry favors his bottom line yearns for. Choosing not to endorse a presidential candidate in 2024, he fired many of its best reporters so as not to upset Trump.
It is estimated that the right wing owns well over 82% of American media today. It’s not enough that they dictate economic policy and buy elections, but now they own most of the media. Does that bode well for a world ever more dangerous and divided? I think not.
In six weeks, Stephen Colbert and the Late Night Show will be off the air thanks to a selling of CBS’s soul to MAGA oligarchs. I personally will miss Colbert and his intelligent wit aimed at power brokers at the beginning of each show. Humor and satire are one of the most effective means for keeping autocrats in check just a bit. I resent the government telling me what I can and cannot laugh at.
Putin and Hungary’s president dismantled any humorous shows that poked fun at their leadership. Fascists have no sense of humor, they cannot afford to. You cannot control laughter, and control is the essence of fascism. Now America is racing closer and closer to a humorless late night.
Unchecked capitalism seeks one thing: More for those who have the most. Capitalists, like fascists, are very single-minded. And ill at ease with being laughed at.
ABC caved at first to similar pressures as CBS when they fired Jimmy Kimmel, but protesters brought him back. A small victory in a bleak media landscape.
Maybe alternative media will rise to combat the right-wing monopoly, but it may take time. Meanwhile America gets dumber and dumber and more and more humorless and democracy risks gets quieter and quieter….
To read the transcript of Matthew Fox’s video meditation, click HERE.
Banner Image: Although they are no longer branch offices of a national organization, NPR and PBS stations still operate locally as independent, community-based organizations, often affiliated with universities such as Texas A&M. Wikimedia Commons.
Queries for Contemplation
How are you feeling about the takeover of American media by the oligarchs and MAGA minions? How do you feel about Stephen Colbert being kicked off the air by CBS?
Related Readings by Matthew Fox
Trump and the MAGA Movement as Antichrist.
Religion USA: Religion and Culture by Way of Time Magazine.
Sins of the Spirit, Blessings of the Flesh: Transforming Evil in Soul & Society.
The Pope’s War: How Ratzinger’s Secret Crusade Imperiled the Church and How It Can Be Saved.
A Spirituality Named Compassion: Uniting Mystical Awareness with Social Justice.
Creation Spirituality: Liberating Gifts for the Peoples of the Church.
Charles Burack, ed.,Matthew Fox: Essential Writings in Creation Spirituality.
The Coming of the Cosmic Christ: The Healing of Mother Earth and the Birth of a Global Renaissance.
Adam Bucko and Matthew Fox,Occupy Spirituality: A Radical Vision for a New Generation.
10 thoughts on “Oligarchs & MAGA Minions Busy Emasculating American Media”
In “Conjectures of a guilty bystander” Thomas Merton answers today’s queries for contemplation: “because we are so little capable of understanding Gandhian nonviolence, our lives have become a moral debacle, an enslavement to half truths, in which we are the passive prey of totalitarian forces. We are ruled, and resign to let ourselves be ruled, by our own weakness and by the prejudices of those who, more guilty and more frustrated than ourselves, need to exercise great power. We let them. And we excuse our cowardice by letting ourselves be driven to violence under ‘obedience’ to tyrants. Thus, we think ourselves noble, dutiful, and brave. There is no truth in this. It is a betrayal of God, of humanity, and of our own selves. Auschwitz was built and managed by dutiful obedient men who loved their country and who proved to themselves they were good citizens by hating their country’s enemies.” p. 47
“Democracy cannot exist when men prefer ideas and opinions that are fabricated for them. The actions and statements of the citizen must not be mere automatic ‘reactions’—mere mechanical salutes, gesticulations signifying passive conformity with the dictates of those in power.” p. 86
Good morning!
I’m very grateful for Matt’s explanation of TV and radio and newspaper take overs. Very very disturbing.
Thank you Matt!
Kristal Parks
True, Matthew, but it’s depressing.
Thank you Matthew and DM team for today’s important DM summary and further warnings about the Trump regime, oligarchs, and MAGA minions continuing to destroy our democracy, especially by controlling our free press media and the Truth with their propaganda, misinformation, and lies. All American institutions, organizations, and individuals need to continue resisting together with Our Source Co-Creator’s Spirit of Love~Truth~Peace~Justice~Healing~Strength~Transformation~Creativity~Beauty~Joy~
Compassion~Loving Diverse Oneness… within and among Us in Our evolution and bringing about God’s Queendom~Kingdom on earth as it is in Heaven….
The term “the Fourth Estate” refers to the press and other the news media, and according to 18th Century statesman Edmund Burke, it is more important than the governing bodies, which in the U.S. are supposed to be the co-equal branches of legislature, judiciary, and executive branches. The Fourth Estate is more important because it serves as a watchdog over the government and a culture’s other powerful institutions. Wikipedia says that Burke founded the conservative movement, so it isn’t just liberals who believe in the importance of an independent press. When we lose the Fourth Estate, which we appear to be doing, we have no way of delivering the truth, exposing corruption, or checking injustice. Diverse voices disappear, and you have totalitarianism. I too mourn the loss of Stephen Colbert. In the darkness of this post-modern world, he makes us laugh even when he delivers dreadful news. Sometimes there are only two things we can do—make our voices of opposition heard t and laugh. Maybe three. We can pray.
I have always loved this quote from Jesus, “The truth will set you free”. The truth is so threatening to fascists they must do everything they can to destroy it and they have been diligent about this! This can only
Increase my resolve to take refuge in the Truth as I understand it. Thank you for your reflection!
the takeover of all the things pertinent to democracy is appalling, but the takeover of our freedom of speech through public access RADIO AND TV IS BEYOND COMPREHENSION. Such delusions from my countrypeople!
however, believe in love overcoming evil hate ( on all sides.) peace to you all who read this.
Thank- you, Matthew for telling the truth. The boots of fascism -(authoritarian corrupt polititians, rich oligarchs and religious nationaĺists) always want to stamp out truth, humour, joy, and kindness. They hate them. I am grieving and angry over Stephen Colbert. Stephen emulates humour, truth, joy and kindness. And his late show band- Louis Cato and the Great Big Joy Machine are arguably the best band on the planet- too hot for the pan to handle. There is an extrardinarily eloquent southern guy on you tube- Robert Arnold ya’ll should follow, he always ends his videos with, “Defiance til death”. I was ataken back at first, but now I get it, he’s correct.
This is probably the most dangerous action, the takeover of all media, that this administration has done and continues to do. It erodes all trust in the possibility of finding out the truth and leaves people hopeless and ultimately compliant. I love Stephen Colbert, who openly discusses his deep faith while making people laugh and providing fool for thought as well. He is dangerous to MAGA because he has a well honed sense of humor and also a sense of perspective. There are alternative to the mainstream media like The Contrarian, which is staffed by people from the Post and other major news sources who saw the writing on the wall over a year ago. They are a free online source with opportunities to subscribe. https://www.contrariannews.org/
I also find organizations that protect human rights and the environment to provide accurate updates and opportunities to contact authorities on various issues. Sierra Club and ACLU are just two of these. There are a myriad of podcasts and other online sources as well as those like the Guardian and Christian Science Monitor that are less biased.
In the face of media sell-out to those selling propaganda for their perspectives, I look to our local community owned and supported radio station in Boulder of 40+ years: KGNU.org and the programming like Alternative Radio which airs 6 pm MT on Wed. I have developed trust in certain substack writers, including Four Arrows who are honest and open, and spiritually reflecting, even painfully so. Yes it is tragic that mainstream media is feeding the American public what they do. Thanks Matthew for speaking up about it. I also share concerns and inspirations in my monthly newsletter https://www.our-sacred-earth.org/