A REPORTER'S REPORT

I take great pride and still revere my nearly fifty year career as a newspaperman serving on weeklies and dailies large and small, all alike in one respect. I and my fellow journalists were expected to be protect truth and report exact facts. We were never told to slant the news or inject our views or abuse the power of the press. In short, we were proud journalists who honestly did what we were hired to do.

That's how we were taught to be, how it ought to be and how it was. Sometimes we'd disagree editorially, but we reported objectively and respectfully the truth as we saw it. We didn't hem and haw about it.

Journalism's no longer what it used to be. Now it's ruled politically by those who buy the ads and pay the bills and expect favoritism for their party and corporate cause. They get what they pay for everyday. And those who choose to report the news and refuse to abuse the rule of honesty, despise lies and will not compromise will find themselves on the unemployment line

This shows up not just in local news, but also in state and national politics where slick tricks are the order of the day. Nowhere is this more true than in Iraq where Bush refuses to recall our boys. Even as more GIs are killed gun-mongers bottom lines continue to build. And Bush, that twister of the truth, remains immune from prosecution for violating and desecrating the Constitution he vowed to serve. The nerve of that invented, demented president!

Seems George never gives up trying to screw up, His plan hit the fan on Afghanistan. This sad sack's knack for losing wars spread to Iraq where he can't turn back. Now he wants to get us in a war he cannot win with atom rich Iran. Has the die been cast for this last blast? Will it be reported by the press? Take a guess, Will he push for another loss while he's still boss?

Eventually we and they will have to pay and the world will blow away. Have a Nice Day!