My largely conservative, Republican class essentially admitted to me that the media is NOT liberal..

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

Tonight, I wanted my students to discuss the president's trip to India, the G-20, and our trade issues. When I got blank stares regarding whether or not they thought the trip was successful, I inquired about their silence. They all told me that the media didn't cover anything of substance about his trip. They admitted that the media was obsessed with the false story about the trip costing taxpayers $200 million a day. And they also admitted--to my chagrin--that the M$M didn't attempt to correct the record until two days ago, and why by that time it was too late. The American people believe the false story because it had been repeated so often during the course of several weeks. They knew that the story was false but asserted that the average American doesn't.

And...get this: they also admitted that Fox propagated the story with the rest of the media corporate industry following repeating the falsehoods, following Fox's lead. Like the false story about Michelle Obama's trip, even some so-called liberals who don't follow the news believed those lies about the First Lady's trip.

I was impressed. Understand that despite the fact that these are mostly political science and economics Honor students, most of them are very conservative. The fact that they admitted how Fox runs with false stories while the rest of the networks typically follow Fox's lead, was very refreshing to me.

Just thought I'd share.

[itsrobert]

1. Or they are just kissing the teacher's ass

to get a good grade. Students adapt to the teacher.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

2. Nope. They know nothing about my politics. And I don't give grades based on political ideology

or party affiliation. In fact, some of my favorite students have been the conservatives.

[LiberalAndProud]

3. Well done!

Your students are fortunate that you have opened an avenue of thought. Once they recognize that they are intentionally being lied to, perhaps they will look beyond the propaganda to try to discern the truth.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

5. I wonder if it's happening. I didn't ask anything about the media or coverage. The question for

tonight's seminar was what they thought about the president's visit in terms of our trade policy. They admitted that there was barely any substantive coverage. One student who interns for DeMint defended Fox, but even he relented and admitted the biased coverage. And in fact, I like him a lot but I think he's learning a great deal. He attended a CRS meeting today regarding Bush's tax cuts and told me that he learned quite a bit. If that's the case, then I've done my job!

[dkf]

4. The best commentary I heard on the subject was ironically on Morning Joe

where Joey S talked about what a big deal this was and how important it was to our strategic interests. Then he had Richard Haas more fully explain.

Say what you will...I got more Insight from Joe S than from Keith or Rachel.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

6. Agreed! Rachel uncovered the falsehood, but didn't do much in terms of

the substance of the trip.

[nadinbrzezinski]

9. Those two are doing poltics

not foreign trips, I go to BBC for news from abroad.

[nadinbrzezinski]

7. Well the media lies and is not liberal is not exactly breaking news

but they got it. and on their own. It starts somewhere, and perhaps this will spread to their friends... and on and on.

This is actually, probably good news.

Thanks for sharing.

On a somewhat related thing, BIL and I were talking and comparing the present to Glassnost, about the last year of it... it does have that feeling. And these kids realizing that, is part of that very painful process.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

10. Yes, and I often wonder how former conservative Republicans who come to "see the light"

go through that process. It must be very painful to admit that what you've known all of your life is wrong.

As for my students, we know that the process of political socialization is ongoing. And there are many social agents that shape young people's views throughout their lives. They are at an age where they are starting to apply the critical thinking skills that they acquired earlier on. I'm not suggesting that is has been a success across the board, but I have seen several cases of students--on all sides--who come away from the class with minds changed. Conservatives and liberals become a bit more moderate in their views.

They also have to write research papers on real public policy issues, these papers likely to be turned into major thesis projects. It is therefore absolutely critical that they are able to construct an argument and apply reasoning to that argument, backed by sound facts. The student that attended the CRS meeting on extended the Bush tax cuts has been the most thoughtful. Even though he interns for DeMint and supports the Tea Party, I am seeing a change in him as he is acquiring facts and opening his mind. I'm not saying that he won't still be a member of the Tea Party, but I hope that this experience would have proven worthwhile, and this process is not over.

Thanks for your comments.

[nadinbrzezinski]

11. Oh you welcome and I mean the process of glassnost

as a national process, and that was painful... for the USSR. It will for us too.

Good luck teaching them.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

13. Hopefully we don't learn too late... n/t

[defendandprotect]

8. Fantastic work ..... is there any change they will wonder WHY Fox has to lie ...???

And what Fox's agenda might be?

[KT2000]

12. Well, doesn't that

just offer some hope! That's terrific.