As we are protecting our turf overseas, our pundits are reflecting the administration's marriage to the church and disembowelment of the state. Science is pushed aside for faith. The minute-by-minute news channels are brokers of opinion rather than messengers of fact. Twenty-four hours a day, propaganda can be found flooding the small screen. Analysts spew opinion as news, infecting viewers into a mindless state. As our educational system becomes overburdened, Americans are learning less, and believing more.
Television is America's babysitter, psychologist, family, salesman, and friend. Millions of Americans tune into The View for a daily dose of insight, enlightenment, and opinion. The influence of the show's panel is exponential to the power of thousands. Pundits' words and viewers' time should be worthy of mutual respect. Opinion is one thing, but an unreasonable opinion that doesn't listen to scientific reason is a serious matter. The belief expressed on The View by Sherri Shepherd -- that she was uncertain the world was round -- is as dangerous as the Bush Administration relying on faith, God, and prayers to get the United States out of the mess that is Iraq.
Americans cannot afford to convert into mindless, passive followers. Policymakers have too long led us down a road where we feel compelled to comply rather than question. Americans must not be the living dead. We have to be innovative, always willing to think outside the box. We must question the policies of the government and the intelligence of people like Ms. Shepherd. We owe it to the blood of our past and our country's future to acknowledge folly whenever it tries to infect humanity's minds.
Night of the Living Dead is the1968 low-budget independent masterpiece directed by George Romero. It deals with the dangers of a world overrun by the living dead and fistfuls of fear. The film opens as a zombie, hungry for human flesh, pursues Barbara and her brother through a cemetery. Remarkably, Barbara finds shelter in a farmhouse with six other refugees. The film's famous line, "They're coming to get you, Barbara," rings true as more and more of the living dead gather outside the small home.
This drive-in classic reinvented the horror genre with its edgy writing and lighter lines seriously delivered. A reporter asks a police chief, "Are the ghouls all slow moving?" He responds, "Yeah, they're dead...they're all messed up." The final payoff is one of Hollywood's greatest endings. It's the same horror America will face if we continue to listen to the zombies among us. Night of the Living Dead has been dissected over and over for its political undertones and its ability to slyly kick you in the butt. Hidden meanings are present in all great films, including this one. It is simply remarkable movie making with an evolved view.
The View's producer and star, Barbara Walters, has interviewed Fidel Castro, Saddam Hussein, and scores of historic and pop-culture figures. She arranged the first joint interview with Egypt's Anwar Sadat and Israel's Menachem Begin thirty years ago.
Barbara Walters's legacy is our history; her legend is her success. I just hope she steers her program towards more responsible talk and less preaching to the choir. She should not, at this point in her career, be contributing to the further dumbing down of American culture. Barbara Walters knows better than that.
Television's power-players alter opinions and change perspectives of millions of Americans. Responsibility for content worthy of America's evolving intellect lies on the producer's shoulders. The scariest thing about Night of the Living Dead is that when the worst monsters finally come, they are us. And no, these monsters aren't just coming to get Barbara -- they are coming for us all.