Don't let the Pied Pipers of the media decide your vote for you

To the editor,

Freedom of speech and press is a wonderful gift that our founding politicians gave us. However, it is only valuable and precious if the consumers of the words of others are considered with intelligence and some degree of skepticism. It is up to all of us voters (and would-be voters) to fully comprehend how the messages we are receiving are gathered and if there is an agenda behind them.

In particular we must differentiate between news and "news" delivered with passion. News that is delivered with passion is really a point of view and is not news. The passion with which it is delivered makes it more believable to those who chose not to view it with skepticism. David Koresh and Jim Jones spoke with passion and developed followers. There have been many such passionate "free speech" leaders in human history and some have been honorable and worthy of having a following. The point is, however, that we can be easily led (in any direction) and we need to be aware that news that is delivered with conviction and passion may not be fully accurate or in our best interest. News and facts should be gathered from various sources and initially questioned if it seems to be delivered with passion and anger.

The American public now receives most of its news via television and it seems that close to half the voting population receives its "news" from FOX. It is my belief that those who follow FOX news as their sole source of "news" are being preached to from a highly biased point of view. It is not news — it is a point of view. I know that FOX News advocates will retort that with "the same can be said about MSNBC". From the few times I have watched MSNBC I have to say that I believe that the news is much more balanced and not delivered with an agenda to affect the political culture of the country.

I hope that those of us with the understanding that we can too easily be led by passionate orators and "news" -casters will take the next few weeks to be more active in pointing out that this upcoming election cycle is critical (they all are) to the future of our country. We should all vote and vote from a place of unbiased informed intelligence. Take time to watch or listen to other news organizations. Read "The Week" magazine (it presents many points of views from news and editorial sources from all over the world), listen to All Things Considered and Morning Edition on NPR, and read from various newspapers — locally the Concord Monitor and Union Leader. Form your own values! Don't let the Pied Pipers of the media world decide your vote for you. Seriously doubt those who shout their point of view — either with voice or in writing with selected CAPITAL letters. These people are trying to get you to agree and believe they are right and that there is no need for you to believe otherwise. Consumer Beware!

George D. Sutcliffe, Jr.

Holderness