Why is everyone a skeptic?

Philadelphia Daily News Cover on 5/2/11

Today has been a strange day. No, the last few months in some ways have been really weird. It's almost like we are living in a different world then we used to.

So you might be asking: "What the hell are you talking about?" Well, sit down boys and girls...I'm about to answer that question and some of you...might not like what I'm about to say.

The subject of my ire is the rampant skepticism...about pretty much every thing that is going on in people's daily lives and in the world in general.

So the next question would be--"I still don't get your point?"

No, I'm guessing for some of you...you probably don't.

My point is, we (as in all of us) have gone from living our lives looking ahead and optimistic to being incredibly cynical and looking behind to blame and find the conspiracy in pretty much everything in our lives.

Huh?

The best example I can possibly give of what I'm talking about has happened in the past week or so. First, the president has to call a press conference to prove to a reality show host that he was born in the U.S.

Really?

The worst part is, a fairly large segment of the population believed the reality show host rather than the president. Despite the numerous documents revealed that said otherwise.

What part of that strikes you as weird?

I fully realize...and have had discussions with many people about the role of questioning things. It's what I do for a living.  And they are right. Some things need to be questioned. But only to the point of rational thought. There are many, many things that we believe without questioning the people that say them. Judges, lawyers and in some cases...people on T.V.

But nobody believes them either. Everyone allegedly "Has an agenda". And what is worse, there are an awful lot of people who believe this. In my business (T.V), we've gone from being the "Trusted Voice" to being the one's "With an agenda". And the reason for that. Because politicians...with an agenda told their followers that. And the followers believe them. So now the media is branded as a group "With an agenda".

And it is so wrong and incorrect it isn't funny. But yet that is what people believe. Pollsters say only 30% or so of the public trust people on T.V. Why is that? Do they really think people doing the news are trying to deceive them? That we make stuff up? Can they offer tangible proof other than their own perception? No.

Where am I going with this?

What I'm getting at has really pissed me the hell off the past few days. It started with the whole Obama versus Donald Trump thing. What was the point? What made me angry is the ass-clown Trump made Obama have to call a press conference to prove Trump was wrong.

It's the whole "Birther" thing. And those "People" are in some cases rational grown up's who are supposed to be reasonably intelligent. To them this was the "Golden Egg" story. They were going to prove he's a "Sham" and "Stole the Presidency". People....shut the hell up...you sound like RACISTS! (Hmmmm....)

The other thing that is pissing me off is now that Osama bin Laden...or Obama bin Laden as some have called him...



It's a story full of twists and turns and ultimately will be the story of 2011. But yet it doesn't seem to be enough that the President, the past 2 presidents, congress, the military, the media, former military, foreign officials and others say Osama is dead. Now the charge is "We gotta see the body". Really.

The government buried the guy at sea. There was a reason for that. And there are pictures, with half the guys face blown off. And officials are contemplating whether or not to release them because they are apparently pretty graphic. And D.N.A tests. And eyewitnesses...quite a few of them.

But that's not enough.

No, I had a couple of friends tell me today "We're journalists, we need to see proof". And they are right...to a point. We take police at their word when they describe a crime scene. We weren't necessarily there to see what happened or conduct our own investigation for each crime we report. There has to be a certain level of credibility given to statements and descriptions that were made. We have no choice.

Maybe I'm just ranting about something stupid, but I don't think so. It gets me really pissed off to hear all the crazy accusations and assumptions that are made about things these days. I'm in no way, shape or form saying you should believe everything you hear, you shouldn't.

All I ask is please...PLEASE...think about things before you say something stupid about them. Even if it is just for a few seconds, before you start throwing out random accusations and just plain falsehoods and pass them off as the truth.

 I want to believe that most people are capable of rational, logical thought. I don't have to agree with it. That doesn't bother me at all. I like that everyone's opinion can be different. All I want is for there to be a logical, reasonable argument that can be made for your point. And respect that someone else's perception or opinion may be different than yours.