My favorite radio host, Jay Marvin from WLS AM in Chicago:
Posted by Mike at October 1, 2004 12:46 PM | TrackBack
I was looking back today at some of the thoughts I had in the past. Six years ago when I came back to WLS I had a very different view of things. I had been on the air when Columbine went down in Colorado. I spent a lot of time with cops, who I came to love and respect. Most of them were very conservative. Many of their ideas and feelings were not as wrong I had thought in the past. Still today I think there are very valid ideas held by those on the right. For one the right use to serve the purpose of being good fiscal watchdogs. Even if you didn't agree with them on spending they help fill the air with the tone of debate. They were also right on many issues regarding people taking responsibility for their actions. Spend any amount of time ridding with any cop, and you'll see this in action. There are people out there who will not only not act in their own best interests they won't act in society's best interest either, and then they won't own up to what they have done. There are those on the left who will excuse this behavior with a whole menu of reasons. When I came back to WLS I felt very strongly about these issues. There was also a big part of me that carried a lot of guilt for the way I had treated callers on the air in the past. I thought of myself as part of the problem in the media not part of the solution. During the election of 2000 I couldn't get excited about Gore or Bush. So I voted for Nader. I went through most of the campaign talking about things other than politics. I was on the air the night Bush was introduced by Democrats and Republicans from the Texas legislature. I remember saying to Grant Parke let's give him a chance. Then 9/11. I felt we had to stand behind our President. First time in my life I felt that way. When we went into Afaganistan after Bin Laden I was all for it. I too thought there were WMDs in Iraq. I supported going after Saddam. I shut my eyes to what Bush was really doing pulling the country on a radical right-wing course. I went to work and went along to get along. As time went by I knew I had fucked up. Yet, I was paralyzed, depressed, and last year I went through episodes where I was suicidal because of other issues. I didn't give a fuck about work, and just showed up, and got by the best way I could. I just didn't want to get on the air and argue with anyone about anything. It was all I could do to get through the day. I was lucky. I'm married to a great woman, Mary, and I have a great doctor. They saved my life. I fought back. I fought back hard. I opened my eyes and started to read again. I came off the ropes. I went back to speaking out, even though at times I still wasn't the old me. I still think conservatives have some great points, and I know now more than ever we need balance in this country to remain free and strong. The GOP today is in the hands of very nasty people. To even say vote for us you'll die is bullshit. To lie about Iraq, WMDs, tax cuts, and so many other things is wrong. It's still tough for me some days to go into work. I'm alone there. Don't get me wrong. many of the people I work with are great agree or disagree. Is John Kerry the savior of the modern world? No. Do I agree with everything he stands for? No. But I sure as hell know Bush is the wrong guy for the job of leading this country. Behind that smirk, and smile is an agenda that favors the very rich, and is hell bent on destroying the social safe guards FDR put in place. If it were up to Bush and Cheney we'd be back in the dust bowl days. Fuck the middle class, and the poor. Let's talk about Gay rights, and abortion while we loot the treasury, and take away people's civil liberties. I'm out of the fog now. I hope Kerry kicks Bush's ass. How easy it is for this American son of the privileged to say "bring it on" when it's not his twins who are in Iraq dying. John Mc cain once told me on the radio the more you speak out the easier it gets. You know what? He's was right.