Random Thoughts : CNN, the N Word, Sandy Hook & Thanksgiving programming?

Random Thoughts : CNN, the N Word, Sandy Hook & Thanksgiving programming?

As a black middle aged American I don’t really care to hear about a celebrity saying the N word in passing every day, 100x a day in a gotcha moment on video, unless it involves a blatant law suit. The N word is covered so much on CNN that I’m positive it builds a resentment by white ethnicities towards young black people, in addition to CNN’s reputation, because the corporation appears somewhat psychotic about its use, particularly when it’s not balanced throughout the year with clear intellectual trailblazers like Ken Chenault in an interview about the economy for instance. Some viewers certainly must resent the word police, living in fear CNN is going to get them if they slip up at Starbucks if they express their bias openly stewing in an internalized psychic lapse of judgment for an under breath moment, because they’ve been banned from saying the word when there is a preponderance of the historically hateful word the NAACP tried to bury in 2007 without the earned loyal support of a small loud percentage of youth that insist on throwing  ugly words around.

There’s so much to say about the no no words, that most civil rights trailblazers, or honorable people don’t want to hear it at all, especially on cable news in a 24/7 cycle. I would venture to say most blacks don't appreciate its usage, but have to live with listening to it, because the ones who say it on the street emulate what they hear on tv news, and particularly in recordings by those who think it's cute to claim exclusive rights to stupid words. Some athletes black, and non black, and others of different walks of life use it with the excuse it's acceptable, because it's in the public domain. Hearing the fascination with creepy words so much in the media sometimes seems as if the usage is masked in honor, for the fun of it.

Two other bad words are Peckerwood, and Honky (Rolling Stones / Honky Tonk Woman ), but why is it you never hear these insults on the news? Is it because the “black culture” CNN is so fond of saying embraces the N word, but somehow they’re on an exceptionally higher verbal standard toward their fellowman when it comes to using terms like Peckerwood, and Honky that it’s seldom if ever recorded for a mass audience in a spoken word format, or in a plethora of movies? I don’t recall seeing any movies with the term Peckerwood, or Honky since Richard Prior's hey day, when the majority of ethnic origins thought he was funny to a degree, especially once he began his golden movie career without hateful words, that made him rich. I've never been one to search out disrespect in what I view. Bill Cosby could make you laugh over the simplest things as he walked a fine line to gain acceptance, and change the world. Could it be Hollywood has an unwritten code not to insult the origins of the network executives that green light senseless projects? Why is red neck a common acceptable description white guys (Blake Shelton / Boys Round Here) on a zillion talk shows, but Peckerwood, and Honky is rarely if ever heard………….?

There are many things CNN should explore with respect to dialog, and programming from a psychotic perspective, such as why in God’s name would CNN air a documentary on President Kennedy’s assassination on Thanksgiving Day when this special has been on at least 10 times in the last two weeks? Yet CNN continues to question why society is becoming sicker while they glorify the bad guy practically weekly in numerous documentaries. It might be nice to have someone like Dick Van Dyke on to discuss a career of uplift, and triumph so young people can add two and two on what it takes to be a good guy and succeed rather than giving us a slugger like Mike Tyson to talk about vicious social media trends, and celebrate our holiday with? If American information providers appreciated the wisdom of the old in society perhaps another Sandy Hook might not be a daily fear CNN feels it necessary to warn against while it perpetuates violence in its documentaries, and guest selections.

CNN programmers might want to consider that Thanksgiving is a symbolic holiday of people coming together, and sharing culture in the spirit of love, even if it was shortly thereafter that Indians, and Mexican land was stolen from coast to coast as documented by historical maps of this hemisphere. At least initially an element of people were willing to sit around the fire and swap good stories of building the land together in an easy fall breeze. Thoughtless programming robs spirits of wow that was cool, versus what was that.

This is the beginning of my writing career. Is it acceptable for me to ask why these reference word differences, and pyschic lapses are ok to question, and present ad-nauseam, particularly in the holiday season? If I click my heels 3x can we get Larry King's & captain planet's (Ted Turner) wise hearts back at CNN in some capacity? To me there's nothing compelling, or funny about violence on tv, particularly when the first 5 minutes of certain CSI episodes are traumatic reminders of tragedy for anyone who's ever experienced loss personally, to name just one franchise. But since it appears that any insult any comedian says is acceptable, and the more gruesome the better for certain producers with the authority to put anything on the movie screen, or tv is worth a greedy try in an effort to appeal to who knows what in the audience, and or their own twisted satisfaction confusing, and depressing the young we have to rely on for progress. Shall we look at any word from a position of humour, regardless of how callous? Anything goes is a fact of life on the big screen, and small screen with endless dna tests, etc. When and how do we turn it around, or at least have some positive consistency to balance the negative assault on the senses?

I wonder if Gabrielle Giffords, Nancy Pelosi, John Boehner, and others in politics think it’s entertaining that if they want to take a few glimpses away from Mary J. Blige Christmas music, food, and comradery to see what’s happening in the news on a given HOLIDAY away from the festivities, do they really want to see another documentary on President Kennedy’s final day? Where's the sensitivity on a day of fellowship? 

On Tuesday Piers Morgan had another timely discussion on what elements contribute to villains in our society. The one key element that was overlooked in CNN's corporate citizenship is "itself" with the constant result of glorification of violence thru its overexposure tendencies that makes viewing over several hours somewhat like a video game.


People have always been attracted to creative themes of good versus evil as presented in the movie masterpiece the Matrix. If you're a believer in good you saw that ultimately love, and good will always triumph over evil. Just as in the Godfather some see family above all else in the realm of treachery, deceit, and control where anything goes to build a financial network. My first inklings that motion pictures were losing something was the year the movie "Juice" came out. It was a cold movie with no redemptive themes. All anyone searching for reasons for destructive behavior have to look to is how horror pictures have changed from decade to decade. If you want you can wait for a creepy picture at the movies, or just stay home, and watch 5 movies a day on envy, violence, or nonsense that's dispensed exponentially on cable you can.

The big picture is a spoon full of sugar is needed to counter decades of ever multiplying cruelty on screen, and in the news for shock value, while on another level in actuality hearts still reach out to hearts in climatic catastrophes shared on the news. When news anchors use curse words as if it's cute with non consequential stories it sends more mixed messages to youth generally in the process of trying to determine what's right, and what's wrong, or in daytime tv with the kid in the barred crib looks on while mommy is entertained. How do we figure out what the real state of humanity is, beyond researching donations to charity to evaluate the good factor beyond the heroes we might personally know from experience?

I wonder what Christmas viewing will hold? CNN is part of AOL Time Warner - surely they produce some questionable tv shows while it critiques all other media challengers? CNN itself has a responsibility to educate beyond reaction for ratings that have been steadily diminishing, because it's still a direct voice in a sea of confusion our youth have to sort thru.

Copyright 2013 Zimation Arts & Letters by Patricia Britt