I'd Rather be Honest

Rather was thrown to the lions while “acting as spokesperson” for his TV network news program story regarding the military service of our ne’er-do-well leader. Personally forced to acknowledge that the information questioning this military services’ reality, Dan Rather became the scapegoat and his career permanently tarnished.

Was this information compiled by the journalists at the station, correct and accurate, or was it inaccurate, will probably never even be reviewed again until I am long buried in my grave. Another obfuscation of the moral majority, forced on the public: the life career of a strong man - sullied as part of this ongoing smokescreen of lies.

Rather is not going quietly and I am proud of him. Why should he go into the night without comment - his life and integrity were called into question. Relating on my own level, in the 1980’s the only way I was able to keep myself working, was to register with five different “temporary” agencies in a neighboring State. Neighboring state because my own community, even in those days owned and operated by this same group of thieves now in power in Washington, would provide me no employment due to knowedge of my medical issues (and Democratic party focus).

At a stint as personal assistant to the Chair of Aerospace Engineering at one of the countries top 4 ivy league universities (during those years), I soon confronted the realities within academia. Massive 6-foot whiteboards covered the walls in rooms adjoining the Chair’s personal office. While the Chair was on a seasonal break, I was able to study the lists handwritten on those whiteboards. Then, during an interlude over lunch with a professor friend who was part of another department, I had the opportunity to ask about the meanings of the whiteboards and their notations.

Ah academia. My father taught as assistant professor at a small local college. He was maligned, held back, and brutalized by the management of the college - also part of that same community in which I was unable to find work...(where I grew up - and later lived over 30 years). The whiteboards at this very famous prestigious university, listed “gifts and bequeaths” (and name of the professor who had culled the dollars) to the university on the one hand, or “papers written by professors” in various departments, or outright monetary gifts along with the name of the professor having brought-in the dollars. My professor friend said that... in turn, a departments funding was cut, or staffing was cut (his own department had been cut by 1 full time professor) - due to the professors in that department, having fallen behind in these “areas” - gifts and bequeaths, donations, and papers published by each professor.

“Publish or Perish” is a phrase familiar to most in academia, especially at the higher levels. My father knew it well and did his best to continue his private research and publish journals or articles where he could. It was never enough and in the end, the college was responsible for my father’s early demise.

Dan Rather’s moment on 60 Minutes as spokesman for this story should never have led to his removal from the program much less the station. Knowing all we now know about the depth of lies by this administration, I would feel more certain that the information regarding our leader’s absence from National Guard military service, was accurate. Carry on Dan - and take no prisoners.

With the ongoing palaver in the Senate and feet-dragging over raising the minimum wage this week ....even to a still-unliveable meager dollar amount, do we need constant convincing that we are now living in a totally reverse universe where lies rule the day in every quarter?

Even denial has become blind and anonymous.