In 1932, Cole Porter wrote the song “Anything Goes” for a musical of the same name. In the piece he enumerates the negative or odd changes he perceives in society. Today many of those changes seem tame compared with the challenges we confront in modern life. Yet one bridge has stood the test of time—a question I believe we should all ask ourselves.
“Just think of those shocks you’ve got,
And those knocks you’ve got,
And those blues you’ve got,
From those news you’ve got,
And those pains you’ve got,
(If any brains you’ve got)-
From those little radios.”
I believe this line offers a keen insight into how news—especially that delivered almost instantaneously—creates undue hardship and animosity among a populace. I am typically more of an observer than a speaker, preferring to focus on local news and politics rather than national affairs. I cannot help noticing how national politics bleed into our local community, creating a rift among us. From the turmoil in Ukraine and the powder‑keg Israel‑Palestine conflict to the day‑to‑day political “slop” forced into our view via our devices. These things seem to only wedge the common man apart from one another.
It will come as no surprise to you, readers, that the recent Kirk murder incident will be mentioned again. However, I will not recount the incident itself; instead, I will examine the cascading effects on our local community. I cannot help thinking of the young man in Rowan County who was fired from the public library because of his controversial statements about the situation. I do not condone his remarks, but it dismays me to see another Appalachian thrown to the wolves over something so inconsequential in daily life. Had his statements been made a month later, the backlash he faced would likely have been milder, and he probably would still have a job. This is especially salient this year, as the economy grows bleak for many, leaving some to choose between paying bills, buying food, and filling gas tanks.
Through this constant, cyclical news cycle that traps many, division spreads among ordinary people. Hatred festers like a splinter, and people who, under different circumstances, might be great idols, friends, or even lovers are instead torn asunder by words and actions that are not their own. It fills me with shame, gut‑wrenching sadness, and disgust to see friends become bitter enemies over an event in which neither had any influence, control, or involvement. I cannot help asking the question, “When did we trade our decency and love for one another for this never‑ending political circus? Why do we continue to draw battle lines and choose sides in a conflict that benefits no ordinary person?”
I implore you, readers, to look deeply within yourselves and ask, “What do I gain from the constant stream of news fed to me?” From my observations, those most involved in national‑scale politics and news—regardless of the “side” they choose—tend to be the most discontented and unhappy. It is not their beliefs per se, but rather the constant influx of sensationalist headlines and events occurring hundreds of miles from home that are forced onto their plates—like gruel poured into a pig’s trough.
For lack of a better ending statement, I recall a phrase I once overheard:
“Y’all got so concerned with being Democrats or Republicans, you forgot to be decent a long time ago.”
Trey McGlone
