Great orator that he was, Cicero still spent most of his life playing it safe. But something happened after Caesar's assassination. Suddenly, he grew brave, delivering fourteen Philippics, speeches against tyranny and for the restoration of the Republic.He paid for this courage with his life. When they came for him, he defiantly exposed his neck to his murderers, in the manner of defeated gladiators.
Killing him was not enough.
Both hands were cut off, perhaps from fear he might still write something. Pins were stuck in his tongue, perhaps from fear he might deliver a fifteenth Phillipic.
And so it is today. Our new tyrant, the corporate state, is slowly cutting off the hands and tongues of our news gatherers. They don't look at news gathering as a public trust. To them, it's all about what sells best.
Corporations are not in the business of news. They hate news, real news. Real news is not convenient to their rape of the nation. Real news makes people ask questions. They prefer to close the prying eyes of reporters. They prefer to transform news into another form of mindless amusement and entertainment.
In ominous news for Morning Call employees, corporate master Sam Zell has already warned that newsroom casualties will be "significantly greater" by year's end.
And so the grave dancing begins.
