Steve Bryant – Thoughts on Success, Music and Media

The 24 hour news cycle is destroying America. In the past you read the news in the morning paper, then the update in the afternoon paper and finally watched a wrap up along with tomorrow’s weather on TV at 11 PM. Now, thanks to the cable news stations and social media, if a politician farts we know about it before the smell fades. This has proven to be a bad thing.

When I was growing up in the 1950’s, if my home state of New Jersey passed a law saying that all first born male children would be killed, I wouldn’t know anything about it until they hauled my brother away to the gallows. Today, I would know the complete and agonizing history of the bill that would assure me of being an only child.

Too much information is not a good thing. How many marriages are together today because neither spouse knows about the other’s infidelities? (I maintain that 90% of all long-term spouses cheat at least once.) It’s a harsh reality but sometimes it’s better to never know some things.

For example, take the recent “religious freedom” law in Indiana. I mean, it’s freaking Indiana. I turned down a great radio job because it was in Indiana. I’m sorry if you’re from there, but while New Jersey is corrupt, Indiana is…well, just Indiana. It’s where interesting things go to die.

Is it a stupid law? Yes, but most laws are stupid since they are written on the presumption that we don’t have common sense. It’s against the law to drive 150-miles-per hour on the freeway, but would you do it if there were no law? Those who answered yes are just part of that wonderful Darwinian principle known as “natural selection.”

Some goody-two-shoes legislators in Indiana thought it would be a good idea to write a law that grants everyone the same rights they were already guaranteed in the Bill of Rights. It’s an excellent federal doctrine; why not repeat it in a state law. Remember, it is Indiana. But that didn’t stop the 24 hour news channels, bloggers and social media addicts from touting it to the high heavens. And the outrage just flowed from our pores. Not much compassion these days but we’re great with outrage.

But well over a dozen states have the same or a similar law. Seems Indiana doesn’t have the exclusive rights to redundancy. Since that fact diluted the sensationalism about the new law it was all but ignored.

If a business is stupid enough to turn down money for doing what they do, then f**k ‘em. They deserve to go out of business. I understand one already did but it was in Indiana and well, you know. If I were gay and a bakery turned down my wedding cake (a very high profit sale) because of my sexual orientation, I would never want them to be forced to make it. It’s pretty easy to hide spit, urine and fecal matter in food. You don’t want my business? F**k you, someone who won’t make me a glorified urinal cake will welcome me.

According to the Constitution, can a business refuse to do business with you because of your sexual orientation? The Framers of the Constitution never considered that because homosexuality, while prevalent during those times, was hidden away. I’m sure it never came to mind.

However, there is a law that applies to a business who refuses to do business because they disagree with someone’s lifestyle. I already mentioned it – natural selection. A business that turns down business on a regular basis will soon die. It’s simply bad business.

Bottom line? Stop reading social media like it was the third part of the Bible. These days fewer lives seem to be guided by The Old Testament and The New Testament while Twitter has become the new Bible for many people. And if it’s trending, then it supersedes not only all religious texts but common sense as well. And remember, most of the assholes on Twitter don’t even have the courage to use their real names. At least the writers of the Bible used their real first names. Today, cowards are taking over the world one nasty Tweet at a time.

Along with paying less heed to social media, stop watching the so-called 24 hour news channels. In actuality, they only have a few minutes of news that they repeat over and over while hosting endless shows by the hate merchants on the left and the right. Make up your own mind. And, if someone passes a law, especially if it’s in Indiana, just move along. There’s nothing to see there.

If you’re Christian or Jewish, I hope you have a good Easter or Passover. Statistically speaking, at least one of Jesus’ disciples was gay. And, also thinking statistically, many of the people in the homes Moses marked for the Passover were probably gay. Statistics even dictate that many Muslims are also most likely gay, even though it carries a death penalty in most of their home countries. If you own a business, can you afford to ignore that many people?

If you answered “yes,” welcome to the wonderful world of natural selection.

(All posts ©2015 – No portion of this text may be copied and/or pasted elsewhere without written permission of the author.)