Dear America,

As a young child, I believed that our country stood by the principles of freedom of speech and press. Like many Americans, I thought the news we watched was truthful. And why wouldn't I? As Americans, we grow up being taught that our country was founded on these principles of freedom and has fought and defended these rights worldwide. There was no reason to believe that I was being misled. However, as we grow older, some of us will seek truth and question the foundation of everything we've known, which leads us down a road that, if we decide to take, there's no turning back. The reality is that at the end of this road is a curtain that, if you choose to look behind, you will discover the unfortunate reality: the illusion of truth from our mainstream media.

Today, I want to speak about what I believe is a significant moment in the history of mainstream media, the removal of Tucker Carlson from the Fox News Network. I argue that the departure of Tucker Carlson from Fox News might be the end of mainstream media as we know it. Now before I start, I'd like to address that I'm speaking here today not as a Democrat, not as a Republican, but from the party of common sense. If our country is going to come together, we must think in the framework of not being a Democrat or a Republican but simply in the ideology of common sense. Thomas Reid, an 18th-century Scottish philosopher, referred to common sense as the innate ability of human beings to form rational beliefs about the world based on their everyday experiences and observations. For Reid, common sense is not a particular set of beliefs or ideas but rather a way of thinking that enables us to make sense of the world around us. Reid believed that common sense provides us with natural guidance in our practical affairs, allowing us to navigate the world and interact with other people reasonably and ethically (Nichols and Yaffe). Common sense is a matter of intellectual judgment and moral character in this logic. So today, I write this letter with the approach of tackling the issue with a clear, rational mind rather than relying solely on emotions, biases, or ideologies.

Traditionally, mainstream media's role should be to inform society and keep an eye on the powers that be. However, it's become increasingly evident that over the past couple of years, the media has served as a mouthpiece for the opinions of the elite. It is no coincidence that the mainstream media has damaged its reputation, and viewership numbers have historically decreased as people become more aware of the propaganda. By now, most Americans realize that a selective group of billionaires controls the mainstream media, so many have chosen to seek alternative media sources. That said, I'm not saying these findings are new. I believe the propaganda from mainstream media has happened as early as WWII. I remember reading the biography of Thomas Lamont – an American banker and right-hand man of J.P. Morgan. Morgan and Lamont saw an opportunity to build in Italy with the rise of Italian fascism and dictator Benito Mussolini in power. In fact, Lamont helped secure a $100 million loan for Mussolini. What I found most surprising was how Morgan and Lamont utilized their influence to persuade the press to write pro-Mussolini articles to convince the American public that Mussolini was the right man for Italy. Doing so would make it easier to justify their financial support to the Fascist movement (Lamont 192, 215, 221–23, 278, 382, 407–10, 436, 457–58). This is just one small example of influential individuals utilizing mainstream press for their benefit. It's not hard to start wondering throughout our country's history, what else has our government been trying to persuade us to believe?

However, due to technological advancements, it has become easier to question and spot the hidden agenda of the mainstream media. Over the years, we have seen the following issues playing a contributing factor in the mistrust of the mainstream media:

• Political polarization: In recent years, there has been an increasing political polarization in society, which has led to a growing distrust of the mainstream media by some portions of the population. This distrust often stems from the perception that the media is biased in favor of one political ideology or another and that they are more interested in promoting their own agendas than in reporting the news objectively.

• Sensationalism and clickbait: Some mainstream media outlets have resorted to sensationalism and clickbait headlines to attract more viewers or readers. This has led to a perception that they are more interested in generating clicks or views than providing accurate and balanced reporting.

• Corporate ownership and conflicts of interest: Many mainstream media outlets are owned by large corporations, which may have interests and agendas they seek to promote through their media properties. This can lead to a perception that the media is more interested in serving the interests of their corporate owners than in reporting the news objectively.

• Misinformation and fake news: The rise of social media and online news sources has made it easier for misinformation and fake news to spread quickly and widely. This has led to a general distrust of all news sources, including mainstream media outlets, which are sometimes falsely accused of promoting fake news themselves.

As a result of these factors listed above, whether intentional or not, I believe that the mainstream media has played a significant role in dividing the country. It is widely known that Fox News markets towards a "conservative" demographic and CNN towards a "liberal" demographic. Both networks constantly attack the opposing party and present whatever arguments they can find in favor of each other's supported ideology. Some will blame the lack of integrity that journalists have these days. However, it's hard to point all the blame at the journalists, who some might be unaware that they are simply mouthpieces for the network; or, more likely than not, are being paid generously to say what they are told. On top of that, we no longer see people debate what is morally right and best for America anymore. Instead, every topic and debate is centered around political identity, which is incorrect.

So, what does all this have to do with Tucker Carlson? First, I must say I don't entirely agree with everything Tucker Carlson has said. Also, I believe that for a good portion of Tucker's career, he played his role in contributing to the issues we see today with the mainstream media. Tucker Carlson is very aware of this issue. He said, "The media are part of the control apparatus … but what if you're me and you spend your whole life in that world and to look around and all of a sudden you're like: 'Oh wow. Not only are they part of the problem, but I spent most of my life being part of the problem, defending the Iraq War. Like I actually did that.' Can you imagine if you did that?" (Richman, 2023).

However, I believe that within the past couple of years, Carlson was attempting to break free from being just another mouthpiece for Fox News. I've noticed that Carlson had become sort of an outlier and would speak about the topics that no one dared to touch upon and was not afraid to call out the agendas on both sides. It's no coincidence that Carlson led Fox News's rating for years, regularly averaging over 3 million viewers, making his show one of the highest-rated on all basic cable (Morrison, 2023). Even more surprising is that in October of 2022, according to TV viewership data released by Nielsen/MRI Fusion, the show "Tucker Carlson Tonight" was the number one most-watched show among Democrats in the key demographic of 25–54 year-olds (Rigolizzo,2022). The question is what contributed to Carlson's success? Of course, entertainment plays a huge part, but I also believe it's because Carlson tackles the issues from a relatively neutral standpoint on the foundation of common sense. Unlike his co-workers, Tucker Carlson is unafraid to defy the establishment consensus and ask the questions everyone is wondering about. For example, here are some topics in which Carlson attacks both political parties (Richman, 2023).

1. Big Tech: Carlson has criticized the power and influence of Big Tech companies like Google, Facebook, and Twitter (pre-Musk) and has argued that they have too much control over what information is available to the public. He has also criticized their censorship practices and their bias against conservative voices. However, he blames Republicans for doing nothing to stop the influence of big tech.

2. Immigration: Carlson has been a vocal opponent of illegal immigration and has argued that it harms American workers and society. He has also criticized the mainstream media and politicians on both sides for ignoring the harmful effects of illegal immigration and for promoting open borders.

3. Foreign policy: Carlson has questioned the United States' involvement in foreign conflicts and has argued that the country should focus on its own interests and stop trying to police the world. He has criticized Republicans and Democrats for their interventionist foreign policies, such as most recently in Ukraine.

While some might find Carlson's views controversial, his willingness to challenge the status quo and offer a contrarian perspective has encouraged more healthy debates and dialogue on these crucial issues. As Americans, we are responsible for engaging in respectful and constructive discussion, even with those with whom we disagree, to find common ground and develop policies that benefit all Americans. Unfortunately, as Carlson has mentioned, the mainstream media is no longer interested in having legitimate debates around major topics such as war, civil liberties, emerging sciences, and corporate power. Instead, the mainstream media and the elites focus more on issues that continue the divide and keep the status quo. Perhaps the mainstream media is too delusional to know that most Americans have already looked behind the curtain. Americans want the truth, not lies and propaganda. By removing one of America's most popular news hosts, the mainstream media has once again raised suspicions and hurt its credibility as a news source. Trust is tough to earn but very easy to lose. Unfortunately, the creditability of mainstream media has diminished over the years, and Tucker Carlson's departure adds another nail to its inevitable demise.

However, truth is contagious, and people will always find a way to find it. Sadly, not many places allow freedom of speech, but Twitter, thanks to Elon Musk, remains one of the last platforms that enable us to do so. Though he is a billionaire, for now, Elon has demonstrated his willingness to do what is right for freedom of speech and combatting censorship. Since buying Twitter, Elon has been doing an exceptional job fixing the "crime scene” that he inherited at Twitter and putting together a platform that encourages freedom of speech, creator monetization, and a system put in place to combat fake news. It's not surprising that Carlson released a video statement on Twitter two days after his departure that netted over 57 million views in less than 24 hours (Mastrangelo, 2023). While it's still too early to tell how significant Tucker's departure will be, a report showed that the Fox News Rating at 8 PM dropped 50%, delivering a total audience of 1.332 million post-Carlson (Joyella, 2023). If anything, these early results show how the future of news might be done – through Twitter. Currently, Twitter provides Tucker Carlson the platform needed to be on his own, where he can monetize himself and engage more closely with his audience. Additionally, Twitter presents a platform for all demographics and political identities. Since Tucker Carlson will no longer be associated with the "Fox" brand, he can appeal to both sides of the spectrum.

There is only one thing constant in life, and that is change. Unfortunately, when we decided to look behind the curtain, the very foundation of everything we were taught was destroyed. Many of us are angry, in shock, depressed, and in denial. But know that there is a brighter future ahead, in which we are not being misled and censored by a group of so-called elites who think they know better than us on how to live. There is a future where the brightest minds unite to debate what suits America. We may not see it today, but the departure of Tucker Carlson is a seismic change in the mainstream media landscape. The mainstream media has once again damaged its creditability, as it has done numerous times in recent years by removing someone who was helping shine a spotlight on issues often ignored or downplayed by the mainstream media and political establishment and encouraging more debates and discussion among Americans. News needs to be democratized and not in the hands of a select group of billionaires and elites, and Elon Musk is no exception. Tucker Carlson has defied the elites and spoken his opinions, ushering in a new era of change in media. Now it is on the American people to be willing to work for this possibility. America's very foundation of the mainstream media is collapsing, and with it rises the opportunity for innovation and options. As I said before, truth is contagious; never be afraid to question and seek truth. God bless.

Signed,

G.S.P.

Works Cited

Joyella, Mark. “Fox News Ratings at 8PM Drop 50% after Tucker Carlson’s Firing.” Forbes, 28 Apr. 2023, www.forbes.com/sites/markjoyella/2023/04/28/fox-news-ratings-at-8pm-drop-50-after-tucker-carlsons-firing/?sh=2a05b2b82247. Accessed 2 May 2023.

Lamont, Edward M. The Ambassador from Wall Street. Madison Books, 1994, pp. 192, 215, 221–23, 278, 382, 407–10, 436, 457–58.

Mastrangelo, Dominick. “Tucker Carlson Video Nets 57 Million Views in Less than 24 Hours.” The Hill, 27 Apr. 2023, thehill.com/homenews/media/3975690-tucker-carlson-video-nets-57-million-views-in-less-than-24-hours/. Accessed 2 May 2023.

Morrison, Sara. “What We Know about Tucker Carlson’s Shocking Fox News Departure.” Vox, 24 Apr. 2023, www.vox.com/technology/2023/4/24/23696065/tucker-carlson-fox-news-fired. Accessed 2 May 2023.

Nichols, Ryan, and Gideon Yaffe. “Thomas Reid.” Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Metaphysics Research Lab, Stanford University, 2016, plato.stanford.edu/entries/reid/.

Richman, Jackson. “ANALYSIS: The 5 Issues on Which Tucker Carlson Went against the Left and the Right.” Www.theepochtimes.com, 25 Apr. 2023, www.theepochtimes.com/analysis-the-five-issues-on-which-tucker-carlson-went-against-the-left-and-the-right_5219656.html?welcomeuser=1. Accessed 2 May 2023.

Rigolizzo, John. ““Tucker Carlson Tonight” Is the Most-Watched Cable News Show among Democrats in Key Age Group: Report.” The Daily Wire, 2 Feb. 2022, www.dailywire.com/news/tucker-carlson-tonight-is-the-most-watched-cable-news-show-among-democrats-in-key-age-group-report. Accessed 2 May 2023.