Good Night, and Good Luck

Warning: If you haven't watched Good Night, and Good Luck you might find this post to be one big yawn.

Otherwise, I have some confessions to make. I did not know anything beyond the cover of the DVD for the movie that Edward R. Murrow was a newsman. I did not know the man's television news show brought down Senator McCarthy's crusade against communists. I'm embarrassed to say I didn't understand that Senator McCarthy was elected, then proceeded to spend his and our nation's time and money stomping Americans in the name of national security.

Up until watching the movie today, I vaguely recalled a commy scare, Marcarthism, sometime after WWII and during the Cold War. And wasn't there something negative about the white girl being involved in communism in Native Son? Forgive me, Svetlana, for my poor history knowledge.

When I was in college, I read the Communist Manifesto as an assignment in a literature class. I talked about everyone who would, because I found it brilliant for a few days, until I took a sober look into the stained soul of humanity. Then there is the fact that communism hasn't seemed to work altogether to benefit the people of Russia and China. And before we were married, Buck and I hung out a little with a communist named Jam from France. Makes me wonder now, if another McCarthy made his way into politics today, would Buck and I be targets, because of our association?

Good Night, and Good Luck has me thinking about television and how I might add to the reason it isn't all that it could be. When I watch Grey's Anatomy, am I promoting twaddle instead of excellent television programing which produces justice? Should I pat myself on the back for sometimes watching Charlie Rose and Tavis Smiley?

And is it me, or does it seem like people from the 50's spoke with far more intelligence and integrity than most anyone in 2006?

And here's my shallow question from the movie. Did all those news people planning Ed's show each week die of cancer from smoking?