In case you don’t recognize him, that was “the most trusted man in America.”
Walter Cronkite.
For nineteen years, he helmed the CBS Evening News and we got the scoop on all the world’s doings straight from him. He was my one source for what was going on.
But these days, I am bombarded with news (real and “fake”- aka real) all day long. I get it on Twitter, from my AP and UPI feeds, I get alerts on my phone from The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and The Huffington Post and I get it on Facebook from just about everywhere else.**
**News Flash: Mark Zuckerberg has just announced that Facebook will now turn its emphasis to the stories we run about ourselves. I guess that means more kittens playing with big dogs and many more photos of cuddly grandkids.
But still News is big news. And it’s been 24/7 for a very long time now.
But as I am bombarded constantly daily with screaming headlines about s-holes and the political a-holes who aren’t concerned about anything but restoring white supremacy to our country, it seems to me that most of our current news is straight out of Macbeth.
“… A tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury signifying nothing.”
IMHO, I have experienced only TWELVE great and world-shattering news events in my lifetime. All the rest? Not as earth-shaking.
These are the top news stories of my life. (To date.)
1. The assassination of President John F. Kennedy November 22, 1963
2. The assassination of the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. April 4, 1968
3. The assassination of Senator Robert Kennedy June 5, 1968
4. The United States puts a man on the moon July 16, 1969
5. The Manson family kills Sharon Tate and others in California August 9, 1969
6. Burglars break into the Watergate Complex in Washington D.C. June 17, 1972
7. President Nixon resigns from office August 9, 1974
8. The Viet Nam War ends April 30, 1975
9. The assassination of John Lennon December 8, 1980
10. The Berlin Wall comes down November 9, 1989
11. Students massacre and terrorize high school at Columbine High School, Colorado April 2o, 1999
12. Terrorists attack the World Trade Center and Pentagon September 11, 2001
(I can make a case for the #METoo movement but only time will tell if that’s going to be meaningful change or if sexual politics will revert to business as usual.)
Dear Readers, you might vehemently disagree Perhaps other news struck you as more world-changing.
Meanwhile, I let the sound and fury swirl around me. I hope- and pray- that I never have to add another really important new story to my list.
And that’s the way it was.
Yes, after all these years, I still well up. Great piece, Ellen. (You mean “how many scoops of ice cream DJT consumes at lunch?” is not headline news?) You can add the school shooting in Winnetka. For those of us on the North Shore at the time, it was one of the most terrifying days in memory. RIP Nick.
You’re right, Diane. I gave serious thought to it. 1988 and earth-shattering. I opted for Columbine because it changed the game re national news coverage and sadly because I think it started a sickening new phenomenon. But I’ll never forget that awful day.
All news doesn’t have to be tragic. I think the following deserves consideration since it was BIG: 11/3/16—Chicago Cubs Win the World Series.
Point taken, Bob. That was a seismic shift in the world! Thanks for reminding me.😊👍⚾️
Ellen — Thanks for a wonderful blog today. I agreed with every single one of your news events and the order used and think the photo of Walter Cronkite’s shocked face announcing the Kennedy assassination perfectly describes the awful, heartbreaking 1960s. Despite the joy of high school years (class of 1966) and the pleasure of new music, it really was “…a hard day’s night”. I’m not certain that the country and the culture ever recovered from the trio of assassinations in that decade. I know that I never did.
When it matters most, your analysis is really prescient.
Thanks, Jack. Nice to hear you ring in on this. Although you’ve made me think. The Beatles definitely changed the world- not just the tragedy of John’s death. Maybe I should run a “Good News” post.
Maybe one day you can write “Here Comes the Sun”. We can only hope.
Best wishes, Ellen
Thanks so much, Jack. If only. Here’s hoping that 2018 is only good news. 🙏
Excellent, timely post! I couldn’t agree more with your list and the order of life-changing events. Spot on dear E.
Praise from you is praise indeed, my friend. I know how well-versed you are on current events. Thanks for the vote of confidence. Glad you approved. 👍😊
One of your best posts, Ellen, inclusive of your Macbeth clip, and it couldn’t be more timely. Trump has made “fake news” a new “art form” for those thirsting for that form of deceit. And your list of historic events was complete, however, I would have added the election of Obama, the first black president, in 2008. Someone beat me to this historic event– “the Cubs WS champs in 2016”.
Thanks so much, Rick. Glad you approved- and really glad you liked the Macbeth clip. Yes, the election of President Obama felt like a tectonic shift- at the time. But only time will tell if it really was a game-changer. So much has reverted – like his election never happened. But for now, I’ll put it in the “Good News” File- along with The Cubbies. 😊
And where were you when we landed on the moon?
I know exactly where. And with whom…