by Craig Rhodes

A word of introduction…

Since Mark has so kindly agreed to allow me to blog here, I thought a word of introduction would be appropriate.

I’m born and raised in Western Kentucky. It is my home. I’ve lived in the Paducah area in particular for more than 50 years. From the outset my political inclination has been liberal and progressive based on my experiences growing up here. I will elaborate on those experiences in later blogs but suffice to say that, based on my experience, there is a strong liberal tradition in Western Kentucky.

My blogs will primarily center on Western Kentucky and Southern Illinois, which together represent an important area of the Ohio Valley Region. For too long, liberals in this region have been voiceless and under-represented. Voiceless because of the media monopoly under the ultra-conservative Paxton Media Group and under-represented because of Republicans and their cousins, the Blue Dog Democrats. I will refer to these voiceless patriots as the “resistance”.

I believe that our nation is at one of its lowest points in modern history. I believe this has been brought about, more or less, by a bankrupt conservative ideology. For the most part, we have been brought to this point through the age old political tactic of fear, a favorite conservative tactic. And for too long the average citizen has stood by and done nothing to stop this shredding of our Constitution as well as our American values.

Stopping this slide will take millions of voices in every rural area, town and city of every district of our nation. I intend to begin here with both critique and solutions.

Who I am is unimportant. Know me by my words. I prefer to stick to the issue at hand and all issues will be on the table including any particularly egregious editorial or biased article from the Paxton Media Monopoly.

I will be willing to document any position I take in the spirit of give and take. If there are holes in my position, I want to be the first to know. But silence is not an option even if no one reads my blogs. As Alexander Solzenitzen said, “The greatest crime is the lie and the greatest lie is silence.” The internet, with Al Gore’s help, has given us a voice outside of The Paxton Media Monopoly and we would be fools not to take advantage of the opportunity.

For the sake of our nation, it’s time the resistance ends its silence and makes itself known.