Taxpayer-funded National Public Radio announced on Monday, July 4, that it had decided to “update” its 33-year tradition of its hosts reading aloud the Declaration of Independence by replacing it with a discussion of equality.
With the participation of two Harvard historians, the network decided to replace that historical narration which it presumably considers a more-trendy and woke subject matter.
On the surface, the description of an 11-minute segment posted to Twitter might make it seem a lot more negative than it actually turned out to be, assuming news consumers take the time to listen.
At least for NPR, the presentation contains a relatively positive assessment of America’s founding document and Thomas Jefferson, its primary author.
This July 4th we break with tradition. Instead of a reading of the Declaration of Independence @NPRinskeep examines what equality means and has meant in this document. Important segment about our past and future…produced by @marcarivers and @bgordemer https://t.co/MxlgNaWpC1
— Leila Fadel (@LeilaFadel) July 4, 2022
You can listen to the tradition-breaking segment embedded below and draw your own conclusions, however.
Unfortunately, the segment ended with an evidence-free helping of social justice virtue signaling by NPR “Morning Edition” host Steven Inskeep:
“And many of our debates on this July 4th turn on what equality means. What voting rules really give equal access to the ballot. Do abortion laws give a woman equal control over her body? At what point is a fetus entitled to equal rights? For some people, equality is out of style. Some political progressives prefer the term equity. Some Republicans in Texas and Colorado have called for ‘unequal voting power,’ giving more weight to conservative voters. The global move toward authoritarian rule opposes equality, asserting that some people are more equal than others….”
NPR needs to perhaps brush up on current events, because left-wing governments are the regimes contemporaneously imposing an authoritarian rule that could lead, or has led, to a discriminatory, two-tier society.
In the run-up to July 4th, 2021 reading, NPR claimed that “The declaration is a document with flaws and deeply ingrained hypocrisies. It also laid the foundation for our collective aspirations, our hopes for what America could be.”
The cancellation of the customary content was greeted with some degree of skepticism on Twitter. Here is a sampling:
You are missing the point. I don’t see any reason not to have read the foundational and revolutionary text that set our nation on a path toward equality— however far from it we may be. The analysis is good too. But it is Independence Day. Read the Declaration.
— ProudRino (@proudrino88) July 4, 2022
Boo… do both!
— Sue Drummond (@arealpastiche) July 4, 2022
Strange. NPR won’t read the Declaration of Independence on the 4th BUT read the Emancipation Proclamation on Juneteenth. Replacing the former with the latter? You’ve just handed Fox News a club to beat you & you deserve it.
— Kevin Matthews (@CKMatthews1958) July 4, 2022
Used to listen to NPR. Knew was left of center, but they did some interesting segments that I wouldn’t hear elsewhere. Now? Just non-stop Leftist pablum w the usual splash of pedantic condescension. And all at taxpayer expense.
— Gary1776 (@GaryBar78834663) July 4, 2022
Really good segment. Next year, is love to see both though.
— Nancy Winter (@nmwinter) July 4, 2022
Get the latest BPR news delivered free to your inbox daily. SIGN UP HERE
DONATE TO BIZPAC REVIEW
Please help us! If you are fed up with letting radical big tech execs, phony fact-checkers, tyrannical liberals and a lying mainstream media have unprecedented power over your news please consider making a donation to BPR to help us fight them. Now is the time. Truth has never been more critical!
[email protected]
Robert Jonathan is a staff writer for BizPac Review. He is a longtime writer/editor for news aggregation websites and has also developed content in the legal and financial publishing sectors as well as for online education. He earned a Juris Doctorate from the University of Connecticut School of Law, “a law school the basketball teams can be proud of.”
- ‘Petty heffa’: The View’s Ana Navarro skewered for cracking on Marjorie Taylor Greene’s appearance - December 4, 2022
- Women’s college volleyball game features incredible rally complete with diving, table-crashing safe - December 4, 2022
- Wild brawl breaks out at Fitness Connection gym, takes deciding turn when woman enters picture - December 4, 2022
Comment
We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.
BPR INSIDER COMMENTS
Scroll down for non-member comments or join our insider conversations by becoming a member. We'd love to have you!
