Jobless hype not helping

EDITOR:

Today as I drove to UNR, I caught a sign stuck in a tree saying to dump a particular politician and then the words "14% UNEMPLOYMENT." It is kind of funny to single out one person when referencing this profound problem when there are multiple causes with multiple viewpoints for each. I don't think of any one politician when I think of unemployment. Instead I think of the unemployed. I think of others like me trying to make ends meet with serious penalties paid by inflated interest rates and credit scores damaged beyond repair. So I add this to my list of begrudged opinions with respect to when and how unemployment should be discussed.

My biggest pet peeve, and correct me if I am wrong, is the lack of accurate and truthful reporting done by all levels of reporting agencies just for the sake of selling the news. They use hype to keep us hopeful, percentages that imply accuracy, and individual stories to extend some pseudo level of comfort through inclusion with the masses. But what is not offered is unbiased, factual information with brutal honesty so that we as a nation can put our heads together to find some sort of resolution. In addition, I am aware that perhaps a resolution is presently unattainable.

But if "the truth will set you free," then full disclosure of what exactly is going on combined with our will to makes things better will build on our momentum to do just that. Where as built up hopes are repetitively shattered, I firmly believe that having the guts to look at the truth of our condition can only be met with diligence to overcome adversity.

I am suggesting that the press take responsibility for the level of trust they have in us as readers and give us the straight scoop. Offer us ideas. Throw suggestions out into the world and without dirty little secrets about what the real situation may be, give us the opportunity to be a part of the solution. Right now we are waiting. We are conditioned to wait for more bad news, followed by positive speculation of promise for the future, followed by a revision undoing the previous forecast, and then ultimately followed by a headline like, "A heartening jobs report last week masked an ominous statistic: Discouraged workers hit a record 1.2 million," which is composed of all of the above. I asked around and the consensus is to change the sign in the tree to just "Give it to us straight."

Cori Rosa

UNR Senior

Minden