I have two friends, both superb female journalists with decades of experience, now out of work for no reason other than the ego of some horse's ass. I live in Asia and VOA has an important role throughout the Pacific. I hope it can be quickly salvaged.
Thanks, Tim. Sorry to hear about your friends. Let’s hope a lawsuit is filed and a judge blocks this nonsense. Trump must not read anything about history. He sure is ignorant about America’s place in the world.
Americans are going to find out what they have taken for granted since 1950 is being taken away. Republicans are complicit. Democrats are stunned and confused. It’s hard to be optimistic about the future.
For more than 80 years VOA was a beacon of light and a trusted source of information in every corner of the world. It took less than 80 days for this clown show to distinguish that light. The first casualty of authoritarianism is truth. How do you ever undo the damage? Is “YMCA” playing in a continuous loop on radio frequencies across the globe?
Trump's open admiration for 'President' Putin is reflected in his silencing of VOA. His boast that Russia didn't invade Ukraine (a change from Ukraine's attacking Russia) while he was President ignores that he is heavily in debt to Russia. His own son, Eric, answering a question as to how the Trump organization would continue after New York's largest banks would no longer grant loans said 'We have all the money we need from Russia'. This was in 2014, before Mr. Trump ran for office. Biden wasn't supposed to win in 2020; that's why Putin decided to invade, thinking he'd overrun Ukraine in a matter of days. In Russia, the population believes Putin when he tells them the goal is to demilitarize and de-nazify Ukraine. As their population grows restive at the Vietnam-like grinder, VOA was a beacon to the truth and would help in the eventual destruction of Putin's dictatorship. Donald Trump doesn't want that to happen; there's hotels to build there and in Gaza.
Thanks, Dave. This is so important and I think the vital role VOA has played in the world is largely unrecognized by Americans. You have put that in stark relief. Your questions of Where are our senators (?????) is one we all need to ask ourselves and be burning up the phone lines asking them. They are COMPLICIT!
Thanks Dave! Thought of my mother, Freda, a lifelong Republican. She was a loyal supporter of Heifer International and Voice of America.
She believed in agriculture and democracy. While I can't hear her exact words the gist was - the rest of the world needs to know about our freedoms and our system.
I choose to believe she would have found her voice and opposed this current Un-American style of governence. Where is the Voice of Americans?
FYI the woman pictured with your friend is Mia Bush, a Drake graduate and former copy desk chief at the Des Moines Register. She's worked at VOA for several years.
Hi Deb. Just a little correction here. The person in the photo is Yolanda Lopez, the former acting director of VOA when I retired. I know Mia as well from my time in the VOA English newsroom. It would be easy to confuse the two since they both have sparkling smiles and great intellect. I believe Mia might still work at VOA, if the agency were still operating.
I used to be a conservative Christian. My favorite part about being a secular person is that it's no longer my responsibility to save the world. I am completely fine with turning isolationist. Let someone else from the West evangelize the world about our better way. I'd rather focus on our economy, our poor, and our needs. In terms of war prevention, I say let the evil nations try and find out. I doubt they will, as it would mean a nuclear holocaust. We can mind our own business in this worldwide stalemate. Stop being the savior of the world.
Jeremiah, I respect your opinion but respectfully disagree. If the alternative to a world stabilized by America’s soft power is nuclear holocaust, then I opt for strengthening our soft power.
But that won't happen. We've been in you shoot, I shoot since WWII. If anything we've be doing a weird form of passive "imperialism" fighting for puppet states with Russia and China. I'd like to stop it. The world is not our responsibility. No more team America World Police. Focus on us. If you don't have your house in order what business do you have fixing other houses?
Jeremiah: USA need not evangelize and pretend it is exceptional. But neither should it withdraw and say that everyone should fend for themselves. We must be able to trade ideas and goods and services and encourage freedom of expression and speech. China and Russia will not. Plenty of nations want to send their students here to learn critical thought and scientific skills. We cannot just shut down and cower in our caves. And by the way Trump is no isolationist. Try the words imperialist and nihilist combined.
No, we shouldn’t try to save the world but we definitely shouldn’t let it starve and rot and burn and blow up. With wealth comes responsibility!
I don't like Trump. I also don't like spending money on other nations. Especially when we don't actually have it. Give me a budget surplus and you can have your idea trading.
Understand! The income tax system can be altered and the Social Security tax can be altered and the spending can be altered and common sense can prevail, but I'm not sure Congress has the collective will to do any or all of that. Right now they are hell bent on very strange tax cuts and huge spending cuts. They can't even say a peep about the mess that Trump and Vance and Musk are making.
I knew VOA was endangered when the “expert” Kari Lake was put in charge. I suspect if you asked the MAGA voters to list their top 500 administrative moves they would not list (nor think) about Voice of America. But those trans athletes….
I fully support the efforts of Dave in a very global sense and proud naturalized US citizen! I am a subscriber to three IOWA WRITERS COLLABORATIVE members focusing on agriculture and environmental issues. You deserve more support than what I can afford at this time!
Thanks, Jim. Most Americans don’t have your foreign service experience, but I’d like to think they know enough history to understand why this is such a foolish move by Trump. Maybe I’m naive on that point.
I have two friends, both superb female journalists with decades of experience, now out of work for no reason other than the ego of some horse's ass. I live in Asia and VOA has an important role throughout the Pacific. I hope it can be quickly salvaged.
Thanks, Tim. Sorry to hear about your friends. Let’s hope a lawsuit is filed and a judge blocks this nonsense. Trump must not read anything about history. He sure is ignorant about America’s place in the world.
It’s one of several moves he has made to silence media in America and around the world. It smacks of fascism like we haven’t seen since the 1930s.
Right. It’s all part of his overall strategy to weaken the news media - one of the few institutions he cannot control. Yet.
Americans are going to find out what they have taken for granted since 1950 is being taken away. Republicans are complicit. Democrats are stunned and confused. It’s hard to be optimistic about the future.
With so much damage being done in two months, I can’t imagine what shape we will be in after four years.
For more than 80 years VOA was a beacon of light and a trusted source of information in every corner of the world. It took less than 80 days for this clown show to distinguish that light. The first casualty of authoritarianism is truth. How do you ever undo the damage? Is “YMCA” playing in a continuous loop on radio frequencies across the globe?
Perish the thought!
Trump's open admiration for 'President' Putin is reflected in his silencing of VOA. His boast that Russia didn't invade Ukraine (a change from Ukraine's attacking Russia) while he was President ignores that he is heavily in debt to Russia. His own son, Eric, answering a question as to how the Trump organization would continue after New York's largest banks would no longer grant loans said 'We have all the money we need from Russia'. This was in 2014, before Mr. Trump ran for office. Biden wasn't supposed to win in 2020; that's why Putin decided to invade, thinking he'd overrun Ukraine in a matter of days. In Russia, the population believes Putin when he tells them the goal is to demilitarize and de-nazify Ukraine. As their population grows restive at the Vietnam-like grinder, VOA was a beacon to the truth and would help in the eventual destruction of Putin's dictatorship. Donald Trump doesn't want that to happen; there's hotels to build there and in Gaza.
Just to address one of your points, yes, this pulling of the plug was done at the behest of Putin. Full stop.
Thanks for this important column. I do not think most Americans recognize the importance of Voice of America in other countries.
Right. Kind of a disconnect since we don’t use VOA. But I think most Americans are aware of it. I can’t imagine a majority of people want it silenced.
Thanks, Dave. This is so important and I think the vital role VOA has played in the world is largely unrecognized by Americans. You have put that in stark relief. Your questions of Where are our senators (?????) is one we all need to ask ourselves and be burning up the phone lines asking them. They are COMPLICIT!
Thanks Dave! Thought of my mother, Freda, a lifelong Republican. She was a loyal supporter of Heifer International and Voice of America.
She believed in agriculture and democracy. While I can't hear her exact words the gist was - the rest of the world needs to know about our freedoms and our system.
I choose to believe she would have found her voice and opposed this current Un-American style of governence. Where is the Voice of Americans?
Would edit the last statement to be "Where are the Voices of Americans"?
Gene, your mom would likely be appalled at how her party has changed. Iowa’s moderate Republicans, like Bob Ray, would have no place in today’s GOP.
FYI the woman pictured with your friend is Mia Bush, a Drake graduate and former copy desk chief at the Des Moines Register. She's worked at VOA for several years.
I didn’t know that! Thanks, Deb.
Hi Deb. Just a little correction here. The person in the photo is Yolanda Lopez, the former acting director of VOA when I retired. I know Mia as well from my time in the VOA English newsroom. It would be easy to confuse the two since they both have sparkling smiles and great intellect. I believe Mia might still work at VOA, if the agency were still operating.
I used to be a conservative Christian. My favorite part about being a secular person is that it's no longer my responsibility to save the world. I am completely fine with turning isolationist. Let someone else from the West evangelize the world about our better way. I'd rather focus on our economy, our poor, and our needs. In terms of war prevention, I say let the evil nations try and find out. I doubt they will, as it would mean a nuclear holocaust. We can mind our own business in this worldwide stalemate. Stop being the savior of the world.
Jeremiah, I respect your opinion but respectfully disagree. If the alternative to a world stabilized by America’s soft power is nuclear holocaust, then I opt for strengthening our soft power.
But that won't happen. We've been in you shoot, I shoot since WWII. If anything we've be doing a weird form of passive "imperialism" fighting for puppet states with Russia and China. I'd like to stop it. The world is not our responsibility. No more team America World Police. Focus on us. If you don't have your house in order what business do you have fixing other houses?
Jeremiah: USA need not evangelize and pretend it is exceptional. But neither should it withdraw and say that everyone should fend for themselves. We must be able to trade ideas and goods and services and encourage freedom of expression and speech. China and Russia will not. Plenty of nations want to send their students here to learn critical thought and scientific skills. We cannot just shut down and cower in our caves. And by the way Trump is no isolationist. Try the words imperialist and nihilist combined.
No, we shouldn’t try to save the world but we definitely shouldn’t let it starve and rot and burn and blow up. With wealth comes responsibility!
I don't like Trump. I also don't like spending money on other nations. Especially when we don't actually have it. Give me a budget surplus and you can have your idea trading.
Understand! The income tax system can be altered and the Social Security tax can be altered and the spending can be altered and common sense can prevail, but I'm not sure Congress has the collective will to do any or all of that. Right now they are hell bent on very strange tax cuts and huge spending cuts. They can't even say a peep about the mess that Trump and Vance and Musk are making.
Love your reports, as hate what has to be reported. Don’t stop!
Even a VOA with an already-dismissed Kari Lake at the helm would be better than no VOA. Here's fearless leader's version of the title of this essay:
Hello darkness, my true end.
I've come to stalk with you again.
Because division, starkly deepening,
Infects our dreams while I am creeping.
Its corrosion has been planted in our brains
From my refrains.
I love the sound
Of sirens
Impressive! Did you write that, Mark?
👍
I knew VOA was endangered when the “expert” Kari Lake was put in charge. I suspect if you asked the MAGA voters to list their top 500 administrative moves they would not list (nor think) about Voice of America. But those trans athletes….
Exactly.
I fully support the efforts of Dave in a very global sense and proud naturalized US citizen! I am a subscriber to three IOWA WRITERS COLLABORATIVE members focusing on agriculture and environmental issues. You deserve more support than what I can afford at this time!
Dieter, your kind words are more than enough support. Thank you.
Great column, Dave. Thanks. Too few Americans appreciate what's been lost.
Thanks, Jim. Most Americans don’t have your foreign service experience, but I’d like to think they know enough history to understand why this is such a foolish move by Trump. Maybe I’m naive on that point.