Seeds of Doubt

I have an employee who is a nice girl and a hard worker - but she has one weakness that causes me grief on a regular basis. This girl happens to be one of the few employees I have who worked at the facility at the time the corporation I work for acquired and took over the facility. As a result, she was witness to an immediate "downsizing" of sorts. This downsizing didn't happen because the company was in trouble or for one of the many reasons we hear about downsizing today. The staffing cuts were a result of a strategic plan to get rid of some of what I like to call "poison employees" who undermined management and were not producing work that provided a reasonable return on the investment the corporation was making in their salary. In short - they needed to go.

At the time of the downsizing, this employee drew a conclusion that the corporation she now worked for was run by evil, money-mongers who didn't care about their employees. This conclusion couldn't be further from the truth. In the year and a half since the acquisition, the facility in question has become tremendously more productive and efficient and is a much better place to work. This, of course, doesn't matter to the employee because she made a decision to hate her employers and there is little anyone will ever be able to do to change her mind.

Since misery loves company, this employee sees it as somewhat of her "job" to get as many people on board with her theory as possible. This includes poisoning every new employee who walks through the door with her "experience" with the company. This has happened so much so, that I have actually had to "prep" new employees regarding this employee and give them a heads-up to not listen to her nonsense.

So, why don't I just get rid of her? Good question. I've come close on many occasions - then I tell myself, besides this bad habit of hers - she is a very productive staff member who provides a good service to the company. A necessary evil, if you will. I try to justify her presence in the organization with this explanation, but the truth is... you can polish a turd all day long, but at the end of the day - it's still a turd. If this employee is willing to sabotage new employees within the organization - imagine what she's willing to sabotage outside - in the public eye.

Seeds of doubt grow. They flourish wherever they fall and sprout weeds that are difficult to control and are sometimes dangerous. In the case of the main stream media, this couldn't be more true. The war in Iraq has been fought in the media since the day we first deployed. The media has made it its mission to plant seeds of doubt in the minds of everyone who will listen. This has been dangerous on the homefront, but has proven to be even more dangerous in the Middle East.

I've ranted before that the whole world is watching us - taking our lead. I've encountered people from other nations who have told me, "the whole world is listening". I get it. They get it. The media pretends not to get it - but they do. They get it in every imaginable way and they use it to undermine the authority and sovereignty of our government every chance they get. Even after proving to the world over and over and over again that their words are not to be trusted, people listen to the MSM. Terrorists listen and use the words of discouragement that the MSM spreads as words of affirmation for their cause. If the MSM says the terrists are stronger than ever - they are. If the MSM says we aren't safe - we aren't. If the MSM says the Iraqi government is going to fall on it's face - they will. If the MSM says there is a civil war going on in Iraq - there will be. Why? Because people listen, people believe and people act accordingly.

Much like elections are won in the media, wars can be lost via the media if concentration is deliberately placed on the negatives. It's a sad day when we have to admit that liberals hate this administration more than they love their country and are willing to sacrifice our liberty and the liberty of those we fight to protect just to make George W. Bush look bad. Democrats will accuse this administration of taking innocent soldier's lives, without taking any responsibility for the rhetoric they have spread that has cost us those precious lives. The likes of Cindy Sheehan, John Kerry, the Clintons and all the rest like them have poured gasoline on the fires that burn within our enemy's soul. Those who hate this country love to hear liberals squawk because they know the seeds of doubt being tossed at this administration will grow into weeds that will be almost impossible to get under control.

I've turned off the news. Something I should have done a long time ago. When I see one of the talking heads of the liberal camp, I turn the channel. I love my country too much to give ratings to the corporations who sponsor the nonsense that has torn a hole in the very fiber of this nation. All I can do now is pray that more and more of these seeds fall on barren soil and we can somehow salvage what is left of our credibility and honor, because it's clear that the liberals will fight to the death to see that we lose as many lives as possible and ultimately lose the war. It's always their agenda to be "right" - whatever the cost. Unfortunately, those of us who love our country allowed our optimism and hope to blind us to the real war. There's a civil war going on, alright....and all one must do to watch it is turn on the television.