Ms. Lahren, this is an appeal not from a critic but from a fan. Your "Final Thoughts" on the Chattanooga shooting appeared a dozen times on my news feed last Saturday. It was the first I heard of you or your show. I chose to look into the person beyond the face seen in that video clip. The inquiry involved watching many of your videos online and reading a number of articles to learn more on who you are as a person. I became a fan in the process.
Your speech from March at the Conservative Political Action Conference informed me you would "gladly be the cold bucket of water that wakes [the Millennials] up." A May 17th article written by Emma Roller for the National Journal explained your wish to extend your audience past the hard-right conservatives to reach the independents and Millennials, which cites, "When I bring people on my show, I'm not going to bring hard right-wingers on that just reinforce what I have to say, and I'm not going to bring on liberals so that I can talk over them, or interrupt them because that doesn't educate anyone or inform anyone." Christy Hammond's piece for the Rapid City Journal in September of 2014 illuminated the vision behind your show: "I want all sides to be represented on an even playing field. The viewers can then decide where they align." You said you believe that "young people don't feel they can relate to the conservatives they see on FOX News," and that "[young people] need a new face that can speak to them, not at them."
Principles set people apart, but they are fragile, and sometimes have a shelf life. In a viral media age, anyone's rant can soon become what defines them. It draws momentary attention to delivery, which can compromise content. The consistency of message is paramount. The message in the Chattanooga shooting video is a vehement personal and emotional reaction. Too many Millennials may see your emotional vigor and regard it as entertainment. They may ignore or never choose to examine the principles you stand for, and begin to tune in merely to be there the next time you go off. Then you will have lost control of your content. When you go off, you are no longer educating or informing anyone. Your tirade is viral, not your pledge to be different.
You can still redeem your principles. They are not lost. People need to feel like they can get the truth. We turn to those we trust for the truth. Due to the sheer volume of available media and our reliance upon it, the Millennials may need those sources to turn to more than any prior generation. The Millennials' hope is that there is still good.
The final thought on your impassioned and personal comments on the Chattanooga shooting is a position best represented by the words of a former President:
"Little progress can be made by merely attempting to repress what is evil. Our great hope lies in developing what is good."
-Calvin Coolidge, 30th President of the United States
