The “60 minutes” program on CBS TV channel has been an icon of news reporting for over 40 years. It consistently has superior ratings, and is considered one of the top news reporting programs in the U.S. It has also been a target for Trump’s recent attacks on the media, which, in a way, is an additional accolade for its reporting: Trump has suggested revoking CBS entire operational license as well as singling out the “60 minutes” program for abuse.
Given the timidity of virtually all current elements of American public life in reacting to Donald Trump’s vindictive response to any criticism of him, the following example of CBS defying him is a little surprising but extremely encouraging. It may be somewhat minor in the overall scheme of things but, hopefully, more groups will have similar courage, until such reactions become a crescendo of noise that will oust this dictator from office.
The “60 minutes” program on March 16, 2025 opened with a report that the U.S. Marine Band, which was founded in 1798 and given the nickname of “The President’s Own” by Thomas Jefferson, had, last year, established a teenage band that would practice and play with members of the 135-member Marine Band that plays on many National occasions, including some held at the White House.
Recently, 30 of those students were selected to play in a special concert together with a number of the current Marine Band members. Practice was well underway when, last month, the concert was cancelled after Donald Trump issued an executive order banning all diversity programs. The U.S. Marines had no alternative but to cancel the event because the teenage band was made up of Black, Hispanic, Indian and Asian members.
The marine community, and the teenagers, were disappointed and horrified as, indeed, was “60 minutes” when it found out about the cancellation.
CBS, to its everlasting credit, then supported a movement to create a new concert in a new location to give these teenagers, who had worked so hard, the opportunity to play what they had practiced, despite Trump’s orders. I should add that veteran marine band players from all over the country volunteered to join the teenagers, since their active-duty colleagues could not. Some paid their own way and others were subsidized by CBS’s “60 minutes” program. All these ex-marines said they were delighted to help and that they thoroughly enjoyed the experience and the opportunity. CBS nicknamed the gathering “The Orchestra of Equity”.
The concert was held about a week ago, and “60 minutes” showed major parts of it as part of their Sunday program; it is available on Youtube. The narrator, Scott Pelley, explained the history of the event and condemned the President for cancelling the original program. CBS and “60 minutes” deserve huge credit for standing up for their principles and against the vindictive agenda of a president who is out-of-control on his mission to “dictate anything he feels like imposing on whoever he feels like imposing it” and actively persecuting anyone who disagrees with him. His ego trip seems to apply to the U.S. Senate and the Supreme Court down everyone who has allowed themselves to be intimidated by this wanabee-dictator in the White House.
It is good to see that at least one group is willing to defy him in a public forum. I’m sure he will attempt to crucify CBS, as he has anyone else who has attempted to oppose his whims and actions, but this megalomaniacal nonsense has to start stopping somewhere.
Hurrah to CBS for taking the lead. Let’s hope it encourages others to join a movement that will effectively curtail Trump’s hellbent journey towards an American dictatorship that he hopes will keep him out of jail for life.
