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Wednesday, September 3, 2014

If I Were the Devil...

Flashback in Time: September 4, 1918


Born on this day in 1918: Paul Harvey Aurandt, one of America's radio icons, better known simply as Paul Harvey. In 1933, having been "impressed by his voice," one of his high school teachers recommended Harvey, then age fourteen, to KVOO radio in Tulsa, Oklahoma. "The most listened-to man" in broadcasting is probably most remembered for The Rest of the Story added as a tagline to in-depth feature stories of 1946.

If you did not grow up during the golden age of radio with Harvey - 1950s through the 1990s, you missed out on one of the greatest radio broadcasters of all time. He mesmerized his audience with staccato rhythms and long pauses reaching as many as 24 million people a week. 

He had a seamless manner in which he segued from his unique monologue into commercial messages from his sponsors. In his own words, Harvey explained his relationship with them: "I am fiercely loyal to those willing to put their money where my mouth is," he quipped. "Some days the best news is in the commercials." [Source: Paul Harvey]

http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/devil.asp
Paul Harvey Aurandt (September 4, 1918 – February 28, 2009)

Paul Harvey penned an essay titled "If I were the Devil (Warning for the Nation). . ." The oldest version of this essay appeared in his newspaper column in 1964. It has since been popularized many times via radio broadcasts and syndicated columns periodically being updated to incorporate current trends.

Many people were first introduced to the "If I Were the Devil. . ." essay when it circulated the Internet in mid-1999. While that attribution is clearly inspired by and in the spirit of Paul Harvey's essay, it bears little resemblance to the original presentation. However, regardless whether one is exposed to the original or an updated version, the concept and structure of the message has clearly remained the same.

Is this a reality check for society's decline?


Is it a relevant warning for Americans to recognize evil influences around us daily?
Do you find strikingly accurate predictions of modern moral decline in America?
Was Paul Harvey right in blaming it on the devil? 
Remember, this was first penned in 1964!




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