The year was 1965. 55 years ago. What you are about to read is from one of the greatest radio broadcasters of all-time, Paul Harvey. He could have written it yesterday. That is, if he was still alive. He died in 2009 at the age of 90.
I met Paul Harvey some 35 years ago. At the time I was a producer for Jim Zabel on his evening sports radio show on WHO in Des Moines, Iowa. Jim and I traveled to Chicago to take in the Big Ten Football Media Days. Part of our plan was to originate live broadcasts while in the Windy City. The best place to do that was the Paul Harvey Studios. We made a request to Mr. Harvey to use his "home". He replied, "I would be honored". I think actually the tables should have been turned around. We should have been on the floor with our humility. When the day and time arrived for us to check into Harvey's offices, we were met by a little old lady that walked us into a humungous office...that of the KING. He so eloquently rose from his seat and sauntered over to the door. Command presence was oozing in the room. He was so humble, so friendly and so bigger than life. We were without a doubt next to a Legend. His radio broadcasts are epic. Below, you will get a taste of his sense of the future. Scary as it might be.....
"If I were the prince of darkness , I would want to engulf the whole world in darkness. I'd have a third of its real estate and four-fifths of its population, but I would not be happy until I had seized the ripest apple on the tree--thee. So, I would set about however necessary to take over the United States".
"I'd subvert the churches first, and I would begin with a campaign of whispers. With the wisdom of a serpent, I would whisper to you as I whispered to Eve: 'Do as you please'.
"To the young, I would whisper that the Bible is a myth. I would convince the children that man created God instead of the other way around. I'd confide that what's bad is good and what's good is square. And the old, I would teach to pray after me, 'Our Father, which are in Washington...'
"Then I'd get organized, I'd educate authors in how to make lurid literature exciting so that anything else would appear dull and uninteresting. I'd peddle narcotics to whom I could. I'd sell alcohol to ladies and gentlemen of distinction. I'd tranquilize the rest with pills".
"If I were the devil, I'd soon have families at war with themselves, churches at war with themselves and nations at war with themselves until each, in its turn, was consumed. And with promises of higher ratings, I'd have mesmerizing media fanning the flames".
"If I were the devil, I would encourage schools to refine young intellect but neglect to discipline emotions. I'd tell teachers to let those students run wild. And before you knew it, you'd have drug-sniffing dogs and metal detectors at every schoolhouse door. With a decade, I'd have prisons overflowing and judges promoting pornography. Soon, I would evict God from the courthouse and the schoolhouse and then from the houses of Congress. In his own churches, I would substitute psychology for religion and deify science. I'd lure priests and pastors into misusing boys and girls and church money".
"If I were the devil, I'd take from those who have and give to those who wanted until I had killed the incentive of the ambitious. What'll you bet I couldn't get whole states to promote gambling as the way to get rich"?
"I'd convince the young that marriage is old-fashioned, that swinging is more fun and that what you see on television is the way to be. And thus, I could undress you in public and lure you into bed with diases for which there are no cures".
"In other words, if I were the devil, I'd just keep right on doing what he's doing".
Paul Harvey-Good Day
If you'd like to hear him with his distinctive voice narrate the piece above....here is the audio version.
YGG,
John
