For many people, watching a horse race is one of the quintessential Kentucky experiences. Feeling the ground shake as a mass of thundering hooves goes barreling down the stretch is a thrilling spectacle, and betting on the outcome is a long-standing tradition in horse racing. But if you look under the surface, the sport is filled with injuries, drug abuse and gruesome breakdowns. The horses used for racing, which can be bred for speed at the expense of bone density and general well-being, are often pushed far beyond their natural abilities. It’s common, and somehow accepted, for them to develop debilitating health problems, including hemorrhages in the lungs, that can lead to death.
Despite this, horse races are popular and profitable, and have been around for thousands of years. They’re part of many cultures and traditions, and have served as an important symbol in the history of human civilizations, from Ancient Greece and Rome to Babylon and Syria. In addition to fostering a sense of community among spectators, the races also have the power to shape public opinion. Throughout the United States, horse races are covered extensively by the media, and there are numerous debates in journalism circles about whether or not horse-race coverage is useful to voters.
Some journalists have argued that we need to do less horse-race journalism and more serious news coverage of the upcoming election. But that argument is based on an understanding of how the political process works that doesn’t take into account how elections actually play out. Those who have studied how people make decisions understand that polls can be misleading, and that voters tend to be more interested in hearing from candidates than reading about the actual issues they’re facing.
Regardless of how we view the role of polls in our democracy, it’s worth remembering that the freedom of speech and press are key to our nation’s democratic system. That means that even though some critics say it’s horse-race journalism, news outlets are free to use as many polls as they like, and to parse them for information and speculation about the election as they see fit. That’s why it’s so important that we continue to speak out for all those whose voices aren’t heard. Especially in these turbulent times.