RUBEN NAVARRETTE: Freedom of the press doesn’t mean freelancing at other tasks

Freddie Prinze Sr. said it best. The Puerto Rican/German comedian got his big break in 1974 when he was cast as Francisco “Chico” Rodriguez in the NBC series “Chico and The Man” alongside Jack Albertson, who played Ed Brown, the owner of a run-down garage in East Los Angeles. Prinze had a signature line. When “The Man” would give him an order, Chico would dead-pan: “It’s not my job, man!”

U.S. media would be more trusted, more relied upon and more profitable if they adopted that mantra. They should stick to doing their own jobs instead of freelancing at someone else’s, as if what we do isn’t important enough.

In my 30 years in journalism, I’ve told stories. I’ve written for newspapers, magazines and websites. I’ve also hosted radio and television shows, and offered commentary on both mediums. This is what I do.

There are plenty of things I don’t do — or want to do. I don’t want to run for office, lead a movement, be a social worker, create a better society, serve as a role model, organize fellow Latinos, be a social engineer, run campaigns, help some politicians get elected or prevent others from getting elected.

It’s not my job, man.

I’m an umpire, and I don’t belong in the infield. I call balls and strikes, explain our world and simplify the complicated. I hold all sides accountable and call out both parties on their lies, hypocrisy and spin. I make people think, but I don’t care what they think. I don’t aim to persuade, only to provoke.

Sadly, during an election year, all that sounds foreign. It’s all hands on-deck. Reporters, producers, hosts and columnists are rushing to their battle stations and gearing up to spend the next two and a half months trying to elect a president. Too many journalists have chosen sides and become partisan hacks. They create positive narratives that make their team look good and negative ones that make the other team look bad. And truth goes out the window.

I get my fair share of lobbying from Republicans, including Latino Republicans who want me to hypnotize fellow Latinos into thinking that President Donald Trump is their best amigo.

Sorry, folks. I’m a messenger, not a magician.

But lately, Democrats have also been laying it on thick. As I’ve often noted, White liberals in particular want to give people like me every freedom — except the freedom to think for ourselves, if we disagree with them. When that happens, the left becomes as bigoted and close-minded as the right.

■ Recently, a reader wrote: “Anything you do to weaken Biden’s candidacy is to strengthen Trump’s candidacy. Overall, I think Donald Trump’s years in the presidency have been deeply destructive to our nation. I’d support practically ANY Democrat over Donald Trump. Your article would have been more thoughtful and useful if it had brought the diverse people of this nation together rather than inflame their hatred toward each other.”

■ Another chimed in: “I cannot stomach some of your articles!! I believe you’re a closet Trump supporter. Instead of trashing the Democrats as you often do, why don’t you, at least until November, do all you can to positively steer your Latino readers toward Biden instead of away from him? You must secretly want Trump to win. You have a platform to steer Latinos toward Biden, who we desperately need to get rid of Trump. WHY DON’T YOU DO THAT???”

■ And then, from another reader, came my favorite: “I think after all of these years of reading your column I have you figured out, without a degree in psychology I might add. You basically want to be a White man and are not comfortable in your own skin. GET OFF THE FENCE AND DECIDE WHOSE SIDE YOU ARE ON, SHOW SOME PRINCIPLE. You need to decide whose side you are on!”

Ignorance must be on sale somewhere. I don’t blame my readers. I blame my colleagues. The readers are reacting to what journalism has become.

This is the media’s fault. There are too many people walking around with press passes who no longer deserve to wear them. They obviously have this secret calling to do something else. They ought to resign — and go do it. Because, helping get people elected? It’s not their job, man.

Contact Ruben Navarrette at ruben@rubennavarrette.com.