Hello, I'm Ninth Commandment

I'm Ninth Commandment, a new member of the Master Russian Forum, and I want to learn Russian.

It's not going to be easy for me as I only speak (US) English, and I am a considerably older US male.

My purpose is to more fully understand Russian peoples and Eastern European Slavs, and I have no language skills or cultural background to do so.
Please have patience with me, and forgive any accidental affronts I may commit.

I have concluded that the Western (European and American) Mainstream Media misrepresent and denigrate Russia and Russian leaders, and I intend to hear Russia's side of things.
My distrust of the Western Media comes from their reporting and slant on things I know about, so I can detect their bias and outright slander about things West.
I do not have the same ability about things East as I don't have that cultural knowledge background or to speak directly with Russians.

Thus my screen name, Ninth Commandment, I will not hear Western Media False Witness.

Thank you all, and any help would be appreciated.