George Orwell's classic novels, "1984" and "Animal Farm" were required reading when I was in high school. They should be required reading for everyone in America. Because 2008 is looking a lot like "1984" in the propaganda department. The Republican Party and the McCain campaign have mastered it. And that fact is very scary and threatens the vitality of our democracy.
In Orwell's novels there was the propagandistic ambomination of purposely misnaming of things. Hence the "Ministry of Peace" in the novel actually deals with war and the "Ministry of Love" actually tortures people. Overreach and dishonesty became the norm, instead of honesty and the ability to have open and respectful debate. In "Animal Farm", propaganda and the clever changing of words leads to dictatorial rule for Napoleon.
These books were seen as a criticism of Communist Russia at the time, but they are also a caution against the use of propaganda tactics in governance. Sadly, these tactics of double-speak have been on full display in the Bush administration and now they are at the core of the McCain campaign. Every time John McCain puts his "I approve this message" at the end of another scurrilous, mostly lies attack ad, he shows he has no since of common decency. For example, take the current "kindergarten sex ed bill" charge against Obama, which was actually an attempt to help protect children from predators and molesters, but now the father of two young girls is portrayed as backing a perverse legislation, which is not the case.When McCain backs this kind of morally reprehensible campaigning he shows us that he has forgotten what honor is.
As for Sarah Palin, the vaunted "CHRISTIAN" with a capital C, how can she stand by and see such wanton disregard for the Golden Rule, (Matthew 7:12), which the Lord Jesus Christ said was summed up the heart of the Old Testament, He said: "So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets." How can she allow such ads and tactics for her ticket?
Why do these vaunted Republican Christians only think about how bad gays are, the need to stop a woman's choice of having a baby, and the righteousness of the Iraq War? My Bible still contains the Golden Rule and the Republican attack and disinformation machine is not honoring the meaning of Christ's words when they smear, lie and doublespeak.
It seems that the Karl Rove rule is to just keep saying something, even if it is not true, and people will act as if it true. Buy a big enough megaphone, such as the modern media, and any lie can be made to appear true. Rename something, as the Bush administration has often done, and you can do bad things under the cover of wonderful words, however misused they may be.
If you give her the right script and if she has the right look, with the proper spin and propaganda techniques, you can make a lightly educated woman from a small town in Alaska seem like the greatest thing since sliced bread, even if she is woefully under qualified to be a heartbeat away from the presidency. Because she looks cute in designer glasses, even though she brings no new ideas to the table, she can suck up all news coverage for two weeks, and maybe more, without ever answering a tough question. Because you, the Republican machine, do not allow her ot have news conferences, and the fawning media goes along with it.
No wonder the rest of the world cannot understand America. Our slice of the world has been turned upside down. the inmates are running the asylum. And the Republicans are going to be re-elected, stealing another election, barring a saving election miracle.
Yes, the Republican's terrible tactics are working, even though they are dead wrong, sad to say, and though their performance does not deserve it, they may beat the Democrats who are running on strong issues and actual plans -- like that is important! No, you can win with lies, smoke and mirrors in this Oz like land of ours, because lying works in today's media driven America. And that is heart-breaking for our children and grandchildren.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment