Proof that the Right Wing Press knows what they are doing is Wrong

[SquireJons]

Straight from the horses mouth. Here's a snippet from today's Op Ed article by William Safire http://www.nytimes.com/2003/12/10/opinion/10SAFI.html

"More important to the one-party takeover was iron control of major media. Once again we see that there can be no democracy without a rambunctious and unfettered press. Putin has made certain that media freedom no longer exists in his Russia. As a result, all that Russians see on television and read in major newspapers is cheering for the regime."

"Dissidence is more subtly squelched than in the Communist era. Candidates for office who dare to speak out against Putin's rule are not exiled to the frozen wastes of Siberia — merely frozen out of coverage in major markets. Opponents of the K.G.B. crowd are not given the martyrdom of the Gulag — their voices are drowned out by the mass media, which have reverted to being vehicles for government propaganda"

Sound Familiar? Just replace Putin and KGB with The Bush Administration. Funny, I always thought the neo-cons were using Nazi Germany as a model and it turns out they prefer the Soviet model.

[KensPen]

1. Don't kid yourself....

Hitler was VERY aware of propaganda and the media.

[SquireJons]

3. True, but...

There are subtle differences. The Nazi propaganda was mostly about the virtues of the Arian people and the villainous Jews which was intended to unite the people. In Russia, its intent really isn't to unite, but to drive internal opposition out of existence. That's what's going on today in the US. There is no serious attempt to unite Americans. It's all about 'Divide and Conquer!'

[ixion]

10. I would disagree

The push for nationalism, for 'patriotism' is nearly identical to the tactics used by Hitler to turn 'Good Germans' against whomever the state deemed an outcast.

This is identical to the 'with us or against us' ideology espoused by the cabal.

[mhr]

2. America Is No Longer A Democracy, It's A Corporate State

Run by and for big business.

The press is merely one means of control and influence also owned by the corporate state.

America, your individual, personal opinion does not matter.

Only the corporate state matters.

Democracy? What's that?

[peacetalksforall]

4. They have taken parts of communism, nazism, imperialism,

totalianarism and tactics of dictatorships - always under the umbrella of a narrow view of christianity, the protection of Israel, through the imperial cooperation and emphasis of and by the military-intelligence-corporate-banking rulers. They are slipping it all in to their world plan while simultanesouly making us think this is still a democracy and that we must impose democracy in other countries.

They have installed the worst kind of dictators and assassinated others. They have been responsible for massacres. They partner and have partnered with every kind of leader whenever it is profitable and whenever it is necessary to sublimate the power of little people. Profitable for them relates mostly to earth resources. Medicine is the next, then water.

You will see a meshing of all of the forms of rule in their plan - forms of rule that we thought we were defending AGAINST and for whom we have lost thousands of relatives and their limbs.

[Homer12]

5. It's teh Grover Norquist Play book.

[Khephra]

6. Go back a little bit further

It's Leo Strauss' playbook.

[WKanaday]

7. The American Media

I don't see anything like this happening in America. We are the land of the free and we have press on the right and the left, maybe even some moderates. Can you point to any facts that say the administration is doing this?

[Martin Eden]

9. You don't see anything ... that's the point!

The media's coverage of the Bush administration has been long on flag-waving and short on facts. Although some criticisms and questions have been raised, W. Bush has pretty much gotten a free pass -- despite the fact that his transgressions make anything Clinton did pale in comparison.

How many Americans know that 15 of 19 hijackers were Saudi and zero from Iraq, that Saddam Hussein was not involved in 9/11, did not have operational ties to al Qaeda, and that no weapons of mass destruction were found?

Bush, Cheney, and others have told many demonstrable lies that have cost thousands of lives and tens of billions of dollars -- why is this not a major scandal?

Lying to Congress in matters of war -- presenting false evidence to get Congress to hand over their Constitutional war powers -- is an impeachable offense, yet impeachment isn't an issue in the mainstream press.

Outing a CIA operative -- jeopardizing her undercover operations and the lives of her contacts -- is a felony, but Ashcroft has done nothing to expose the guilty party. If this was Clinton, there would be a special prosecutor and a grand jury.

Corporate cronyism is rampant, with unprededented conflict of interest, but this is almost completely ignored.

Sure, there's a degree of hyperbole in comparing American media to what's going on in Russia, but the notion that TV news in this country -- where the vast majority get their info and opinion -- the notion that it's balanced between left, right, and moderates -- is a notion that grows from the lack of information and the lack of balance that is so prevalent.

Media in America has failed miserably in its responsibility to the democratic ideal of an informed electorate, but it has succeeded brilliantly in its mission of contributing to the wealth and power of its corporate masters.

[jbfam4]

11. Martin,

I hope you post these facts in your local paper and others.

Many of us have the same thoughts, but you are the word smith.

[Martin Eden]

12. jbfam4

I send LTTE's to my local paper (Chicago Tribine) nearly every week, but rarely are they posted. I probably need to make them a little shorter and make my anger a little less apparent.

I had one published in Time Magazine six weeks ago though, and an amazing thing happened -- I got a call from an elderly gentleman from Ohio who was a very close friend of my father (now deceased). They were radicals together back in the 40's & '50's. He saw my last name (not really Eden) and found me in the phone directory. We had a nice talk and will keep in touch with letters.

Thanks for the compliment -- it encourages me to keep trying.

[SquireJons]

13. Oh, but I beg to differ

"...Candidates for office who dare to speak out against Putin's {Bush's} rule are not exiled to the frozen wastes of Siberia — merely frozen out of coverage in major markets . Opponents of the K.G.B. crowd are not given the martyrdom of the Gulag — their voices are drowned out by the mass media , which have reverted to being vehicles for government propaganda" - You don't see that in the US today? I do.

Major media in the US is owned absolute by old, rich, white men - generally known for their rampant liberalism - like Rupert!

[Cocoa]

8. the American right-wing adds a unique twist

their Orwellian accusations of "liberal bias." Very tough for the mind to deal with this. The Daily Howler does an excellent job, and some others, but they don't reach enough people.