Jack and Jill: A Fable About Censorship

[McCamy Taylor]

Imagine a world in which you can only talk about an issue----like the troubled relationship between Mother Goose characters, Jack and Jill---by referring to a less than three week old story written by someone in the corporate media. Forget the rhyme that goes something like this:

Jack and Jill went up the hill to fetch a pail of water
Jack fell down and broke his crown
And Jill came tumbling after.
Up got Jack, and home did trot
As fast as he could caper
He went to bed and bound his head
With vinegar and brown paper.

http://www.rhymes.org.uk/jack_and_jill.htm

This is widely considered to be the definitive work on the subject. However, it is two centuries old. If Fox News or the New York Times or the Washington Times or MSNBC or some other "reputable" source did not authorize the story within the last month, you are not allowed to mention it. And forget about doing your own analysis or writing your own opinions about anything that even touches on the story of Jack and Jill---like safe mountain climbing or dwindling world water supplies or domestic violence. If Jack and or Jill are mentioned (or even aluded to) in your essay, you had better be parroting someone else's (less than 3 week old) opinion.

Because, you see, opinions are dangerous---unless they come from a corporate CEO. We would not want to encourage anyone to think independently, would we? The American Founders thought for themselves and look what that got us.

Say you get lucky, and the press decides to give you something to comment about (since you are not allowed to do your own thinking on the issue of Jack and Jill). Since the corporate news only knows how to do one thing in America nowadays---paint every issue in black and white---you would find yourself restricted to writing about one of these topics:


"That Jack! He is always getting into trouble---and dragging poor, kind hearted Jill into the messes he makes. He needs to give her a little freedom."

"That Jill! She is a thorn in Jack's side! She nevers gives him a moment's peace, always clinging to him. She is such a burden on the poor man! Why can't she give him a little space?"

On the other hand, if the mainstream press decides that any kind of story of Jack and Jill is dangerous (since it is a veiled reference to overthrowing monarchies, something no American would ever dare discuss much less do), then their conspiracy of silence envelops you, too. If the CEOs at ABC and CBS get together and decide that cute Little Bow Peep sells more copy, then you better start writing about Little Bow Peep and her cute little curls if you know what is good for you.

And in any case, only a divisive, disagreeable, unAmerican person would insist upon bringing up the whole Jack and Jill matter. Remember the motto of the American Patriots

"I may not agree with what you have said.... and I will kick your ass if you try to say it again."

[madrchsod]

1. interesting.......

and much shorter but to the point than many of your other posts...:thumbsup:

[truth2power]

2. You are so correct...

Obviously, Jack & Jill's situation is open to interpretation, and it would be regrettable if you lived in a town where your opinions and concerns about the pair couldn't be expressed.

In fact, it would really suck to think that your town, which otherwise had much to recommend it, put such constraints on what you could discuss. What to do?

Short of moving out of town and leaving all your friends behind, you might want to consider spending some time in other towns where there is an independent press that doesn't allow CEO's to dictate what should and shouldn't be discussed.

[defendandprotect]

3. Aren't most of us avoiding corporate press . . . CIA/Pentagon press . ....???

[appal_jack]

4. Link or it didn't happen

Yeeeeaaaah, I'm going to need a link for that; right after you file your TSP report...











:sarcasm:



In all seriousness, nicely stated Mr. Taylor.


-app

[Mind_your_head]

5. I'm okay with you........until the last line....are you adding to the stressful confusion?

The final line of your post SHOULD read:

"I may not agree with what you have to say, but I will defend to the death your RIGHT to say it!"

[evilkumquat]

6. I think he omitted the word "new" before "American Patriots".

THEN it makes sense.

[planetc]

7. None of your posts is too long, and

This is an excellent insight you've suggested for us here. I know from experience how difficult it was to introduce to the New York Times the notion that Bill Clinton had not yet been convicted of anything, and perhaps it would be a good idea for the Times to stop talking about his administration as though it were a tissue of scandal. It was impossible. The Times couldn't hear anyone saying that. And the local paper did not want to hear that there might have been something wrong with the 2004 election. They printed my letter, with...and this is important...an editorial note to advise readers that there wasn't any possibility that the results of the election were in doubt. They included a reference to articles on their website that would explain that there could be no doubt of the result. On their website, there were no articles that bore on the points I had made in my letter.

All of which is why, when I hear Americans beating themselves up because horrible things are being done in their name *and they aren't doing anything about it,* I disagree. Given the degree of control of public opinion that our mass media have, there is very little we can do without a general strike, or a similarly massive protest. All that we can do for the moment is inform ourselves and as many of our neighbors as we can reach, and plan to join any massive public protest. If we can't use the government's watchdog capabilities and we can't reach the mainstream press, there ain't a whole lot we can do about the hijacking of the country. And so feeling personal guilt for the misdeeds of the Defense Department is a waste to time and energy. Don't get mad, and don't feel guilty. Wait and watch for the chance to arrest and try and convict.