Dilemma for Every Citizen
Determining Fact from Fake News
I am fairly up there in age and grew up in a military family, to give the reader context for my views. I was constantly exposed to propaganda, and thus censorship, especially when overseas. The Armed Forces Radio Service, Army rarely had Television services, supplied a steady stream of historical tidbits which I later discovered was propaganda. In fact, my precollege education was nearly all propaganda, some of which we were challenging; after all, it was the ’60s. Government propaganda and censorship was portrayed as heavy-handed in movies like Fahrenheit 451 and 1984. Little did I realize that this too was propaganda but from a more insidious source: Hollywood, masters of propaganda and censorship.
Encyclopaedia Britannica definition of propaganda; “is the more or less systematic effort to manipulate other people’s beliefs, attitudes, or actions by means of symbols (words, gestures, banners, monuments, music, clothing, insignia, hairstyles, designs on coins and postage stamps, and so forth). Deliberateness and a relatively heavy emphasis on manipulation distinguish propaganda from casual conversation or the free and easy exchange of ideas. Propagandists have a specified goal or set of goals. To achieve these, they deliberately select facts, arguments, and displays of symbols and present them in ways they think will have the most effect. To maximize effect, they may omit or distort pertinent facts or simply lie…” Notice that censorship is an inherent quality of propaganda; they are two sides of the same coin. I have spent nearly the last forty years of my life uncovering the propaganda and censorship the government instilled in me during the first thirty years of my life. That was the problem, I was looking only at government when there was a more insidious channel at work: the Fifth Column movement of reporters.
Fake News has Always Existed
It was Known as Propaganda
During most of American history news sources were openly politically biased. There were pro-Republican papers opposing pro-Democratic papers as well as a few minority rags not worth reading. This was accepted fact. YOUR paper would print all sorts of charges and gossip about the opposing party to keep your loyalty. This technique was used effectively in the Progressive Era to promote or attack labor unions, war movements, suffrage, etc.
Broadcast media, initially overtly biased discovered it could increase revenue by masquerading as unbiased. As a new medium it needed all the listeners it could attract to compete against print media. Since broadcast media quickly morphed into national networks, its major bias was pro-Americanism which blended quite nicely into the Progressive Era which was decidedly anti nearly everyone else except the United Kingdom members. Thus, propaganda was decidedly for everything American and against that which was considered Un-American; Congress even formed an Un-American Committee to investigate such alleged activities. News reporters actively censored themselves to suppress news that might be detrimental to the president, governor, etc. as long as it did not involve corruption or criminal activities. FDR’s and JFK’s sexual affairs were well known but little reported for years. Then, Senator Gary Hart dared reporters to catch him in an affair; which they quickly confirmed, much to his dismay. From that moment forward scandalous news, previously reserved for stars and starlets as it increased their popularity among the fans, was fair game for political figures.
Due to the Frankfurt School’s collegiate infiltration and training of many reporters in training and the increased opposition to the Vietnam War among the genteel college trained population, the Democratic party became the anti-war and pro-social(ism) party while the Republican party, which sought to end the Vietnam War with dignity, became the pro-business and conservative party. Antonio Gramsci’s techniques were successfully implemented birthing a generation of covertly biased reporters. When coupled with cable news networks which broadcast 24 hours/day and demanded constant headline news, the stage was set for covert propaganda and censorship. Fast forward to 2016 and the covertly biased news became blatantly overtly biased propaganda; thus, the label Fake News was born.
YouTube Censored Medical Video
Which Questioned Government Numbers
Our real problem is that government needs the media to get its message to the people. The media needs access to the government officials in order to have news to report, to attract viewers and thus to attract advertisers who actually pay the bills. This cronyism invites Fake News by both parties. YouTube began as a modest harmless means for people to express themselves visually. It became so popular that it became a billion dollar information giant and then merged with Google to grow even more powerful. Control of information has always been the key to power for governments and wealth for businesses. During this current so-called Covid-19 crisis, government has successfully grabbed for unprecedented power over its people. Due to the disguise of science and the support of the media which has become the propaganda arm of the government, people have actively demanded the government control them. When two medical doctors published their analysis of the Covid-19 numbers to prove that self-quarantining was unnecessary, YouTube censored their video {You can find it on BitChute here}. Some media members were concerned but it seems most people, indoctrinated through public education, applauded the censorship. YouTube defined it as misinformation when in fact it correctly uses information but arrives at a different conclusion that questions the governments wholesale imposition of power over citizens.
Control of Information Disguised as Science
Increased Government Control of Citizens
Traditionally, quarantine was used to isolate sick people to protect the general population from significant harm. This government imposed isolation was tolerated because it affected a minority from a significant danger of death. Government with media’s 24 hour propaganda and the scientism of both statistics and epidemiology convinced the majority of Americans to imprison themselves in their homes, tolerate the significant shutdown of the economy and become nearly totally dependent on the government for financial assistance. Those individuals who violated the so-called social distancing were often scolded by their fellow citizens or in the more Democratic localities found themselves arrested. Practice of religion, a basis of morality apart from government, was severely curtailed and threatened with prosecution. Free speech in various forms are being censored. Search engines, the lifeblood of the internet, are routing people to appropriate sources of information which means they are also denying people access to unacceptable sources of information. Twitter practices the same methods so that only approved messages are allowed with the illusion of dissension.
Choice is the Illusion
Does Not Matter Which Pill
Choice is the illusion of Satan (2Th 2:3-12). He does not want choice. He appears to offer choice but it is not choice at all; it is simply the other side of the same coin. For example, national socialism versus international socialism; both are forms of socialism, both are forms of control. That President Trump had control as president was quickly dispelled as his government worked to negate his influence and remove him from office. The fact that it did not work this time is not a victory; that is the illusion. The fact it occurred was the defeat. Now President Trump has become the inspiration for self-quarantining, self-imprisonment, at the government’s whim. I doubt that Mao, Stalin or Hitler could have imagined such a result was possible. They murdered millions, each, and never achieved what the American government has achieved peacefully, voluntarily. The legalization of drugs simply makes the population more compliant as depicted in Brave New World. This novel more closely describes the relationship of compliant Americans with their government today than does 1984. Marx’s socialists followed 1984; Gramsci’s socialists follow Brave New World. The former did not succeed; the latter have succeeded wildly and masquerade under the banner of liberty carried by the citizens chanting their pledges of allegiance to slavery. Pass the Soma please.