This report or editorial came from Philip Elliot (AP), 3 hours ago, about how the Republicans are attacking Obama on being insensitive.The issue, of course is about propaganda. Obama has the best message, and that message, on a level playing field could damage the image of the Republicans, and hurt their chances in the next election. The problem is, that the media playing field is not level. In spite of the incessant propaganda telling us the media has a left wing bias, most of the media actually lean toward the Republicans. Fox News, the most watched 24 hour news channel is saturated with anti Obama propaganda.
In spite of Obama having clearly the better message, the Republicans are probably going to batter him in this round of the propaganda war.
Here is the Issue: A Muslim cultural centre has rented or bought a place two blocks from "Ground Zero" in New York.
Here is Obama's message: People of any religion are free to have meetings anywhere in the USA.
Here is the Republican Message: Obama is insulting the families of those killed in 9/11 by having a mosque built at ground zero.
If the media was unbiased, Obama should win this one. The Republican story has two glaring errors. It's not a mosque, and it's not at ground zero. Obama has a very strong point about freedom of religion, and another strong point that America has no grudge against Muslims, just against terrorists (of any religion actually).
But with a biased media, this story has the power to hurt Obama. After Fox News repeats their story for a while, echoed by the rest of the mainstream media, Obama is going to look like an out-of touch elitist who does not understand the emotional needs of real Americans.
If The Democrats try to fight back accusing the Republicans of racism, discrimination, lying and distorting facts, they are going to come off looking even more like losers.
I don't know how the left wing can win this propaganda battle, with Fox News standing guard against any reasonable Democratic arguments, but the Democrats need to send out this a strong reminder to America.
How about this message for example? "The real traitors to America are those who undermine its freedom. Liberty for all or liberty for none. You would think the Republicans, who claim to believe in "Land of the free, home of the brave", would be the most happy to have an Islamic cultural centre in New York."
The idea is to make the Republicans sound small minded and petty. Here are some specific messages to fight back on:
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"It's not a question of whether or not they have a right to build it," Portman said. "It's a question of whether or not they should."
Answer: So it OK to have the right to do something in the USA, just as long as you don't actually try doing it. That is hypocritical.
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"Mr. President, ground zero is the wrong place for a mosque." Rick Scott
Answer: You win, we will not allow anyone to build a mosque at ground zero. Would you like to decide on the place? How about a block from ground zero? two blocks? a hundred miles? A thousand? Are you looking to have an Islamic centre in your home state?
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"Well I think it's another example of him playing the role of law professor. ... We can have a great debate about the legal arguments. But it's not about that," Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty said in an interview Monday on Fox News.
Answer: So what is it about, Governor, if it not about law? Instead of the law, how about a group of angered citizens who band together to drive the Islamists out of town? Maybe this veiled reference to lynch mobs is too blatant. So word it a better, more subtle way, but this issue has to be fought, and fought hard if America is to survive as a free country.
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In spite of the far better message of the Democrats, they simply cannot get their message relayed by the mainstream media. If there ever was a proof that there is no liberal bias in the mainstream media any more, this is it. If freedom of religion and rule of law get beaten by a couple of outright lies and religious bigotry, I say the mainstream media has now officially become a right wing propaganda machine.
Picture: Harper's Weekly Sept 5, 1868. Editorial Cartoon from back in a time when the American press was more balanced.
The Al-Qaeda attacks were a bad thing. No question. But the Right in the U.S. has persisted in using that event as a political bludgeon ever since.
ReplyDeleteBad enough the compromises to civil liberties by abominations such as the USA PATRIOT Act, but the vested interests in the 'security' industries have managed to arrogate a disproportionate chunk of government budgets.
And all that with the support and connivance of the Right.
The Al-Qaeda attacks were a bad thing. But they should have neither been a surprise or precipitated the massive overreaction they have. The fact that they have done so simply indicates how out of touch most Americans are with the rest of the world.
One of the costs of imperialism has always been the risk of attack by those resentful of that imperialism.
The death toll in the Al-Qaeda attacks was less than 3,000. More people than that die on American highways every month. And yet there is no corresponding outcry, no national wailing and gnashing of teeth, no series of draconian measures.
The Al-Qaeda attacks were a bad thing. But, surely, the wrong 'lessons' are being taken from this. Rather than frankly examining things like the costs of American addiction to energy from unstable regimes, it's much easier to agitate intolerance and scapegoating.