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09/17/2001 Archived Entry: "17-September-2001 -- Propaganda, American-style"

Propaganda, American-style (Noam Chomsky) -- "For those who stubbornly seek freedom around the world, there can be no more urgent task than to come to understand the mechanisms and practices of indoctrination. These are easy to perceive in the totalitarian societies, much less so in the propaganda system to which we are subjected and in which all too often we serve as unwilling or unwitting instruments." (Comments: Quite an interesting essay.)

Replies: 4 comments

And here's a couple of excellent articles from the middle ground (sorry, these Guardian links don't paste too well)...
http://www.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,3604,554300,00.html
http://www.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,3604,554281,00.html

Posted by Alan @ 09/19/2001 09:03 AM EST

Tom, I'm sorry, but the Frontpage stuff makes no sense to me at all. Your second link refers to a piece published in the UK. Here's the link to it:

http://www.observer.co.uk/comment/story/0,6903,552764,00.html

And here, for me, is the key part of the piece:

"to most people in the Islamic and Arab worlds the official US is synonymous with arrogant power, known for its sanctimoniously munificent support not only of Israel but of numerous repressive Arab regimes, and its inattentiveness even to the possibility of dialogue with secular movements and people who have real grievances. Anti-Americanism in this context is not based on a hatred of modernity or technology-envy: it is based on a narrative of concrete interventions, specific depredations ..."

The fact that many people don't like what articles like this are saying doesn't alter the truth that many people in 3rd world countries are antagonistic to the west in general and the USA in particular. You can't deny or alter that, but you must ask what you can do to reverse it. My suggestion? Hit the terrorists with as big a stick as we can, but also spend some of our billions on real aid to real people - prove to them that we really are altruistic.

And note the use of the phrase "official US" in this piece. It's plain from the events of the last week that the average US citizen is kind-hearted and generous and ready to help those in need. But while their government often displays those characteristic too, unfortunately they often don't as well.

Finally, please stop equating the healthy exercise of a democratic right to question why this happened and what our leaders are doing in response with support for the terrorists. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Posted by Alan @ 09/19/2001 06:55 AM EST

Tom,

Thank you for providing these URLs. It is always good to see the other side of the coin.

Important side note: I strongly encourage people to post links. I only ask that we keep calm and civil. People are allowed to different points of view here.

Thanks,

- John

Posted by John S. Rhodes @ 09/18/2001 09:24 AM EST

For an opposing view to Noam Chomsky's trash and the asinine article about the Peace Movement, here are a few links:

http://www.frontpagemagazine.com/

http://www.frontpagemag.com/columnists/radosh/2001/rr09-18-01.htm

http://www.townhall.com/columnists/debbieschlussel/ds20010918.shtml

Posted by Tom @ 09/18/2001 09:07 AM EST

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