I ran across a quote I saved "See, in my line of work, you got to keep repeating things over and over again for the truth to sink in, to kind of catapult the propaganda." - President George W. Bush, Rochester, N.Y., May 24, 2005.
This quote gives great insight into spin in recent weeks over the NSA presidential law-breaking. It's also notable that the on December 17, 2005 Bush used the "blame the messenger" tactic, a key strategy, when he said in his Saturday Address, "Yesterday the existence of this secret program was revealed in media reports, after being improperly provided to news organizations. As a result, our enemies have learned information they should not have, and the unauthorized disclosure of this effort damages our national security and puts our citizens at risk."
Hmmmm! interesting, but what about President BUSH's improper behavior and actions that caused this leak in the first place. How about the US media turning its head related to the widely publicized outside the U.S. facts that the Bush administration used the NSA to spy on U. N. diplomats in New York before the invasion of Iraq. In an article by Noman Solomon, author of War Made Easy: How Presidents and Pundits Keep Spinning Us to Death, he validates that no, we're not crazy if you remember the storiesm that never took root here in the US in 2003. The article is worth the read:
"That spying had nothing to do with protecting the United States from a terrorist attack. The entire purpose of the NSA surveillance was to help the White House gain leverage, by whatever means possible, for a resolution in the U.N. Security Council to green light an invasion. When that surveillance was exposed nearly three years ago, the mainstream U.S. media winked at Bush's illegal use of the NSA for his Iraq invasion agenda."
I am baffled by three things:
1) Why the BUSH administration is incapable of TELLING THE TRUTH and TAKING RESPONSIBILITY for its actions and behavior?
2) Why President BUSH and multiple members of his administration are allowed to operate above the law?
3) Why do we put up with it?
I wish I knew. When you talk to people, most don't even know about the NSA situation or any of the other long-series of improper leadership, other than what they've heard in a sound byte. The media runs from one story of distraction to another and somehow seems to downplay the truth about the stories that are really vital to our security. Even more, who cares? We're all so consumed in our lives and comforts. BUSH's propaganda spin machine works on to shape our thinking, believing and inaction. As BUSH said, he needs to "keep repeating things over and over again for the truth to sink in" Sadly, it appears in many venues to be working.
In the meantime, I recommit myself to tell the truth, pay attention and do what I can do in my span of influence to sound the bell for change and civic involvement.
What ideas can you offer??? What can we do?
Debbe Kennedy
Founder, Global Dialogue Center
Comments