One of the hippest pieces out there right now is Maureen Farrell's overview of the Top Ten Conspiracy Theories surrounding the Bush Administration. My only problems concern the opening (which is weak) and the title: Many of the matters Farrell deals with are not theoretical.
One shouldn't apply the word "theory" to such scandals as secret prisons and spying on peace groups -- in fact, one shouldn't even allow the word "theory" in the same room. Otherwise, the Constant Rationalizers of the red states (who already have an amorphous view of reality in which the Four Horsemen and the Four Food Groups have a roughly equivalent level of solidity) will toss into the "Maybe" file many items that belong in the "Fact" folder.
We've been seeing this tactic quite a lot lately -- a series of baldface fabrications directed toward the goal of fooling non-news junkies with an insecure grasp of the actual. How to spin the Abramoff scandal? Keep repeating the lie that Abramoff gave money to 80 Democrats -- even though, in the real world, he didn't donate to a single one. How to spin the violation of the FISA law? Have Alberto Gonzales declare the illegal wiretaps "legal." (No further justifications necessary: Rome Has Spoken.) How to spin away a difficult individual like Joe Wilson? Discredit the man through a carefully-coordinated prevarication-packed propaganda barrage.
If Katrina hadn't caught the Bushites off guard, they might have announced: "We are outraged that Roy Nagin would set off explosives to destroy the levees." Or perhaps Scottie should have simply kept repeating that "New Orleans was completely unharmed. No lives were adversely afected. Everything is fine. Those images on TV were created by a special effects studio run by Hollywood liberals." At least a third of the nation would have believed him.
This piece on Aussie politics has an opening applicable to our own situation:
THERE was a time when scandals felled prime ministers, when even the odd presidency died of shame. Not any more. Just as engines can be powered by the methane from pig shit, leaders in Western democracies seem empowered by their deceits, energised by the venality of their administrations.
1 comment:
joe, TERRIFIC to have your voice in here!
we do miss you!
thanks for this input. farrell is one of the best.
to the notion that the evil appears to be prevailing, i continue to say, patience. every challenge to our integrity is an opportunity to exercise it. evil will always bite the dust of that low road, even if it takes a while.
take care.
Post a Comment