COMMENTS:
no, I'm not exactly afraid of anything now. The people control the government, not the other way around.
RRW you never fail to amuse me. Long time no speak buddy ;-)
by B_P on Wed Jun 29, 05 10:13am
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i think to some degree they are knowingly using fear as a means to implement their agenda. i don't know how anyone could deny this. bush, cheney and rumsfled seem to cause more anxiety than they do hope and promise. as for the people controlling the government, as republican-righwing indicates, i would ask him to tell me the last time he called a senator or congress person's office. i have, and to be frank, never get a response. sadly, i don't believe we are controlling our government to the extent you want to convince yourself of. of course, you strike me as being somewhat like baghdad bob, the minister of dis-information for sadam hussein, who on tv said "the americans are no where near baghdad." he said this while american military tanks were rolling past him in the background.
Yeah, top of the morning to you too B_P. "All authority belongs to the people." -Thomas Jefferson.
Yes just watch CNN headline news and you can see it clearly, I caught my teenagers watching it once and blocked the channel from the TV.
by ABC on Wed Jun 29, 05 12:12pm
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That's how they control the sheeple.
Yes. There is a direct, inverse relationship with Bush' poll numbers and how often 9/11 is cited.
No, the terrorists do that all by themselves, hence the name terrorists.
Bushy has constantly used the fear card. Extremely manipulative and dishonest.
The government uses fear as motivation, without a doubt. They like it when we fear, because they can use it to keep themselves in office.
Don't know about controlling because that is something that the individual does. Stoking or perpetuating fears, yes I think the government does that. And not just in what most people think. Also NGOs do this. Fear sells. Fear makes lots of money. Fear keeps people viting one way or another. ie It isn't about Bush or Kerry IT IS ABOUT THE SUPREME COURT AND ROE V. WADE is a classic example. Think about how many people will ever be affected by an abortion. But people on both sides of the issue make it the single most important issue in the US regarding the Supreme Court. I have never met anyone who has had an abortion, nor have I ever met anyone who will stand outside an abortion clinic and yell at people as they go in. Global warming is another fear-mongers dream. How can anyone really believe that "scientists" can predict the weather one hundred years from now when they can't predict the weather for ten days with any degree of accuracy? But both those issues keep people in great fear. How laughable.
And since we have so many partisan responses the Democrats are no better than the Republicans in selling fear. Social Security is used to scare old people regularly. But only around election time. They don't want anybody thinking about SS at any other time. Medicare/caid is another way to scare old people that Dems use every 2-4 years. Why do Dems scare old people specifically you might ask? Because they vote. Dems also use class-warfare fears EVERYDAY to sell their particular brand of "justice". Dems (and their NGO cohorts) also use the environment to scare people. Of course, the Republicans play right into this because they also benefit by the reactionary knee-jerks who think man can do whatever, whenever he wants to the environment. Anyways, you get the point. Can't just say Repubs do it, and if you do you are nothing more than a useful idiot, or a willing dupe.
I think that the government plays on the fear of the people to achieve ends. For example, in light of the terrorist attacks of September 11th, 2001, people got REALLY freaked out. That's a reasonable reaction, given the circumstances. So the reaction was: "That's so horrible and frightening! How can we make it so that's not going to happen again??" Good question. At that moment, we were all so scared that we would have accepted almost any course of action that was meant to protect us and relieve some of that fear, regardless of whether or not that course of action would have any tangible impact on the threat of domestic terrorism. The importance was that we did things to make us feel safer. So we declared "War on Terror"--which of course is only a propagandist tagline designed to rally support--much like the War on Drugs. (like father, like son) We couldn't even call it the War on Terrorism, we had to shorten it to "Terror", which speaks volumes of the frame of mind we were, are, and will continue to be in for an indefinite period of time.
The American people (the majority) are like a puppy. You can lie to them, you can kick them in the face and they'll still come back for more. The government does this through fear and the media. The polls for example are very easily influenced. One day 60% oppose Bush/war, and then the next day Rumsfeld gives a speech on how America's suceeding in Iraq; 60% support Bush/war. "no, I'm not exactly afraid of anything now." Except for the terrorists Bush & Co. keep bringing up. Be aware, they're hiding in every corner with their RPGs and AK-47s. (sarcasm) "i have, and to be frank, never get a response." You have to be a wealthy, multi-millionaire in order to get a response. Same goes when you call the police. Ever call the police form a poor area? You can try it, they won't respond for hours when all the shooting's done. "No, the terrorists do that all by themselves, hence the name terrorists." Yes, because we all know how often terrorists attack the US... Of all the responses, I'm suprised I'd ever say this but I agree with Inter_Regnum the most. It's not just the Neo-Cons or Commie Pinkos, but politicians in general. It's an easy way for rich CEOs and GMs to get wealthy off fear.
Sorry Applerod, I missed your comment. I thought it was another really good one.
Except for the terrorists Bush & Co. keep bringing up. Be aware, they're hiding in every corner with their RPGs and AK-47s. (sarcasm) Some might be afraid. I only speak for myself. Fear profits man nothing. This gives my an idea for a ballot later.
R_R, I was trying to show they type of paranoia Americans show when it comes to terrorism, with that comment.
Exactly liberal, which is by definition what terrorism is designed to do, so I guess the terrorists were successful then weren't they? By the way, I hope they never do attack our country again, but I certainly wouldn't be so arrogant and smug talking about it, though.
But you don't have 2 listen to it
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