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 Weapons of "Mass Deception"

By: John F. Borowski - 04/15/03

Deeply entrenched in the bunkers of corporate America's media spin machine are their weapons of mass deception: Sean Hannity, Oliver North, G. Gordon Liddy, Newt Gingrich, Michael Savage and Bill O'Reilly. With the bite of junk- yard dogs, the collective integrity of a group of street corner hookers, these "purveyors of the news" have slide below the radar screen of the "yellow press." They have reached for the lowest common denominator in terms of truth and moral compassion: and if half-truths, moral ambiguity and bold- faced lies are the prizes, they are to be commended. 

Democracy's foundation is solidified when "civic knowledge" is demonstrated and acted upon by its citizens. The conduit for civil discourse and cognizance of complex principles has long been the media. If last week's coverage of the Iraq war is used to gauge how well our democracy is receiving information and an indicator of the objectivity of presenting "news", our cherished free press is writhing in its death throes. What happened to the news as a "watch-dog" of the public? The "yellow six" appear more like paid lap dogs, where attacks are made, regardless the distortions, regardless the omissions? 

"News" is meant to objectively enlighten and equip citizens with data to analyze events and then: relay their desires to their elected representatives. Instead sensationalism, corporate doctrine and "scripted outcomes" fill the airwaves: these self-anointed patriots bombard the United States populous with sermons, not news, turn facts into fiction and boldly have crossed the fine line of journalism. For these dangerous clowns to judge the morality of others, to denounce good Americans as "not being patriotic" or smear those who exercise concern about American soldiers as well as Iraq civilians begs the question: who are these demagogues? Simply answered, they are nothing less than fatally flawed humans, intoxicated by their wealth, emboldened by their corporate taskmasters and apparently short on self- reflection. And no one is holding them accountable. Yet make no mistake: they are dangerous. Dangerous to democracy, appealing to the simple minded, who thrive on having someone to blame, someone to hate. 

Searching the television channels and radio stations for just one day's worth of "news" I was made privy to this group of small minded, big winded and most hypercritical assortment of rogues: 

§ G. Gordon Liddy should discuss morality? He is a Watergate break-in criminal, spent four years in prison and is a political hack; 

§ Oliver North was convicted of falsifying and destroying Security Council documents. He knew of drug traffic to help aid the Contras and was involved with conspirators trying to assassinate Honduran nationals. He should lecture the American public on the liberation of people? 

§ Newt Gingrich speaks of the "left, media elite and liberal" that are morally bankrupt, this coming from a man who left his wife, ill with cancer, to have an affair? 

§ Michael Savage is nothing less than a closet rabble- rouser, who lies and exaggerates, using sickening anti-Semite and gay/lesbian epitaphs to expose a mindset comparable to a KKK speaker, minus the hood. 

§ Both Hannity and O'Reilly excel at the "hyperbole game", often using misleading data, well-worn clichés, interruptive reporting and when enflamed they lash into Clinton bashing as if anyone cares about the previous president's allure to young women. 

The American public needs a serious discussion about Iraq. Of course the majority of citizens are pleased with the departure of Saddam. Yet, isn't the common American citizen entitled to ask tough questions: expecting razor sharp and factual answers? How much will this war cost? Why was our country importing over 1.1 million barrels of oil from Iraq, when pundits called the regime evil? Aren't citizens entitled to know the connections between Vice-president Cheney and Security Advisor Condeelza Rice to oil interests? Do most Americans know the Condeelza Rice was a major player for Chevron, even having an oil tanker named for her? How about Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfield excursion to Iraq in 1984 as a special envoy of President Reagan: did he condemn the gassing of Iranians by Iraq? What negotiations did he engineer to help try the Bechtel Corporation get a pipeline through Iraq? Throughout the 1980's what weapons did we ferret to Iraq, directly and indirectly via third parties, in an effort to support their war against Iran? Did nerve agents leave the states and find a home in Iraq: if so, why? These tough questions in no way tarnish the sacrifice and duty of our military, because they too are entitled to know the big picture. 

Isn't it ironic that Halliburton, friend to Vice-president Cheney is bound to reap in hundreds of millions of dollars in contracts in Iraq, minus competitive bidding? Why isn't the "yellow press" gang, doing real investigative reporting: instead they take us through a tired monologue laced with tired old mantras ranging from "liberal to leftists to domestic terrorists?" The answer is easy: they fear the truth, their house of cards would crumble if they acknowledged the truth and their mythology is not served by the truth. 

It is time to boycott all advertisers that use these puppets to sell their widgets. It is time to redefine the "news" and up the ante in terms of quality reporting. It is time to stand face to face to these charlatans and tell them they are wrong, they are un-American, that we will not revert back to the scare tactics of the 1950's and that they don't fool us. Good Americans will not sit by while power hungry politicians and their corporate swine who look to feed at the trough of misery in Iraq put profit before Democratic principles. 

Contrary to belief, one can pray for the safety of citizen soldiers and yet, find this war despicable in nature. Those who wrap themselves in the flag and then vilify fellow citizens who seek to guide and yes, criticize President Bush are cowards hiding behind a flag my father fought for and my uncle died for. President Bush seemingly is at war with our civil liberties, ignoring our schools, running up our debt, invading and threatening our privacy. He is clandestinely dismantling environmental protections, favoring big corporate America over citizens. Any time our Constitution and Bill of Rights are in danger of being trampled, it is incumbent for citizens to scream.

We have found these weapons of mass deception: let's rid our democracy of them.

John F. Borowski, a contributing writer for Liberal Slant, has been a teacher of environmental and marine science for 23 years. He sits on the advisory board of the Native Forest Council, and has testified in Congress on behalf of forest protection. His pieces have also appeared in PR Watch, UTNE Reader, Forest Voice, Commondreams, N.Y. Times, Z Magazine and numerous other sites. He can be reached at jenjill@proaxis.com 

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