From: David Farber <dave@xxxxxxxxxx>
Date: September 8, 2006 8:37:06 AM PDT
To: ip@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [IP] Manipulating common people to support wars
Reply-To: dave@xxxxxxxxxx
Begin forwarded message:
From: Shannon McElyea <shannonm@xxxxxxxxx>
Date: September 8, 2006 11:33:24 AM EDT
To: David Farber <dave@xxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Manipulating common people to support wars
Reply-To: Shannon@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Dear Dave,
ABC is going to air a 9/11 docudrama miniseries - two days Sept.
10/11th
called "Path to 9/11," which is being billed as "an objective
telling of the
events of 9/11."
. The film - written by an avowed conservative activist - was
provided in
advance to approximately 900 right-wing bloggers and media
personalities
such as Rush Limbaugh. However, former President Bill Clinton and
two of his
cabinet officials were denied when they requested preview copies of
the
film. Former Secretary of State Madeline Albright has called the
film -
which includes several scenes with no basis in reality -- "false and
defamatory."
. In response to mounting pressure, the film's producers are
making some
small changes...but according to conservative blogger Hugh Hewitt,
"blame on
the Clinton team is in the DNA of the project and could not be
eradicated."
. ABC has teamed up with Scholastic Inc., a company that sells
textbooks,
to send letters to 100,000 teachers across the country offering
free copies
of the film and "study guides," despite the fact that the film is a
"docu-drama" in which important facts and events have simply been
invented
out of thin air.
This reminds me of how to manipulate people to support war:
http://www.snopes.com/quotes/goering.htm
"Of course the people don't want war. But after all, it's the
leaders of the
country who determine the policy, and it's always a simple matter
to drag
the people along whether it's a democracy, a fascist dictatorship,
or a
parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the
people can
always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All
you have
to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the
pacifists for
lack of patriotism, and exposing the country to greater danger."
-- Herman Goering at the Nuremberg trials/proceedings
Goering's comments were made privately to Gustave Gilbert, a German-
speaking
intelligence officer and psychologist who was granted free access
by the
Allies to all the prisoners held in the Nuremberg jail.
Gilbert recorded Goering's observations that the common people can
always be
manipulated into supporting and fighting wars by their political
leaders:
Gilbert: We got around to the subject of war again and I said that,
contrary to his attitude, I did not think that the common people
are very
thankful for leaders who bring them war and destruction.
Goering: "Why, of course, the people don't want war," Goering
shrugged.
"Why would some poor slob on a farm want to risk his life in a war
when the
best that he can get out of it is to come back to his farm in one
piece.
Naturally, the common people don't want war; neither in Russia nor in
England nor in America, nor for that matter in Germany. That is
understood.
But, after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine the
policy
and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether
it is a
democracy or a fascist dictatorship or a Parliament or a Communist
dictatorship."
Gilbert: "There is one difference," I pointed out. "In a
democracy the
people have some say in the matter through their elected
representatives,
and in the United States only Congress can declare wars."
Goering: "Oh, that is all well and good, but, voice or no voice,
the
people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is
easy.
All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked and
denounce the
pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to
danger. It
works the same way in any country."
-----Original Message-----
From: ActForChange [mailto:actforchange@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]
Sent: Friday, September 08, 2006 6:05 AM
Subject: ABC Distorts 9/11; Important New Developments
ACTFORCHANGE ACTIVISM UPDATE: September 8th, 2006
** URGENT ALERT **
ABC's 9/11 Distortions Get Even Worse
http://act.actforchange.com/cgi-bin7/DM/y/eplK0JYXzg0A0BMku0EY
On September 10th and 11th, ABC is planning to air a "docu-drama"
called "Path to 9/11," which is being billed as "an objective telling
of the events of 9/11." In fact, the film was written by an unabashed
conservative who twists the facts to blame President Clinton.
And since we wrote you on Wednesday, new details have emerged that
show EVEN MORE distortions and intentional conservative slant to the
program.
Tell ABC to cancel this show -- and Scholastic, Inc. not to distribute
it in our nation's schools. Click here:
http://act.actforchange.com/cgi-bin7/DM/y/eplK0JYXzg0A0BMku0EY
Among the latest developments:
- Approximately 900 copies went out to conservative bloggers and
media personalities such as Rush Limbaugh -- but the producers
flat-out refused to send a copy to former President Bill Clinton for
review.
- The show's producers have reassured conservatives that "blame on
the Clinton team is [still] in the DNA of the project."
- ABC has teamed up with Scholastic, Inc -- a textbook publisher --
to offer this propaganda with an accompanying "study guide" to 100,000
teachers across America.
It's simply STUNNING to think that as this fall's election approaches,
a major television network (which pretends to be politically neutral)
would devote six hours of prime-time programming to air such a slanted
and wildly inaccurate program. It's unacceptable -- and we all need to
take action to prevent it from happening.
Tell ABC and Scholastic to cancel the broadcast airing of this show,
as well as its distribution to schools and teachers. Click here:
http://act.actforchange.com/cgi-bin7/DM/y/eplK0JYXzg0A0BMku0EY
*** Want to increase your impact? Share this message with everyone you
know who's interested in fair media and unbiased reporting on the
events that led to Sept. 11th, 2001. ***
THANK YOU for working to build a better world.
Will Easton
Manager, ActForChange.com
Working Assets
You have received this newsletter because you have previously taken
action on ActForChange in support of progressive values.
Is this e-mail going to your junk/bulk folder?
Add actforchange@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx to your address book to
ensure that you receive all future communications in your in-box.
By receiving our updates, youre now part of a progressive force for
change. E-mail is a convenient, tree-friendly way to quickly reach out
to like-minded people like you on urgent issues that we all care
about.
To view our Privacy Policy, please click here:
http://www.workingforchange.com/about/privacy.cfm
In our records you are: ShannonM@xxxxxxxxxx
If you do not wish to receive timely information about Working Assets
products or if you would like to make a change to your e-mail address
or newsletter subscriptions, please click on this link:
http://www.workingforchange.com/unsub/act_unsub.cfm?
emailaddr=ShannonM@gmail
.com
Or, send a blank e-mail to
unsbscrbAFC-ctgplK0JYXzg0A0A0CU@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
and type "No Thanks" into the subject line. If you have additional,
alias or forwarding addresses, please include them in the subject line
of the e-mail.
Please note: any inquiries sent to this address will not be read.
Please do not reply to this e-mail to contact Working Assets.
If you have any comments or questions, please e-mail
info@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Or write to us at: 101 Market Street, Suite 700, San Francisco, CA,
94105.
-------------------------------------
You are subscribed as aps@xxxxxxxx
To manage your subscription, go to
http://v2.listbox.com/member/?listname=ip
Archives at: http://www.interesting-people.org/archives/interesting-
people/