Russia fearmongering, censorship, and what it means
During the November 1, Congressional hearings on “Extremist Content and Russian Disinformation Online,” a former U.S. Army officer named Clint Watts gave an interesting testimony.
“Civil wars don’t start with gunshots, they start with words,” he proclaimed. “America’s war with itself has already begun. We all must act now on the social media battlefield to quell information rebellions that can quickly lead to violent confrontations and easily transform us into the Divided States of America.”
Next, Watts suggested a government-imposed campaign of media censorship: “Stopping the false information artillery barrage landing on social media users comes only when those outlets distributing bogus stories are silenced: silence the guns and the barrage will end.”The censorious overtone of Watts’ testimony was unmistakable. He demanded that government news inquisitors drive dissident media off the internet and warned that Americans would spear one another with bayonets if they failed to act. And not one member of Congress rose to object.
The Russia hysteria is so bizarro-world, over-the-top propaganda that its got me thinking about what the ruling elite is trying to achieve.
Do they really want war with Russia? Probably not.
Their real targets are much closer.
Put the censorship campaigns together and the message is clear: Left-wing critics, already marginalized by the state, must be silenced.It would seem, given how we are locked out of the corporate media and public broadcasting, that the assault is overkill. But the ideology that sustains the corporate state, the “free market” and neoliberalism has lost all credibility. The corporate state has no counterargument to its critics. The nakedness of corporate greed, exploitation and repression is transparent across the political spectrum. The ideological fortress erected by corporate power and sustained by its courtiers in the press and academia has collapsed. All it has left is a crude censorship.
I believe Chris Hedges is right.
They wouldn't resort to censorship if they could effectively dismiss or ignore instead.
This Russia scaremongering has little to do with Russia, and it has everything to do with maintaining a status quo that has already failed and will continue to fail.
The ruling elite seem to be aware that their system is broken, and that anyone capable of independent thought (i.e. not a member of DKos) has figured this out.
So instead of yet another Madison Avenue sales pitch, the ruling elite has decided to use naked force on the 99%.
The police were already an occupation army before Trump.
Bush and Obama created a Total Surveillance State designed to suppress dissent and kill free speech before Trump.
We have already exceeded the dystopia's of Orwell, Huxley, Dick, and Kafka.
All that is left is the catalyst to unleash the full force of repression.
The charge that RT and these left-wing sites disseminate “foreign propaganda” is the beginning, not the end, of a broad campaign against press freedom. Once this precedent of state censorship is normalized, far more tepid and compliant media outlets will be targeted.
The fact that the ruling elites have gone to such extremes in preparation just shows how bad things are going to get, and that the ruling elites are prepared to sacrifice us all in order to defend their privilege.
In many ways, we are a late Roman Empire, in which the serfs often welcomed and helped the invading barbarians.
The deep state’s decision in ancient Rome—dominated by a bloated military and a corrupt oligarchy, much like the United States of 2017—to strangle the vain and idiotic Emperor Commodus in his bath in the year 192 did not halt the growing chaos and precipitous decline of the Roman Empire.
Comments
It's always the left that gets shit on.
Meanwhile, the centrists enable right-wing and far-right groups, including the alt-right. The only thing 'alt' about those fuckers is that some of them don't have Bibles shoved up their asses.
Modern education is little more than toeing the line for the capitalist pigs.
Guerrilla Liberalism won't liberate the US or the world from the iron fist of capital.
the bankrupt liberal class
It's like those environmental groups who's chief purpose is to green-wash polluters.
Chris Hedges wrote a book about it
The Death of the Liberal Class.
RT's crimes
from the Director of National Intelligence (DNI), “Assessing Russian Activities and Intentions in Recent U.S. Elections,”
Can you believe that? widespread infringements of civil liberties, police brutality, and drone use, criticism of the US economic system, US currency policy, alleged Wall Street greed!?!?!
Is the Director of National Intelligence trying criticize RT, or give reasons to watch RT?
It sounds to me like RT reporting...
could actually be what I would hope would be found in an unbiased intelligence report.
Is there anything in that quoted paragraph that is not absolutely true about the US?
That's not fake news then. That's the truth.
That is how Democracy dies
Actually it is pretty much dead already but they censor the only places where dissent can still be broadcast and we become the USSR of North America.
"You can't just leave those who created the problem in charge of the solution."---Tyree Scott
The southern ex-confederate states are a cancer
and while I appreciate that many good progressives live there, if they can't wrest power away from the racists who have infested these states since their inception, I, for one, wouldn't miss them all that very much. Divided could actually be stronger and healthier than united if it meant getting rid of the cancer.
A dkos turd comment if I ever read one
And might I add, you seem nice (cough).
Yep, I'm supposed to single-handedly "wrestle power" from Texas. I'm seriously tempted to tell your pristine, northern, uber progressive (yeah right), but at the same time bigoted, regionist ass to fuck off. Instead, I'll just say, well bless your heart.
You know, before I really started reading
and before the edict from the Kos, I might have slightly agreed that yes, the Southern states in their most virulent racist form, should be jettisoned from the US. I absolutely loved the book "Better Off Without 'Em" by Charlie Thompson. Yeah. Well. That isn't the answer to racism in this country. It makes a really tempting target, I grant you that, and I'm a middle aged white woman once married to a black man as well as the daughter of staunch Republicans who only thinly veiled their own racism. That's part of divide and conquer. How do you think the RWNJ side has become so virulent with that level of hate? It's just the opposite side of the coin is all - blaming one segment of society for all the ills of a really fucked up system. As damned hard as it is for me to stomach the idea of engaging with racists, blaming them for all the ills is like blaming illegals for all the ills. It's like blaming Donald Fucking Trump solely for what America has become. Yeah. Sure. Whatever.
Only a fool lets someone else tell him who his enemy is. Assata Shakur
And the dickish comment has ZERO to do w/the essay
Unless I completely missed something, I think this Richard Head bigot, wealthy or fortunate enough to either move to a pure utopia, or to never have left one, didn't actually read past the first mention of the oxymoronic phrase of Civil War.
Thinking I'd missed something, I followed links. This essay is about RT and censorship, with that initial tidbit from an ex military moron. I don't even know if the idiot is from the South.
Did I just miss the part about the South causing RT's troubles and censorship? I'm baffled, truly baffled, and offended.
And thank you!
Who is Richard Head? Can't follow your comment w/o that info.
Nickname for Richard is DICK
Richard Head is my nice way of saying DICK HEAD.
Don't mean to shout at you. I'm a little bitty pissed right now that Wink says all women are whores (another gjohnsit thread), and that everyone born in the South since forever ago is a "fuck". Basically, unless you're a man born in a northern state, you're expendable.
Oh, it's wink
I got the euphemism, just wasn't sure who it was referring to.
Thanks, and sorry for your pain. It is offensive, and unlike c99.
Actually, arendt, the Richard Head was blair mnt war
That's who came into an essay about something completely not regarding the southern U.S. and made this comment thread exactly about the racist South (we're all that way based on where we happen to live, doncha know).
Wink simply chimed in, like choreographed clockwork, just like he did on another gjohnsit's essay, and the instigator that time, acted like he didn't agree at first, but eventually showed his true colors as well.
I think we're being played, frankly.
4 people on my shit list now. Not one innocent, imo. They can all fuck themselves!
It's more than that.
Thing is, the USA has had to -ahem- "compromise" with these fucks on all kinds of issues since 1776. If not before. Compromises were made to get the Constitution signed, sealed and delivered. The North "wins" the Civil War, ending slavery, only to give everything back to the South ten years later, effectively granting the South the win. They ain't looked back and have blocked most legislation aimed at benefiting the poor (blacks). I won't miss them.
the little things you can do are more valuable than the giant things you can't! - @thanatokephaloides. On Twitter @wink1radio. (-2.1) All about building progressive media.
Wow! All women are whores & everyone in the South are "fucks"?
Dkos is to the right -->
Instead of saying, "bless your heart", you get a GO FUCK YOURSELF you hateful, mysoginistic, rich, old, white, bigot fuck!
Not everyone, but I'll
take Jeana Brown's take on it. I'm tired of pretending the South is salvageable. Those living there over the last 100 years have done little to suggest there's anything worth saving. Most living there just go along to get along, not wishing to step on toes or ruffle any feathers. Has it changed at all since the 1920s? Does it not still fight the Civil War? Every day? Don't we see that on Capitol Hill every friggin' day in asshats like Mitch McConnell? Is there any other region in the country that fucks us any more than the South does via House legislation? If not for efforts like Moral Mondays I would say flush it all, and I'm not sure Moral Mondays can save it. And, really, don't much care.
You know what I hear up here in the Great White North more than almost anything? "Why are most of our military bases in the South? Didn't "we" win the Civil War?" Good question. What frosts my bunns and fries my balls more than almost anything are the concessions the North handed the South. Those f'ing concessions are why we are where we are today, still fighting that damn war, still kissing southern ass on Capitol Hill.
the little things you can do are more valuable than the giant things you can't! - @thanatokephaloides. On Twitter @wink1radio. (-2.1) All about building progressive media.
I've got to ask, where do you live?
And have you travelled much?
I grew up in the South (Central Tx to be exact), but have lived in most of the regions of our country. That said, I don't have the slightest idea of what you are on about. You would prefer all military bases be in the North?
You think somehow the Southern states are an anchor? On what? Keeping the rest of us from Nirvana?
At least in my experience, racist bigoted sexist dumb-fucks exist in our country in surprisingly equal numbers North to South. I was actually surprised to find that. I left Texas at 22 year old thinking I was leaving all those rednecks behind.
From NY, to Boston. LA to Portland and Seattle. SF to St Louis. Boston was surprisingly as racist and misogynistic and homophobic as any city I've spent time the south.
Others might have different experiences. I don't know.
Fry your balls away, bigot & mysoginist!
Again, go fuck yourself.
And kiss my sweet little southern ass while you're at it! Even your hateful mysoginistic self can afford my price (all females have one, according to you) of FREE!
C99 ain't the place for you and your archaic buddies. We want to make a difference. You "guys" want to refight the goddamn civil war, apparently, and put us 'women folk back in our places'.
Guess what?
Exactly!
I will not lie down, and I will not go quietly like the good little woman you'd prefer.
Again - GO FUCK YOURSELF!
A song for you, Wink
I've been sucked in, and only have myself to blame. We should both relate to this. Hopefully you can. I certainly can, especially tonight.
[video:https://youtu.be/gkLRojxQ0Ks]
Here's another song. I'm sure you know this one:
[video:https://youtu.be/An2a1_Do_fc]
Enough Deja...
cool it.
Enough wink...
cool it.
Blocked what?
redlining? Racist broken windows policing? Those are big city northern policies. The most segregated cities are in the north, the least segregated cities are ATL and Huston. For Christ sakes, Rahm had a god dam illegal torture center in chi town.
Solidarity forever
let me see.
I seem to remember you as a big Bernie fan. There are real questions about Sanders' reliability going forward.
Why don't you talk about those things?
You have hit a bad patch here lately.
edit. removed unkind remark.
Here is a compromise, Wink.
You, as a resident in the north, apologize for calling me and others who reside in the south as "fucks", and we will accept your apology.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Agree. I see no reason
to continue with the Confederacy as our anchor.
the little things you can do are more valuable than the giant things you can't! - @thanatokephaloides. On Twitter @wink1radio. (-2.1) All about building progressive media.
Ah yes, so the whole problem is the
Confederacy! Well shit howdy, why didn't any of us think of that before now? You mean all we need do is let the South secede and all will be well? Hillary will become that truly progressive person she's ALWAYS been underneath all that ugly crap she was FORCED, FORCED I tell you, to believe in to get elected. And Trump will magically disappear, my RWNJ family will come completely to their senses, and all racism will vanish in a big fat puff of smoke. You know, even Charlie Thompson in "Better off Without 'Em" came sadly to the conclusion that would NOT solve the problem, even though he sorely wished it was the answer.
Only a fool lets someone else tell him who his enemy is. Assata Shakur
Trust me as a person who grew up
in Mississippi, and had family in MO and NJ. The north is every bit as racist, and in fact is far far more casually racist than the shouth. I heard casually racist shit every day in NJ and MO that would make your average southern's eyes get as big as silver dollars. Let's not forget the 1988 Boston bussing crisis. How many African American governors have been elected let alone re elected in the north? How many Indians have been elected in the north? Yall go nuts when a Indian is elected mayor like its a big deal. Meanwhile they get elected governor in the south.
Solidarity forever
Huh what?
So then you think racism is a problem of the South or perhaps Republicans? I think you ought to start a diary about that and be careful to do your research and citations thoroughly. Be sure to include "super predators" in your analysis along with the effects of Obama's GFC response on minorities. When you do your analysis, please include body counts globally from US policies... Democratic and Republican.
I'm sure that the final picture will support your point that it's only those southern Republicans who are evil racists. I look forward to the read.
A lot of wanderers in the U.S. political desert recognize that all the duopoly has to offer is a choice of mirages. Come, let us trudge towards empty expanse of sand #1, littered with the bleached bones of Deaniacs and Hope and Changers.
-- lotlizard
The team of greed and ignorance.
The power of greed cannot be underestimated. But greed would have a hard time if it weren't for its age-old partner. Ignorance.
The ignorance is so thick that the oligarchs have been able to harness the power of identity politics.
How was Nancy "impeachment off the table" Pelosi able to hang on to the Democratic house leader gig for so long?
How was Barack Obama able let republican war-criminals off the hook, along with extending the Bush tax-cuts in 2010 (that were about to expire automatically) while democrats had massive majorities in the house and senate + the presidency, giving republicans their multi-trillion-dollar dream-agenda and still get re-elected?
Issues be damned, it's all about the identities of politicians, or the identities of their desired constituencies.
Not only have the oligarchs harnessed the power of identity politics, they have also harnessed the power of political correctness, to quash dissent.
Now the poor are 'racists'. And the oligarchs are dancing.
Mike Taylor
WTF happened here?
I opened an essay about censorship and it has degenerated into a regional battle over which part of the country is more racist or why those of us who live in the South do not deserve that same consideration from our fellow 99%'ers as those who live elsewhere.
The oligarchy WANTS us divided and warring against each other. And that is one of the things I had hoped to never see here at Caucus99%.
Puts on moderator hat...Our only rule here is to treat one another with respect. Please abide by that rule. Please try to be more civil to one another.
Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?
“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy
I think we had a thread saboteur
or maybe two of them. They don't want any discussion of the real root problems facing this country, so they deflect onto inflammatory surface issues and hijack the thread.
Nice work, saboteurs, doing the Corpocracy's work for it.
There is no justice. There can be no peace.
I didn't see this coming.
I can't extrapolate the content of the essay to commenting on the Racist Cancer of the Ex-Confederacy, but then, I wasn't trying.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Yea, I'm kind of annoyed
I would hope that someone is ashamed of themself.
I PMed all involved...
If it doesn't stop there will be further action.