Read like a Conservative to See the World in a New Way!

by Fabius Maximus, FabiusMaximus.com

Summary: Today’s exercise might open your eyes and raise you consciousness, hopefully in a good way. Here’s what a conservative, of the extreme variety, reads over the course of a week, stories describing a terrifying world of powerful enemies, foreign and domestic, poised to attack (or already subverting America from within). It’s about our weakness and their strength. But more importantly this distorted news flow has tilted the nation’s mental in an unbalanced and fearful way. {2nd of 2 posts today.}

“you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”
– John 8:32. Yes, but lies told the weak are more politically useful.

How have so many Americans become so fearful and militaristic since 9/11, urging an ever more belligerent foreign policy (despite its repeated failures)? There have been studies showing a large fraction of people with a bias or tilt towards these things, such as “Tea Party Members Cultural Dispositions ‘Authoritarianism, Fear Of Change, Libertarianism And Nativism’“.

But there’s more to it. An industry has arise to feed our fears. The information “diet” we consume exacerbates these traits, so that we see a distorted view of the world, with every threat exaggerated in size and immanence. The repeated failure of these threats to affect us does change their views, mysteriously.

Here’s a sample of stories from just a few days – most from respectable sources (it’s much worse in the shadowy corners of the Internet). Only a few from Fox News and the Washington Times, as that would be too easy. Nothing here from the flow of racism; we discussed that yesterday.

Some of these stories are accurate, but lack context. Some are exaggerated. Some are fanciful. It’s the selectivity of the diet that produces the desired effect, making the subject easy to rule. Imagine credulously reading these every day for years. Terror and a kind of paranoia are natural results, plus a desire to strike before they get us.

Foreign Enemies

“How the Military Will Fight ISIS on the Dark Web“, Patrick Tucker, Defense One. “Al-Qaeda morphs into a new movement since 9/11“, AP. AQ has gone thru more changes since 9/11 than Lady GaGa. Always threatening yet seldom acting. “The U.S. strategy to defeat the Islamic State is underpowered“, Washington Post editorial. “Islamic State group’s war chest is growing daily“, AP. Perhaps in a decade or so it will equal that of Liechtenstein ($420 million per year).

Never too soon to preemptively wet your pants about the next attack:“NYPD, others on high alert after terrorist threat“, UPI. Must have been another slow news day. “Al-Shabaab Threatens U.S. Attacks: Should You Be Worried?“, Ashish Kumar Sen. . “Islamic State supporter warns of attacks against U.S.“, Reuters. They can always run these stories on a slow news day. It doesn’t bother anyone that nothing has happened after 14 years of imminent attacks.

“How Russia Is Revolutionizing Information Warfare“, Peter Pomerantsev, Defense One. It’s a staple of this literature that nations with a fraction of our resources (e.g., Iran, Russia, China) are ahead of us in some vital military tech (remember the Bomber Gap and the Missile Gap?). “Russia successfully tests nuclear missile, more planned“, Reuters. Oddly these seldom provide a context by comparing their programs with our own. “NATO Ship in Black Sea Buzzed By Russian Planes, Russia Disputes Account“, US Navy Institute. Unlike most reports, the USNI mentions the Russian denial. Also seldom mentioned is that these are always in international airspace; hardly acts of war. “Russia Releases Photos of its Submarine Fleet“, Defense Tech. Again no context by comparison with the vastly larger and more advanced US fleet. “Nuclear Specter Returns: ‘Threat of War Is Higher than in the Cold War’“, Der Spiegel. “Britain says scrambles fighter jets to escort Russian bombers“, Reuters. Propeller-driven Tu-95 bombers, not state of the art when first flown in 1952 (same as the jet-engined B-52). They were, of course, in international air space. “Ukraine is today’s West Berlin“, op-ed in the WaPo by Mikheil Saakashvili. He was president of Georgia from 2004 to 2013, and is now chairman of the International Advisory Council on Reforms for the President of Ukraine. As if the guys running Ukraine are interested in “reforms”.

“How to Push Back against an Aggressive China: Enter the ‘Quad’“, James J Carafano, National Interest. China should ask our Latin American neighbors for tips about being aggressive; they’ve seen it all from the US. NI runs some good material, but is working to become Fear-mongers Central. “Chinese New Years Photos Show Off Liaoning Aircraft Carrier“, Defense Tech. Quite aggressive of China to buy a small old carrier. Unlike our large powerful fleet.

“Iran’s Guard begins military exercises near key strait“, AP. Other nations defending themselves is another staple news story. Very aggressive, unlike the exercises we hold off their coast.

“U.S. ‘deeply concerned’ by North Korean nuclear advance“, Reuters. Never in history has such a large nation been terrified for so long by such a small nation. Like an elephant afraid of a mouse.

Enemies at home

Doings of the secret jihadist anarchist communist foreign unsurper Obama: “Obama’s Untruth, Inc.:Let us count the ways: bald lies, lies of omission, mythography, amnesia, redaction . . .“, Victor Davis Hanson, National Review. “Obama vs. the generals“, Marc A. Thiessen, Wa Po. “Watch Obama’s Top General Subtly, Repeatedly Skewer the President’s National-Security Policies“. “HOW IS VERY SAD FOR AMERICANS! OUR PRESIDENT DIDN’T BOTHER TO REPRESENT AMERICANS IN PARIS WHEN 40+ WORLD LEADERS DID” , blog of Greta Van Susteren of Fox News. Love the ALL CAPS. “Top general: ‘Islamists embedded in White House?’“, Patriots For America. One from the fringe, just to remind you what’s out there, and what they say about Obama. “U.S. military decimated under Obama, only ‘marginally able’ to defend nation“, Rowan Scarborough. Fun with numbers to produce delusional conclusion! “Defense cuts degrading military, US no longer able to fight 2 wars at same time“, Fox News.

“Benghazi bombshell: Diplomat tells of secret operation to withhold damaging docs from review board“, Rick Moran, American Thinker. Benghazi, Benghazi, BENGHAZI. No number of GOP-run investigations – all dry holes – can weary their faithful.

The threatening others amongst us: “New York man accused of trying to recruit, aid ISIS militants“, Fox News.

“A Movement Betrayed: The Arms Control Crowd’s Iran Hypocrisy“, Emily B. Landau & Shimon Stein, National Interest.

Today’s hippie-bashing: “MOVIE DEALS DEATH BLOW TO VICIOUS LIES ABOUT VIETNAM: ‘BELIEVE IT OR NOT, WE WERE THE GOOD GUYS’“, WND. Read this website to see the popular delusions on the hard right. Just as scary as any of these stories. It’s a dress rehearsal for the “stab in the back“ explanaton for our failures in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“Obama White House deporting fewer illegal immigrants than budget allows“, Washington Times. They seldom mention that Obama has been the top Presidentfor deporting illegals

“Despite Blacks Enslaved by Muslims Across the World, Maxine Waters Calls Americans Bigots for Opposing Sharia Law“, Pamela Geller. The coming of Sharia Law to America is another popular trope on the far Right.

For More Information

Today was conservatives’ day to feature on the FM website. The Left get’s their turn often enough; see the posts about climate change to hear them howl.

See the posts about Information and Disinformation. See the right-side menu bar to find more information about any of the subjects mentioned here.