NationStates Jolt Archive

There is a threat out there that is more real and more powerful than any terrorist attack. A threat to the safety and well being of American minds and dignity. This well-run, and rather large, organization continuously manipulates the opinion of the American public. This organization repeatedly changes the English language to fit their ideals, more commonly known as Newspeak. They are telling us what is right and what is wrong through incredibly clever techniques similar to those used by Karl Rove, who is himself, a huge threat to the well-being of America. This organization is repeatedly blurring the line between fact and opinion to the point it is nearly impossible to distinguish the two thus the average American doesn't know that what they are being told is not truth but opinion. Obviously I am talking about the Bush Administration and its mouthpiece, FOX News.

Through subtle techniques, FOX News manipulates the viewer into accepting a heavy right-wing viewpoint as at most "less liberal than the rest of the media." How do they pull it off? Stories that separate themselves from the rest of the media and continuously insulting the concept of reporting fact. They do it through the use of always-moving graphics and over use of the American flag, thus furthering the Newspeak definition of "patriotism." They do it through subtleties between appearnce of the conservative anchors and the two "liberal" anchors. Like Hannity and Colmes. The former is usually well groomed and always on top, whereas the latter, the liberal, is usually "squirrlly" looking and you get a subtle message that the liberal is less smart than the conservative. Like during the 2004 campaign, virtually every picture of Bush, he is doing something heroic and is neatly groomed; whereas nearly every picture of Kerry, he was skiing or in a protective suit or in some way or another looking unpresidential and/or French.

Another technique FOX does is use fear to enhance the Bush Administration's policies and further Rove's totalitarian strategies. They so closely mimic the White House, whatever Scott McClellan has to translate from Dubya into English. From 2 hour specials on how to avoid a dirty bomb attack (which they said "don't inhale anything that might be radioactive" so "don't breathe") or to be afraid of any unorthodox behaviours such as gay marriage, abortion, anything slightly liberal.

"the thing that makes American propaganda so great is that the people don't know they are being subject to propaganda."

It makes me all warm and fuzzy inside when I think about how huge and effective their army is. Sweet friggin homophobic god, I'm so glad I live in a rich country. It must suck so bad living in a broke muslim country right now.

I'm impressed with the duality thing you yanks have going on, tho. Being so completely deranged, yet so damn clever. Lethal, but impressive combo.

OH NOES!!!1!! WE ARE ALL BEING BRAINWASHED!!1!!

Spare me. Spare the rest of us.

Fox is a little biased to the right. Just as CNN, NBC, and whatnot are somewhat biased to the left. But not by much. The American people decide for themselves.

Alan Colmes is not Squirrelly looking, and I happen to respect some of his beliefs.

I feel that no matter how big of an idiot bush is he is not the biggest threat to america. Rather, these new eletronic voting machines that are not required to show proof are a bigger threat to democracy. Of course the media is biased, but how would it be that even people that got real facts weren't represented?
There was bill proposed to demand that these electronic systems show some paper evidence, but did it pass through the republican dominated legislature? No. Now these republican friendly companies can make up results without anyone able to tell if they are telling the truth or not.

Alan Colmes is not Squirrelly looking, and I happen to respect some of his beliefs.
Alan Colmes looks like a middle-aged version of Butthead...but I will give him respect because he has at least a semi-functioning brain in his head... which is more than I can say for a good chunk of the Democrats out there.

Not that the current spate of Neocons have too many functioning brain cells either.

Alan Colmes is not Squirrelly looking, and I happen to respect some of his beliefs.
The only reason I respect Alan Colmes is because he went off on Anne Coulter, in the middle of her interview on the "Hannity is a pompous ass hour"

Ihatevacations']The only reason I respect Alan Colmes is because he went off on Anne Coulter, in the middle of her interview on the "Hannity is a pompous ass hour"

Hannity usually is a pompous ass, but I do agree with him on a majority of things.

And I don't like Anne Coulter either.

I think the greatest threat to America is the complacency of its own people. I am referring to the general majority of Americans who do not read, do not research, do not think for themselves, merely parrot whatever they see on the news or whatever the Whitehouse tells them.

At least I don't have to live in the middle of it. I can't imagine how frustrating it must be to be a thinking rational American who knows how to use the internet for something other than downloading porn (yes! there ARE other uses!) and be surrounded by a majority who really hasn't got a clue what is going on around them, and worse still, doesn't want to know. It must be like trying to get a deaf blind elephant to move off the train tracks before the train comes.

Oh, sweet Jesus! Achtung has figured it all out. Fox News is the real problem with America today! Because, obviously, it is the only biased news station in the country, and we all know that stations like CNN and MSNBC are completely neutral in how they report the news, and actually care about the truth, unlike the dirty conservatives, who simply lie and characterize entire groups of people incorrectly.

"'He's got on body armor, he's got on body armor!' I can see his head, shoot him in the fuckin' head!"

"Oh, it's not a parenting problem, oh fuck it no, it's a video game problem."

-Ron White

There is a threat out there that is more real and more powerful than any terrorist attack. A threat to the safety and well being of American minds and dignity. This well-run, and rather large, organization continuously manipulates the opinion of the American public. This organization repeatedly changes the English language to fit their ideals, more commonly known as Newspeak. They are telling us what is right and what is wrong through incredibly clever techniques similar to those used by Karl Rove, who is himself, a huge threat to the well-being of America. This organization is repeatedly blurring the line between fact and opinion to the point it is nearly impossible to distinguish the two thus the average American doesn't know that what they are being told is not truth but opinion. Obviously I am talking about the Bush Administration and its mouthpiece, FOX News.

Through subtle techniques, FOX News manipulates the viewer into accepting a heavy right-wing viewpoint as at most "less liberal than the rest of the media." How do they pull it off? Stories that separate themselves from the rest of the media and continuously insulting the concept of reporting fact. They do it through the use of always-moving graphics and over use of the American flag, thus furthering the Newspeak definition of "patriotism." They do it through subtleties between appearnce of the conservative anchors and the two "liberal" anchors. Like Hannity and Colmes. The former is usually well groomed and always on top, whereas the latter, the liberal, is usually "squirrlly" looking and you get a subtle message that the liberal is less smart than the conservative. Like during the 2004 campaign, virtually every picture of Bush, he is doing something heroic and is neatly groomed; whereas nearly every picture of Kerry, he was skiing or in a protective suit or in some way or another looking unpresidential and/or French.

Another technique FOX does is use fear to enhance the Bush Administration's
policies and further Rove's totalitarian strategies. They so closely mimic the White House, whatever Scott McClellan has to translate from Dubya into English. From 2 hour specials on how to avoid a dirty bomb attack (which they said "don't inhale anything that might be radioactive" so "don't breathe") or to be afraid of any unorthodox behaviours such as gay marriage, abortion, anything slightly liberal.

"the thing that makes American propaganda so great is that the people don't know they are being subject to propaganda."

AND THAT'S WHY I FRIGGIN HATE FOX TV!!!!! AAAAARRRRRRGGGGGGG!!!!! :mad: :mad: :sniper: :sniper: :gundge: :gundge: :mp5: :mp5:

I feel that no matter how big of an idiot bush is he is not the biggest threat to america. Rather, these new eletronic voting machines that are not required to show proof are a bigger threat to democracy. Of course the media is biased, but how would it be that even people that got real facts weren't represented?
There was bill proposed to demand that these electronic systems show some paper evidence, but did it pass through the republican dominated legislature? No. Now these republican friendly companies can make up results without anyone able to tell if they are telling the truth or not.

Ihatevacations']The only reason I respect Alan Colmes is because he went off on Anne Coulter, in the middle of her interview on the "Hannity is a pompous ass hour"

What's so wrong with being a pompous ass? :confused:

I think the greatest threat to America is the complacency of its own people. I am referring to the general majority of Americans who do not read, do not research, do not think for themselves, merely parrot whatever they see on the news or whatever the Whitehouse tells them.

At least I don't have to live in the middle of it. I can't imagine how frustrating it must be to be a thinking rational American who knows how to use the internet for something other than downloading porn (yes! there ARE other uses!) and be surrounded by a majority who really hasn't got a clue what is going on around them, and worse still, doesn't want to know. It must be like trying to get a deaf blind elephant to move off the train tracks before the train comes.

Way to generalize about Americans.

Most of us do think for ourselves. And I really have no reason to not trust our government.

Ugh.
I think the biggest threat to America is crackpot conspiracy theories as shown above.
Look, nobody that isnt already a uber-con nutter watches FOX News with any expectation of anything other than entertainment.
And dont say you hate FOX TV. They have the Simpsons and arent likely to give it up.

OH NOES!!!1!! WE ARE ALL BEING BRAINWASHED!!1!!

Spare me. Spare the rest of us.

Fox is a little biased to the right. Just as CNN, NBC, and whatnot are somewhat biased to the left. But not by much. The American people decide for themselves.

Alan Colmes is not Squirrelly looking, and I happen to respect some of his beliefs.
A little? 83% of Brit Hume's guests are Republican. The rest are Democrats that agree with the Republicans. They follow White House statements nearly line-by-line. As for Americans deciding for themselves: that's the very thing that makes FOX evil! They are propelling a sharp right-wing view while coming across as "a little biased to the right." You my friend, are a prime example of what I was ranting about. You seperate FOX from the rest, which FOX tries very hard to do, and claim that FOX isn't a proponent of the GOP agenda, when in reality, it projects the image that Bush is a superhero out to save America from fabricated threats.

A little? 83% of Brit Hume's guests are Republican. The rest are Democrats that agree with the Republicans. They follow White House statements nearly line-by-line. As for Americans deciding for themselves: that's the very thing that makes FOX evil! They are propelling a sharp right-wing view while coming across as "a little biased to the right." You my friend, are a prime example of what I was ranting about. You seperate FOX from the rest, which FOX tries very hard to do, and claim that FOX isn't a proponent of the GOP agenda, when in reality, it projects the image that Bush is a superhero out to save America from fabricated threats.

1) There's absolutely nothing wrong that. It's his show, let him have the guests that he wants. That said, I'd like to see where you got that number.

2) Again, why is that horrible? Wouldn't you want them to follow white house statements line for line, rather than twist their words?

3) Yes, of course. Americans making up their own minds about politics is such a horrible thing. We wouldn't want that now, would we?

4) They're right leaning at best. They simply try to view Bush in a positive light, and there is nothing wrong with that. Fox news itself is hardly biased, it'shows like The Factor, Hannity and Colmes, and such that are right-leaning, and those views are reflective of the hosts, not Fox itself.

5) WOW. 9/11 was fabricated? Al Queda is fabricated? Saddam Hussein's baathist, genocidal regime was fabricated?

Way to generalize about Americans.

Most of us do think for ourselves. And I really have no reason to not trust our government.

People who debate politics on internet forums and provide evidence for their beliefs are the minority. Like it or not, most of your people do not spend their free time researching stuff online. They are much more likely to drink beer and watch football.

This entire post is of necessity going to elicit generalizations. It is built into the topic. Also, read my post again: I went out of my way to point out that there are different types of American and it must be frustrating being one and not the other.

People who debate politics on internet forums and provide evidence for their beliefs are the minority. Like it or not, most of your people do not spend their free time researching stuff online. They are much more likely to drink beer and watch football.

This entire post is of necessity going to elicit generalizations. It is built into the topic. Also, read my post again: I went out of my way to point out that there are different types of American and it must be frustrating being one and not the other.

Of course, you're alluding to liberals and conservatives.

A lot of Americans, in fact, do spend time researching stuff on the internet, looking into stuff. Just because we like to drink beer and wacth football, does NOT make us stupid. We do it because we can.

AND THAT'S WHY I FRIGGIN HATE FOX TV!!!!! AAAAARRRRRRGGGGGGG!!!!! :mad: :mad: :sniper: :sniper: :gundge: :gundge: :mp5: :mp5:

And your reply is why I hate emoticons.

A little? 83% of Brit Hume's guests are Republican. The rest are Democrats that agree with the Republicans. They follow White House statements nearly line-by-line. As for Americans deciding for themselves: that's the very thing that makes FOX evil! They are propelling a sharp right-wing view while coming across as "a little biased to the right." You my friend, are a prime example of what I was ranting about. You seperate FOX from the rest, which FOX tries very hard to do, and claim that FOX isn't a proponent of the GOP agenda, when in reality, it projects the image that Bush is a superhero out to save America from fabricated threats.

Okay, I'm going to try to explain something to you, Achtung. The news industry is just like any other industry - it tries to sell. Fox is made for conservatives, so that they have an alternative to CNN and NBC and the like. Thus, the majority of what they report is going to play to the right, although not as extremely as you would like to trick people into believing by posting the type of guest on one show out of all those that air on Fox. Most people that watch Fox are either looking to bash it for whatever it says, no matter how much sense it may or may not make, or they are tired of hearing death tolls and body counts and general destruction, which is just about the only thing stations like the two biggees opposite Fox air with respect to conservatives. News doesn't have to be accurate, and it doesn't have to be unbiased... if it were, no one would watch it, because it would become boring to hear the truth and nothing but. Other stations do the same shit that you are accusing Fox of doing. Perfect example: during coverage of Election 2004, all the major news stations were keeping viewers posted on electoral vote status. For most of the election, Fox and CNN had certain numbers out that ended up being wholly accurate, and which showed Bush with a relatively commanding lead. MSNBC, however, apparently wanting people to think that elections were not over for Kerry, kept their estimates at a neck-and-neck tie, so as to paint a different picture for the candidate of the left. Whether they truly did this in an effort to screw with the election process or whether they were just retarded is debatable.

Besides, your strange statistic on the type of guests Brit Humes has is irrelevant. O'Reilly, one of the most biased hosts out there, surely has almost as many Democrats as Republicans on his show, if not more, for the purpose of bashing them. The fact that his % Republican is lower doesn't mean he's less biased, at all, however, which is what you are (intentionally or unintentionally) implying with your statistic.

I do not think that it is politics that we must fear. I think it is the fact that people are such morons. America has an economy based on debt, our people are in huge debt and still spend. I do not think it is healthy to have such consumerism, or an economy based on debt. This is going on the personal debt of the average american, the national debt is another issue.

Anyway, this whole debate is pointless, because anyone that doesn't already realized the bias of almost every news station is obviously retarded, and doesn't deserve anyone's time with respect to this matter. The simple fact is that for every conservative event, scenario, or statement that Achtung can pull out of his ass in a single day of watching Fox, I can pull a liberal event, scenario, or statement out of my ass in a single day of watching CNN or NBC. In short, to jump Fox for being biased and to imply that it's destroying the country is a blatant demonstration of ignorance, as it does nothing that other mainstream news stations don't also do.

Originallly posted by AhnkPhasa
I think the greatest threat to America is the complacency of its own people. I am referring to the general majority of Americans who do not read, do not research, do not think for themselves, merely parrot whatever they see on the news or whatever the Whitehouse tells them.

At least I don't have to live in the middle of it. I can't imagine how frustrating it must be to be a thinking rational American who knows how to use the internet for something other than downloading porn (yes! there ARE other uses!) and be surrounded by a majority who really hasn't got a clue what is going on around them, and worse still, doesn't want to know. It must be like trying to get a deaf blind elephant to move off the train tracks before the train comes.

Thank you. That needed to be said. Yes, it is incredibly frustrating. If I say something like that, I get attacked as unpatriotic, or even treasonous. Actually, though, it's not so much that people think everyone should support Bush no matter what; they seem to think everyone should agree with them, no matter whether or not they can even explain why they believe what they do. Arguements that boil down to "because I said so" gets old real fast, but that's what debate in this country all too often is. No one can defend their beliefs, but no one can stand for someone else to disagree with them.

As for ignorance about the rest of the world, most high school students in the US can't even find this country on a map, much less another country. No one knows anything about other countries, and no one cares. Do you know how many Americans thought it was really funny that the EU is having this current crisis? I swear, it's embarrassing. Americans will answer anlmost every international debate with "we're the greatest country on earth", and in many ways I believe we are (IMO). But I wonder how many people who say that actually know anything at all about life in other countries? How many can name 5 countries that don't border us? Ignorance and arrogance are killing this country.

Thank you. That needed to be said. Yes, it is incredibly frustrating. If I say something like that, I get attacked as unpatriotic, or even treasonous. Actually, though, it's not so much that people think everyone should support Bush no matter what; they seem to think everyone should agree with them, no matter whether or not they can even explain why they believe what they do. Arguements that boil down to "because I said so" gets old real fast, but that's what debate in this country all too often is. No one can defend their beliefs, but no one can stand for someone else to disagree with them.

As for ignorance about the rest of the world, most high school students in the US can't even find this country on a map, much less another country. No one knows anything about other countries, and no one cares. Do you know how many Americans thought it was really funny that the EU is having this current crisis? I swear, it's embarrassing. Americans will answer anlmost every international debate with "we're the greatest country on earth", and in many ways I believe we are (IMO). But I wonder how many people who say that actually know anything at all about life in other countries? How many can name 5 countries that don't border us? Ignorance and arrogance are killing this country.

Isn't it sad how ignorant we Americans are? I mean, nobody here has any idea what they're talking about, unlike you. You've got it all figured out. :rolleyes:

Anyway, I would love for you to point out one argument made by either side of the political spectrum that doesn't have a very legitimate defense in some people's eyes.

Okay, America has only one thing to worry about: it's own downfall.

I mean, c'mon! Why are we taking care of everyone elses terrorist problems when we should be taking care of our own? (I'm refering to gangs such as the Bloods and the Crips) We should be stomping out these so-called gangs on our own fricken soil and make sure they never come back. That would make life a whole helluvalot nicer in the inner cities, such as L.A., Chicago, New York, etc.

For your pleasure I will name the top threats to America at this moment.

1. Threats from within the system: (Corruption, extremist political party elements, foriegn elements with strong connections in our political decision making, and etc.)

2. China: This is actually a threat due to the fact THEY see us as enemies as well as trading partners. Ignoring them as a threat is frankly something only an idiot would do.

3. North Korea: Basicly we need to stop getting involved with these idiots on any diplomatic level. Hell, on the whole we should stop bothering them and let other asian countries deal with these nuts.

4. Terrorist cells: Well known as to why they are a threat.

5. New World Order: The UN, world bank, globalization, whatever you want to call it. Any global body using its political power to override our people's soverienty, independence, and representation power.

Hey, Americai? Take my last post and add one more thing onto that list you've made there.

Isn't it sad how ignorant we Americans are? I mean, nobody here has any idea what they're talking about, unlike you. You've got it all figured out.

Anyway, I would love for you to point out one argument made by either side of the political spectrum that doesn't have a very legitimate defense in some people's eyes.

Of course it has legitimacy in some people's eyes. That's not what I said. People seem unable to defend those beliefs in anyway short of name-calling or rolling their eyes. Maybe it's not ignorance, though. Perhaps I should have said that no one is willing to admit that someone besides themselves might possibly have a point, or indeed is even entitled to an opinion. (and for the record, feel free to disagree with me, but don't feel free to patronize me or belittle me for not agreeing with you. This is what I was getting at about people being unwilling to accept disagreement with their viewpoint.)

Of course it has legitimacy in some people's eyes. That's not what I said. People seem unable to defend those beliefs in anyway short of name-calling or rolling their eyes. Maybe it's not ignorance, though. Perhaps I should have said that no one is willing to admit that someone besides themselves might possibly have a point, or indeed is even entitled to an opinion. (and for the record, feel free to disagree with me, but don't feel free to patronize me or belittle me for not agreeing with you. This is what I was getting at about people being unwilling to accept disagreement with their viewpoint.)

LOL! You managed to miss my entire point. I was mocking you for patronizing and belittling those that disagree with you by saying that they are ignorant and unable to defend their positions. There are no positions I've heard of that aren't defended well enough to be legitimate, which is the point I was trying to make. I don't care if people disagree with me, as long as they have good reason.

Actually, although I don't live in the US, I do watch CNN occasionally.
I don't see the "liberal" bias at all. (Which obviously seems to make me retarded...)
Could anyone please just show me one clear cut example of why CNN is trying to push a liberal (presumably left) agenda.

Actually, although I don't live in the US, I do watch CNN occasionally.
I don't see the "liberal" bias at all. (Which obviously seems to make me retarded...)
Could anyone please just show me one clear cut example of why CNN is trying to push a liberal (presumably left) agenda.

Tom Brokaw.

'Nuff said.

Tom Brokaw.

'Nuff said.
That's funny because didn't Tom Brokaw work on NBC Nightly News and oh yeah, RETIRE

Tom Brokaw.
Oooh, a name.
Give me something I can actually check. A news story or something like that.
I can only read that he likes the generation who grew up in the depression, fought in WWII and then "went on to build America".
Doesn't sound liberal to me, sounds like a vehicle for emotional, patriotic reports.

LOL! You managed to miss my entire point. I was mocking you for patronizing and belittling those that disagree with you by saying that they are ignorant and unable to defend their positions. There are no positions I've heard of that aren't defended well enough to be legitimate, which is the point I was trying to make. I don't care if people disagree with me, as long as they have good reason.

Ok, if not unable, let's say unwilling to defend their positions with anything but childish name calling. And thank you for proving my point.

Until school children say "Shepard Smith" while counting from 1 to 10, I wouldn't be worried.

Anyway, this whole debate is pointless, because anyone that doesn't already realized the bias of almost every news station is obviously retarded, and doesn't deserve anyone's time with respect to this matter. The simple fact is that for every conservative event, scenario, or statement that Achtung can pull out of his ass in a single day of watching Fox, I can pull a liberal event, scenario, or statement out of my ass in a single day of watching CNN or NBC. In short, to jump Fox for being biased and to imply that it's destroying the country is a blatant demonstration of ignorance, as it does nothing that other mainstream news stations don't also do.

Excellant statement.

Terrorism is indeed not the biggest threat to America. Or at least, statistically, nto the biggest threat to Americans. Time was when that was the same thing.