Truth, truth, where art thou? John Kerry's Personal War Diary - Part 2
On Wednesday I wrote about the contradiction between John Kerry's war diary and his approved biography, and promised to finish my thoughts in part 2. I remember a speech I gave last winter at a California Eagle Forum education conference where I spoke about the nature of propaganda. The word itself is pretty powerful, but so is the definition. In Latin, propaganda means "propagating." In the broadest sense propaganda is information that serves a particular agenda, which could be true or false. If true, it may be one-sided and fail to paint a complete picture. In the narrower and more common use, the term refers to deliberately false or misleading deceptive information that supports a political cause or the interests of those in power in any institution. A propagandist seeks to change the way people understand an issue or a situation for the purpose of changing their actions and expectations in ways that are desirable to the propagandist. It includes censorship in which the same purpose is achieved, not by filling people's minds with false information, but by preventing people from knowing true information.
What sets propaganda apart from other forms of advocacy is the willingness of the propagandist to change people's understanding through deception and confusion, rather than persuasion and understanding. We have to be discerning, and original records help us see through the power of emotional persuasion. John Adams said it best…”Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passions, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence."
© Sharon Hughes 2004
Comment
6 comments:
Do you think the Kerrisite propaganda, shouted so loudly by mainline media, academia and "entertainment", is strong enough to neutralize the truth from the Bible, Swift Boats Vets, David Limbaugh, Hans Zeiger, you folks and all other sane writers and doers past and present? Hard to forget the 50 million voters who believed the Gore lies in 2000! TheGoodBook tells us that He who is for us is greater than he (the god of
this world, El Diablo) who is against us. Takes every ounce of faith we've got to hold on to this! Sincerely, Old Bob, retired math prof. University System of Georgia, husband to same great lady (retired RN)
for 51 trips around the sun. Parents of 8, 4 via God-ordained marriage (77 years total), & grandparents to 23. Robert
We were appalled at the Jim Lehrer News Hour this week. I refer to the segment featuring John O'Neil
and the strange Boston Globe fellow named Oliphant. O'Neil was very believable and patient in the face of Oliphant's blistering attack. Leftist Journalist vs. an eyewitness!? So typical of our outrageous
media! Lehrer redeemed himself a bit last evening with a matchup betweenliberal Mark Shields and the great conservative (Weekly Standard's) Bill
Kristol! Kristol presented the truth re. Swift Boats,etc. very convincingly, we thought. Sorry about my klutziness! Old Bob MorrisPS Sharon, maybe you will find the website of great U. of Georgia
Chem.prof, Henry F. Schaefer encouraging, and maybe a valuable resourse in your good work. He is an elder in The Presbyterian Church of America (D.James Kennedy's denomination). I have exchanged a few E-messages with
him. He is a friend of our son Tim, PhD in molecular biology and prof. of Biology for the past 8 years at Covenant College, Chattanooga,Tennessee. www.leaderu.com/offices/schaefer
Thank you for your comments. This article received alot of feedback via email from the various sites it is posted on. Most agreeing but some not very happy with what I said. But isn't it wonderful we live in America and a free society that, even though predominated by a liberal media we can still make our voice heard? Keep doing it!
Aloha!;
I know blogging is getting a big start and with people like you on " the front lines " I know it will get huge! I have one Blogg but it more a personal journal for me and for whom ever should come across it! You were asking what ( who ) is Truth. A little
over 2000 years ago one person/GOD said that HE is the way the Truth and the Life and his name is Jesus Christ!
John
I read your "Truth" article and I found it very interesting.You see, I am 70-years young and I am still looking for any truth from the news media, you know like a newspaper.You are right, the word from politicians is not spin, it is "propaganda."
Tonight I see we the voters are going to get both from the Republican Convention, spin and propaganda.
No amnesty, just amnesty spelled "Guest Worker Program."
Politicians have no idea what "temporary" or "Guest Worker" means, and I think someone should tell them the truth, so that they learn what it means.
Jonathon Mosely hit it:
"Current proposals ignore the reality that a baby born on American soil is automatically a U.S. citizen. While here, a guest worker and spouse (whomever) can simply have a baby. Then the parents apply to stay permanently based on their child's citizenship.
Thus, a guest-worker plan cannot possibly work as advertised, but will necessarily mean surrender. All millions of foreigners need do to completely defeat this 'temporary' program is to have an "anchor baby." End of quote.If pregnant women can make across the border they are here free of charge......
Wake up America, Third World Status is on its way and we owe it all to the "False Prophets," like Bishop Kennedy, (D-MA) McCain, (R-AZ) Craig, (R-ID)
Daschle, (D-SD) Hatch, (R-UT) Clinton, (D-NY) Karl Rove, (White House) and thelist goes on and on. Nothing we Americans can do, we are sunk, like up a creek without a paddle.....
I like your article, thanks again for your consideration.
Jack from Idaho
Sharon, I like this piece on truth. I am a now-retired traditionalAmerican History teacher/Constitutionalist/Christian. I would like to send you a few of my essays on Life, Liberty, Learning
... Could you send me a long-mail address?
Thank you, Gene
Freedom2000/USA
Kenosha, Wisc.
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