DON'T BE DISTRACTED
Filmmaker Oliver Stone has just finished a series of interviews he conducted with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Journalist Amy Goodman devoted an hour to a discussion with Stone, showing excerpts of the film, which offers insight and context to "the other side" of an antagonism that blinds many.
Comedian Stephen Colbert mistreated Stone on his show by scheduling him in the last few minutes and mocking him with ignorant and disrespectful questions, leading the audience to laugh at Stone. The guest protested that he didn't see what was so funny.
This performance recalled to me Thomas Mann's story Mario and the Magician. An allegory on fascism, it portrays a magician whose act whips up the audience to a frenzied, violent victimization of one who is scapegoated there.
In George Orwell's 1984, the totalitarian society offers its subjects a daily cathartic Two Minutes Hate session. The image of the villain "Goldstein" is shown on a big screen, with all expected to spew their venom at this enemy of the state. Our deep state's corporate media offer endless new "Hitlers" to blame: Noriega, Saddam Hussein, Quaddafi, Bin Laden, Putin, etc. (most our former allies and business partners).
Such distractions preserve the status quo.
Morton Alexander
Spokane, Wash.
Readers react to "Anti-transgender bathroom bill won't go on the ballot" (7/7/17), our blog post about I-1552's failure to receive enough signatures.
Char Dauterman: Good. Now can we stop focusing on who uses what restroom and move on?
Suzanne Michelle: Ha ha haters! So funny how the people who hate government regulations are so quick to want their own government regulations that impose their twisted "values" on the rest of us. Go jump in a lake!
Jeremy Sweatt: Equal rights for all Americans should never be curtailed by prejudice and fear; even if that idea makes you uncomfortable.
Steve Berde: Perfect. A total waste of time, effort and expense. ♦
