The US “Left” Has Repositioned Itself on the “Right” – Aligned with Capital, War and Repression
The most dangerous component of ‘MSM’ fake news is arguably propaganda by omission.
“The public cannot make informed decisions, and take appropriate action, when the crimes of ruling elites are kept hidden by a complicit media.”
"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety." -- Benjamin Franklin
Why is it that most of those who were concerned with the far reaching civil liberties implications of the Patriot Act after 9-11 now trust the FBI and are thrilled that Silicon Valley is censoring all but established “truth?” Why is it that the "educated" class in this country is particularly all in for censorship? What about the enlightenment principles of skepticism, critical thought, inquiry, and free speech - - all the qualities "liberals" used to stand for? Thinking for yourself is now a dangerous form of radicalism.
Since there is little to no critical thought, information is dismissed as “fake” just on their source and not content. Many assert that quoting Tucker Carlson renders one a lunatic, but they can’t explain why he’s the only one who talks about Julian Assange and has Tulsi Gabbard speak against our endless wars. Russia Today (RT) and Children’s Health Defense are both dismissed outright without critiquing the information presented. As the media blackout about the collapsed case against Julian Assange shows, the most dangerous component of ‘MSM’ fake news is arguably propaganda by omission. The public cannot make informed decisions, and take appropriate action, when the crimes of ruling elites are kept hidden by a complicit media.
Fear is crucial for state authority. One of the most repressive features of the first War on Terror — due-process-free no-fly lists against American citizens — is already back in full force. In February, The Washington Post’s article “The agency founded because of 9/11 is shifting to face the threat of domestic terrorism” — reported that “lawmakers of both parties spoke favorably of new legislation to specifically address domestic terrorism.” The bipartisan support comes in spite of no activities that are not now criminal that they believe ought to be.
“Since there is little to no critical thought, information is dismissed as “fake” just on their source and not content.“
On May 3, CNN reported that Joe Biden’s administration is considering using external contractors to track “extremist chatter” by US residents, both on social media platforms and via encrypted messaging apps. Of course, the January 6 Capitol Hill riot was invoked as the necessity for the push. The excuse, CNN said, is that an “intelligence gap” contributed to the Department’s “failure to predict the assault” – while contradictorily conceding that much of the riot’s planning “appeared out in the open” on social media platforms and apps “available to anyone with an internet connection.” Glenn Greenwald ends his chilling piece Questions About the FBI's Role in 1/6 Are Mocked Because the FBI Shapes Liberal Corporate Media by asserting that “Of course the FBI was infiltrating the groups they claim were behind these attacks. There may be good reasons why that did not enable the FBI to stop this riot or why they have not yet indicted these ringleaders. But those answers are not yet known.” The U.S. intelligence community, by its own admission, had ample advanced clues of the 9/11 attack, but tragically failed to “connect the dots”. The Patriot Act was deemed the necessary remedy for such a failure, but apparently it didn’t go far enough.
Shockingly, January 6 opened the floodgates to an expanded Domestic War on Terror that, this time around, most democrats/liberals support. This war includes as “Domestic Violent Extremists,” [DVEs] “those who oppose capitalism and all forms of globalization...derived from anti-government or anti-authority sentiment,” and “opposition to perceived economic, racial or social hierarchies.”
Certainly not just the Capital rioters fit that description. But those who fall under that category are subject to a vast array of domestic surveillance and monitoring by the CIA and other intelligence agencies -- in the name of fighting “domestic terrorism.” Greenwald asserts that to justify the current domestic War on Terror that has already provoked billions more in military spending and intensified domestic surveillance, the Pentagon must promote the narrative that those they are fighting in order to defend the homeland are white supremacist domestic terrorists.
And Silicon Valley apparently is tasked with deciding who the domestic terrorists are. Since Trump’s election in 2016, Facebook has come under intense pressure from Democratic lawmakers and progressive activist groups to crack down on user-generated “hate speech,” “disinformation” and “extremism,” though unsurprisingly, that term is broad. The UK’s Socialist Workers Party was temporarily kicked off Facebook, then restored hours later with no explanation given. Facebook recently developed a new prompt that asks users if they know anyone considering a violent ideology, and warns others that they may have been exposed to “extremist” content. There have never been social media behemoths with such extraordinary powers. The First Amendment needs to be dusted off and seriously analyzed.
“’Domestic Violent Extremists’ are ‘those who oppose capitalism and all forms of globalization...derived from anti-government or anti-authority sentiment.’”
President Biden claims that white supremacist terrorism is "the most lethal threat to the Homeland today.” His use of the term “Homeland” should make anyone shudder in memory of Hitler, but I would argue that suppressing dissent is the most lethal threat to our country, and spying certainly suppresses dissent. The endless war on terror codified after 9-11 is now stateside. In its 1947 charter, the CIA was prohibited from spying against Americans for fear the agency would engage in political abuse, but apparently it’s necessary now, although a National Security Agency system that analyzed logs of Americans’ domestic phone calls and text messages cost $100 million from 2015 to 2019, but yielded only a single significant investigation.
Greenwald asserts that the Bush "with-us-or-with-the-terrorists” directive provoked a fair amount of outrage at the time but is now the prevailing mentality within U.S. liberalism and the broader Democratic Party. Why is that so? Those who still believe the Democrats can save us, continue to be shell-shocked by the Trump presidency, so his enemies become their friends. FBI pronouncements are unquestioned as gospel, as MSM babbles with retired military and intelligence “experts.” CNN has more FBI agents and federal prosecutors working for it than anyone outside of the FBI headquarters in Washington.
The fox is watching the hen house, so true investigative journalism is dead to MSM, as they are now stenographers of the State Department. If fear is crucial for state authority, the free flow of information is essential to prevent fascism. The Domestic War on Terror under Bush was condemned by liberals. Biden's must be as well.
“War is peace. Freedom is Slavery. Ignorance is strength.” George Orwell
Riva Enteen, former Program Director of the SF National Lawyers Guild, is a lifelong peace and justice activist, retired social worker, lawyer, and editor of "Follow the Money ," a collection of Pacifica Radio's Flashpoints Interviews. She can be reached at [email protected] .
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