Too many Americans, through neither malice nor ideology, but through education and upbringing, believe national myths that spread death and destruction, not democracy.
Jan. 25, 1899 issue of Puck magazine. (Wikimedia Commons)
Americans grow up in a political culture in which many of them continue to believe into adulthood certain assumptions about America’s place in the world.
Chief among these is that U.S. motives abroad are to spread and defend democracy rather than to impose its economic and geostrategic interests, often through extreme violence.
Consortium News is dedicated to challenging these widely-believed myths about America with factual reporting.
Minds can be so poisoned, though, that a publication that does this is unlikely to be seen as genuinely trying to get at the truth, but rather as being an agent of an American enemy.
If you criticize Israel’s actions in Gaza, you belong to Hamas. If you disagree with NATO’s policy in Ukraine, you are a Kremlin stooge. And you’re probably being paid too. As many of the people levelling these smears are paid to do so, they can’t conceive of anyone taking positions other than for money.
Since so many falsehoods have become part of the fabric of the nation, a publication like Consortium News can be branded disloyal to the United States for pointing out disturbing truths most Americans would rather not face.
Among these truths are the indisputable facts that the U.S. has been responsible for the destruction of huge amounts of innocent lives abroad and the squandering of the national treasure better spent at home for the benefit of the American people.
Too many Americans, through neither malice nor ideology, but through education and upbringing, side with the national myths, especially if their own interests are bound up with them.
Consortium News‘ interests are not. Consortium News is a threat to powerful people who have an interest in keeping the story told to Americans alive and in suppressing anyone challenging it.
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You know for sure something is wrong in this country when the government seeks to brand you as disloyal when you point out failures, mistakes and unwarranted actions and especially of late senseless obstructionism by those working, elected and appointed to our government.
Especially when this government was born out of discord, created by the King’s practice of ruling rather than governing and taxation without representation. Remember the Son’s of Liberty?
The talking heads in D.C. love to espouse the virtues of liberty, freedom and the right of dissent and the petition of the government for redress of grievances. Something, based on my observations of the courts recent actions has formed my strong opinion, the current SCOTUS seems hell bent to prevent.
Ask yourself a question, why is the government still denying anyone but Oswald shot JFK? Why does our government continually deny the truth about matters and activities they are engaged in, when the truth wold work better?
Maybe because they fear the truth coming out?
The comment from Thomas Johnson notwithstanding. Mr. Johnson states in parenthesis, “( The Dems can put away the anointing oils and trust process)”, really? I’m not at all I’m sure of what anointing oils he speaks however trust went out the window with the “Weapons or mass destruction” philosophy of the defense community and congress leading to the war of choice with Iraq.
We as responsible Americans must learn the difference between bullshit and Shinola, an age old boot polish!
I have to agree with his comment about self education and I agree CN is a great venue for just such activity however his comment here seems to take a hard right turn and takes on the aura of being a mantra of sorts. His statement speaks for itself and I consider my statements here to be based on the solid observation of facts.
“Every great older (and now I’m becoming one) person that I have admired said “I HAVE NEVER STOPPED LEARNING.” That and faith make this world a great place with all it’s fallacies.”
I also have never stopped learning, but have issues with his mention of democrats. I think this might be a teachable moment for others reading this here. The right turn I speak of is his introduction of a subjective thought. Has he not learned anything from the republicans,? I have to ask you to think about that.
I have and I try very hard to base my opinions on nothing other than objective observations of factual matters.
I am of the very strong opinion little difference currently exists between the democrats and the republicans who have obtained, in my opinion, a monopoly of American politics. A duopoly! Based on my education of just exactly how politics work these days. That SCOTUS money is speech thing is stuck solidly in my craw.
Wealth has become the cancer on our nation, in my opinion, just look around!
Take an objective look at the costs of elections these days and honestly tell me does these costs not effectively block the common “We the People” from exerting our influence over who gets to run for what?
If I say in my opinion it is or seems to be raining I don’t have to go outside and get wet from rain drops falling from the sky, to be 100% correct. Common sense is not that difficult to understand.
I have very little faith in my government, currently all based on my life’s education. I loath to agree with current war mongering policies as prosecuted by my government. Way to much “faith” involved, faith as valued by Zionist and Christian Nationalists and their actions, for my liking. Hardly a benevolent government of Peace seekers, when compared my strongly held beliefs in the politics of civility, peace and love. Being a human!
So with no regrets but all due respect I advise everyone to take a deep breath and determine for yourselves if you smell what I am cooking here.
I have to wonder if Mr. Johnson has learned anything at all.
Yes, I know no attacks on the other. This is criticism of the tact used here. We are at a cross roads kids, time to play hardball and tell it like it is.
Y’ ll have a nice day now.
Grumpa, 76 and still learning!
Loosely paraphrasing the great Michael Parenti:
The greatest propaganda accomplishment in world history is what the U.S. public believes America does abroad versus what the Washington-Zio-militarist empire truly does across the globe.
The winners (war and politics, worldly or local) rule the education and writing. But the American system has wonderful checks and balances. These have and will be tested (Dem’s can put away the anointing oils and trust the process). We challenge our education all the time because change is a constant and that brings new insight. Self-education is the best it’s ever been for this generation (thank you CN). Every great older (and now I am becoming one) person I have admired has said “I NEVER STOP LEARNING”. That and faith make this world a great place with all its fallacies
Is the USA a democracy?
Indulging in the sham procedures of a hallucinatory US democracy has not and will not deliver true democracy. Look up the Citizens United verdict. Look up the famous Cornell university study proving that the USA is not a Democracy, it is an oligarchy.
Democracy is rule of the people, by the people and most importantly, FOR the people.
Regarding the USA:
Of the people? Ordinary people cannot win office, one must either be a multimillionaire or be bankrolled by multimillionaires. There is NO true representation, although there is taxation – for ordinary people (the opposite case for the rich who have representation but no taxation). Also there is no universal suffrage, minority groups are systematically excluded and/or prevented from participating.
By the people? Who make the policies and “regulations” and laws? The filthy rich, who buy politicians and judges and regulators to pass legislation to favor the filthy rich.
For the people? Crumbling infrastructure, epidemic of homelessness, no affordable health care or education, but plenty of funding for overseas military debacles putting everyone at risk of WW3, but hey, the MIC, fund managers, bankers etc make out like bandits along the way.
US elections are pure theater.
Electronic voting provides zero validation, zero confidence, zero checks and balances, that the results are not utterly fabricated.
FACT: The USA is a Krony Kapitalist Kleptoctacy run by a Keystone Kops Klownshow.
hxxps://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/e213zifezrqth7v60uyh1/HOW-THE-US-empire-WORKSver2.jpg?rlkey=weayo3zxv1xrvayz8xiw93lhx&st=ui3tad9y&dl=0
Indisputable facts show that China is waaaaay more democratic, especially when it comes to delivering needs FOR the people.
hxxps://geopoliticaleconomy.com/2024/08/16/us-china-oligarchy-consultative-democracy/
Correction: it was a Princeton study that proved the USA is an oligarchy
hxxps://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/perspectives-on-politics/article/testing-theories-of-american-politics-elites-interest-groups-and-average-citizens/62327F513959D0A304D4893B382B992B
That was 10 years ago and things have only gotten worse in the USA.
Meanwhile elsewhere…
hxxps://youtu.be/6EOPrLCJQak
I believe a similar attitude exists in Australia – particularly amongst those of past Anglo heritage. There is a vague sense of fealty, although often expressed as sardonic commentary – particularly when related to international competitive sports. There also remains the myth of the “tall blond ANZAC” – a sad jingoistic expression derived from a long past disastrous imperial 1914-18 war that unfortunately consumed the flower of Australian youth.
Yeah, remember how well those tall blond ANZACS fared against those dark swarthy Turks at Gallipoli?
ANZAC day is a celebration of blind obedience by stupid cannon fodder to pursue suicidal tactics in the service of a morally bankrupt foriegn invasion.
Lest we forget.
It’s called propaganda and indoctrination and it starts as early as kindergarten by pledging allegiance to a flag hanging in every classroom with bullshit about being the land of the free and home of the brave blah blah, called patriotism meaning we’re better than everyone else and thus are free to murder and destroy at will. As Goebbels said “Repeat a lie often enough and it becomes the truth”.
Let’s not forget the re-written history books, and even geography lessons that depict colonialism as helping those ‘poor’ undeveloped countries rise up out of poverty into the free world, etc.
The indoctrination is full of deliberately crafted dis and misinformation, written by true believers to make it even more convincing. No wonder, so many can’t imagine an alternative reality or point of view. They see it all as irrefutable fact, impossible to deny.
As kids, we had no chance whatsoever of ever discovering the truth. For that, we had to reach adulthood, and wake up by identifying the inconsistencies and flaws in the tightly held narratives, and then dig a little.
So now, the deeper one digs, the worse the stench of the foul truths and facts as they are unearthed and brought into the light of day.
The American Revolution did not begin at Lexington and Concorde in 1776. The revolution began the summer before. In response to the Boston Tea Party, the Parliament and the King had enacted ‘The Punitive Acts”. Among these was the end of democracy in Massachusetts. The local officials that had been elected, were now to be Royal Officials appointed by the King.
In the summer of 1775, these officials, bearing the Royal Proclamations of their Office, began to head out of Boston to the county seats of Massachusetts. They were met by large, angry and armed crowds. These colonists insisted that these officials resign their Offices and to get the heck out of town. The Patriots’ method of tar and feathering may have been mentioned to encourage these officials to do the ‘right thing’.
This was of course an act of Rebellion against their Lawful King. The traditional English penalty for this is to be hanged by the neck until half-dead, then cut down and tied between four horses to be “drawn and quartered”, then to be beheaded and the head mounted on top of a pike to tell all others the penalty for defiance of an order from the King. Needless to say, the King was not amused by the rejection of the Officials who had paid the King good money for those Offices.
In response to this Rebellion, the King doubled the number of troops in Boston. But, this takes time in an age of sailing ships, and the New England winter was coming. Meanwhile, the colonists who knew they had committed an open act of Rebellion against their King were accumulating muskets and lead for making musket balls and gunpowder to defend themselves against what they knew was headed their way. Two of these ‘magazines’ were in the towns of Lexington and Concorde Massachusetts.
Then, Spring follows Winter, and both sides began to put their preparations into action. The King’s General ordered the King’s Men to march out of Boston to go and seize those magazines about which the General had “reliable intelligence.” The colonists had prepared a system for warning of such a move, so a number of riders headed out of Boston with warnings that the “Lobsterbacks” were on the march. One of these was a silversmith named Paul Revere, who didn’t warn too many people as he got arrested and spent the night in British custody. But, other riders did get through, and thus the colonists had time to assemble their militias to try to defend their magazines at Lexington and Concorde.
Be aware of fake stories about how the American Revolution began. As Roger Waters once wrote in a poem, “there seems to be a lot of it about.”
Oh, PLEASE!!! spare me the utter BS about America spreading ‘democracy’…not forgetting ‘human rights’. Overall, it is the WHITE RACE that thinks it is superior to all other races/colours of skin. Blatant RACISM. Through many centuries the West’s white race have a rather POOR showing.
Vera, you are a good commentator, but in this case, perhaps you missed the intent of the article. It was showing not the truth of US education as it is taught, but rather what’s absurd about it.
You might have a point…