Finding Truth

The sources of the truth about what's happening in our world are drying up. The most important thing that any of us can do to fight the rapidly accelerating encroachment of highly centralized, Soviet-style totalitarianism in our country is to make a concerted effort to find trustworthy sources of information. We each must undertake this quest because one thing we can all accept as a given is that no part of the media, not MSNBC, not FOX, not AM radio or since 2004, even Public Broadcasting, is beyond the control of powerful people and corporate/authoritarian interests.

In the last weeks we've seen news items about how the Chinese government carefully controls the information that can be seen by its citizens. This is a but a preview of what's already happening in America. Although the techniques are different, the effect is exactly the same. Voices that are critical of people in power, who represent an alternative viewpoint, are being systematically denied access to media and thus marginalized and trivialized.

"But", you say, "Look at how our news media criticizes President Bush, or V.P. Cheney. Surely we have a media in America that is left-leaning and liberal." Not at all. As early as 1970, efforts were being made to encourage certain authoritarian/totalitarian viewpoints in the media through disinformation campaigns that try to paint the media as being overwhelmingly liberal. Note first that this is not a matter of conservative vs. liberal. This is in no way a partisan issue. The viewpoints being encouraged by those who try to say the media is liberal are in no way conservative. Hannity, Limbaugh, Bill Bennett, Medved - the viewpoints presented by these commentators are not conservative. Rather, they are very strictly authoritarian/totalitarian. Anybody who disagrees or criticizes President Bush is a liberal, period. Even when the criticism comes from the Right, those who would try to point out that George Bush has increased the size of government, increased the amount of federal spending, worked in favor of intrusion into people's personal lives by government, started the first "pre-emptive" war in America's history by attacking a country that did not attack us - all the very opposite of conservative beliefs, those people are immediately called liberals.
Last night, when I was walking the dog, I heard 5 minutes of the Sean Hannity radio show. Someone called up and said he believed the president's budget was so full of pork, so overweight with spending, and something had to be done about it. He said that the president needed to pay more attention to the problems of illegal aliens, reinforce the border. All these things are the very definition of American conservative thought. Hannity started his reply with "All you liberals who criticise the President..." This is how any disagreement is marginalized.

If only this type of bullying was the full extent of the attack on the free exchange of ideas, but it's not. There are far more insidious ways that the forces of corporate totalitarianism are advancing their agenda through the media. Let's look at the way the media currently claims they are "fair and balanced", by always giving air to "the other side" of any issue. First of all, "the other side" of every issue is NOT always given. You will notice that any story that advances an authoritarian agenda is shown with no conflicting opinions at all. But if there is ever any story which is critical of the current power structure, there is ALWAYS time given to the "other side".

The very fact that the media is full of stories about how the media can't be trusted because it's so liberal. If the media can't be trusted, then how can we believe them when they say there is a liberal bias? In what alternative universe are people like Hannity, Limbaugh, Bennett, etc., NOT part of the media? After all, it doesn't get much more "mainstream" than Fox or CNN.

There are parts of the United States where it is completely impossible to hear criticism of the current administration. Drive through central Missouri and you will find dozens of pro-administration radio programs, and at least a half-dozen all-Christian stations. So how exactly is the media liberal? How are Christians being beaten up in the media?

We have to accept that we are living in an Orwellian nightmare, where everything is the opposite of the truth. The department of censorship is called "The Ministry of Free Speech" and the most pro-corporate, pro-authority media is called "The Liberal Media".

That's why it's so important to find sources of information that you can trust. I cannot help you in that search, but if you're here reading this, you're already engaged in the process.

Well you won't find the whole truth here at ATS either.

Post I have written have been moved. I've seen worse written and worse bashing on people than my post which was removed. Censorship of good topics that highlight the way things happen goes here at ATS doesn't it Mods and Administrators?

www.forumcircle.com/veritasgroup doesn't censor rather it will take every ones personnal opinions on conspiracies. If they can't back the opinions it's then open to replies. Not censored and moved to the trash like I have been here. Just because they don't like a free opinion.

Here's the post that was moved to the trash by Intrepid.

Some ATS voters haven't got a clue.

I'm not targeting all of you that vote on submissions.

I don't believe it. I have been voted no by 2 contributors. I only received 2 votes as well

Here are there unjust votes.

A contributor voting NO on your submission: (submission) (news) Terror Threat Tony's Deception has indicated they did so because they feel your primary source lacks credibility. Perhaps you should locate another source and edit your submission.
A contributor voting NO on your submission: (submission) (news) Terror Threat Tony's Deception has indicated they did so because they feel your topic really isn't appropriate for ATSNN. Keep in mind that ATSNN is the news portal service of a conspiracy and alternative topic community

Well here is the news submitted www.abovetopsecret.com...

To the first voter. The primary source lacks credibility. Is medication involved in your life? I have forwarded this to the Independent to see what their opinions are. What, are UK papers not credible?
Well see for yourself www.inmplc.com It's not only Uk it's published worldwide
Independent News & Media PLC

Independent News & Media PLC (Independent) is a leading international media and communications group, with interests in Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, the United Kingdom and most recently, India.

Spanning four continents and nine individual countries, Independent is the market leading newspaper publisher in Ireland, New Zealand and South Africa and is the market leading regional newspaper publisher in Australia. In the United Kingdom, Independent owns the largest newspaper group in Northern Ireland and publishes the quality, award winning, Independent titles from London.

To the second voter. The topic isn't appropriate. Same meds as voter #1? This is a conpsiracy forum. The conspiracy in this topic is about how Tony Blair deceived the Nation. When Bush does the same it's considered a conspiracy and posts are flying back and forth. Cheney has a hunting accident(and it seems just that) but you lot think there is a conspiracy in it. Also the big picture(try looking at it) is the conspiracy of bringing in a New World Order and when articles like these pop up, I believe it is showing the incremental steps towards that. So yes very appropriate.

I could go into every submission and debunk it on similar lines. Get a grip people. We in Europe give your news the time of day and study it, contribute to it but when UK or Swedish news comes up you ignore it or try like these 2 idiot voters debunk it.

Mr Dog, I've also had problems with posts of mine being unceremoniously dumped because they had "political content" (imagine!) and moved to the Politics Above Tops Secret message ghetto, where the discourse is at the approximate level of professional wrestling. Professional midget wrestling.

But you will notice that if you try to contact an ATS staff member about these issues, you will find a thoughtful ear and you will get a fair hearing. The people who actually do the heavy lifting of keeping these forums from becoming trivial free-for-alls are pretty decent folk who are also seeking the truth.

However, there are a fair number of these too who no longer think critically about world events and swallow whole whatever their right-wing radio personality-of-choice tells them. You can generally spot these by the biblical quotations in their sig lines. Don't waste your time trying to appeal to them, they won't hear you and may ban you if you dare express anything outside of the Judeo-Christian magesterium. That means anything critical to George Bush or his boss, Dick Cheney.

But overall, you will find that those of us who believe in the free exchange of ideas and the search for truth have enough influence around here that you can do what you need to do and get heard, or read.

In any event, don't give up. It's serious now. That razor wire you see going up around you isn't just for your protection.

I used to maintain a website called V7CIN... it stood for Versus 7 Civillian Intelligence Networks. It was hosted on the College Network, and could be accessed within the network... I couldnt host it outside of the network, because the school didnt have rights to claim DNS domains other than their main algonquincollege.com domain.

The whole point was it was a site in which I regularly gathered the recent news from at least 7 different world sources. No two sources could be from the same country... and I would only get information from the most politically central news sources.

If at least 7 sources didnt have information on it... I didnt post it as news... I posted it as a possible occurance.

I recompiled the news, and at the bottom, I noted any differences (lies) that one news source may have broadcasted, so that people reading my site knew why such a gathering of sources is necessary... and to expose the liars.

I may or may not start it up again... once I'm outside the college network... ie... this summer. Its easy to do... and it absolutely DESTROYS disinformation.

Keep an eye out for it in the future... I'll probably get a domain name like V7CIN.org, or .net, or .com, or whatever... I'll definately let everyone know when its back up.

Oh, and thats also the reasoning behind my Avatar. Its a V and a 7 superimposed... its on my PC case as well... its become my Insignia.

I don't even know when I'm telling myself the truth, much less when I get it from somebody else.

All I can do is try to pay attention to the things that have an immediate affect on me, and not think too much about vague notions like "truth," or "freedom."

Well spoken. I liked your verbal picture of the malaise infecting our country. Ignorance is not only tolerated it is encouraged and praised even rewarded. He/She who follows in lock-step the current "leadership" is given voice. The amazing thing is that people do not object when they hear 'liberal' used as an insult. It's amazing really. I suppose that "well intentioned" will be the next phrase fundamentalists will find derisive.
Remember, the sheep will always out number the Akita.

"When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag, carrying a cross." --Sinclair Lewis (1935)

skep

Have we not come to the conclusion that 'finding truth' is the biggest oxymoron of all?
Having spent a whole life in these pursuits, I must depend on my empathy or GUT to discern who is just so CONFUSED from those who are for real.
The percentages of for real is mighty low, sadly.

[edit on 23-2-2006 by siriuslyone]