Congressmen Seek To Lift Propaganda Ban

BuzzFeed ^ | May 18, 2012 | Michael Hastings

[thouworm]

“I just don’t want to see something this significant – whatever the pros and cons – go through without anyone noticing,” “ says one source on the Hill, who is disturbed by the law. According to this source, the law would allow "U.S. propaganda intended to influence foreign audiences to be used on the domestic population."

The new law would give sweeping powers to the State Department and Pentagon to push television, radio, newspaper, and social media onto the U.S. public. “It removes the protection for Americans,” says a Pentagon official who is concerned about the law. “It removes oversight from the people who want to put out this information. There are no checks and balances. No one knows if the information is accurate, partially accurate, or entirely false.”

[thouworm]

Pinging LucyT!

Propaganda is against the law? Sure coulda’ fooled me.

My same reaction. The barn door is already wide open. All the more reason to scrutinize this legislation (not to mention the fact that it was a "hidden" amendment).

This same article was posted on Friday by Freeper JimWayne, and I didn't think it got the attention it deserved.

Congressmen Seek To Lift Propaganda Ban (government propaganda)

[HiTech RedNeck]

Sounds more like a change in what organs of government may be used to gin up public lies.

[Vendome]

She’s a weird chick but what did you not like about it?

[Rome2000]

The Ad Council is the main propaganda arm of the corrupt Federal Government in DC.

Here is the pro homosexual blather currently on their website:

The Latest
Create the Next ‘ThinkB4YouSpeak’ PSA

Create the Next ‘ThinkB4YouSpeak’ PSA! GLSEN and the Ad Council are inviting artists to submit a public service announcement that reflects and encourages the theme of “ThinkB4YouSpeak.”

The winner of the PSA competition will receive an award presented by Brett Ratner at GLSEN’s Respect Awards in Los Angeles. It’s not too late, the deadline has been extended to May 30, 2012!

GLSEN (Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network) is a national educational organization working to ensure schools are safe and respectful for all students regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity/expression. GLSEN and the Ad Council launched the “Think Before You Speak” campaign to educate straight teens about the prevalence and consequences of anti-LGBT bias and behavior in America’s schools. To date, the campaign has included TV, radio, print and online ads featuring Hilary Duff, Wanda Sykes and NBA Phoenix Suns’ players Grant Hill and Jared Dudley.

[DesertRhino]

The regular American government had little need for such things. But as we have become a centrally planned socialist nation, the government criitically needs the ability to enforce the “plan”.

This requires non-stop propaganda,, the suppression of dissent, and the ability to gather intelligence and to use raw power against the population. I don’t have a clue as to when, how, or where, but anyone with eyes can see a clash coming with the Americans who will not be assimilated. If the revolutionary socializt side doesnt stop,, it is a certainty.

[OneWingedShark]

Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed.

[rockinqsranch]

Absolutely!

[thouworm]

Sounds more like a change in what organs of government may be used to gin up public lies.

So...they are just closing the circuit by legalizing propaganda from the State Department, Pentagon, DoD.

Let us count the many ways our government officials, our public servants, have enacted legislation to classify American citizens as enemies.

[OldNavyVet]

"It IS A SIN TO WRITE THIS. It is a sin to think words no others think and to put them down upon a paper no others are to see. It is base and evil. It is as if we were speaking alone to no ears but our own. And we know well that there is no transgression blacker than to do or think alone. We have broken the laws. The Laws say that men may not write unless the Council of Vocations bid them so. May we be forgiven.

But this is not the only sin upon us. We have committed a greater crime, and for this crime there is no name. What punishment awaits us if it be discovered we know not, for no such crime has come in the memory of men and there are no laws to provide for it.

It is dark here, the flame of the candle stands still in the air. Nothing moves in this tunnel save our hand on the paper ...."

The above are the 1937 opening words from "Anthem," by Ayn Rand;... an escapee from Soviet Russia.

[Iron Munro]

Increasingly this administration is moving in the direction of casting much of the citizenry in the role of enemies of the state.

America may not be at war with Islam or Terror but the US Government is at war with citizens who aren’t on the Obama/Liberal plantations.

If Obama is re-elected you can bet there will be population cleansing of his critics and opposition. We already see the Justice Dept. deciding which crimes to pursue and which to ignore based on racism and political allegiance.

The next step will be to award or deny government protection, employment, health care, welfare, food stamps etc. depending on your support of Obama.

How long will it be before we see the military turning away people who do not support the Obama agenda?

[thouworm]

Ping to article. This amendment has received NO attention, even from conservative press. In fact, so far, the only websites linking this article has been HuffPo and Daily Kos (not surprisingly, they spun it).

[RedMDer]

Keep FR Running Let's get to Yellow!

[Usagi_yo]

Can we get a site on exactly what laws or policies are we talking about (the propaganda? I think what we really need are laws that protect speaking out or otherwise publishing anti-propaganda because I’m sure whatever laws are passed prohibiting blatant propaganda would be corrupted to be abused *against* the public.

[thouworm]

Increasingly this administration is moving in the direction of casting much of the citizenry in the role of enemies of the state.

Couldn't agree more. See my post 28 (in case you missed).

[Excellence]

srb

[USMCPOP]

It’s bad enough that the press and the politicians lie/spin/omit. Now we want to institutionalize this behavior and make it a product of the civil service to deceive the people of this country?

There are times I want to roll over and just die. Other times, I am reminded that there are a lot of graves that I want to spit on, and those folks aren’t planted yet.

[thouworm]

Can we get a site on exactly what laws or policies are we talking about (the propaganda?

Deja-Vu: Another Attempt to Revise Smith-Mundt

NOTE: The above website has the essential info you are looking for but note that Gary Hart is chairman of the board.

Odd that this legislation has been linked primarily on leftist websites--- HuffPo, Daily Kos, etc.

I also found this mention from Washington Times

[spel_grammer_an_punct_polise]

Merriam-Webster Online:

One entry found for propaganda.

Main Entry: pro·pa·gan·da
Pronunciation: präp—gan-d, pr-p-
Function: noun
: an organized spreading of certain ideas; also : the ideas spread in this way
- pro·pa·gan·dist /-dst/ noun or adjective
- pro·pa·gan·dis·tic /-gan-dis-tik/ adjective

[thouworm]

Definition from Merriam-Webster Online???
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

www.merriam-webster.com

pro·pa·gan·da

noun \ˌprä-pə-ˈgan-də, ˌprō-\

Definition of PROPAGANDA

1: capitalized : a congregation of the Roman curia having jurisdiction over missionary territories and related institutions

2: the spreading of ideas, information, or rumor for the purpose of helping or injuring an institution, a cause, or a person

3: ideas, facts, or allegations spread deliberately to further one's cause or to damage an opposing cause; also : a public action having such an effect

[Jacquerie]

>It is significant that the nationalization of thought has everywhere preceded the nationalization of industry.<

F.A. Hayek, Ch XI, “The Road to Serfdom.”