Are We Really That Much Better Than Countries with State-Controlled Media?

I’m deeply thankful that I live here in America rather than a country like North Korea, and I truly appreciate the freedom of the press that we enjoy. At the same time, when the mainstream media outlets can collude so powerfully in disseminating lies and withholding truths, are we that much better than countries with state-controlled media?

Again, it’s absolutely true that, here in America, every narrative put forth by media outlet A can be challenged by media outlet B. At the same time, if the dominant media outlets only report one narrative, suppressing or censoring or dismissing out of hand all counter-narratives, isn’t the brainwashing effect all the same for those who rely on those dominant outlets?

This, then, is reinforced when the dominant media outlets effectively demonize other news outlets. As a result, those who follow the dominant media will never even think of checking out the other news outlets. Talk about an effective propaganda campaign.

Taking this one step further, if the social media and search engine giants further collude in advancing one narrative while suppressing or removing other narratives, the cycle of brainwashing is now virtually complete.

You think you have access to a wide array of viewpoints. You think you are hearing (or reading or viewing or finding) all the news that’s fit to hear (or read or view or find). Instead, you are hearing (or reading or viewing or finding) the news that the dominant (and leftist!) media leaders want you to hear (or read or view or find).

Worse still, by the time the lies and misinformation get exposed, it’s already too late, since the misinformation has now taken hold in the conscience of the nation. And popular myths do not die easily. (Just think of “Hands up, don’t shoot!” as one example of many.)

It is now well-documented (actually, proudly-documented) that a veritable cabal of media, social media, business leaders, and other left-wing activists colluded to stop Trump from being elected. (This is completely unrelated to the question of election fraud.)

We also know all too well that certain stories were ignored or suppressed (such as Hunter Biden’s laptop) while others were peddled ad infinitum (think “Russia collusion”). And let’s not even mention the question of fairness, as in the leftwing media’s constant reporting on Trump’s mental health (it’s amazing he’s still walking and talking, based on what we were told to expect) vs. their reporting on Biden’s mental health (he might run again in 2024!).

Now, thanks to an independent report from the inspector general, another Trump-damning myth has been revealed. As noted by Greg Gutfeld:

Specifically, “the inspector general’s report on the matter concluded: ‘We found that the USPP had the authority and discretion to clear Lafayette Park and the surrounding areas on June 1. The evidence we obtained did not support a finding that the USPP cleared the park to allow the president to survey the damage and walk to St. John’s Church. Instead, the evidence we reviewed showed that the USPP cleared the park to allow the contractor to safely install the antiscale fencing….”

Not only so, but the protests were hardly all peaceful. As noted by the Wall Street Journal, “The inspector general report said 49 Park Police officers were injured while policing the Lafayette Square protests, which while mostly peaceful during the day turned violent at night. Park Police ‘did not know about the President’s potential movement until mid- to late afternoon on June 1—hours after it had begun developing its operational plan and the fencing contractor had arrived in the park,’ according to the report.”

But will these facts undo the damage that the false reports already did, especially if they contributed to Trump losing the elections? And, while fully acknowledging Trump’s many failings, including his poor judgment in holding up a Bible in front of the damaged church building, did these false reports further demonize the man?

Perhaps, even worse than this is the collusion of the leftwing media and internet giants in deciding what we can and cannot be told about the origins of COVID-19 or about the efficacy, necessity, or safety of the vaccines.

In this case, we’re not just talking about misinformation that might affect our political or cultural points of view. We’re talking about life and death issues, issues of health and safety and even freedom.

Unfortunately, this rightful suspicion of the fairness and honesty of the dominant media outlets has, in turn, produced a “fake news” frenzy where we now reject as false any narrative that we don’t like. This, in turn, leads to the embracing of every kind of wacky conspiracy theory, especially on the right.

The solution, then, is to verify the stories we are following across numerous platforms, to challenge dominant narratives will well-researched, carefully-documented dissents, and to see what is being reported (and not being reported) on news sites we differ with.

Then, we can make informed decisions. Otherwise, if we are not diligent, we might find ourselves brainwashed, all while thinking we are enlightened, broadminded, and well-informed. Careful!

Here is op-ed by Greg Gutfield from 2 days ago that is quite interesting

So here's a question: how many media screw-ups do you need to hear before you realize it's deliberate. How many times does Wolf Blitzer get to cry "wolf"?

Every week an explosive story we are told was true turns out to be as false as Julie's eyelashes. Today’s big lie – The story of how President Donald Trump ordered Lafayette Square cleared "with tear gas" to vacate "peaceful protesters" for a callous "photo-op". The press covered it with a cicada-like fervor.

Media coverage of Trump walk to St. John's Church, June 2020:Scarborough: the Secretary of Defense in a photo op, in front of a church after these peaceful protesters, had been brutalized because of the president's plans// Burnett: the president wanted this photo op and he wanted to disperse that crowd because he wants and image you know of one thing which is all of these protests being violent//Katyal: why does Trump trump everyone else's rights as a US Citizen to be in the streets outside the white house? Why do they get tear-gassed you know and trump gets a photo op.

These guys are more full of crap than a septic tank at a bean factory.

In fact, the inspector general’s report on the matter concluded: "We found that the USPP had the authority and discretion to clear Lafayette Park and the surrounding areas on June 1. The evidence we obtained did not support a finding that the USPP cleared the park to allow the president to survey the damage and walk to St. John’s Church. Instead, the evidence we reviewed showed that the USPP cleared the park to allow the contractor to safely install the antiscale fencing…

Now, you’d expect those media hacks to walk it back – but our media can barely walk at all. I wonder if CNN is covering this. Nope! Just another CNN cooking segment for the homeless.

Now, this is just one lie, but it's part of an ongoing deluge of lies so endless you can’t keep track of them all. It's like Lucy and Ethel at the candy factory assembly line. All to keep an audience angry and distracted.

During the 2020 election, false stories were constantly repeated by the Dems and media - and it worked. Biden got elected. Meanwhile, the Washington Post won journalism’s equivalent of the Stanley Cup for their video timeline of the made-up photo op.

I wonder what the angry White male has to say.

Tom Shillue, Angry White Male:I don’t expect a retraction. I don’t even want one. I didn’t believe that story when it came out. I like to keep my relationship with the mainstream media exactly where it is. You guys keep writing stories, I’ll keep ignoring them,

You've heard of fan fiction? This is hate fiction. No different than the "fine people on both sides of this issue" hoax, which Joe Biden says inspired him to run for office. But there are so many others.

Remember when Time reporter Zeke Miller wrote that a bust of Martin Luther King Jr. Had been removed from the Oval Office? Outrage ensued. Turns out the bust had been there all along, he just hadn't seen it. I guess the busts of famous Black people all look alike to Miller.

How about when the media were convinced Trump had photoshopped his hands to make them look bigger for a White House picture? Or when the press said that Trump threatened to invade Mexico? These people lie more than I did when I was dating.

Then there was the tale of Trump killing the fish in the White House koi pond by overfeeding them. Trump renaming Black History Month. Trump easing Russian sanctions. Trump recommending injecting bleach into your veins to beat COVID. All lies were reported as facts.

Then there's stuff that don’t involve Trump but harmed you. The dismissal of spikes in violence across the country to protect the defund the cops narrative. The demonization of law enforcement and the whitewashing of criminal pasts to maintain victim status. All as choreographed as Lady Gaga's backup dancers.

If I started listing all of these fake fables we'd have to pre-empt tomorrow’s Fox & Friends – which would piss off Kilmeade because he just got a perm.

I get it - I’m getting tired of my own ravings about the media. But I can't stop. This is the only industry designed to lie, then create awards to champion their lies. It's the only industry that ruins careers and futures for the hell of it. And unlike the corporate media, I’m not exaggerating.

You don’t have to like Trump, or be a Republican, or be anything to be wary of the punitive power of the press. Like a serial killer on the loose, they think they can get away with this s*** because they always do.

It’s why, every day, you must doubt what you hear - including from me. As unlikely as such a thing sounds, I’d love for you to prove me wrong. Because believe it or not, I can be wrong.

Who am I kidding? I'm never wrong.

This article is adapted from Greg Gutfeld's opening monologue on the June 10, 2021 edition of "Gutfeld!"

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