How is this any different from the 1970s Eyewitness News videos constantly showing black on black crime? Or for years the misinformation that people of color are storming our boarders or that reverse racism is a real thing? It's not, it's just the latest scheme by a party that has been dividing this country for decades in hopes of carrying out its coup on behalf of their billionaire donors. Facts do not matter to these right wing followers, they never did. Sadly, fear mongering is a centuries old technique that works. We wear designer jeans instead of togas but little has changed. Lies, division, and corruption brought down the Roman Empire. It's bringing down this one was well. I wonder if the Roman Times published reports that both sides did it?
The Sunday morning shows collective refusal to deal with election deniers reminds me of Chuck Todd's laughable excuse for not calling out Republican pols when they would come on Meet the Press and spew the nonsense du jour. Chuck said if he did that, "No one would come on the show." As was the case with Tim Russert, GOPers know they can go on Todd's MTP and "catapult the propaganda."
We need a national discussion about how to combat propaganda, conspiracy theories, etc. Finland’s media literacy program is a good place to start since Finland is rated as the country in Europe most resistant to fake news. Another might be to have more of this kind of statement from religious leaders”
“Southern Baptist Convention Leader Ed Litton Says QAnon Conspiracy Theories Are 'Fables'”
Off topic but why does MSNBC think that treating the NYC mayoral race like a national election is a good idea? It is boring and insulting to the rest of the country. They barely cover elections in other large cities like LA. or Chicago. Talk about being egocentric!
While I glimpsed the phrase in passing, it seems fairly self-explanatory: panic porn.
The GOP manufactures threats and uses them to stir up its base. The adrenaline rush becomes addictive in its own right; the belief that something is an existential threat justifies any action. Lather, rinse, repeat.
And the fact that "fear is the mind-killer" sums up how it works so well. Fear short-circuits the higher critical functions of the brain. Pretty soon the Brain is subsumed by the Gut.
Another advantage to panic porn is this. With a multitude of manufactured threats swamping attention spans, it makes it that much easier to slip real threats under the radar.
When frightened about something, people have a strong need to explain it, but they do not have a corresponding need for the explanation to be correct. Thus, the schizophrenic experiences some powerful relief with the idea that the voices being heard are signals from the cable TV company seeking revenge. This idea explains the scary voices -- whew! Of course, the explanation is incorrect, but it is deeply rewarding. Somehow Trump and the republicans understand that fear is the necessary ingredient in selling a bullshit explanation.
Absolutely maddening. Thanks, Eric, for highlighting yet another dangerous and dastardly big lie today. Each time I hear about CRT blah, blah, blah, I think of the kindergartens I taught a million years ago who could barely sit still for story time let alone have a clue about white kids vs black kids. I taught in a very poor neighborhood in Boston and crt was as real to them as was astrophysics. Shame on the media folks who abet the demise of our formerly cherished by all democracy.
Ala the film/play, ‘South Pacific’ from the 1950s, “you’ve got to be carefully taught to hate and fear/ You’ve got to be taught from year to year, it’s got to be drummed in your dear little ear, you’ve got to be carefully taught.” CRT is a red herring. Prejudice is learned at home, not in schools. The crt believers are the proof in the pudding.
A theory studied in LAW SCHOOLS for crying out loud; idea that racism is systemic rather than personal biases among individuals. That’s how I understand it.
I have actually written to several alleged reporters covering this and asked them if they are asking members of the republikkkan party to define Critical Race Theory. None has responded, so we know the answer. And the reason for the answer is that the L word for the political media remains not Liberal, but Lazy. To put it another way, note that Orange Hitler's DOJ didn't try to get records from "The Habes," who was publishing insider gossip. Why? Because I can count on the fingers of both hands the number of actual reporters who cover national politics any more.
Hit Post too soon: I might be reading too much into all of this, but these panics about education makes me think that the real issue underneath it all is that the GOP is attacking Teachers Unions. They’re making a wedge between public schools and parents.
Over the course of my being a professional educator for 30 + years, both in & outside the classroom, I learned that any imagined or real threat to school aged kids sends their parents into an emotional tailspin; these are their most precious kids and most will protect them if threatened to the max. What the right has learned to do masterfully is to light a match that sets off that tailspin, like Common Core which no one understood either. I doubt it’s the unions this time around, it’s the parents they like to scare.
Open source internet forums can be a very useful source of information...for the critical reader. If the Congress was an internet forum, the GOP would be the contributor who begins their post saying, "I've never "(done this), (seen one), (tried this......) etc." And then proceed to tell us all about how it's done.
The media's role would be like that of a moderator; let the discussions run their course, but flag the misinformation, call out the liars and weed out the trolls.
My dad, who was in radio, used to tell the story about a radio station in LA that created panic when announcers reported than an amoeba was loose. This incident was notable enough to be included in A History and Analysis of the Federal Communications Commission's Response To Radio Hoaxes:
"Although most of the examples cited did not
involve hoaxes or deceptive behaviors, the FCC included the following
among the list of promotions deemed to have an adverse effect on the
public interest:
The broadcast of "scare" announcements or headlines which either
are untrue or are worded in such a way as to mislead and frighten the
public: e.g., a sudden announcement delivered in a tone of excitement
to the effect that "amoebas" were invading a certain city, implying that
the amoebas were dangerous creatures."
Same as it ever was. I see the current media's failure to state the facts about CRT in education as today's version of "an amoeba is loose".
Here's a link to the entire article which appeared in Federal Communications Law Journal:
How is this any different from the 1970s Eyewitness News videos constantly showing black on black crime? Or for years the misinformation that people of color are storming our boarders or that reverse racism is a real thing? It's not, it's just the latest scheme by a party that has been dividing this country for decades in hopes of carrying out its coup on behalf of their billionaire donors. Facts do not matter to these right wing followers, they never did. Sadly, fear mongering is a centuries old technique that works. We wear designer jeans instead of togas but little has changed. Lies, division, and corruption brought down the Roman Empire. It's bringing down this one was well. I wonder if the Roman Times published reports that both sides did it?
good pt! think what might be a bit different from those examples is the cult-like hysteria over critical race theory today
Agreed!
The Sunday morning shows collective refusal to deal with election deniers reminds me of Chuck Todd's laughable excuse for not calling out Republican pols when they would come on Meet the Press and spew the nonsense du jour. Chuck said if he did that, "No one would come on the show." As was the case with Tim Russert, GOPers know they can go on Todd's MTP and "catapult the propaganda."
it’s such a simple choice for Sunday shows to make yet they remain paralyzed
Would be nice if the Sunday Gasbag Shows stopped packing their shows with Republicans and ignoring Democrats.
when there's GOP in WH, sunday shows say, we need to know what GOP thinks. when there's Dem in WH, sunday shows say, we need to know what GOP thinks
As if "no one would come on the show" is a bad thing.
“The Post also made no effort to quote any Democrats about a Republican strategy to use the classroom wedge issue to defeat them next year.”
Another example of how Both Sides most emphatically does not mean both sides.
We need a national discussion about how to combat propaganda, conspiracy theories, etc. Finland’s media literacy program is a good place to start since Finland is rated as the country in Europe most resistant to fake news. Another might be to have more of this kind of statement from religious leaders”
“Southern Baptist Convention Leader Ed Litton Says QAnon Conspiracy Theories Are 'Fables'”
https://www.newsweek.com/southern-baptist-convention-leader-ed-litton-says-qanon-conspiracy-theories-are-fables-1601900
Off topic but why does MSNBC think that treating the NYC mayoral race like a national election is a good idea? It is boring and insulting to the rest of the country. They barely cover elections in other large cities like LA. or Chicago. Talk about being egocentric!
agreed since entire GOP now revolves around propaganda
Note how the NYC media endlessly pumped up Yang and gave very little coverage to everyone else.
The NYC Media never admits their mistakes. Watch what happens after Trump is indicted and they do the "Teflon Don" shtick with him.
Btw, Yang conceded earlier. Imo no mayoral chops. Shiny object.
Largest city in US? Ranked-choice voting? There are reasons. For me NYC schools and police reform matter and so the mayor matters.
While I glimpsed the phrase in passing, it seems fairly self-explanatory: panic porn.
The GOP manufactures threats and uses them to stir up its base. The adrenaline rush becomes addictive in its own right; the belief that something is an existential threat justifies any action. Lather, rinse, repeat.
And the fact that "fear is the mind-killer" sums up how it works so well. Fear short-circuits the higher critical functions of the brain. Pretty soon the Brain is subsumed by the Gut.
(As Charlie Pierce has observed in "Idiot America" https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/131057/idiot-america-by-charles-p-pierce/)
Another advantage to panic porn is this. With a multitude of manufactured threats swamping attention spans, it makes it that much easier to slip real threats under the radar.
When frightened about something, people have a strong need to explain it, but they do not have a corresponding need for the explanation to be correct. Thus, the schizophrenic experiences some powerful relief with the idea that the voices being heard are signals from the cable TV company seeking revenge. This idea explains the scary voices -- whew! Of course, the explanation is incorrect, but it is deeply rewarding. Somehow Trump and the republicans understand that fear is the necessary ingredient in selling a bullshit explanation.
Pure emotion. no reasoning.
Absolutely maddening. Thanks, Eric, for highlighting yet another dangerous and dastardly big lie today. Each time I hear about CRT blah, blah, blah, I think of the kindergartens I taught a million years ago who could barely sit still for story time let alone have a clue about white kids vs black kids. I taught in a very poor neighborhood in Boston and crt was as real to them as was astrophysics. Shame on the media folks who abet the demise of our formerly cherished by all democracy.
right?! idea that 5 yr olds are being taught this just highlights the madness
Ala the film/play, ‘South Pacific’ from the 1950s, “you’ve got to be carefully taught to hate and fear/ You’ve got to be taught from year to year, it’s got to be drummed in your dear little ear, you’ve got to be carefully taught.” CRT is a red herring. Prejudice is learned at home, not in schools. The crt believers are the proof in the pudding.
A theory studied in LAW SCHOOLS for crying out loud; idea that racism is systemic rather than personal biases among individuals. That’s how I understand it.
I have actually written to several alleged reporters covering this and asked them if they are asking members of the republikkkan party to define Critical Race Theory. None has responded, so we know the answer. And the reason for the answer is that the L word for the political media remains not Liberal, but Lazy. To put it another way, note that Orange Hitler's DOJ didn't try to get records from "The Habes," who was publishing insider gossip. Why? Because I can count on the fingers of both hands the number of actual reporters who cover national politics any more.
Today’s CRT panic is yesterday's Common Core panic.
The thing I find funny about the Right’s panic response is that it is giving us an object-lesson in why Critical Race Theory needs to be studied.
Hit Post too soon: I might be reading too much into all of this, but these panics about education makes me think that the real issue underneath it all is that the GOP is attacking Teachers Unions. They’re making a wedge between public schools and parents.
This tweet: https://twitter.com/emptywheel/status/1408021609231826950
Oy. Touché. Thx for link.
Btw, teachers fund teachers unions. Not the feds. The crazies love the lies.
Over the course of my being a professional educator for 30 + years, both in & outside the classroom, I learned that any imagined or real threat to school aged kids sends their parents into an emotional tailspin; these are their most precious kids and most will protect them if threatened to the max. What the right has learned to do masterfully is to light a match that sets off that tailspin, like Common Core which no one understood either. I doubt it’s the unions this time around, it’s the parents they like to scare.
Honestly, and I consider myself fairly well-read, I don't have the faintest idea of what this is????
you're not alone....
Open source internet forums can be a very useful source of information...for the critical reader. If the Congress was an internet forum, the GOP would be the contributor who begins their post saying, "I've never "(done this), (seen one), (tried this......) etc." And then proceed to tell us all about how it's done.
The media's role would be like that of a moderator; let the discussions run their course, but flag the misinformation, call out the liars and weed out the trolls.
My dad, who was in radio, used to tell the story about a radio station in LA that created panic when announcers reported than an amoeba was loose. This incident was notable enough to be included in A History and Analysis of the Federal Communications Commission's Response To Radio Hoaxes:
"Although most of the examples cited did not
involve hoaxes or deceptive behaviors, the FCC included the following
among the list of promotions deemed to have an adverse effect on the
public interest:
The broadcast of "scare" announcements or headlines which either
are untrue or are worded in such a way as to mislead and frighten the
public: e.g., a sudden announcement delivered in a tone of excitement
to the effect that "amoebas" were invading a certain city, implying that
the amoebas were dangerous creatures."
Same as it ever was. I see the current media's failure to state the facts about CRT in education as today's version of "an amoeba is loose".
Here's a link to the entire article which appeared in Federal Communications Law Journal:
https://www.repository.law.indiana.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1226&context=fclj
Thanks Eric.
I hope the Rs are as successful with using CRT "on the ballot" as they were in 2012 using bans on same-sex marriage.