A recent article published by AIER discusses a study of the Chinese Great Leap Forward of 1959-1962, entitled “When the family is abolished people starve.” It is of course condemning totalitarianism, communism, and mandatory human government in general. Read it, please.
In just three years in China, as Mao sought to fully establish communism and create the conditions to totally end private property, two key features of family life as found throughout human history were abolished: “private” (family) raising and teaching children, and “private” (again, family) preparation and eating of meals together. These were replaced by “community/cooperative” institutions: child-rearing and caring facilities (creches, ala Brave New World), and communal “canteens:” all food and utensils and ancillary items moved into a single place and meals prepared, served, and eaten in a public place.
Barry Brownstein concentrates in his article, as did the book, on the physical catastrophe. THIRTY-TWO million people died in the worst manmade famine known in the history of the world. But the clearly-document attempt by Peking and the CCP to throw families onto the ash heap of history also had significant societal impacts. Very negative impacts.
A lot of attention has been paid to Europe’s energy situation since Russia’s ‘special military operation’ began in February, eight months ago. Driven by both geopolitical needs (control of their perimeter) and the treatment of the linguistic/ethnic Russians by the corrupt Kyiv regime, the war seemed intended to be a limited operation similar to the success annexation of the Crimea in 2014. There has also been a certain amount of “egging on” by NATO – Brussels, DC, and London – especially since Uncle Joe occupied 1600 PA. Oops.
Fimbulwinter
Of course, the plans didn’t survive contact with the Ukrainians. Russia overestimated both the quality of its forces and the willingness of the Ukrainians (both military and civilian) to fight. And perhaps also underestimated just how perfidious NATO was, as well as how much treasure and risk they would offer up to “stop Putin.”
Back in the 1980s, it took decades for the evils of J. Edgar Hoover to be revealed. And oddly enough (from the point of view of so-called conservatives and right-leaning libertarians (minarchists, at least), one of the least corrupt of US Attorney Generals during the 20th Century may have been Bobby Kennedy. Did the FBI and DOJ become more and more like their enemies (the mob, or Mafia) or was it the other way around?
All questions of historical interest, but which have implications in 2022.
Today, the modern Federal Bureau of Investigation: the Feebs; is being revealed almost daily as the corrupt tool of power and tyranny that (as many have noted) it has always been. And the Department of Justice – not just the Attorney General but its entire leadership, senior bureaucracy, and many of its “special agents” (oh, so special!) are venal, arrogant, often-clueless, and bullying people who prey on other criminals but more and more on political opponents of the deep state.
And normal people and their businesses and institutions.
As with games and philosophy, propaganda is targeted but sometimes…
Americans and our States and societies are (so we are told) facing a large number of “crises” right now. Among them:
The immigration crisis, with a claimed 2 million + border jumpers flooding over the border with Mexico since Uncle Joe moved into 1600 PA.
The monstrous and evil human trafficking by the governors of Florida and Texas of some of those border jumpers (closely related to the above).
The inflation (at a level not seen since the 1970s) of the American “dollar” (FRN).
Runaway manmade global climate change.
Russian imperialism/fascism/communism and the resulting war in Ukraine.
Islamic-related terrorism and wars, internal and spilling over into other countries.
Continuing deterioration/breakdown of the supply chain.
Chinese Communist threat.
Corrupt elections – particularly the threat posed by Trumpistas and The Donald himself.
What do YOU believe about these issues? What do government officials and politicians running for office tell you? What does the media and the “experts” tell you? How much of what you are told do you believe? Fortunately, many writers and spreaders of propaganda are so stupid (and brainwashed themselves) that we can recognize some of the propaganda. But not all!
It is actually hard to list these without using the same words as the propaganda coming from all sides on these issues. All sides? There are not just the sides – increasingly dug in and hardening their positions – of the old parties, but the various fringe groups: Black Lives Matter, Antifa, Libertarians, Greens, even monarchists and anti-monarchists.
As discussed in a recent commentary, a very common method of propagandizing is the screaming of outrageous exaggerations about the evil opponents. Attacking their motives, their attitude, their beliefs and their actions – and what the results of those actions will be.
At the same time, propagandists greatly exaggerate the wisdom, soundness, and benefits of their own positions and proposed actions – and their past and recent actions (always “achievements”).
But there is, of course, much more to propaganda than telling lies or exaggerating: the objective of propaganda is to get someone to do something: buy, vote, donate, physically express their anger, etc. So we see this daily in the news, in the speeches (and sound bites) of media talking heads, politicians, lobbyists, pundits, and attorneys. As we’ve written before, propaganda is a tool, a tactic, used by enemies of liberty: predators who want victims and power and wealth.
The targets of propaganda? People. Pretty much ordinary people. Sometimes one kind or group, sometimes another, directly or indirectly. But always for the purpose of taking advantage of them. Sometimes to influence politics, or promote products, or just to keep control. And far too often, the targets – sometimes the intended audience but often not! (see above graphic) – swallow the guff. They buy into the propaganda.
The point to the question in the headline? It may be Democrats that are winning, or Republicans. It may be so-called liberals or those who claim to be conservatives. It may be corrupt business, or corrupt government. Or even foreign entities. They seem to take turns, tugging back and forth.
But whomever is “winning,” it is ordinary Americans who are losing. Losing our wealth and prosperity, our liberty and freedom, and both our past and our future. And if we do act, any hope.
As we’ve quoted before in TPOL, “you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.” But the obverse is also important to remember: lies enslave you.
As the divisions in these Fifty States continue to be deepened and spread wider, every form of propaganda, intimidation, actual acts of violence, retribution, and more is seen. And seen more and more frequently. We’ve discussed propaganda especially as it relates to the war in Ukraine, and here at home in the States before. Let us talk about who is perverting the truth.
Both the so-called conservatives and so-called liberals are doing this. Whether they are the woke of the left or the alt-right, they see the stakes are enormous. So great that the ends of defeating their enemies fully justify any means. Of course, in doing so, they become more and more like each other.
We see this in how they spin, twist, and pervert the truth. Any truth. Regardless of its source. Whether it comes from their allies (and kindred) in the past or present. Or their enemies now and in the past. Or the scientists. Or religion – especially the Bible and the christian faith. (For readers who are not religious, please read on – this commentary is about more than just religion.)
One of Newsom’s billboards in seven right-to-life States
Today we have an excellent example – a sickening example – of such perversion in the form of billboards a California political organization (promoting re-election of its woke governor) has posted in various States.
With the Russian “special military operation” (war) in the Ukraine now seven months old, everyone seems to be upping the ante.
Especially in the propaganda war. Propaganda is virtually always a tool of enemies of liberty. We see it clearly in Ukraine, Russia, and the Fifty States.
As Russia seems to be retreating, losing more equipment and soldiers, and apparently desperate enough to formally annex four different regions, the Western powers are eager to push harder and harder. And Ukraine is eager for this increased support. Hence the need for propaganda: to sell their cause.
Virtually NOTHING we read or hear about the war there can be trusted to be the truth. All the pretty colored maps, all the breathless reports of Russian defeat and Ukrainian victories. None of it. We certainly cannot trust anything coming out of the halls of the FedGov in DC, His Majesty’s government in London, or the idiotic collective government joke in Brussels. Nor for that matter Berlin, Paris, Stockholm or even Warsaw.
In the past several months, especially after the horrific events in Uvalde, the concept of “school safety plans” has been raised and discussed a lot.
As far as we can tell, virtually every school, public and private, from Preschool to Post-graduate institutions, has a “safety plan.” These are designed primarily to protect students, staff, and faculty from manmade threats.
Based on news stories, these plans are NOT effective. Time after time we read and watch news about some nutcase getting into a school and shooting and killing a bunch of people. Or doing it out on the playground or the parking lot. Or at a football game.
The next time you drive past what looks like a brick building or house under construction, stop and look carefully. Is it really a brick house, in which the brick is an integral part of the structure, supporting the roof and floors and even windows? Or is the brick a façade, installed over a wood (or steel) frame structure in lieu of metal or vinyl siding?
They may look much the same, both from the outside and inside. But they are completely different structurally. And completely different as far as being fire-resistant, storm-worthy, and even for heating and cooling. Yet brick-façade buildings are considered more valuable than vinyl-sided buildings. Because they look more sturdy, more aesthetic, more long-lasting.
It is the same with democracy. As our friends over at Paradigm (formerly Agora) point out, our beloved leaders are really really big on democracy. As Tom Woods recently pointed out, “Oh, our elites can’t get themselves enough democracy!” We are lectured 24-7 on the importance, the value, the critical need for democracy.
Supposedly, annual inflation, August 2021 to August 2022, was a “mere” 8.3% here in the States. Don’t believe it. Ignoring sales prices, food prices in most places have sometimes doubled in the last year: for example, at a Safeway in Rapid City, SD today, a 24-ounce loaf of Signature Select (store brand) whole wheat sandwich bread was $2.28: a year ago it was $1.19. Do the math yourself.
Listening to part of the Glenn Beck show on Thursday the 29th, we were amazed to hear a guest refer multiple times to what he saw as the reason for the current crash and burn of the stock market, the growing inflation, the supply chain chaos, and the economy in general. (We didn’t catch the name of the guest.)
“Too much government” and “too much government control.” My. And Glenn did not disagree – or try to caveat that.
This of course is not news to lovers of liberty – we’ve been preaching that fact for decades. But to hear on a national talk show? Amazing, huh? The guy went on to explain that government – in the past and now – interferes with families, with businesses, with so much of daily life that it is destroying the economy. And society. And possibly what is left of Western Civilization.
The Price of Liberty 
Winter is coming – to the entire planet
A lot of attention has been paid to Europe’s energy situation since Russia’s ‘special military operation’ began in February, eight months ago. Driven by both geopolitical needs (control of their perimeter) and the treatment of the linguistic/ethnic Russians by the corrupt Kyiv regime, the war seemed intended to be a limited operation similar to the success annexation of the Crimea in 2014. There has also been a certain amount of “egging on” by NATO – Brussels, DC, and London – especially since Uncle Joe occupied 1600 PA. Oops.
Of course, the plans didn’t survive contact with the Ukrainians. Russia overestimated both the quality of its forces and the willingness of the Ukrainians (both military and civilian) to fight. And perhaps also underestimated just how perfidious NATO was, as well as how much treasure and risk they would offer up to “stop Putin.”
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