Libraries Begin to Censor Themselves: One aspect of the Patriot Act (sic) is to have libraries censor themselves. Librarians choose which books and periodicals to order for public access. Under the Patriot Act, the government has the right to spy of citizens' behavior, such as being able to demand to know who reads what at the local library. As a result, some librarians are beginning to be careful not to order anything that might be deamed controversial.
Thus the Bush administration has begun to censor your knowledge and, therefore, severely limit your ability to make democratic choices. This works much like refusing to allow TV or photo journalist from showing you pictures of war dead. If you don't see the painful images, you won't be as likely to become upset by the actions that caused them. Back in the "olden days" of the cold war we called this "mind control." It's the sort of thing we said the Nazis and the Commies did to their citizens.
Think of it this way: An election is coming up. You aren't sure who to vote for. You go to the library to do some research in order to make the most informed choice that you can. You can only read favorable material about the administration. Just how informed are you?
Yes, I know, no significant number of people will go to the library in order to do what I have just described, but some people will, most significantly researchers for those outlets of information, such as newspapers and TV, who do inform us.
Just look at the history of race relations in this country to see a prime example of how disinformation and outright lies allowed the brutal exploitation of African Americans to continue for more than a hundred years after the official end of slavery.
And, oh yes, if the government does go to the library and ask what you've been reading, the librarian cannot legally tell you about it. Your government can spy on you without your knowledge, and thus you have no way to protect yourself other than to do nothing. Now who do you suppose benefits from that sort of behavior?
As my grandpappy said, go ahead, bury your head in the sand and see whose butt gets shot off?
Thus the Bush administration has begun to censor your knowledge and, therefore, severely limit your ability to make democratic choices. This works much like refusing to allow TV or photo journalist from showing you pictures of war dead. If you don't see the painful images, you won't be as likely to become upset by the actions that caused them. Back in the "olden days" of the cold war we called this "mind control." It's the sort of thing we said the Nazis and the Commies did to their citizens.
Think of it this way: An election is coming up. You aren't sure who to vote for. You go to the library to do some research in order to make the most informed choice that you can. You can only read favorable material about the administration. Just how informed are you?
Yes, I know, no significant number of people will go to the library in order to do what I have just described, but some people will, most significantly researchers for those outlets of information, such as newspapers and TV, who do inform us.
Just look at the history of race relations in this country to see a prime example of how disinformation and outright lies allowed the brutal exploitation of African Americans to continue for more than a hundred years after the official end of slavery.
And, oh yes, if the government does go to the library and ask what you've been reading, the librarian cannot legally tell you about it. Your government can spy on you without your knowledge, and thus you have no way to protect yourself other than to do nothing. Now who do you suppose benefits from that sort of behavior?
As my grandpappy said, go ahead, bury your head in the sand and see whose butt gets shot off?
posted by Jim | 10:28 AM
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