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Longtrail's avatar

I have repeated this many times. I'm an American. Our military doesn't exist to defend us but for profit to enrich the Oligarchs who own the politicians and the media. We design weapons to line pockets instead of winning. Our nation is the world's foremost terrorist state.

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David's avatar

It took me a number of years to see the truth of the so called "free press" in the US and its vaunted claim of "freedom of expression". As early as the 1830's Tocqueville noticed that though Americans enjoyed freedom of expression, everyone said the same things. Whereas in foreign countries you can have an in depth discussion say on socialism, if you bring that topic up in conversation stateside it will shut off in less than five minutes. Some dork will say "it's a nice day out there" and change the topic.

The turning of a people into the so-called "silent majority" did not take place overnight but was the result of decades of indoctrination and social censure that muzzled opinion if it did not conform to the official line. Likewise press freedom means the freedom to discuss trivial issues or as a famous foreign author whose name I forget called "issues without grandeur". News media have cut down on comments, some doing without them altogether. There used to be a lively comment section on The Guardian which now only allows comments on arts and showbiz and lifestyle. The gist is we have been reduced to a silent Mob of zombies that parrots the official line. Any opinions to the contrary are greeted with a deafening silence. That is the extent of our freedom of expression.

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