More people get their news from ABC News...(shudder)

[alexpgp]

pro·pa·gan·da noun
{New Latin, from Congregatio de propaganda fide Congregation for propagating the faith, organization established by Pope Gregory XV died 1623}
1 capitalized : a congregation of the Roman curia having jurisdiction over missionary territories and related institutions
2 : the spreading of ideas, information, or rumor for the purpose of helping or injuring an institution, a cause, or a person
3 : ideas, facts, or allegations spread deliberately to further one's cause or to damage an opposing cause; also : a public action having such an effect

What the dictionary does not tell you is that the term has a pejorative connotation owing largely to the fact that the folks that talked the most about using it (the Soviets) more often than not spread false ideas and information to further their own cause.

So what are we to make of ABC's Michele Norris, who said "There are concerns that American children are being used in a propaganda campaign," referring to President Bush's request last Thursday night at his press conference for kids to donate a dollar apiece to help other kids in Afghanistan?

If this is propaganda, is it "Soviet style"? Is it a lie? Is someone concerned the money will be used to sow land mines in Afghanistan? Is the driving impetus insincere? Might people get the wrong impression about the U.S.? Are kids secretly being forced to contribute?

If it is not "Soviet-style" propaganda, then would someone explain why it is a cause for "concern" when the U.S. seeks to further its cause by encouraging our kids to help their kids?

Cheers...

Comments

[marxis.livejournal.com]

ABC isn't known for their objective reporting, with exception to Jon Stossel...

Hey, if the kids want to send letter and pictures with useful currencies to Afghan kids? Great...

But I think Afghan literacy was put at 20%, was it?

I'm not sure how the Afghan kids will respond, though...

[volkris.livejournal.com]

I would hardly call Jon Stossel objective... he is, however, more honest about having his crusades.

[alexpgp.livejournal.com]

Stossel may be a breath of fresh air, but he is about as "objective" as any of the rest of them (i.e., not!). Stossel appears to pretty consistently take the libertarian position.

The program proposed by Bush involved kids sending $1 to the White House, where it would be transformed for aid for Afghan kids. (Think "March of Dimes," which was initially set up the same way by FDR.)

Cheers...

[papoose.livejournal.com]

The thought that most people get there news from ABC is terrifying yet not surprising.

For some reason, I bristle at the thought of children being used in this way. I'm not sure that it is a propaganda thing, or just a general belief (totally unrelated to the issue at hand) that kids are being presented just one side of the story as truth, and must seek the wider truth through their own devices.

Again, this has nothing to do with the issue at hand, except for the fact that when I heard about it I got a nasty feeling in the pit of my stomach.

Propaganda? Maybe not. But certainly a tool in the war of words.

Re:

[marxis.livejournal.com]

Call me biased, but I'd rather have Stossel research and report than any other ABC "journalist..."

It's an issue of trust with me...

[alexpgp.livejournal.com]

[...]I bristle at the thought of children being used in this way. I'm not sure that it is a propaganda thing, or just a general belief [...] that kids are being presented just one side of the story as truth, and must seek the wider truth through their own devices.

People who encourage their minions to drive airliners into skyscrapers should be afforded "equal time" to set forth their views of what the "truth" is? This "truth" is being kept from them by...?

Since when are children ever presented more than one side of any story? In their religious upbringing? No. In school? We like to pretend so, but the reality is no. Doing so would require the teaching of critical thinking skills, instead of teaching students to have opinions (two very different things).

Cheers...

[alexpgp.livejournal.com]

That trust is probably based on your sharing a set of basic beliefs in common in Stossel, e.g., that government does not know best, that people are (or should be) held responsible for their actions, and that individual freedom is important.

Cheers...

Re:

[marxis.livejournal.com]

Most definitely... Consensus is not scientific, nor should it dictate individual pursuits, but I'm more at ease with reporting in context then such writing in one periodical where it read something to the effect of...

"Bush' stax plan hit the Senate floor today which if not passed could open the doors for more children's health programs instead of just inflating the arms race..."

It's that type of reporting that just pulls my hair out...

We're talkign about a tax system, not a child's health or military budgets... We're talking tax tables... It just gets my goat more than once...

I'd love to have the Fridays of Dragnet on ABC.. "Just the facts, ma'am" And maybe one to put it in terms of relative importance on how it impacts our daily lives and our national policy...

[papoose.livejournal.com]

I don't believe I ever mentioned anything about equal time for terrorists. I have no idea where that response came from.

You can believe me, that as a parent I do present my kids with more than one side, and always have. This is not to say that I think it is being done in our schools or churches, or anywhere else in the country or the world. As a matter of fact, I would not put so much effort in presenting other views to my kids if that were the case. If I left it up to the schools and churches they would be socialist robots with a blind belief in some man-made version of God, thinking that the State owed them food, education, and shelter. (oh that's sounds like a lot of us citizens, doesn't it?)

That in no way changes my response. It is not only ludicrous to use children to promote beliefs which in no way are they capable of understanding, it is downright irresponsible.

[alexpgp.livejournal.com]

I must've misread your original post (and did not finish what I started to say, which is that the only place where kids have a chance of getting both sides is at home). Sorry.

But I still don't understand your last line. My understanding is that the dollar donation is intended to show that our kids harbor no ill will toward Afghan kids, and demonstrate a willingness to help. What are the beliefs being promoted that kids are not capable of understanding.

(Mind you, while I'm not critical of the plan, I think there are other, more important things the President can be using his moral authority to advocate.)

Cheers...

[papoose.livejournal.com]

"totally unrelated to the issue at hand) "

I thought this made it perfectly clear that I was NOT speaking of the presidents call.