The Whiz Bang Effect

[Ron Green]

When the World Trade Center towers fell on Sept. 11 of 2001, the effect around the world was electrifying, and more so in the U.S. because these golden shores had always been exempt from such unpleasant excitement. But the most important aspect of the attacks of 9/11, in my opinion, is the entertainment value that has been mercilessly exploited by the ministers of propaganda of the right wing.

No cinema blockbuster could have gripped the sordid imagination of the masses more effectively than these attacks. The exploding jet fuel and collapsing buildings, played over and over almost endlessly on television, became a video symbol for our newest fear, a totem to replace the Soviet mushroom cloud as our national "whiz bang." Closely followed by the anthrax madness (bringing the fear to a mailbox near you), the 9/11 images were quickly hijacked from their proper meaning as a sad and tragic end to loved human beings, and molded into a Brand Name to be bandied about by the idiot minion of the corporate entertainment machine that controls the information in this country.

Now, it doesn't matter if it's an al-Quaeda terrorist, a threatening hurricane or a missing blonde. It's all Whiz-Bang, and that's what matters.

[Soup Bean]

1. Hmmmm...so who DID do the anthrax attacks?

I haven't seen 24 hour investigative coverage of that, and nobody is afraid of it anymore. PLUS, only DEMOCRATIC SENATORS (LEAHY AND DASCHLE)and the National Enquirer (of all things) were targeted.

That was conveniently forgotten. Not Whiz Bang enough to cover, I guess?

[Ron Green]

2. I think the purpose of the anthrax episode was to diffuse and personalize

the fear, so that people would understand that THEY, PERSONALLY, are at risk, no matter where they live. I believe it's a natural swing of the pendulum back to non-stop fear, non-stop war, and eventual feudalism and slavery, which is more the natural state of mankind, unfortunately.

[wli]

3. all MIHOP all the time n/t