More than at any time in my lifetime, I see Americans herded like so many cattle into one political/social chute or the other. Nothing more clearly illustrates that than juxtaposing how the media and special interest groups portray three different ethnocentric conflicts that share many of the same attributes.
The media and special interest groups exert significant influence over key narratives, leading to flawed conclusions, misguided actions, and manipulation on multiple levels. What’s at work is systemic bias so insidious and one-sided that from now on, I hope you question everything others take at face value.
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Currently, there are three major wars occurring, all centered on the operational word of the 21st century: “Independence.” Here’s a handy-dandy chart showing the dominant narratives that control how Americans are expected to see the top three wars:
Samuel Johnson, the 18th-century English writer and moralist, was quoted as saying, “Nothing focuses the mind like impending death.”
This quote has been a favorite of mine for years because it separates the doers who risk life and limb from those who sit safely ensconced on their own butt pontificating on events about which they have no real knowledge and from which they will suffer zero risk if their prognostications are wrong. So it is with three different real-world savage fights that go on to this day.
I am a loyal and patriotic American, as are millions of other citizens. Of the three conflicts detailed above, we’ve witnessed the narrative push the Palestinians front and center on the compassion scale, even as I believe they own every horrible thing that has happened to them by cleaving to Hamas (which Gazans freely elected and strongly support) and openly celebrating the October 7 slaughter that saw 5,040 Jews killed, wounded, or taken hostage.
Let that sink in. Unlike the 2.13 million Arab Israeli citizens who make up 21.5% of Israel, Gaza’s residents chose to unite and revel in the death of human beings. With Israel logically responding (as Yahya Sinwar hoped would happen), Gaza’s residents are reaping the whirlwind of their choices. Israel is the only free country in the region, and Arabs vote in the Israeli Knesset, are judges, policemen, and soldiers with the same rights as other Israeli citizens. Few know these facts that fly in the face of the “narrative.”
The Kurds have also been attempting to gain their own homeland and have often used force. Major powers (e.g., the U.S., EU, Russia) support Kurdish autonomy in limited contexts but stop short of endorsing complete independence, fearing destabilization. The UN has turned its back on 30-45 million Kurds seeking their freedom. The constituencies for Palestinians are much better organized, promoted, and financially supported. Yet, the question that should be asked is: “To what extent is the situation different from that of the Palestinians?” My answer comes down to visibility and political framing.
Finally, the big one that dominates the news and has the most important ramifications—Ukraine. In the Budapest Memorandum, signed on December 5, 1994, Russia promised to respect and protect Ukraine’s independence and territorial integrity in exchange for Ukraine giving up its inherited Soviet nuclear arsenal. Russia now disavows this primary document, which was intended to ensure Ukraine’s territorial integrity forever.
America is frequently somewhat childlike in its perception of geopolitical realities, whereas Europe is more pragmatic. Today, how we view nationalism, our internal politics, and geopolitics is a function of the prism through which we view them. It cannot be overstated that we voluntarily gave up our independence, and millions of us are walking, talking points for the outlets we subscribe to, for their views and outcomes.
By allowing others to frame our arguments, supply us with our talking points, and “facts,” we give up our free will at the same time. What good is free speech if you no longer have free will? Historians will look back at this time with special emphasis on what happened to those under 45 years old. Framing leads to brainwashing, which in turn leads to actions that ultimately divert us from what’s life-affirming.
The media’s culpability (including social media) can no longer be doubted. Witness young people following TikTok antics resulting in their deaths for proof. We have passed the point of finger-pointing; we now simply need action to arrest our decline.
It pains me to say it, but the majority of the citizenry won’t sacrifice what is required to return to sanity. It is up to our government to right the ship and restore sanity to a country going down by the head. God grant us the miracle of good leadership and action that resets our clock for another 250 years, while we still have time, and, even more importantly, the will to do so.
God Bless America!
Author, Businessman, Thinker, and Strategist. Read more about Allan, his background, and his ideas to create a better tomorrow at www.1plus1equals2.com.