we live in a tyranny comment as submitted to antiwar.com - and published

Belief is *dangerous*; inspect the definition:

belief n. 1 firm opinion; acceptance (that is my belief). 2 religious conviction (belief in the afterlife; has no belief). 3 (usu. foll. by in) trust or confidence. [POD]

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 [updated, 17:01 and 18:49]

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Proof: Belief can occur based on *zero* evidence, as in 'religious conviction' - and look at the troubles religions cause! Also here, 99% believe that "Iran’s nuclear program as a threat to the US national security," although, as Ditz, Glaser et al., including America’s 16 intelligence agencies swear there is *no* Iranian nukular bomb program.

In the wider scheme of things, the US public (as others in quisling 'allied' countries) is continually bombarded = propagandised with themes like exceptionalism, world-leadership, donates democracy via guns&bombs = destruction to those deprived by dictators, is a shining example, can do no wrong, etc. - in the face of facts that prove otherwise = often even the exact opposite.

It is not as if the people are stupid. Proof: Only 50% are, by definition, and some very smart people seem to 'believe' in patently false ideas, like neoliberalism = voodoo economics. Proof of the latter is almost everywhere neoliberalism has been implemented - and is demonstrably failing (unemployment, privatisation = theft from public then toll-boothing, austerity = service-cuts, bank 'rescues' (further!) enriching the <1%, etc.).

The operative phrase vis-à-vis Iran's (non-)nuke goes something like this: "The West suspects Iran of building a bomb," and such is repeated ad nauseam by the MSM *and* PFBCs = publicly-financed broadcasters, like the AusBC. That PFBCs are 'on board' is proof a) of their own corruption and b) that there *is* a conspiracy, since PFBCs must operate with their government's approval.

Note that "Iran building a bomb" is a lie (to the very best of our combined knowledge, and US-intel should know since it's their actual, ~$60bio+ function), so 99% of the electorate are being deceived, and that's only one topic of about a squillion critical ones.

I think that it's not so much "belief," nor as Chomsky once wrote, "manufactured consent" - but more *resigned acceptance*; the people internalise their impotence to influence the so-called 'leadership' (see last para), plus the fact that they get their info from 'people who *should* know' = speakers on MSM + public radio and TV (authority fallacy); they also know that IF the US (or Zs) want a war THEN they'll have one, come hell or high water, so the people just nod to the pollsters, then get back to their Hollywood-TV, beer and home-delivered pizza.

A democracy cannot function on a deceived electorate = one of three proofs of Western democracies = sham, the other two being bipartisan = un- & anti-democratic and elected representatives betraying us, one proof of the latter being the Iraq war = Nuremberg-class invasion (plus Libya, Syria and soon Iran), and another being the imposition of voodoo economics = neoliberalism, without us (we, the people) being offered any choice = "TINA!"

A non-functioning democracy = in this case a tyranny; here we are.

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^ Update, 17:01; PS - I submitted a follow-on comment - which was immediately flagged: "Your comment is awaiting moderation."

This means that moderation is triggered by content; you try to guess which bits are the trigger:

@PEACE EVER AFTER: “Those polls were fixed.”

Perhaps you’re correct; the original Ditz-report cited a timesofisrael source. One major point of hasbara is to attempt a disguise of the murdering-force theft of almost all of pre-UNGA181 Palestine; since that requires *nothing but lies*, and those in industrial quantities, there’s plenty of experience there to build on.

@Mark: “... one more aspect is the constant refrain, “Iran wants to ‘wipe Israel off the map’”.”

No ‘perhaps’ here; you are correct (not the wiping, but the highlighting of the scurrilous lie). Although ‘we the people’ are (in the current circumstances) powerless (see my previous), our tyrants make the pretence of ‘consulting’ us via elections, after thoroughly brainwashing us (there’s no alternative, more correct term). Note that there are multiple perpetrators; a) the tyrants themselves (with strings attached = puppets of their paymasters, including the ‘Israel Lobby’), b) the MSM + PFBCs, and c) the psychologists who design the propaganda. Over all, quote from Bernays: “Those who manipulate this unseen mechanism of society constitute an invisible government which is the true ruling power of our country.”

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^ Update, 18:49; PPS

I was thinking of posting an objection, then I thought something along the lines of 'casting pearls before swine.' Here's the draft:

It would seem that antiwar's "Your comment is awaiting moderation" may be invoked by an automaton triggered by content; in the continued absence of my comment time-stamped February 23rd, 2013 at 7:47 am (now over 2hrs ago at time of this submit, planned for 9:49), perhaps googling the following may be illuminative:

"@PEACE EVER AFTER" "@Mark" "Those who manipulate this unseen mechanism"

IMHO, the internet is a '24/7' operation, and while one can understand blog-owners' desire of exercising content-control and respecting their right to do so - such control should not be for overly-long, not on honest, non-abusive and significant content = what I write. Respectfully yours, etc..

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Ref(s):

[1] deceive  v. (-ving) 1 make (a person) believe what is false; purposely mislead. 2 be unfaithful to, esp. sexually. 3 use deceit.  deceive oneself persist in a mistaken belief.  deceiver n. [POD]

[2] lie2  -n. 1 intentionally false statement (tell a lie). 2 something that deceives. -v. (lies, lied, lying) 1 tell a lie or lies. 2 (of a thing) be deceptive.  give the lie to show the falsity of (a supposition etc.). [Old English] [ibid.]

Abbreviations:

ELO/Os = erstwhile legal owner/occupiers

I/J/Z-plex; illegitimate IL squats on genocidally ethnically-cleansed = improperly alienated, mainly Palestinian ELO/Os' land/property = IL is an un-remedied crime-scene and *all* I/J/Z-plex (except any actively opposing) are guilty; sole remedy = reparations = revest where possible, adequate = acceptable recompense where not + *sincere* apology

M/I/C/$4a†-plex = military, industrial, Congress (US-speak for parliament); $ = banksters, 4 = 4th estate = MSM+PFBCs, 'a' = academia incl. think-tanks, † = the churches.

MSM = mainstream media (print and broadcast), aka 'corrupt&venal'

neoliberalism = 'economic rationalism,' 'supply-side,' (wicked) privatisations, 'small govt.' = minimised to no égalité etc. + globalisation = wage arbitration etc. = <1% rips off 99%+

PFBCs = publicly-financed broadcasters, like the AusBC

ppp-dd'd = pushed propaganda paradigm dumbed-down

PRopaganda = PR + propaganda, usual qualifier: 'lying'

SQSHsO = snivelling quisling sycophantic hangers-on

the Enlightenment well summarised by liberté, égalité, fraternité

US-MMH = Media (aka press, radio + TV), Madison Ave., Hollywood

US&/Zs = the US of A and/or Zionists; sometimes indistinguishable

XS-CO2-CCC = excess CO2 climate-change catastrophe

Zionism (latest post-Jabotinsky, '23) = permanent aggressive war