QuestionItNow - Voices: Learn to Question

Friday, June 30, 2006

Learn to Question

It seems that throughout history, executive and/or royal authority has been gained via a ruthless determination to reach out and take as much power as people allow.

Idealogs have risen to power in large part because too many people are too easily led. A "bandwagon effect" leads to almost a cult like following of "true believers." These true believers have two main rolls (besides being cheer-leaders). They recruit new members or intimidate the opposition. Still, this dedication is not enough to maintain long-term power.

Totalitarian movements grow because far too many citizens are uninvolved with politics and don’t ask questions. These citizens are the disconnected, silent majority. The key to positive change in America lies not with divisive partisan politics. The key is tapping into the pent-up hopes and dreams of the disaffected, uneducated, and uninformed Americans who don't even bother to vote.

On a positive note, I recently found a very interesting website LearnToQuestion.com. This site is one example how the silent majority can learn how to ask questions. It's Propaganda Lessons section is good complementary reading to OhioDem1's How to Sell a War.

I am glad I found this site while Googling "question." It is encouraging to find fellow Americans who are taking positive actions to help wake up America.

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16 Comments:

These techniques work for any propaganda effort, the process is just tweaked a bit to match the goals of the campaign. A case in point is the war on Social Security which has been a Republican agenda since 1935.

By OhioDem1, at 12:59 AM, July 01, 2006
Hi Reb!

We have definitely fallen into the trap you described. I am not one, but many people were blind sided by Bush and his perverted religion and so called democracy. His new societal and world order will end in total disorder.

As for us Americans, I agree that we have stupidly relied on others(politicians) to take care of things for us and they stabbed us. I have been trying to wake people up since 9/11. I will check out that web site and thanks for the comment! Jim

By Jim, at 10:13 AM, July 01, 2006
Jim,

Thanks for sending your comment to Comments@QuestionItNow.com I look forward to hearing more of your thoughts.

I found your "Bring It On!" site via a Google search of "We the People"

Have a great 4th of July!

By REB 84, at 10:15 AM, July 01, 2006
the lasting terrible effects of Bush's misadminisration. The problems here and around the world are just beginning. Watch! http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/7/2/102447/7650orld are just starting. watch!

By an average patriot, at 5:02 PM, July 05, 2006
We, all the world will pay for American complacancy at the polls and for trusting our Politicians to do our work for us. We have found out the hard way "we the people" are not a concern, and we and the world are in worse shape than most realize and it will get a lot worse.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/6/9/16523/09175
Hey Reb that's pretty good you googled we the people and found me, funny, I guess I say that a lot. Just a note: we are no longer a government of the people, for the people, by the people, facilitated by society. We have in fact become a government of the politicians, for the weal;thy, by the legal system, facilitated by the media. We must get our America back and put "we the people" back in the equation!

By an average patriot, at 5:22 PM, July 05, 2006
"We the People" is what it is all about. Our hope is in restoring some sense of accountability, transparency, and oversight back into the American political system.

As I said earlier, it is also time to begin enforcing some anti-trust laws and break up some of the monoliths who are corrupting the American democratic system. We need greater independence from corporate control in this country.

By REB 84, at 6:23 PM, July 05, 2006
We Were Setting N Korea up! called paper Tiger, They Will Harm Someone! But who?

We knew all along! why are we playing party political games in our world politics? What is wrong with our politicians?
North Korea vowed to continue missile tests after yesterday's firing of seven rockets, saying it doesn't have to notify the U.S., Japan and other countries about launches that are part of its regular military training.
http://www.bloomberg.com/...

With that known I have to wonder what the hell we are doing? N Korea does not need our ignorant, irresponsible, overconfident, childish, verbal instigation.We seem to arrogantly do this continually and always worsen situations
instead of pacifying them. I just do not understand the politics of threats and verbal abuse. It is irresponsible and counterproductive.Do not cooperate but do not worsen!

Asked on CBS' "The Early Show" whether Washington should have destroyed the missiles before launch, Biden said, "I would rather have seen it do exactly what it did, demonstrate to the whole world that it is in fact a paper tiger.
"It does not have the capacity to do any short-term damage to the United States of America or Japan," said Biden, a potential Democratic candidate for president in 2008.
http://today.reuters.com/...

He is right, they pose no real threat to us but? N Korea will not back down. They are not that intelligent. Humiliating them will do nothing but egg them on to attacking someone but who? They have threatened annihilation but of who?

I was led to believe that the firing of the 7 missiles was a surprise. Then I find out we knew about that and area ships were warned of them and their firing well in advance.we kept it quiet.
http://blog.washingtonpost.com/...
We thought we were merely setting N Korea up and it seems we were right!
We know Bush diplomacy always fails and it seems to be by design. those of us with a little bit of sense call them threats not Diplomacy. We always talk about Bush's politics of do as I say not as I do. They are bound to and designed to fail.
http://www.dailykos.com/...

Now we have N Korea preparing for more tests. North Korea vowed to continue missile tests after yesterday's firing of seven rockets, saying it doesn't have to notify the U.S., Japan and other countries about launches that are part of its regular military training.
http://www.bloomberg.com/...

This takes heat off Iran and other areas that need and deserve interests! So what is the results of all this and what is next?

James Joiner
Gardner, Ma
www.anaveragepatriot.com

By an average patriot, at 5:38 PM, July 06, 2006
Jim,

It seems we are on something of the same wavelength. I just posted The 21st Century Road to Hell at Bring It On! This post provides a brief overview of the PNAC and relates their rad-con worldview to our current situation.

By REB 84, at 6:23 PM, July 06, 2006
Great News For Us: Delay Must Remain on Ballot Despite Resigning Congress! Yay!

Former Rep. Tom DeLay (R-Texas) must remain on the November ballot despite his resignation from Congress last month, a federal judge ruled Thursday.

U.S. District Judge Sam Sparks, a Republican appointee, ruled that DeLay has to stay on the November ballot even though he has left Congress and has become a legal resident of Virginia.

This is great, A republican nominee even! Sounds really good for us and" we the people" and I hope the momentum builds and continues!

Bowing to pressure from national Democrats and

Republicans in his own district, DeLay opted to withdraw his bid for a 12th term earlier this year for fear that he might lose the Republican-held seat and out of concern that his reelection bid gave Democrats too much to rally around this campaign season. " We still have it"

The Texas Democratic Party legally challenged whether DeLay should be ineligible to run and the court heard arguments on the case last week. The ruling is a major blow to Republicans in the state's 22nd district and in Washington because party officials -- at least for now -- cannot replace DeLay's name on the ballot. That would mean DeLay would have to stand for reelection despite his resignation

This ruling has ignited Democratic hopes that they can win the seat this fall because even if Republicans win on appeal, there are only four months before the election - little time to win a legal battle and rally behind a replacement candidate. this should be good but what about the Bush factor?

"I think it's a sad day for the voters of the 22nd district of Texas," said Gary Gillen, the chairman of the Republican Party of Fort Bend County, which is one of the four counties in that district. "I think [the ruling] denies the voters the opportunity to select the candidate they want to vote for."

I beg to differ! This is a great day and a great victory for decency, America, and our ability to take our America back! This looks real good to me!

It's just not fair for Republicans,"Gary Gillen chairman of the Republican Party of Fort Bend County said. "All the time we're working through this process, [the Democrats] are out campaigning." http://www.hillnews.com/...

What do Repugs know about fair? Cry loud, cry often, has worked for them in the past. Hopefully that time is over. It is time they were treated as equals on a level playing field at least. Then we will beat them!

*when all is said and done, you have to believe that behind the scenes Bush will be underhandedly pulling strings to get this outcome in Repugs favor and of course he will deny it!

James Joiner
Gardner, Ma
www.anaveragepatriot.com

By an average patriot, at 2:08 PM, July 07, 2006
Hi reb
I just noticed your comment! Yes, we are on the same wave length. I will look at what you wrote about the 21st century road to hell.
My first book was on How to survive the 21st century! Written a few years ago. I don't know if you looked at my site which by the way is http://www.anaveragepatriot.com You can look at a doctrine of fact/ Bush uncovered and Man and the planets life cycles where we are in them and the dire consequences of ignoring them as we continue to do, Those two manuscripts combined with a treatise of reality and its consequences is the manifesto to the world. I wrote those a few years ago.
One more note! I blog on Bring it on but that is not my site. I am starting to get around a bit.
I would like to do it on my own site but I am still looking for a place where I can converse on events and not be criticized for posting too much! Any suggestions?

By an average patriot, at 2:21 PM, July 07, 2006
Jim,

I did check out your site and some of your posts. Have not had much time to dive into your extended writings.

You may want to check out ConyersBlog.us You need to register, but it is a very active group and I think you will fit right in.

By REB 84, at 5:03 PM, July 07, 2006
Thanks reb
I will give that a shot. I'll be around though! Jim

By an average patriot, at 6:52 PM, July 07, 2006
I just checked that out. You can comment on his Blogs but can only comment. I will look again tomorrow. That would be a good place to voice your opinion but on his subject of choice.
I will comment tomorrow on todays post because attacking Iran would have different consiquences than they can obviously comprehend.
Iran is not Iraq! there would be problems here and widespread, differently and more devestating to morale than they realize.
Anyway, Thanks and I will just keep looking! I am tempted to find a political chat room but I don't know if I trust them?

By an average patriot, at 7:08 PM, July 07, 2006
Conyers Blog also allows commentors considerable room to bring up various other topics. Often Rep. Conyers takes topics from his blog and brings them into his posts.

Sign up. I look forward to seeing what you have to contribute.

By DTW 06, at 9:41 PM, July 08, 2006
I authorize $25,000 per year to be withdrawn from my account for incarceration expenses. I will NOT pay for your strategic requirement of institutionalization. This is something YOU require for YOUR positioning and YOU should have to pay for it.
I wonder if their fear of inarceration is borne from their refusal to address black disfavor on a macro level. The ruling species abuse black people so hard, from the crack epiemic to gang membership, black-on-black violence and mass incarceration of their young.
They refuse to address the issue of the prison industrial complex and its wholesale warehousing of young black men.

By Anonymous, at 1:44 PM, July 23, 2006
Hmm, $25,000 per year for prison expenses, plus $30,000 for the Iraq War, how much money do I have left?

Interesting post anonymous. Racism and the Prison Industrial Complex - PIC better known as "Pick 'em Up!" has been going under a radical transformation over the past few years. More and more prisons and illegal immigration holding areas are being managed by private companies. Interestingly this practice first began in Texas while George W. Bush was Governor.

By DTW 06, at 12:20 AM, July 24, 2006