The key to controlling an entire nation is fear. What do folks fear the most? The unknown, the other. It's easy to take control of fear when the unknown can be harnessed, named and unleashed upon the people. It's the same as fear of the dark. It is irrational but many people are scared of the dark.
A government can take it to the next level. They can take a mere word and turn it into the unknown. Take Communist for example (or Comuniss if you will). During Vietnam, America indoctrinated the country with such hate for the Communists that it still lingers today. Most anti-communist (occasionally read as "
socialist")individuals have never picked up Marx or Engels nor have they sat down and attempted to really understand the word "communist."
Therein lies the danger. Communist becomes less of a word with a meaning and more of the unknown or other. The meaning of the word is eliminated and replaced with fear that turns into hatred. I'd venture to say that most Americans during the Vietnam had no clue what a Comuniss (Communist) was. All they knew was that they were told it was bad, it was bad and it was going to take away freedom (another word?).
The Communists in Vietnam, however, probably couldn't have touched any American with a 15,000 mile pole. Really! I can't even express how poor that country was. They lived in villages. Not cities or towns. Villages made up of huts. They picked rice for a living. Those were the dreaded Communists trying to steal American freedom.
The Communists are alive and well today and, according to the advertisements in Penn Station, could be the person sitting next to you on the train. They are now called terrorists. The powers that bee (oligarchs!) throws the word terrorist around constantly. Terrorist, terrorism. You've heard it before (you've probably heard it today).
Today, though, the word terrorist (Communist?) is much more dangerous than the word Communist (terrorist?). It's the only word that can get a person detained indefinitely and "disappeared." Anyone who speaks out against the powers that be (oligarchy!) could be a
terrorist. That's the point of these words.
The idea of such a crippling fear of terrorists is ludicrous. It is limiting you as a person. There hasn't been a major terror attack in over ten years. If you are like some others, you might think there hasn't been major terror attack in a longer span of time.
Terrorist is the same as communist. Do you know what a terrorist is? It's one who uses terror to get control. Those who use the word "terrorist" to pass legislation that can destroy the constitution and limit freedom are terrorists. Those who dress in full riot gear to handle peaceful protests are terrorists. Samir in some frowned upon, poor Middle Eastern country is not a terrorist. He is the same as some poor Vietnamese person picking rice. Except he is picking shrapnel out of his legs. All in the name of stopping terror.
The next time you let the oppressive ruling class impress an ideology of fear on you, remember that you cannot be controlled by a word. You are not scared of the boogie man hiding in the dark. How many service people and foreign civilians must die in the name of protecting democracy (another word!) from terror? Truly, how many must perish in the name of a word? Children have died from this word. So have those who think they are defending this country's democracy. The true terrorists hold public office. The true terrorists do not fight with guns but with corrupt legislation.
Don't occupy Wall Street (well, go ahead if you want to, actually). Occupy your mind. Stand up and think outside the ideological box.
