Learning to love Big Brother George W. Bush channels George Orwell

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | Sunday, July 28, 2002 | Daniel Kurtzman

[attagirl]

Here's a question for constitutional scholars: Can a sitting president be charged with plagiarism?

As President Bush wages his war against terrorism and moves to create a huge homeland security apparatus, he appears to be borrowing heavily, if not ripping off ideas outright, from George Orwell. The work in question is "1984, " the prophetic novel about a government that controls the masses by spreading propaganda, cracking down on subversive thought and altering history to suit its needs. It was intended to be read as a warning about the evils of totalitarianism -- not a how-to manual.

[attagirl]

He forgot to mention "hate crimes." (As in, "Everyone is equal, but some are more equal than others." But then, that brings in another book, Animal Farm.

Anyway, this is just revving up for Hildebeest in 04, who will, no doubt, crank things up a bit!

[Texasforever]

Yeah I always take people that base their arguments on bad science fiction seriously.

[attagirl]

Keep imbibing that Kool Aid!

[Texasforever]

Keep imbibing that Kool Aid!

I like the purple kind how about you?

[brat]

"Would it happen overnight, or would it involve a gradual erosion of freedoms with the people's consent?"

Both as evidenced in the USA today. It came on the scene long before the Bush Administration......PC anyone?

[The Shootist]

Yeah I always take people that base their arguments on bad science fiction seriously.

You mean; like the Bible?

[Texasforever]

You mean; like the Bible?

So now 1984 is a "bible"? LMAO. Yep publik skools.

[Drammach]

He forgot to mention "hate crimes."

He also forgot to mention Nixon's initial "War on Drugs", which continues to this day.
Talk about unending wars, that is one which has severely eroded individual rights for the last 30+ years.

[weikel]

I gotta wonder what you consider good science fiction? Star Trek voyager?

[weikel]

The WOD predates Nixon it started like so many other bad things during the Wilson administration I believe.

[Texasforever]

gotta wonder what you consider good science fiction? Star Trek voyager?

I like science fiction but I don't confuse it with reality or philosophy. I am a big fan of the Dune series. The movie sucked.

[weikel]

I liked the orignal book Dune I did not like Dune Messiah and have not read the whole series.

[Dat]

What about atlas shrugged?

[Texasforever]

The fact is that 1984 was published in 1949. It was the Nazi regime with some future technology added on. It was not a prophetic book it was a retrospective. MUCH of the supposed similarities to 1984 the book is based on the modern technology in place today. So just because, we actually have "big brother" technology does not mean we have "big brother". As to the "perpetual war"; who says it is perpetual? No one knows when ANY war will end until it ends.

[weikel]

The war on terror will be won eventually tolerance for Islam in the civilized world is wearing thin and eventually Islam will be exterminated by the armies of either America or Russia if( probably more a question of when) we decide to wipe them out they will not be able to stop us. the WOD now thats a perpetual war. TIPs and Echelon sound a lot like big brother especially with our now dead letter bill of rights.

[Texasforever]

WOD now thats a perpetual war. TIPs and Echelon sound a lot like big brother especially with our now dead letter bill of rights.

I also dislike using the term "war" when it comes to a domestic policy. You know my position on "tips" I just see it as much ado about nothing and will more than likely not be implemented. The thing Orwell left out of 1984 was modern day American citizens’ access to most of the same technology that the government has and many times more up to date and more sophisticated. I should have mentioned that the other model he used in his book was of course the Soviet Union. In fact the Soviets came closer to the book than even the NAZIs.

[weikel]

TIPs is permanent informants. You can call the police without a huge group of Stasieqsue snitches everywhere. Theres enough lying and distrust in America now without snitches everywhere.

[redrock]

"... purple kind..."

Jim Jones FAVORITE colour of Kool-Aid.

redrock

[Texasforever]

Theres enough lying and distrust in America now without snitches everywhere.

You are entitled to believe that but I don't agree with the analogy you are trying to make.

[redrock]

"I am a big fan of the Dune series."

Okay...I guess you have at least ONE socially redeming quality.

redrock