Posted on 09/18/2002 6:38:16 AM PDT by adam stevens
Handling the USSR woulda been a relative walk in the park without the aid and comfort it received from within the USA.It's commonly believed that journalism is a public service; it's actually a necessary evil. We must scrutinize our elected officials, but journalism does it from an easily identifiable perspective. Broadcasting amplified the influence of journalism, and hence of the patent anticonservatism which inheres in journalism.
It did not take long to realize that, for all their protestations of wanting an even-handed, bilateral, verifiable freeze, their actual position was quite different. They were quite serious about a unilateral U.S. freeze, but were entirely indifferent to the Soviet's ongoing nuclear buildup and chronic cheating on existing accords. In fact, as one moved from the bumper sticker sloganeering to the details, the freeze movement's positions dovetailed in every particular with the current Soviet negotiating line, and moved in lockstep with it.
Of course, not one in a thousand of the empty headed college kids and assorted trendy lefties who turned out for the freeze campaign was informed enough, or intellectually honest enough, to realize this. Nonetheless, all I had to do was raise a question, and they would instantly volunteer the Soviet-line rebuttal. It really brought home to me the reality of what the 1930's popular fronts must have been like.
Since then, I've often wondered about the funding and real, insider leadership of such groups. Control the talking points, newsletters, and speakers list, and you control the stooges, particularly if you regularly complement them on their moral superiority, activist commitment, and independent critical thinking -- i.e., their memorization of your own talking points. Lenin's phrase, "useful idiots," is perfectly apt. This kind of organization is endemic on the left.
This is another interesting example. I sometimes think the non-profit sector should be held to the same standards of transparency we demand of the political parties. At the least, we might finally find out who Mr.-Secret-Funding Ralph Nader is pimping for.
I wonder if author Edward Immler has ever considered taking the info he has to the New York Department of Corporations and doing a reverse look up by address for these creeps to discover all the other organizations and individuals associated with them. And then taking the corporation names he learns at DOC and running these through the IRS for additional IRS Form 990's. Then using FR volunteers, assign maybe 20 names of individuals or corporations to each volunteer to do a thorough internet search. Should be able to come up with a great deal of info on these people this way. One other thing, there is a clearing house in Washington for info on all contracts let by the government. Better search there and cross reference all corporation names discovered to see if our tax dollars are funding any of their crap.
Just some thoughts.
--Boot
LOL!
Who is this "we" you refer to, kemosabe?
You left of center types were of ZERO assistance during the cold war, and now that the risk is gone, you all want to claim status as warriors for freedom. No sale.
I'll see your ping and raise you another ping.
These folks are some seriously busy Clymers.
Leave it to you to try to whitewash the activities of these people. Their membership should be decorating lampposts across the fruited plain.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.