The Exploitation of Fear
Ever since September 11th, fear as a political motivator has been on steroids. The joint efforts in the early days of the war by the mainstream media and that of the conservative right led the general public into a state of paranoia and mistrust of the others. Citizens were convinced that there was a boogeyman around every shadowy corner. Everyday the alert state of the country was trumpeted and the war on terror televised. Beginning with Afghanistan and peaking with the invasion of Iraq. American patriotism was all or nothing subject. One was not to question the efforts of the United States and the way the war was prosecuted. Everyday, in some form of another, popular media found away to indoctrinate and endure the mistrust of the foreign other, such as television shows like 24, Alias, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Each of these shows represented a form of public mistrust in the alien other, especially 24.
Unfortunately, the American public became conditioned with the emotions of fear and mistrust. These emotions were later transferred to the internal domestic problems of the United States and have been fully realized in the turmoil in the latest rounds of the illegal immigration debate and that of economic turbulence. The Tea Party is a manifestation of these concerns and the 2010 midterm election cycle.
The far right wing of politics are preying on the publics’ concerns of the United States’ instability by demonization of President Obama, his policies, and that of illegal immigration. The month of August will bring the hyperbolic and vitriolic extremists in trying to persuade the public that the sky is falling—and the continuation of fearing the other is in our best interests. Don’t! Fear limits possibilities. Hope brings the expansion of possibility. The midterm elections will show if the United States citizenry willing to drive forward or place itself in reverse. Letting the extremist exploit the American public fears will set this country backwards—it is time to shine the light on the boogeyman and forever rid him into insignificance.
Unfortunately, the American public became conditioned with the emotions of fear and mistrust. These emotions were later transferred to the internal domestic problems of the United States and have been fully realized in the turmoil in the latest rounds of the illegal immigration debate and that of economic turbulence. The Tea Party is a manifestation of these concerns and the 2010 midterm election cycle.
The far right wing of politics are preying on the publics’ concerns of the United States’ instability by demonization of President Obama, his policies, and that of illegal immigration. The month of August will bring the hyperbolic and vitriolic extremists in trying to persuade the public that the sky is falling—and the continuation of fearing the other is in our best interests. Don’t! Fear limits possibilities. Hope brings the expansion of possibility. The midterm elections will show if the United States citizenry willing to drive forward or place itself in reverse. Letting the extremist exploit the American public fears will set this country backwards—it is time to shine the light on the boogeyman and forever rid him into insignificance.
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