MEDIA BIGOTRY ON DISPLAY

Throughout history “the people”, their moods, prejudices and bigotries, have been manipulated by the reigning experts in propaganda.

In the European context, the church was long the perpetrator of ‘mind control’ and of course we recognise dictatorships, past and present, as consummate manipulators of information in support of their various agenda.

These agenda invariably have a few things in common – some perceived Utopian objective, fear and simple expediency. Regardless of the complexity of social problems, the propagandist aims to subdue and marshal the people to his cause by identifying scapegoats.

For the church it was Satan, demons and witchery. For the Nazis it was the Jews and for sundry contemporary propagandists it is America.

Though a little more benign by comparison with these extreme cases, propagandists are at work in Australia too and their objectives are familiar – the identification and demonization of scapegoats, the persecution of which invariably serves what some see as altruistic objectives.

They know how to manipulate the population which, for the most part, willingly absorbs what it is fed by those who appear to occupy positions of celebrity, prestige and influence and their manipulators have the tools and an almost limitless budget with which to pursue their social engineering objectives.

I am talking about the Australian media.

As many readers will be aware, I have often highlighted the media’s manipulative bigotry but rarely has it offered-up an example I can share, that is as clear-cut as the following.

As everyone must surely be aware, the media considers it an offence to criticize Islam in any way shape or form. Only one attitude is permissible – “Islam is the religion of peace”. 

Any suggestion to the contrary results in one’s opinion being labelled ‘racist’ (despite the fact Islam is not a race), or ‘Islamophobic’ and anyone daring to express alternative views will be lampooned, either by the media itself, or by others convened by the media in a forum for the purpose of lampooning the ‘Islamophobic’.

For the past week or so, however, a visitor to our shores has appeared on just about every conceivable current affairs and infotainment program that can muster a panel of ‘journalists’, pseudo-experts and social commentators of the type that will not truck with criticism of Islam in any form.

The visitor’s name is Tony Ortega, a US journalist who wrote (among other titles) a book called “The Unbreakable Miss Lovely”, which charts a woman’s horror journey with the church of Scientology. 

Now I have no views, whatsoever, about Scientology or Islam either for that matter, but as an example of Australian media hypocrisy the media’s approach to interviewing one of Scientology's most ardent detractors is without compare.

When interviewed, Ortega speaks of all manner of abuses, connivances, skulduggery and hypocrisies as the interviewer, or in some cases a panel of interviewers, nod approvingly and asked questions aimed at teasing out every last negative Scientology anecdote.

Together they are in accord - the entire church is a travesty we certainly don’t need in Australia and they speak openly about the evils of Scientology’s oppression, manipulation, it’s questionable and downright bizarre doctrine and activities.

The message is clear. You cannot trust these people. They are strange, their beliefs are outrageous in the extreme and we must keep an eye on them for fear they may become too established on our patch. 

The language used does not distinguish between ordinary Scientologists and ‘extremists’ and there is no talk of ‘radicalised’ as apposed to moderate Scientologists, oh no. 

Scientology is Scientology and we need to shun “those people” as a job-lot!

Now I am no expert on Scientology, but so far as I’m aware, they believe we are the walking vessels for an ancient alien master race. 

These creatures live within and influence us...you know, a bit like the Holy Spirit and/or Satan, but of course not real. 

I believe their religion also involves mystical creatures who live beyond our planet, a bit like angels and, well, god, but again not real.

They have a prophet, they have a set code of conduct and rules to live by and they insist the members of their church tithe, a bit like the Christian church, but of course this one is built on a fantasy involving imaginary friends who’ll look after them if they love one-another and strive for ascension.

Now there would appear to be no doubt that as religions go, Scientologists get up to some pretty naughty stuff, including (it is said) corruption, fraud, intimidation, hacking, tapping and so on. 

What Scientologists don’t do, as far as I know, is explode...not even the radicalized ones. 

They don’t hack people’s heads off for apostasy, homosexuality or adultery and no part of their doctrine works as a guide for who may be killed under what noble and redeeming circumstances.

This is not just another crazy Christian cult. Scientology is not Christian, but rather an altogether distinct religion and apparently one that is completely undeserving of any consideration of the possibility that “most of them are really nice, honourable, peace-loving people just like you and me”.

Scientology is just plain weird...even worse, it’s American!!

The message receiving very strong media sponsorship is anything but opaque. Scientology is evil, its practitioners deluded, we must keep an eye on them treating them always with suspicion. 

We must send a clear message, ‪#‎Iwillnotridewithanyofyou‬

Now if I’ve not made my point about the bigoted, manipulative nature of the Australian media I doubt I ever will. 

These are the same people who drive public opinion about hunting and the ownership or arms, every last one of whom the media portrays as evil and irresponsible, every day of the week in some form or other.

Perhaps if we all got together to form the "Moderate Personhood of Non-Radicalised, Islamic Hunters of Australia" we might look forward to a little objectivity from the press?

Finally, as if to punctuate the ascertain that the media never allows facts to get in the way of an agenda, since August (2015), Aunty ABC has been forced to issue not one, not two, but three retractions on false/misleading statements relating to firearms:

Retraction 1 
Retraction 2
Retraction 3...and counting

Anyway, I'll get outaya way now...

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