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Forum Post: Noam Chomsky 'Keeping the poor frightened'

Posted 12 years ago on Oct. 19, 2011, 9:35 a.m. EST by ltjaxson (184)
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmakLRxGbW8&feature=related

or anything on 'Manufacturing Consent'

4 Comments

4 Comments


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[-] 1 points by ltjaxson (184) 12 years ago

Please visit Noam Chomsky's website at chomsky.info for a perspective from a true American hero...

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[-] 1 points by OurTimes2011 (377) from Arlington, VA 12 years ago

If this movement is truly successful, it will represent a major change in the economic and political systems of the US.

One major factor in keeping the population under control are the artificial class and race barriers that have been erected by the ruling class. (Howard Zinn's A Peoples History of the US has the best explanation of this.) By the way, I include union leadership in the 1% ruling class.

OWS tries to be a classless, raceless movement. This frightens the ruling class to no end.

Thus, one of their major social control mechanisms has failed.

To counter this in the short term, they have encouraged hatemongers to post on this forum, and to express sympathy with OWS. The racist right has been insistent on denying Obama any cooperation. These forces of hate have felt threatened since his election, anyway, and they sense the power of this movement. Without an artificial racial and economic divide, these groups would have no reason to exist.

Many poor whites make up the bulk of these hate groups, but others, specifically immigrants (East Indians, Russians, etc.), belong, too. The poor whites have been more negatively impacted by the financial crisis than most, so the risk to the ruling class is two fold:

Hatemongers might just wake up and realize they have been played by the 1%, and actually join the movement. This would be a nightmare for the ruling class.

Many of the exploited poor white folks who are hate group members or sympathizers are also members of unions and the police/armed forces. Without a reason to protect the 1%, the 1% would suddenly become quite vulnerable physically.

If the ruling class can paint this movement as racist and antisemitic, they can lower the attractiveness of OWS to the bulk of Americans, who believe in fair play above all else.

I suggest occupiers remain peaceful and positive.

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[-] 1 points by ltjaxson (184) 12 years ago

Right on! Zinn'sbook should be mandatory literature in every high school history class in the country.

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