Comments on: Cloaked Sites Key to Right-Wing Propaganda

By: “Guess I’m a Racist” : Anti-Health Care Ad :: racismreview.com

“Guess I’m a Racist” : Anti-Health Care Ad :: racismreview.com — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 11:08:30 +0000

[...] it’s created by an “unknown” political ad. In this way, it’s similar to the cloaked sites that I’ve written about here (and in my recent book, Cyber Racism) in which people disguise authorship of websites in order to [...]

By: P2P Foundation » Blog Archive » Cloaked sites: the trojan horses of regressive politics

Sun, 04 Oct 2009 08:37:19 +0000

[...] Read more in this overview with examples here. [...]

By: Jessie

Jessie — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 20:35:02 +0000

Excellent point, jcisbell! I think that the contrast to Blackwater is an apt one.
.
Craig ~ thanks for your comment. You wrote:
do you think it would be worth creating a cloaked web site to publish even more right-wing falsehoods against the current Administration? My aim would be to add to their current irrationality and to tip the critial mass of American opinion more toward the righ-wing’s irrationality.
.
I don’t see this as a viable solution. The problem with cloaked sites is that they create confusion and cloud people’s thinking. I don’t think more confusion is a way out of that problem. I too want to “ensure that the rational citizen ignores the dissemination of mis-information” but I think that there’s no quick fix to this problem. The solution, in my view, has to be to develop the citizenry’s critical thinking skills and ability. Sadly, this is a task that our educational institutions seem to have forsaken in favor of teaching to improve standardized test scores.

By: Craig

Craig — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 20:20:16 +0000

Jessie:
This article about right-wing cloaked web sites pierces the heart of my concerns on truth, lies, reality and just-plain hate.
As a left-wing individual, do you think it would be worth creating a cloaked web site to publish even more right-wing falsehoods against the current Administration? My aim would be to add to their current irrationality and to tip the critial mass of American opinion more toward the righ-wing’s irrationality.
I propose this because I have become an example of a person who now wants to ensure that the rational citizen ignores the dissemination of mis-information published by these cloaked websites. That is, I normally wouldn’t have searched and found a website such as yours, and have become more proactive because of this phenom.

By: jcisbell

jcisbell — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 16:30:31 +0000

In retrospect the attack on ACORN worked. Blackwater is under indictment for what, 32 counts of murder and they’re still employed by – the Obama administration? Yet ONE ACORN office gets taped maybe doing something wrong and that’s it? Funding pulled? The right wing are experts at the kind of strategy typified by the old joke, “Hey, are you still beating your wife?” – and then the Democrats reel back on their heels for four years. BTW, the ACORN tape could have been edited, easily.

By: ellen says

ellen says — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 15:38:38 +0000

Jessie says: “talks about the supposed misdeeds of ACORN”.
Did you watch the tape? What is alleged about these misdeeds? I don’t think Berman wins Anything. Health care debate rages on, raising the minimum wage and social inequality are {especially in this economy where 10% of the population are unemployed} are top-post in everyone’s mind. Mentioning Acorn, if this was his agenda, has Failed. Nobody’s putting Acorn above the aforementioned agenda. My health insurance premiums are $585 a month because I’m a serious disease survivor.
So, no. I don’t think Berman’s accomplished anything. Besides CNN covered Acorn also, Not just the notorious Fox News. CNN interviewd Bertha Lewis also. Why does this distract from what’s keeping people up nights..Health Care Reform.
Just because I say ACORN, the propagandists don’t win doodly. Jessie, I understand your zeal. I know you are heart and soul devoted to extinquishing racism. I know Berman has a political agenda regarding Acorn abuses..Which Is Wrong! This is not why Acorn should be investigated.
But doesn’t this approach ‘Let Acorn do whatever they want cuz if we don’t Berman will win!’ reflect more of an attitude to Trump Berman than to address problematic behavior in an organization that Should be Legitimately and Compassionately Operated to help the People Who Need Help instead of prostitutes and human traffickers? Please Honestly ask yourself this. With all due respect.
This is like cutting off your nose to spite your face. People can 1.despise Berman and Say so and 2.still require ACORN to be accountable for their actions 3. still require Congress to stop playing Politics while millions of Amercians die every 12 minutes through lack of health care…all at the same time.
Plus, Berman gleefully links Acorn abuses to Obama..wrong! Obama never approved this misconduct by Acorn. He would be the first one {in private} to tell His Wife: ‘I wish Acorn monitored their employees more assiduously.’ He can’t say this in public because it would seem as if he is deserting black voters who need Acorn services, but we can Say It!

By: Jessie

Jessie — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 13:46:19 +0000

Mom says: Propaganda of what? . The propaganda is that ACORN is even an issue. Each time the conversation, whether here or in the broader national discourse reflected in the mainstream media, talks about the supposed misdeeds of ACORN, the propagandists like Berman win. They win because they've successfully shifted the terms of the debate away from health care reform, or raising the minimum wage, or social inequality and toward what was on those tapes. . Each time you say "ACORN," the propagandists win.

By: Mom@Ellen

Mom@Ellen — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 13:44:19 +0000

More like corruption. Anyway, I know that what I’m suggesting may sound confusing, and I don’t agree with unethical practices of some people, but it happens everyday. These people just got caught, and really should be fired for some of the things that was on those tapes. However, there is crime committed everyday by Corporate America, which seems to be alright with the American people, which I truly don’t understand. My feeling, anybody that has to walk around with body guards is up to no good. LOL I know there are some people that need protection, but humm, I have to wonder about others.

By: ellen says

ellen says — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 12:57:49 +0000

Mom said: “Then there should be an investigation of every Corporation in this country, and we can start with health care.”
I’m not disagreeing with this Mom. Many corporations desperately need investigating from health care companies to Wall Street {now there’s a place that could use a few thousand IRS agents looking around the ‘books’ with a microscope}.
As you know, thousands of people lost their entire 401-K’s cause the companies they worked for invested this money of their own volition in stock. When the stocks crashed..bye 401-K! This is a tragedy of the worst lack of responsibility! I am one of those drone-working Americans {I mentioned I work 7 days a week} who would be wiped out if anything happened to my savings. Fortunately, I direct my own savings..it’s called ‘self-directed IRA’s’ and I’m very risk averse..so I never lose any money. I don’t make much through my savings{lol} but I don’t lose anything either. Who cares? I feel fortunate. Better safe than sorry.
But I listen to National Public Radio as I drive to work and So Many heart breaking stories of people saving for 30 years being completely wiped out of their savings. The CEO’s and all these phoney ‘vice presidents’ with their multi-million dollar golden parachutes should all be in state pens With the General Population..no cushy country club incarceration for you boys! I am very upset about this issue..I just can’t understand the outright cruelty.

By: Mom

Mom — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 10:54:50 +0000

Propaganda of what? Employees not doing an ethical job? I happen to see a lot more in these tapes. If we took out the underage girls then I see lower social economic people helping each other out creatively. I know this sounds a little “off the charts”, but why do we hire accountants at tax time, or “ethical” attorney’s when we go to court? Then ask yourself would you help your neighbor get a better job from a “good” word from you, to your employer? Are we getting the idea yet? The fact the an entire Corp. needs to be investigated because of the unethical practices of a few employees is ridiculous! Then there should be an investigation of every Corporation in this country, and we can start with health care.