OPINION: In the face of growing propaganda, IT’S TIME TO MAKE SOME NOISE

By Ivory Phillips

JA Contributing Editor

In the normal course of things, we try to keep abreast of local, national, and international news events. In this attempt we more closely focus on matters most clearly dealing with racism and the predicament of African American people. Among other things, this means we consume quite a bit of news from the Black press; listening to Black Information Network (BIN) is thus standard.

Following that course in the last several weeks, we have been disturbed by three editorials aired on BIN. That fact was so disturbing because we had come to think of BIN as one of the sources upon which African Americans could rely for truth and information, even if not actual guidance.

The editorials were all political and by individuals with whom the writer was not familiar. This caused him to wonder if this was an attempt on the part of BIN to avoid criticism or sanctions for being one-sided or biased. Is it possible that the Federal Communications Commission would act against the network if it only aired editorials that were favorable to one group or one side on political questions? Regardless of the situation, hearing the obviously right-wing propaganda on BIN more than caught our attention. It was an example of growing right-wing propaganda.

Without further ado, let’s share the essence of those editorials that seemed so out of place on BIN. The first was a scathing attack on Representative James Clyburn of South Carolina. Clyburn had made a statement acknowledging his regret for having endorsed Associate Justice Clarence Thomas, when Thomas was nominated for a seat on the Supreme Court. The apparent supporter of Thomas and MAGA policies then took not just Clyburn, but other Black critics of Thomas and MAGA policies, to task for their opposition. His claims were several, including the idea that Thomas had not changed, that Clyburn and others were upset because Thomas did not fit a pattern where all Black people subscribe to a one-party line, and that Thomas has simply followed the law and the Constitution in his rulings. The counters, however, are that Thomas had been deceptive and flying under the radar, so to speak, without most Black people knowing where he stood on matters critical to them; that Black people are more concerned about being united behind policies that support human and civil rights than they are about the parties per se; and that it was because Thomas has consistently been opposed to such rights, that Clyburn and others have been upset; and that Thomas has, with almost predictable regularity, sided with the Donald Trump positions, opposing the law and the Constitution.

The second editorial was one wherein a Black woman expressed her fear of assemblies where there were large numbers of American flags on display. The editorialist blasted her for such, claiming that she, along with others who feel that way, is disloyal and dislikes America. What he fails to realize, or maybe knows too well and is trying to ignore, is that the woman’s fear is not so much of the flags themselves, but of the hypocrisy of many who hide behind the flag as they gleefully support and promote White Supremacist policies and practices. It is no secret that the KKK, former Confederates, MAGA advocates, and other ultra conservative and hate groups claim to cherish the American flag and use it as a shield hiding their behavior. Perhaps the aim of the editorialist is/was to push more Black people, blind-folded, to the right and onto the side of White Supremacists, or at least, to isolate strong and perceptive Black people from the majority.

The third editorial was one that castigated socialists, including democratic socialists. He did this by narrowly defining the term socialism. He did it by deliberately ignoring the fact many countries on each continent, including Africa and Europe, have long been socialist and done well economically. He did it by deliberately failing to point out socialism is primarily concerned about closing the economic gaps between groups, in favor of human rights, while capitalism is more supportive and tolerant of private wealth and economic disparities. He did it by deliberately ignoring the fact democracy is a political system while socialism is an economic system and they can easily coexist as they do in many other countries around the world.

Again, the writer was surprised to hear those editorials on BIN. When one considers the determined, even disparate effort on the part of Trump and the MAGA group, to permanently solidify their hold on America, however, he/she can understand.

With that in mind, the writer urges people of influence, and that includes virtually everybody at and above the age of reason, to think about these critical issues dividing us. Put together your arguments and be ready to articulate them, privately and publicly, verbally and in writing. In other words, do not let the bigots, the greedy, and the ill-informed rule the day. For those who believe in true democracy, humanity, and human rights, IT’S TIME TO MAKE SOME NOISE.