New Video – 2
In this video, I look at the effect of fear–often caused by a lack of awareness–and how this impoverishes our democracy. Since videos don’t come with SparkNotes and everyone is free to have their own interpretation of what they see and hear, I’ll make it clear here that there is no intent to malign the men and women of the armed forces. Their work, effort and sacrifice (and their families’) is certainly appreciated.
“Fear and terror are terrorism’s means. Fear is terrorism’s turf. America’s turf is democracy, the open society, pluralism and unwillingness to be scared into submission, scared out of its liberties, scared out of its multiculturalism.”
Benjamin Barber (as seen here)
Below the videos are the quotes used in the piece as well as a few others that didn’t make the final cut.
If you disliked the video above, then you might dislike the video below (actually, you might dislike the whole series!).
-The key to emotional language is its simplicity and clarity. It has to be immediately believable and authentic. If it requires you to think, it’s less powerful; if it requires you to explain, it’s less powerful. Frank Luntz, Republican Pollster
-The most effective fear-inducing language and images speak to the amygdala, not the cortex. Newsweek article describing how politicians use fear to influence, Dec 24, 2007
-A compelling story, even if factually inaccurate, can be more emotionally compelling than a dry recitation of the truth. Frank Luntz
-But when the president says that his first job is to keep us safe, He is dead wrong. Read the oath of office: His first job is not to keep us safe, but to keep us free [by upholding the Constitution]. (I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.) Judge Andrew Napolitano from: http://reason.com/news/show/123496.html
-These quotes below, I found interesting, although I did not use them in the video. (The ones from Andrew Napolitano, are from the same link above.)
-There is not one, not one single instance in all American history, where America’s security was adversely affected because of too much free speech. Judge Andrew Napolitano
-The president had said he believes in natural rights. Unfortunately when he signs these bills that take away our rights, he reveals he either doesn’t know what he’s doing or he doesn’t really believe in natural rights. The Patriot Act is not only unconstitutional; it’s unnatural, since it purports to take away that which naturally belongs to us. Judge Andrew Napolitano
-The PATRIOT ACT and Civil Liberties – Wolf Blitzer to Kucinich: ‘You’re the only one on this stage who had a chance to vote for the PATRIOT ACT who voted against it.’ Kucinich: ‘That’s because I read it.’
-Of all tyrannies, a tyranny exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. C. S. Lewis
-In true democracy every man and women is taught to think for himself or herself. Mohandas K. Gandhi
-Education either functions as an instrument which is used to facilitate integration of the younger generation into the logic of the present system and bring about conformity or it becomes the practice of freedom, the means by which men and women deal critically and creatively with reality and discover how to participate in the transformation of their world. Paulo Freire
-I know of no safe repository of the ultimate power of society but people. And if we think them not enlightened enough, the remedy is not to take the power from them, but to inform them by education. Thomas Jefferson
-The ignorance of one voter in a democracy impairs the security of all.” John F. Kennedy
-Let us not look back in anger or forward in fear, but around in awareness. James Thurber
-And one more that wasn’t in the video: Fear is not the natural state of civilized people. Aung San Suu Kyi
