Recently
Mr. Ben Shapiro published a short video titled: “Was America founded on slavery?”
This video
is a classic case of BS (as well as, I’m sure, all other his videos, because they
have only one purpose – to lie; see below why).
The video
follows the well-established strategy for creating disinformation (read, for
example, “Disinformation: Former Spy Chief Reveals Secret Strategies for
Undermining Freedom, Attacking Religion, and Promoting Terrorism” by Ronald J. Rychlak
Lt. Gen. Ion
Mihai Pacepa; this book gives a great intro into what disinformation
is, and how it is made up and used: https://www.amazon.com/Disinformation-Strategies-Undermining-Attacking-Promoting-ebook/dp/B01ED2THK4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1511407647&sr=8-1&keywords=disinformation+book).
First, we
hear that “some people say this”.
Who?
Someone.
Who,
specifically?
No one specifically, no names, no
citations, just “some people”.
And then
we hear arguments against “this what was said” – which is a lie (but to camouflage
the lie, the author always throws in several well-known facts, too).
One more time, the strategy follows theses simple steps:
1. invent a statement which no one makes
2. attribute this statement to your political enemies
3. attack the statement ("debunk" it)
4. point your finger at your political enemies and say - "they are wrong, I am right!"
The central
lie (presented as an argument) is always invented by the author, in this case
by Mr. Shapiro.
In the
video, for example, the central lie is: “Leftists tell us that America was
founded on slavery” and “pretend that unites states was unique regardless
slavery”.
Again - no
names, no actual citations.
Why?
Because
they do not exist.
There is
no respectful historian who would ever said or wrote that “America was FOUNDED
on slavery” – this is the myth, or, fake statement, or – using old fashioned
language – just a lie.
As well as
there is no respectful historian who would “pretend that unites states was
unique regardless slavery”.
Why?
Because
every educated person knows that America was not founded on slavery.
As an
educated person, I say that some people have been saying that Mr. Ben Shapiro is
the master of BS.
But I
would disagree with those some people, because what he says is far far from
being a work of a master.
There are
some facts in the video, which people who never get to learn actual history would find
interesting, so the video may have some value as means to popularize history,
and to ignite interest to it (like the years when slavery was ended in
different countries).
Among
others, there is another specific lie I would like to point at; Mr. Shapiro
says “the war was to free the slaves”. Did he do it on purpose, or he is just
ignorant? Not sure (both?). But the
civil war was to preserve the unity of the States. Among the reasons
threatening that unity was, of course, slavery.
But even today there are people who would love to return back to slavery,
maybe not in the same form, maybe in a “softer” form, like political, economic,
intellectual domination, using all means available to deprive people of color
from being truly socially and economically equal.
And those
people put forward people like Mr. Shapiro to invent and present a net of
scientifically-looking but completely false statements (a.k.a. disinformation,
a.k.a. lies).
So, watch
out!
And ask
yourself a question: “Why does Mr. Shapiro and people behind him defend a
statement which no one – except them! – makes?”
Because they
are scared.
They are scared
to lose the power.
They are
scared to lose the power due to upcoming changes in the U.S. demographic (more
on this topic here: http://the3dforce.blogspot.com/2017/07/peering.html).
They do
all they can to “water down” the effect
the slavery had and still has on the
United States; to make the history of slavery be just one of many historic
facts, which – yes – happened in the past, but – like rotary phones – just died
out, and should be just forgotten.
Why?
Because, IF the
slavery would be “not a big deal, other countries had it, too, and it did not play
any major role in the history of the States”, then “there is no reason” to
focus on the millions of people of color who for decades have been purposely held
at the fringes of the political, social and economic life. Hence, “why bother”,
“we all are equal”, and “if they don’t have what we have, it is not our fault”.
Every time
when someone says “slavery is not important any more, we can forget it happened”,
what he or she actually means is: “I hate when any resources go to help politically,
economically, or socially disadvantaged people to advance their political,
economic, and social status, because I don’t want to share anything with them”.
Ironically, many of those people call themselves a "Christian".
Ironically, many of those people call themselves a "Christian".
Naturally,
Mr. Shapiro is not alone in his endeavor toward b@#lsh@#ing people, for example,
check this link: http://the3dforce.blogspot.com/2017/04/mmoore.html
or
http://the3dforce.blogspot.com/2017/10/slavery_10.html
BTW:
Currently, progressives of all sort are busy with fashioning a big fiery GALA (http://the3dforce.blogspot.com/2017/11/3dforcedown.html).
At the same time Regressive Republicans developed a network of disinformation.
Who is a real revolutionary here?
Appendix:
or
http://the3dforce.blogspot.com/2017/10/slavery_10.html
BTW:
Currently, progressives of all sort are busy with fashioning a big fiery GALA (http://the3dforce.blogspot.com/2017/11/3dforcedown.html).
At the same time Regressive Republicans developed a network of disinformation.
Who is a real revolutionary here?
Appendix:
After watching the video, I
placed two comments. Then some people responded to my comments, and I responded
to them – it is good way to advancing one’s arguments and debating skills.
Below is that conversation.
To Valentin Voroshilov:
"'Leftists tell us that
America was founded on slavery' and 'pretend that unites states was unique
regardless slavery'. Again - no names, no actual citations. Why? Because they
do not exist."
They do exist. Either you are
ignorant or you're being dishonest. Michelle Obama said the United States was
founded on slavery. The Young Turks also regurgitate the same talking point.
Perhaps you have never heard of Franchesca Ramsey? Let's also not forget Jesse
Jackson, Michael Eric Dyson, Al Sharpton, Boyce Watkins, Ben Jealous, Tim Wise,
Noel Iganatiev, Jeremiah White, John Henrik Clarke, Ward Churchill, Howard
Zinn, James Loewen, and Toure Neblette just to name a few more. There's also
publications such as BuzzFeed and Vox that also spew the nonsense of America
being founded on slavery.
You should put aside your
complacency and do a simple google search.
"There is no respectful
historian who would ever said or wrote that 'America was FOUNDED on slavery' –
this is the myth, or, fake statement, or – suing old fashioned language – just
a lie."
That depends on who you
consider a "respectful" historian. The left hails Ward Churchill and
Howard Zinn. Both are required reading for many history classes in college.
However I digress because neither of these two are actual historians even
though many on the left hold them as such.
"There is one lie I
would like to point at, Mr. Shapiro says 'the war was to free the
slaves'."
Alexander Stephens, who was
Vice President of the Confederacy, said that "slavery is the foundation of
the Confederacy" in his Cornerstone Speech. Texas, Alabama, Georgia, and
South Carolina all cited slavery as their primary reason for secession from the
Union. Jefferson Davis called the Emancipation Proclamation an execrable
measure. The Confederate Constitution even bans the abolition of slavery. That
should seal the deal on the issue of slavery. Southern denial over slavery as a
cause for war comes only after the Civil War ended as a justification for secession.
It still lingers to this day. You can make the case the most Southern soldiers
didn't fight for slavery, but the government they fought for did (as already
laid out above).
"And even till these
days there are people who would love to return back to slavery, maybe not in
the same form, in a 'softer' form, like political, economic, intellectual
domination, using all means available to deprive people of color from being
truly socially and economically equal."
Amazing... How to put your
own double standard into perspective? I know. How did you phrase it? "No
one specifically, no names, no citations, just 'some people'." "Again
- no names, no actual citations." Well? Care to address the fact that you
blatantly contradicted yourself here Voroshilov? Thanks for clocking in.
From me:
1. Love to see people who can
quote.
2. I KNOW people who would
love to return back to slavery in a "soft form ", those people are
not in the news, so their names will not matter, and that is good for me,
because I do NOT make any generalization here. I just say - those people do
exist. And they do.
3. Thank you for accepting
that for the Confederacy the war was to save the slavery. But it does NOT
logically mean that for the opponents (you know who there are, right) the war
ALSO was about the same thing; that type of a statement is one of many false
equivalence, which work for people who do not trace logical steps.
4. Thanks for trying to
reason!
P.S. almost forgot, please, send
a link to the transcripts (!) of the Obama's (for example) speech with the
exact statement "America was founded on slavery".
To Valentin Voroshilov:
No, the Civil War was to keep
slavery in the South. The North Democrats very clearly saw that "white
lives" were being sacrificed for "black slavery", and they
didn't like it. Abolitionists saw it as a war to free the slaves, and were
wholeheartedly behind it, and saw Lincoln as dragging his feet. Lincoln was
desperately trying to keep the Union together, and eventually realized that (A)
that wasn't going to happen unless slavery was abolished and (B) the war
actually provided the best possible way to free the slaves in the South anyway.
But the war absolutely was about slavery. It wouldn't have happened without
slavery, slavery was clearly the core reason behind every major player in the
South and the only message of the South, and the end of slavery was the only
major shift due to the war. Oh, and if you don't know who is saying that
America was founded on slavery...just turn on freaking MSNBC for a few hours. I
can't imagine how you've possibly missed it.
So...the Confederacy was
fighting to save slavery... from people who weren't fighting to get rid of it. Yes,
_ that makes perfect sense._ Let me know when you've sorted out that particular
logical mess.
From me:
Hehe,
Nice return, I like the term
“logical mess”,
It is like saying that
America was FOUNDED on the
event which happened 84 years AFTER is was founded.
Classic!! In case you need
some reference and have no history book handy: Go to the internet and search
“when was America founded” (but do not fall for the “Independence Day” movie –
that is a fantasy set in the future!).
Then go to the internet and
search for “when did Southern states secede from the Union?”
Then write down the years for
each event.
Then subtract – you may need
a calculator, but those are cheap these days. BTW: do not put in my mouth the
words I didn’t say – also classic trick of lairs. I said: quote “the civil war
was to preserve the unity of the States. Among the reasons threatening that
unity was slavery, of course.”
Got it?
“the civil war was to
preserve the UNITY of the States”
From me:
Many people want to “water
down” the effect the slavery had and still has on the United States; to make
the history of slavery be just one of many historic facts, which – yes –
happened in the past, but – like rotary phones – just died out, and should be
just forgotten. Why? Because, IF the slavery would be “not a big deal, other
countries had it, too, and it did not play any major role in the history of the
States”, then “there is no reason” to focus on the millions of people of color
who for decades have been purposely held at the fringes of the political,
social and economic life. Hence, “why bother”, “we all are equal”, and “if they
don’t have what we have, it is not our fault”. Every time when someone says
“slavery is not important any more, we can forget it happened”, what he or she
actually means is: “I hate when any resources go to help politically,
economically, or socially disadvantaged people to advance their political,
economic, and social status, because I don’t want to share anything with them”.
If Ben Shapiro blew
somebody's mind, that mind might have been not very strong (e.g. easily blown).
I guess, apple and the tree situation. http://the3dforce.blogspot.com/2017/11/disinformation.html