Earlier this week, Pope Francis spoke out once again about abuses in the Corporate Media. This has displeased the egomaniacs in the Manosphere's Alt-Right, who get lots of free publicity from Big Media; and actually endorse many of the same Cultural Marxist agendas as the MSM. Among the perversions they mutually share is a hatred for traditional Christianity.
Red Pill Cult blogger Andrew Anglin of The Daily Stormer went so far as to accuse the Pope of being a pervert. This is nothing new from the Far Right; their anti-Catholicism runs as deep as their anti-Semitism. They're all great worshippers of Donald Trump too---Trump's Catholic Vice-President and Jewish son-in-law to the contrary notwithstanding.
Anglin is distressed because Francis compared Anglin's pals in the MSM to those suffering from a mental condition attracting them to human feces. Most of us probably agree that both the Corporate Media and Manosphere bloggers seem to enjoy wallowing in the most disgusting and repulsive stories available; but Anglin sees no problem with this. In fact, the same day, he also posted an articled titled, How to be a Nigger on Twitter in which he encourages his disciples to troll Twitter posing as Blacks. Such are Anglin's standards of media ethics.
To attack Francis, Anglin cites an article in USA Today, hardly an unbiased source given that Francis was criticizing Media outlets just like theirs. Anglin throws up his hands in pious horror that "the Pope appears to have compared 'fake news' to eating poop." The extract from Francis' speech Anglin cites says nothing about 'fake news' but about spreading disinformation and scandalmongering.
So is Andrew Anglin arguing that disinformation and scandalmongering are legitimate ways to broadcast the news? In an article bashing Catholic schools (this time relying on The Washington Post as a source), the Daily Stormer has this to say regarding a lawsuit involving a racial incident at a Catholic school:
"The only reason that clerics behave this way is because they fear Jews more than they fear Whites. It's time for that to change!" This after the same writer had accused Catholic Schools of taking bribes in the form of tuition to keep white students away from minorities.
This once demonstrates that the Alt-Right is not Conservative; nor are they traditionalists in any sense of the word. Their only real objection to Political Correctness is that the Cultural Marxists have a monopoly on it. Otherwise, they're perfectly content engaging in the same kinds of hatred.
The last few days have seen much talk from everyone about 'fake news', and media attacks centered on the politics of personal destruction. This is hardly a new phenomenon in human history. Even Pope Francis earlier this week spoke of scandal-mongering as a sin to which all of us are susceptible. When it becomes a problem with people in positions of responsibility, real damage can be done.
Media in the past often dealt with these themes in film. Our feature film for this weekend is one of the better ones on this topic. It is a Western from 1966 titled The Big Gundown and stars stalwart Western actors Lee Van Cleef and Tomas Milian.
Van Cleef plays famous Texas Ranger turned bounty-hunter, Jonathan Corbett. The film opens with Corbett delivering one his most famous lines "It's a bad day for outlaws,' before bringing four fugitives to justice. Corbett returns to town a hero; and is invited to a party hosted by a railroad tycoon named Brokston. Brokston hopes to interest Corbett in becoming a Senator and introduces him to his influential friends, including Baron von Schulenberg, his personal bodyguard who's killed 23 men in a duel.
The party is interrupted by two local men who announce that a 12 year-old girl has been found brutally raped and murdered. They claim that the murderer was 'Cuchillo' Sanchez (played by Milian), a former soldier in Benito Juarez' revolution, who's taken refuge in America. Sanchez is a rather shady character and flees towards Mexico. Brokston offers Corbett the Senate nomination and a handsome reward if he captures Sanchez; and so the chase is on.
Corbett finds Sanchez to be his most formidable quarry; and the pursuit soon becomes personal on two levels. One is Corbett's professional honor and reputation for always getting his man---which Sanchez doesn't make easy, escaping Corbett's grasp more than once. The second is Corbett's personal sense of justice and morality. His encounters with Sanchez throughout the film begin to make him suspicious as to the Mexican's actual guilt. The film then takes on both the aspect of an adventure and a mystery. Is Sanchez really guilty, or the victim of 'fake news'? Corbett will have to catch him to learn the truth.
The Big Gundown is rated by Western film fans as one of the best ever, though not as famous as some. The characters are realistically drawn---especially Tomas Milian's---and the viewer can really follow and empathize with both his character and Corbett's. It actually spawned two less-famous but still above-average sequels.
Corbett's character in particular evinces a much-maligned quality in some circles today: a desire for social justice. In contemporary Manosphere quarters, a Social Justice Warrior is a pejorative term. In fact, there are several scenes where Corbett's character is contrasted against the Manosphere 'Alpha' archetype and shows that our forefathers, at least, considered justice to be a positive aspect of masculinity. Milian's character is that of a once-idealistic revolutionary turned fugitive; and the directors skillfully progressively portray how society dehumanizes him (especially in scenes that cast doubt on his guilt). In all but one of Sanchez' escape scenes there a dehumanizing aspect involved: first, he assumes a false identity, second he begs like a coward; third involves an encounter with a rattlesnake; another he is made to wallow in a pigsty; and the last chase scene has him running through a field before mounted horsemen like an English foxhunt. In the one different escape scene, he tells Corbett:
"Yes I run, but can I stop running long enough to explain myself without getting killed? Let me tell you something: something that will give you a big laugh. I didn't kill that little girl. But it so happens, I know who did---and you will know too, if you don't know already. And when you learn that, you'll be the one who's running. And you'll see it was a lot more fun when you're the hunter than it is when you're the prey."
Mystery, adventure, action---great musical scores and a strong moral message, it's hard to find a better Western than The Big Gundown. This is a rare film of its genre in an epoch when amoral heroes were first being introduced into Westerns (and action films generally): a hero seeking justice for its own sake is a refreshing change. The film is available on DVD but not currently on any free-download sites.
The US Center for Disease Control delivered some more bad news for the Liberal Establishment today. Earlier we learned that billions spent on prenatal care during the last 30 years has resulted in infant mortality rates increasing to Third-World levels. Yesterday, we learned that two years of Obamacare have seen life expectancy declines to early 1990s levels.
And now today, for the first time, the CDC reports that death from heroin overdoses has exceeded firearm-related deaths. Only a decade ago, firearm-related deaths were 500% higher. The CDC statistics, of course, don't specify how many heroin addicts were shot in self-defense by gun owners; but we presume there were a few, anyway.
It should give one pause to consider, however, that laws against heroin haven't done much to prevent heroin-related deaths; so it's doubtful that gun deaths would be prevented by further restrictions on their use. However we are talking about Leftist logic here. Cities like San Francisco and Seattle drive gun stores out of town, but have city-run needle-exchange programs for heroin users. Yes---Liberals consider it compassionate to provide junkies with sanitary needles so that they can overdose and die more cleanly. The situation is actually so bad in both cities that hopheads there have actually formed their own political lobbies.
The CDC also reported that opioid drug use in the US has quadrupled since 1999, with overdoses rising correspondingly. Then, as now, Afghanistan was the major exporter of opium, but what has changed since 1999? Yes: US occupation since 2002. The United Nations estimated that, in 1999, Afghanistan under the Taliban produced 185 tons of opium. Since 2002, it is estimated that opium production in Afghanistan is averaging 3,400 tons annually. 2007---the year that first saw heroin deaths rise in the US---also saw a record opium crop of 8,200 tons.
Maybe if our brave men and women in uniform spent less time protecting homosexual pedophiles in the Afghan leadership and engaging in drunken orgies with corrupt civilian contractors or taking bribes to overlook criminal activities, they might actually do something about Afghani thugs filling our streets with heroin. But today's LGBTQ-friendly Pentagon is more concerned with political correctness than with protecting US citizens.
Americans are by-and-large in denial about the fact that we have turned into a nation of drug addicts; and they are in even deeper denial about the fact that high-level corruption and incompetence are exacerbating the situation. Yet the numbers don't lie. The drug problem in the United States is extremely serious and has only gotten worse under 3 decades of Liberal/Neocon misrule. The incoming Trump Administration has shown a willingness to deal with the situation in more constructive ways than we have seen in the past.
A future emphasis to reverse this trend must come with incentives. The 'Drug War' paradigm of the past proved very ineffective; and Obama's policy of ignoring it altogether has made it worse. There has to be an incentive for people to avoid narcotics and/or seek treatment. That incentive is what is lacking: like the spike in suicide rates evidenced earlier, drug addiction is symptomatic of a culture that has lost faith in the future. Restoring that faith is the key to rehabilitating both the individual and our society in general.
Stephan Colbert is what passes in some effete Postmodernist circles as a comedian and entertainer. He's also considered by the American Left to be a deep intellectual and profound political pundit; along with such characters as Al Franken and Sarah Silverman. Some specimens of Colbert's brilliance include quotes like:
"Religion: It's all equally ridiculous. Mormons believe that Joseph Smith got gold tablets from an angel on a hill, when everybody knows Moses got stone tablets from a burning bush on a mountain!"
"Christianity is the best way to cure gayness. Just get down on your knees, take a swig of wine, and accept the body of a man in your mouth!"
"Gun violence: It just keeps going up no matter how many guns we buy!"
Ah, such cutting wit; such insightful barbs; such rib-splitting irony...no doubt Charlie Chaplin, Bob Hope, and Johnny Carson will have to guard their reputation these days. And they say that Liberals have no sense of humor {yawn}.
Colbert himself isn't laughing though at the Podesta Files so much anymore. The intrepid whistleblower Julian Assange released a rather embarrassing 2013 communique between Craig Minassian, of the Clinton Global Initiative and John Podesta, which reads as follows:
"I hope you get a chance to see the Colbert Reports two special episodes that I had them do about CGI taped in St. Louis this weekend. This is a link to last night's show about commitments and the monologue and the interview with WJC (former President Clinton) aired this Monday. Hope you enjoy and looking forward to your feedback. Next will be your Colbert appearance!"
The revelations that Colbert was having his scripts written by Clinton Machine apparatchiks caused Colbert to throw an on-air tantrum on CBS. "WikiLeaks, Alex Jones, all the sub-Reddit sub-geniuses---grow the f*** up!" he bellowed in front of a shocked audience; which then roared with approval after the producers quickly put up the Applause Cues.
Craig Minassian has since become the Chief Communications Officer for the scandal-ridden Clinton Foundation. Stephen Colbert makes $4.6 million annually on CBS to read prepared scripts on behalf of the Clinton Machine. A self-styled champion of the 'real American', Colbert has an estimated net worth of $45 million. So much for another Corporate Media fraud.
Following last October's revelations that American infant morality rates are rapidly reaching Third-World levels, the Center for Disease Control released 2016 statistics on life expectancy and mortality. For the first time since 1993, life expectancy in the US has dropped; following a long and steady climb in some mortality-related demographics.
Men of all races suffered the greatest statistical decline, with the rates of unintentional injuries and suicides pushing their numbers downward. The numbers stayed relatively static for minority women, but white females declined as well.
It would appear that these stories would indicate that our 'Exceptionalist Culture' with the world's greatest healthcare system isn't so great or exceptional after all. Especially when we consider that increases in the 10 leading causes of death are wholly lifestyle-related. Heart disease, stroke, diabetes: all three have relationships associated with chronic obesity. The CDC reported this year also that obesity rates among Americans are the highest ever: with white American women now at 40%. These are all categories of death that impacted white females the most.
It also cannot be denied that record numbers of Americans addicted to prescription dope and sky-high poverty levels are contributing factors as well. Respiratory diseases was another category that was up among all races and genders---a frequent side effect of chemical poisoning, as in drug use or environmental pollution. Cancer rates were one of the few areas that declined.
The suicide rate---and the closely connected 'unintentional injury' category has been escalating among American men of all races for some time. In 2014, White males accounted for 70% of all suicides, rising to 72% this year. But since this number affects White men, nobody in Academia or Media is particularly interested in investigating the causes or looking for solutions.
Another suicide statistic which is largely covered-up (although for a different reason) is the extremely high suicide rate among so-called LGBTQ people. According to the Suicide Prevention Resource Center, around 1/3 of LGBTQs have attempted suicide at some point. But that number doesn't fit the Politically-Correct social narrative that Gender Identity Disorder is not a mental illness and perfectly healthy lifestyle choice that should be celebrated and embraced.
What these numbers indicate overall are two things: First, that Obamacare hasn't done a single thing to improve American healthcare (other than enriching Insurance Cartels and Big Pharma). Second, it illustrates that American culture is really sinking to the level of pre-Industrial societies. All of these declining health factors are related to social breakdowns at nearly every level.
The American public above all needs to get out of its state of collective denial that these problems exist. The Trump Team is showing a few positive steps with proposals to reform our predatory healthcare system and at least an intention to raise national living standards. But we have a long way to go, as these numbers clearly indicate.
The Pope has said much recently about the irresponsibility and corruption of the Western Media and today gave one of his strongest denunciations of their shameful practices. Francis brought up the issue in an exclusive interview with the Belgian news service, Tertio.
"The media has a very great responsibility," Francis reminded the reporters, "Given the mass-media's reach, they have the ability to form opinions. Media are the builders of a society and, as such, are meant to foster a fraternal exchange of ideas; to educate and to make one think. Media is not inherently evil, but we must remember that we are all sinners and have our temptations."
Then, following Christ's example in defending the woman accused of adultery, the Pope challenged the Media Pharisees to determine who was worthy to cast the first stone:
"First of all, media can be tempted to slander or defile innocent people, especially in politics." the Pope noted, "Every person has a right to a good name; and we must especially be on guard against the temptation to defame. To bring to light a problem from someone's distant past and hold them responsible even if they have repented and rectified the situation is defamatory to that person. It is serious, it is damaging, and nullifies that person. This is not right; it is a sin and does harm."
His Holiness wasn't finished with the now-humbled Belgian Press. Unlike Christ, he didn't allow the reporters to put down their stones and quietly slink away to another topic. Francis pointed out that spreading disinformation was lying, and as bad as slander:
"Telling one part of the truth, but omitting part of it is to misinform. Because you, the media, have the whole truth but cheat the public of the other half. The public is thus robbed of the ability to make a moral judgment on the complete truth. Misinforming people is probably the greatest harm that the media can do. It is designed to channel opinion in one direction only."
Francis went on to give his opinion of the Postmodern Media's quality. He stated this as diplomatically as possible, befitting His Office, but many of us certainly share the Pope's sentiments:
"Media figures must learn to be very clean, very clean and very transparent. Their current obsession with scandal resembles the sickness of Coprophilia" (a neurotic condition characterized by an abnormal obsession with feces) "If the media can avoid these temptations, they can be builders of opinion, they can edify, and do an immense, an immense amount of good."
This is not the first occasion in which Pope Francis has called out collective Media malpractice. In September, the Pope scolded journalists while addressing an international media forum in Rome. Later that same month, he called on social media users to reflect on their Christian attitudes before spreading stories about others.
Naturally, the US Corporate Media discreetly ignored the Pope's words; lest the public start drawing some conclusions from them. But Francis touched upon another issue, which should be addressed further. In the past, there were media conglomerates too; though competitive and not in collusion as they are today. What news media professionals of the past understood was that the bottom-line for their success was not exclusively economic, but rested on their credibility. The minute the public lost confidence in a media outlet, that media organization was finished. True, advertisers had leverage over media content---though not nearly to the degree they have today---but that system worked both ways. An advertiser wanted his product associated with a news source that people trusted; and wanted nothing to do with sources that no one took seriously. It should be noted for example that in the past, advertisers paid top dollar for a spot on a major source but avoided tabloids like the plague---even though tabloids often had high profit-margins and wide readership.
The Pope is right that the Media can become a force for good again; but it must shake off the tendency to chase dollars by appealing to society's lowest common denominators and focus on the public interest again. Unfortunately, the US media is going the opposite way; even calling for---or at least not opposing---governmental restrictions on the free press. This should be a red flag to indicate that our press is already to some degree unfree. Media reform is going to have to come from within and through public demand, censorship will worsen the situation.
Michael Flynn, Jr., the son of Trump's nominee for NSA chief, was unceremoniously booted off the presidential staff for defending Comet Pizzeria attacker, Edgar Welch. Flynn has been drawing criticism for his support of Pizzagate for the past few weeks; but the final straw came when Flynn said of Welch's arrest:
"Until Pizzagate is proven false, it will remain a story. The Left seems to forget the Podesta e-mails and many coincidences tied to it."
Welch arrived at the Comet Pizzeria armed with an M-16 and has told investigators that his intent was to rescue children allegedly held prisoner in tunnels said to be under the pizzeria.
As for Flynn, he should understand that under American Law, the burden of proof is on the accuser.
Let us get a grip on reality here. Comet Pizzeria is less than 5 miles from the White House. Government officials who go there have all undergone FBI background checks. Obama has been to Comet himself, with his entourage of Secret Service agents. Now whenever the President of the United States visits a locale like this, the Secret Service shows up long before he does, and goes over the building with a fine-toothed comb. And yes, they do collect names of employees and vet them first. And we're to believe that somehow all of the criminal activity at Comet escaped the US Secret Service's notice.
The Comet Pizzeria is also just a little further away from FBI headquarters. Presumably, FBI agents have eaten there. FBI agents who routinely investigate child sex-trafficking rings and Satanic cults. And they noticed nothing.
Consider too the number of times that our Government's databases have been hacked. Edward Snowden revealed extensive NSA domestic espionage. We should assume that NSA would be fully aware of Comet's alleged criminal activities, yet Snowden has never said anything about it. Not just internal hacking, but we know that foreign governments have breached sensitive databases. Why wouldn't Russian or Chinese Intelligence expose Pizzagate? Yet the media in both countries dismiss the story as 'fake news'.
In fact, not even the North Korean media has reported on Pizzagate and that speaks volumes: that the North Korean government considers the story too incredible even for anti-American propaganda purposes.
This is why Trump did the right thing in firing Flynn. Men like this who believe online conspiracy theories over international intelligence services are a positive danger if they're anywhere sensitive national security systems. This is further a positive sign that Trump is distancing himself from elements of the Far Right.
