(no subject)
Apr. 29th, 2004 11:27 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
weaktwosConsider the following excerpts from this article in Salon.com:
The misperceptions that Cheney was reinforcing are pillars of Bush's support, according to a study conducted by the University of Maryland. Fifty-seven percent of those polled "believe that before the war Iraq was providing substantial support to al Qaeda," and 45 percent "believe that evidence that Iraq was supporting al Qaeda has been found." Moreover, 65 percent believe that "experts" have confirmed that Iraq had WMD. "Among those who perceived experts as saying that Iraq had WMD, 72% said they would vote for Bush and 23% said they would vote for Kerry ... Among those who perceived experts as saying that Iraq had supported al Qaeda, 62% said they would vote for Bush and 36% said they would vote for Kerry." The reason given by respondents for their views was that they had heard these claims from the Bush administration.
These political pulp fictions are believed out of faith and fear. This is a classic case study in "the will to believe," as the American philosopher William James called it. The greater insecurity would be not to believe Bush. It would mean the president had misled or lied to us on national security. The Iraq war would not be pure, "either for us or for the terrorists," the good vs. evildoers, because the good cannot be false. Thus the idea of proof has shifted from fact to fervor that makes it so.
Discuss. I personally agree.
The misperceptions that Cheney was reinforcing are pillars of Bush's support, according to a study conducted by the University of Maryland. Fifty-seven percent of those polled "believe that before the war Iraq was providing substantial support to al Qaeda," and 45 percent "believe that evidence that Iraq was supporting al Qaeda has been found." Moreover, 65 percent believe that "experts" have confirmed that Iraq had WMD. "Among those who perceived experts as saying that Iraq had WMD, 72% said they would vote for Bush and 23% said they would vote for Kerry ... Among those who perceived experts as saying that Iraq had supported al Qaeda, 62% said they would vote for Bush and 36% said they would vote for Kerry." The reason given by respondents for their views was that they had heard these claims from the Bush administration.
These political pulp fictions are believed out of faith and fear. This is a classic case study in "the will to believe," as the American philosopher William James called it. The greater insecurity would be not to believe Bush. It would mean the president had misled or lied to us on national security. The Iraq war would not be pure, "either for us or for the terrorists," the good vs. evildoers, because the good cannot be false. Thus the idea of proof has shifted from fact to fervor that makes it so.
Discuss. I personally agree.
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no subject
Date: 2004-04-29 11:42 am (UTC)You should check this out. I really wish more people were aware of this: http://www.house.gov/reform/min/pdfs_108_2/pdfs_inves/pdf_admin_iraq_on_the_record_rep.pdf
I especially liked the charts.
no subject
Date: 2004-04-30 10:56 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-04-30 12:30 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-04-30 10:58 am (UTC)It is sad. And frightening.