Satanic Violators of the Media

"Thus for the mobilization of national hatred the enemy must be represented as a menacing, murderous aggressor, a satanic violator of the moral and conventional standards, an obstacle to the cherished aims and ideals of the nation as a whole and of each constituent part." (Lasswell, 18)

I found this quote to be extremely relevant to the current war we are experiencing with Iraq. As with previous wars that the United States has been involved in that have utilized the media to portray a nationalistic and anti whoever stands against us sentiment, the Iraq conflict does this as well, without fully exposing all the facts, whether empirical or not. It can be said that nearly all wars are fought on two grounds; that of the actual battlefield and the minds of the people via the means of propaganda. The images of the Iraqi people that the media characterizes, whether in cartoon or in print, paired with the manner in which they chose to divulge selective stories regarding the wartime effort overseas, is an attempt to muster up the support of the American people against those in Iraq, and to divulge the desired belief that what is being done is righteous and in the best interest of everyone, justifying the billions of tax dollars and thousands of soldiers lives that are so easily expended. This standard of judging others, rather than looking within our own government and judging ourselves, is fundamentally corrupt and hypocritical. The level of Manicheanism that exists within our nation is pathetic and the lack of humanity, empathy, and compassion for the general public; innocent men, women, and children of Iraq, with no links or social ties to Al Qaeda and its fundamental principles, is a double standard that we as Americans hold, and that the media propagates. Perhaps the satanic violators are rather than our enemy, our own media, for keeping the ironic truths lurking in the shadows, while emphasizing the hatred we kindle in our hearts.