Messaging Matters presents this guest post from Kenny Pick, creator and host of the “Turn Up the Night with Kenny Pick” political talk show:
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Did you know that fluoride was introduced to the American water supply as a Communist mind-control plot? Remember the kid from the Life cereal commercials, Mikey? His stomach exploded from drinking soda and eating pop rocks. What about all the Satanic heavy metal music in the 80’s that was responsible for a rash of teen suicides in America? How about those FEMA Death Camps that await us all? Also, the HPV vaccination that causes mental retardation, and the Obama administration‘s deep ties to the Muslim Brotherhood.
There is one thing each topic has in common: They are false statements easily disproved by a simple internet search. They are myths, urban legends, lies, and most importantly, disinformation.
During the height of the Red Scare in the 1950’s, there were bogey-men lurking around every corner… And yes, tiny invisible ones in your drinking glass! Fluoride! What is now seen as a U.S. health landmark was once (and still is, to a lesser degree) considered an insidious plot to turn us all into Zombie Communists! ZOMMUNISTS! The ultra conservative, anti-fluoride organization, Keep America Committee, was opposed to addressing mental health as well. One of their handouts from 1955 proclaimed: “Mental Hygiene is a subtle and diabolical plan of the enemy to transform a free and intelligent people into a cringing horde of zombies.” Like I said, Zommunists!
The fluoride disinformation campaign is a perfect example of how a portion of the population can be emotionally manipulated by an easily disproven myth. As a kid in the 70’s, I vividly remember my first run-in with disinformation: “Mikey from Life Cereal is DEAD! He drank Pepsi and ate Pop Rocks!” a kid told me on the playground at school. “Mikey” was actually a young actor named John Gilchrist who, as of this writing, is very much alive. It took a few years after the telling of Mikey’s demise for me to realize it wasn’t true. There were tons of other less savory urban legends I can recall, involving Rod Stewart, Richard Gere, & Walt Disney’s frozen head. All these urban legends seem ludicrous now, but it was truly a grand primer for the disinformation yet to come.
Fast forward to the 80’s: Frank Zappa, Dee Snider & John Denver square off with Senator Al Gore and his wife Tipper of the lobby group Parents Music Resource Center, as well as other senators and their wives. As a young teen, it was terrifying to hear about this “Satanic Heavy Metal” and “Porn Rock.” The initial fear soon wore off as I started listening to every band the PMRC railed against. In the late 80’s, I actually spoke with some of my peers at a “Heavy Metal is Not Making Me a Satan Lover” type of community meeting. I don’t think I put any parent’s mind at ease, though, by telling them I was an atheist.
After the censorship debacle from the PMRC, there were unsuccessful attempts to pin the blame of teen suicides on Ozzy Osbourne and Judas Priest. There were actual court cases against Ozzy & Priest that were dismissed. To me, this is the worst type of disinformation. It’s a deception and a deflection from the real issues behind suicide. Nobody was trying to blame the drugs, alcohol or firearms that ultimately led to the teens’ demise.
As the 90’s dawned, there seemed to be a resurgence in urban legends and conspiracy theories, including Weekly World News, Coast to Coast AM with Art Bell. and later, George Noory. Being a fan of radio entertainers, I latched on to the Coast to Coast format. It was fun hearing people speak about Bigfoot, UFOs and the Loch Ness Monster. Every so often, I had to turn off the radio when certain goofy guests were on the air, including Alex Jones. That’s right, Alex Jones of InfoWars got his start on Coast to Coast AM. Did I mention Mr. Jones thinks there is a secret Commie plot with fluoride in the water system?
While this disinformation was flourishing, the Information Age was beginning to dawn, gradually replacing the gullibility of the past. As the internet became more user-friendly and information became abundant, the bad old days of relying on thousandth generation information started slipping away. Of course, the internet wasn’t a cure-all for disinformation; in some cases it’s actually become a tool for propagandists, myth-makers and liars. But I tend to believe that there are far more people interested in truth than in lies, so I truly think we’re seeing the death knell of the Disinformation Age.
In recent years, Alex Jones has perpetuated lies and conspiracy theories about 9-11, False Flag Operations and the now infamous and oft-cited FEMA Death Camp disinformation. Does FEMA have facilities that could act as shelter for American citizens in case of a major disaster? Absolutely. This is similar to localities that have Fallout Shelters or designated areas for disaster response, like schools and churches. But to call an emergency response center a “death camp” or make allusions to the Holocaust is the ugliest brand of cynicism. Former FOX News personality Glenn Beck actually covered the story and was forced to admit that it was disinformation.
One of Glenn Beck’s favorite politicians, Congresswoman Michele Bachmann, is easily one of the most notorious disinformers in the history of American politics. On July 19th 2012, Mr. Beck interviewed Bachmann about her smear campaign against former Hillary Clinton aide, Huma Abedin & Congressman Keith Ellison. Bachmann claimed that Abedin & Ellison, both Muslims, had direct ties to the Muslim Brotherhood and were essentially working to destroy America from within.
A simple search on PolitiFact will show Beck’s and Bachmann’s propensity for disinformation. For example, during a GOP Presidental Debate in September 2011, Bachmann stated:
“I will tell you that I had a mother last night come up to me here in Tampa, Florida, after the debate. She told me that her little daughter took that vaccine (human papilloma virus vaccine) that injection and she suffered from mental retardation thereafter.”
Afterwards, Bachmann told the Associated Press, “All I was doing is relaying what a woman had said.” Disinformation 101.
Keep America Committee and Red Scare Mongering are dead. Mikey is still alive. The PMRC is dead. Alex Jones will always be Alex Jones. Glenn Beck got kicked off FOX News. Michele Bachmann is giving up her Congressional bid. These are important landmarks in the Last Days of the Disinformation Age.
There will always be a handful of people in this country that will believe anything as long as it’s been typed on a blog or sent in an e-mail. The vast majority of us are hungry for information and we will seek it out. We will verify, investigate and learn. We’ll adapt as more information blossoms, and we’ll be the ones that get it right. The willingly dis-informed will keep standing on the playground with their jaws agape, imagining a grisly death by soda and candy.
Very interesting and informative in a humorous format!