Obsession: Radical Islam ect..
I just got a letter by the Clarion Fund containing a dvd movie titled: "Obsession Radical Islam's War Against The West." Besides describing "The most important issue facing us today." The little package urged me to show this movie to everyone I know, sign up for their newsletter, make a donation, and of course remember to make an "informed" and "responsible" vote in November.
Now I vaguely recall reading about the spread of this dvd around some states in the U.S, and how people figure that typical political interests and propaganda are to blame for this breach of our mailboxes.
I'm not sure what to really make of the timing in the distribution of this material throughout Americans' mail; though, from what I read it seems to be a rather shady attempt to drive support for Sen.Mccain through some intimidation and fear. Any of you have any info about its intent? Any of the other Americans in this community find this little dvd boldly waiting for them in the mail yet?
Looking around the net I came across this article:
"Exactly who or what is the Clarion Fund?
The Clarion Fund is a 501 c(3) non-profit organization that apparently supports Senator John McCain for president. Why "apparently"? The Clarion Fund is responsible for paying newspapers around the United States to distribute an anti-Islam documentary as a supplement to their Sunday editions. The Huffington Post reports that the Clarion Fund has sent 28 million DVDs to at least 70 newspapers in swing states to place at the doorstep of newspaper subscribers. The Huffington Post also calls the Clarion Fund "shadowy," because the non-profit organization's financial backers are unknown.
The DVD is a 60-minute expose of militant Islam called "Obsession: Radical Islam's War Against the West" and is ideologically slanted toward painting Muslims as evil and bent on the destruction of the United States. It was nationally premiered on Fox News during the 2006 mid-term elections. Labeled highly divisive by many mainstream religious groups, "Obsession" shows Islam as a radically dangerous religion bent on the destruction of Western civilization, interspersing incendiary commentary with images of Nazis and suicide bombing indoctrination.
You might not agree with Senator Barack Obama's political ideology, but a point he has brought up in the past several weeks is not only relevant to this issue but a blatant truth as well. At several speeches Senator Obama has made mention of the Republican propensity to play distraction games during the campaigns and elections. Obama speaks directly to the GOP tactic of fearmongering, or the politics of fear.
[...]
In 2008, the same tactics are being used. The latest of those tactics is the "Obsession" DVD.
A CNN poll released on September 11 showed McCain with a 62% -34% lead over Obama as to whom Americans believe would be best suited to handle terrorism.
[...]
Campaign tactics like those used by the Clarion Fund are meant to appeal to fears of the voters. It is meant to appeal to an emotional level. In psychological terms, this might precipitate a fight or flight response. With no direct threat of immediate personal harm, the fight response will most likely prevail. Add to this the public perception that the Republican Party handles defense issues better than Democrats, it is not too difficult to understand how the Republicans win elections.
[...]
Fear is the strongest motivator of human action. The perception of security from that fear will have a very strong influence on the way an individual votes. The Clarion Fund is employing that motivator in swing states to potentially bring those states into the Republican fold and deliver to John McCain the electoral votes needed to become the next president."
The full article:Full Article
Now I vaguely recall reading about the spread of this dvd around some states in the U.S, and how people figure that typical political interests and propaganda are to blame for this breach of our mailboxes.
I'm not sure what to really make of the timing in the distribution of this material throughout Americans' mail; though, from what I read it seems to be a rather shady attempt to drive support for Sen.Mccain through some intimidation and fear. Any of you have any info about its intent? Any of the other Americans in this community find this little dvd boldly waiting for them in the mail yet?
Looking around the net I came across this article:
"Exactly who or what is the Clarion Fund?
The Clarion Fund is a 501 c(3) non-profit organization that apparently supports Senator John McCain for president. Why "apparently"? The Clarion Fund is responsible for paying newspapers around the United States to distribute an anti-Islam documentary as a supplement to their Sunday editions. The Huffington Post reports that the Clarion Fund has sent 28 million DVDs to at least 70 newspapers in swing states to place at the doorstep of newspaper subscribers. The Huffington Post also calls the Clarion Fund "shadowy," because the non-profit organization's financial backers are unknown.
The DVD is a 60-minute expose of militant Islam called "Obsession: Radical Islam's War Against the West" and is ideologically slanted toward painting Muslims as evil and bent on the destruction of the United States. It was nationally premiered on Fox News during the 2006 mid-term elections. Labeled highly divisive by many mainstream religious groups, "Obsession" shows Islam as a radically dangerous religion bent on the destruction of Western civilization, interspersing incendiary commentary with images of Nazis and suicide bombing indoctrination.
You might not agree with Senator Barack Obama's political ideology, but a point he has brought up in the past several weeks is not only relevant to this issue but a blatant truth as well. At several speeches Senator Obama has made mention of the Republican propensity to play distraction games during the campaigns and elections. Obama speaks directly to the GOP tactic of fearmongering, or the politics of fear.
[...]
In 2008, the same tactics are being used. The latest of those tactics is the "Obsession" DVD.
A CNN poll released on September 11 showed McCain with a 62% -34% lead over Obama as to whom Americans believe would be best suited to handle terrorism.
[...]
Campaign tactics like those used by the Clarion Fund are meant to appeal to fears of the voters. It is meant to appeal to an emotional level. In psychological terms, this might precipitate a fight or flight response. With no direct threat of immediate personal harm, the fight response will most likely prevail. Add to this the public perception that the Republican Party handles defense issues better than Democrats, it is not too difficult to understand how the Republicans win elections.
[...]
Fear is the strongest motivator of human action. The perception of security from that fear will have a very strong influence on the way an individual votes. The Clarion Fund is employing that motivator in swing states to potentially bring those states into the Republican fold and deliver to John McCain the electoral votes needed to become the next president."
The full article:Full Article