MARCH 3, 2023 – The latest news—except on FoxNews—is that Fox isn’t even pretending to be news. Correction: this isn’t news. Further correction: by an old-fashion definition of journalism, not much else that appears on cable news is . . . well, news reporting, as opposed to opinion. But a large distinction separates opinion channels (CNN; MSNBC) from a pure propaganda outlet (FoxNews).
The well-publicized (except on Fox) Dominion defamation suit against Fox has revealed the damning truth about the propaganda outlet, and in the process, the damages suffered not only by Dominion but by the whole democracy. Yet, despite “gotcha” evidence uncovered by Dominion, the truth hasn’t and won’t make a dent in the minds of Fox viewers, who, in an ironic twist, aren’t privy to the truth because they’re glued to Fox.
As Rupert Murdoch stated (under oath) with regard to running ads for the MyPillow guy, a rabid Trump supporter, “It is not red or blue—it is green.” Likewise, _ _ ucker Carlson texted “green,” when he reacted to Fox reporter Jacqui Heinrich’s statement that that no evidence supported the former president’s election fraud claim hyped by Fox: “Please get her fired,” wrote Carlson. “Seriously…What the _uck? I’m actually shocked. It needs to stop immediately, like tonight. It’s measurably hurting the company. The stock price is down. Not a joke.”
The damning nature of the texts and emails among the most prominent Fox personalities—all of whom pushed the Big Lie—is matched by their quantity. Irrespective of the outcome of the Dominion defamation suit and companion case brought by Smartmatic USA, the actions have served the country well by revealing the truth about FoxFalsehoods.
The Charlatan’s hold, as it turns out, was driving the stock price of Fox and the compensation of its fire-brand propagandists who promoted snake oil knowing full well it was poppycock.
All of this was anticipated by an episode of Trackdown, a TV western series that ran from 1957 to 1959. Entitled, “The End of the World,” the installment features a charlatan clothed in a wizard’s garb who rolls into a dusty town in Texas to sell the idea that the end of the world is nigh. He, of course, has the magic methods to prevent wholesale death and destruction: parasols equipped with magnetic wizard symbols to deflect approaching meteor shower. A common bolt washer, fabricated from a special alloy, so says the wizard, dangles from the handle of each parasol and offers protection of the parasol holder’s cattle.
When someone in the crowd expresses doubt, the wizard replies, “I was going to hand out the deflectors for free, but because of this doubter, I’m charging $50 per person.” When another naysayer raises his voice, the price is increased to $75. This move eliminates further objections. The townsfolk opened their wallets and silver chests, even the local bank, to round up enough funds to purchase the parasols.
Even when the wizard is caught fleeing town with his ill-gotten funds, the people refuse to believe the world won’t end if they close their parasols. Only when midnight—the appointed moment of apocalypse—comes and goes without incident do people finally concede they’ve been duped.
The wizard’s name . . . Walter TRUMP! I kid you not:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1D2ynASqe4
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© 2023 by Eric Nilsson
