From: lucifer@dhp.com (lucifer Anonymous Remailer)
Date: Sun, 15 Jun 1997 16:27:52 +0800
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: Re: We need more surveillance--a morality play about terrorism
Message-ID: <199706150817.EAA32172@dhp.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain



Tim May wrote:
> I've been watching an HBO movie, "Path to Paradise," about the bombing of
> the World Trade Center in February 1993. It's quite well-done, as most HBO
> movies of this sort are.
> 
> However, it is fairly heavy on a propaganda message which may give some
> insights into the likely changes in political freedoms in the United
> States.
> In short, a morality play about the hazards of letting people plot their
> crimes without proper surveillance.
> 
> Not to sound conspiratorial, I suspect that this changed climate is
> consistent with the views of the FBI and White House, and that HBO is
> playing some role (unofficially, of course, and maybe not even consciously)
> in this new emphasis.

  The movies have long been a source of propaganda for LEA's of all
types and descriptions, as well as the military.
  You want co-operation? You want to get bargin rates on access to
city (or military) facilities, streets, vehicles, etc? If so, then
you'd better be prepared to present an "acceptable" script to those
who make the decisions.
  The military and LEA's know that they are in a position to save
movie producers millions of dollars through their co-operation and
producers know that an acceptable script is the ante that may well
make the difference between their movie being produced or canned.

  Cop shows are the rage on TV at present, and if you can find 
a major force of real-life cops that call everyone "Sir" and treat
them like humans, I'll kiss your ass, but that's what we see on
the Tube, anyway. It would cost a fucking fortune to produce a
similar show which reflected the reality of how LEA's treat the
citizens.
  I have a friend who was casting director for "Miami Vice" and
I recall her telling me at an early point in the series that they
were being forced, for financial reasons, to "clean up" the scripts
so as to make the cops more sympathetic and reputable characters.

  Face it, we live in TV World. We didn't get an actor as our
President by "accident."  We elect "sound bytes" and "charisma."
We elect "plausible deniability" and "non-smoking guns."
  We are sold fear and violence both as news and entertainment,
and we "buy" it as our reality. Then our fear is used to sell
us products such as loss of privacy and freedom.
  This is the consumer age, and it is driven by advertising and
profit. In the Media Age the marketing term "find a need and
fill it" has become "_create_ a need and fill it."
  There's big money in fear and violence.

TruthMonger