Great Orwell quote for right's view of torture, dead Iraqis, etc.

[yurbud]

The nationalist not only does not disapprove of atrocities committed by his own side, he has a remarkable capacity for not even hearing about them.
– George Orwell

[originalpckelly]

1. So true in so many ways.

We need a head lowered in shame smiley.

[yurbud]

3. my students were shocked the other day when I told them one of Hitler's

inspirations was our genocide of Indians. Most of us don't think of it that way because we did it, therefore, it's not bad.

Just like the torture in Iraq. Somehow, the exact same atrocities that Bush cited Saddam doing as an excuse to invade are fine if we do them.

In an odd way, I still don't feel as bad about the things our troops do because they are us, the kid you sat next to in third grade, the bag boy at your grocery store, the guy you shoot hoops with on the weekend. Part of why I pay more attention to it is compensating for that emotional blind spot that I know I have as much as anyone else.

[TechBear_Seattle]

7. Few US students ever hear about the American genocide in school

And even fewer learn that it was done with the full support of Congress, who for some 60 years supported programs of cultural and even physical genocide. When they find out that Andrew Jackson and Zachery Taylor were elected president on the large number of Native Americans they murdered... well, let's just say the shock can be a bit much.

[yurbud]

10. it is not as much a matter of not knowing but not thinking of it as

the same as Rwanda or nazi germany.

It's just like 'well, we had to kill some wild indians so they wouldn't cause trouble...'

[Jed Dilligan]

8. The people you mention

Practiced on me. 100% sympathy for victims here, 0% torturers.

[yurbud]

11. where?

[Jed Dilligan]

12. Public schools and police stations, mostly.

[bryant69]

2. There it is

And that last bit is what makes it work - they never even hear or recognize the evils committed by their own side. Of course if they ever heard of any atrocities being committed they would put a stop to them. So it's a good thing they never hear of them.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[yurbud]

4. it is only an atrocity if it happens to white English speaking people on

our side.

Or if it cuts into a corporation's profits.

[bloom]

5. That why the attacks on the "liberal media"

have been so important to the people who want people to accept torture. So they don't believe it. Even if they do hear it.

Right-wing nationalists will accept torture as being necessary and then dismiss reports of it as being false.

[sutz12]

6. Denial ain't just a river in Egypt...

Old Cliche, but oh so painfully true. Some form of denial is at the root of all religion, and all unbridled Patriotism. It is certainly a pre-requisite for extremism in all of its forms.

[Supersedeas]

9. Denial runs deep in Freepland