Cross posted at Peace is Active
If we want legitimate governments, we need to do something about the monopoly control of our media systems.
The history channel is a perfect example. It is nice to have a history channel, but why only one? We have the digital capacity to have lots of different history channels from numerous sources.
Instead, we have one history channel on our cable systems that operates on the same commercial format as all of the other channels.
In the run-up to the Iraq War, the history channel ran non-stop footage of Saddam Hussein and Adolf Hitler. There was very little coverage of Middle East history or the history of diplomacy. No coverage of the history of the peace movement (a peace movement that had just put 15 million people in the streets to oppose the ExxonMobile sponsored War in Iraq.)
What we see greatly influences the decisions we make within our democracy. If we all are watching the same monopoly broadcasts that feed us nothing but war, we are more likely to decide that war is our only option and that it is a glorious undertaking to defeat evil.
It is very rare that we see the history that shows us giving weapons and support to dictators around the world.
It is very rare to see a program on the history channel about peacemakers and the millions of people who are working for the goal of peace on earth.
I'm watching the history channel now. It just had a commercial for a new series called Dogfights. The tagline is "like a video game, but deadlier." This is our history channel.
P.S. When the history channel starts showing footage of violence related to Iran, there is a good chance the War in Iran will be starting soon. Of course, the history of the coup we supported in Iran to overthrow a democratically elected government will not make it on the screen. The history of how we supported Saddam Hussein in his vicious war with Iran in the 1980's will not make it on the screen.
As the history channel shows, if we want to make good decisions within our democracy, we have to address the monopoly control of our media systems.