Public Enlightenment or Propaganda?

Parents Outraged After Middle School Makes Students Watch Video About Being A Servant to President Obama. Welcome to modern day media productions that are specifically designed as propaganda. In this case the propaganda is being shown to middle school students; many of which may not yet fully understand our national concept of ‘servant leadership’. Since our nation’s founding – it is the President and other elected officials who have the role of being ‘Public Servants’. The President serves us – not the other way around. KMSP-TV

In fact – did you know that the president has a media team (the first of its kind) that worked to develop video’s specifically designed to propagandize the masses. This team has partnered up with major media outlets and moguls in LA, Chicago and New York.

Hmmm… Didn’t we hear about something like this in our past world history?

Oh… now I remember! It was the Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda

The Reich Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda (German: Reichsministerium für Volksaufklärung und Propaganda, RMVP or Propagandaministerium) was a Nazi government agency to enforce Nazism ideology.

Founded upon the 1933 Machtergreifung by Adolf Hitler's government, it was headed by Reich Minister Joseph Goebbels and was responsible for controlling the German news media, literature, visual arts, filmmaking, theatre, music, and broadcasting. As the central office of Nazi propaganda, it comprehensively supervised and regulated the culture and mass media of Nazi Germany.

The Propaganda Ministry used many forms of media to further the National Socialist message and maintain control over the people. Posters, newspapers, publishing, and the arts were all used and explicitly controlled by the ministry.

"I consider radio to be the most modern and the most crucial instrument for influencing the masses.." was a famous and important quote from Goebbels. Radio was undoubtedly exploited to its full potential by the Nazis.

Now – before you all send me hate-mail and messages – I am not calling President Obama a Hitler. What I am saying is that he has successfully borrowed pages from the Nazi and Communist Dictators playbook by using a massive push-pull media platform in order to propagandize our nation. AND – now we have a middle school using it.

Thank God we have parents who are willing to vocalize their opposition and disgust to any media piece that calls on our youth to quote ‘Commit, or Pledge to Serve’ President Obama.

Unfortunately though, we have reached a place in our society where the ‘Cult of Personality’ trumps common sense and our traditional understanding of public service. Image has become more important than substance, and propaganda carries greater influence than truth.

Oh… and don’t even get me started about what would happen if such a propaganda piece had been produced and distributed about a Republican President. The Obama supporters would be calling for him to be impeached. There would be congressional investigations into misuse of taxpayer dollars or collusion between the administration and private media.
No doubt – if there were no 1^st amendment – our grand leader would try to influence or control our media more than his friends already do.

Links, Sources & Resources

The White House Media Team - Information

News Media Bias in President Obama's Favor

Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda

Fairness & Accuracy in Reporting

White House aide says Barack Obama team 'controlled' the media

Anita Dunn, a senior White House aide, has boasted of how Barack Obama's presidential campaign managed to "absolutely control" the press during the 2008 election.