A great truth spoken by one who knows and understands the meaning of a free society. Now if we could only divorce news media from the corporations that use them for bottom line profit---that means making it illegal for any news medium to be allied with any other business---we might begin to learn what goes into the making of a free society.

Without more information can't see that this makes any sense whatsoever.

Reston has it right.

1984 is almost here. The constant war part and total control of mainstream media are both solid. Give our corporations a few more years and all will be accomplished.

Ditto Mr. Archer. But, Joe, with due respect, have you ever looked up the definition of fascism in the encyclopedia? It's very interesting to compare the meanings of fascism, socialism and communism.

Yours and my names are probably already on the "intelligence" lists.

Spoken like a true fascist.

Reston has it right. One interesting point is that Madison began to see the truth later in life and reversed many ideas such as quoted here.

I don't think the public sees a bare fraction of the war---it is censored from our viewing. And I agree that the public is almost totally ignorant of war and politics but a major reason is that the public has never been told the truth in this country from its inception. The rich and powerful have always controlled the media. And, Mr. helorat, I think you would have been happier having been born 60 years earlier and on another continent.

How refreshing and astonishing to read such thoughts from a general. Shades of General Smedley Butler! Mr. (or Ms.) Archer expresses my sentiments well with the added agreement with Reston re compassionate aid. When you compute the cost of our criminal wars with Vietnam and Iraq per citizen of those countries it amounts to tens of thousands of dollars per person. Imagine what cooperation, what thanks, what peace and progress that would buy---without a loss of limb, organ, blood or life.

And what better way to censor than to control a nation's media, allowing a paltry few to express real information in order to make argument for a free press. Corporate control for decades has built an almost total control of the minds of the masses arriving at this "landmark." It has writtten its own version of history and by virture of controlling the past, controls the future.

As true and natural as evolution.

Put in more familiar words, We're King of the Hill and, by God, they better know it.

"Democratic principles" hell. When has our country ever been handicapped with that? When we wanted California and land surrounding it we invaded Mexico to take it. When we wanted Cuba and its riches of natural resources we invaded to take it away from Spain and followed up by taking the Philippines and several other islands. When we wanted total control of Latin America we established the Monroe Doctrine and raped those countries for more than a century. "Limitations" be damned.

This example of unprincipled superiority and bullying is too much a part of U. S. foreign policy. As long as our leaders and their families don't have to risk their lives or sacrifice anything, they love war---to hell with human lives, especially the opponent's.

The Soviets learned late. Brainwashing was learned in this country almost two centuries ago. That's why the top one-half of one percent or thereabouts with control of power and now all media have been able to make our citizens give their money, their interest and even their lives to elite purveyors of lies and corruption.

It is sad but always interesting that people who are most afraid of freedom and would most restrict it seem paranoid of their own. For Heston to use Orwell as a support for his own argument is risible.

Not only does it prey on people it creates, engenders and encourages people to want things never desired before. It enlarges the division of people by their abilities to afford unnecessary things and it discourages development of better use of time, of cultural betterment.

Reston got it right.

One of my favorite quotes.

This statement is a test of one's objectivity. It must be remembered that words are not responsible for their source. In this case it is the words that are right.

Another winner.

A very important truth. Mark Twain's statement that when you find your opinion is in agreement with the majority you'd better rethink. The majority would never have accepted the Bill of Rights.

An unusually good quotation. And I agree with Robert. He was a great man. How much our country needs such a man now.

Change the word "health" to "enemy" and the statement would make good sense.