“All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them.” - Jesus, Sermon on the Mount

I find it absolutely unbelievable how so many commentators, even ‘liberal, open minded’ commentators, buy into the CW (Common Wisdom). Perhaps it is because it is repeated so very often by the MSM (Main Stream Media), without any question. After all, all the ‘Village elders’ keep telling us, “I heard it in the media so that makes it so.” Let me delve into this with a few concrete examples.

Lately I’ve had several e-mail exchanges with a couple of ‘liberal’ commentators regarding the malfeasance of the Bush I, Clinton and Bush II administrations in the context of Yugoslavia and the intentional malicious pillorying of the Serbian people. Immediately I was attacked, knee jerk fashion, having all manner of specious, vacuous propaganda talking points that had been manufactured by the MSM and the various administrations to ‘justify’ their positions thrown at me. Yet, every time I have provided numerous links to articles and information that totally debunk these talking points (much as the ‘Weapons of Mass Destruction’ argument has been dismantled in Iraq), without exception, the e-mail exchanges ceased abruptly. This even though the sources I linked to were hardly partisan Serb sources (such as Diana Johnstone, Edward Herman, David Peterson, etc.). I’m fairly certain that none of these e-mailers who assailed me have troubled themselves to even follow the links provided, much less do any real research on their own. C’est la vie!

Then, there is a rather well read, well rounded liberal commentator on the radio/internet. I must admit, he and I do truly agree on many topics and I find him to be rather thoughtful. However, one of his several blind spots is that he loves to bang on about the ‘wonderful’ color revolutions in Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Asia. He endlessly lauds the ‘Bulldozer revolution’ in Serbia in 2000, the ‘Rose Revolution’ in Georgia in 2003, the ‘Orange Revolution’ in Ukraine in 2004, the ‘Tulip Revolution’ in Kyrgyzstan in 2005 as well as the failed ‘Denim Revolution’ in Belarus in 2005.

Gee, I wonder what this self same commentator would have to say if some foreign country, let’s say China, were to provide 100s of millions of dollars to some dissident groups in the U.S. (like the Black Panthers of the 1960s and early 1970s), provided millions of dollars more in equipment, facilities and services, provided cadre and training for how to destabilize the government? I vividly recall the apoplexy that was suffered by the reich wing nuts on the imaginary political contributions by the Chinese to the Democrats. Just how much more agitated do you think any sane commentator, right or left, were the initial scenario to be played out? Yet, that is exactly what has happened in ALL the various ‘color revolutions’ cited above. Most of the personnel, materials and training were provided by NED (National Endowment for Democracy, “…a U.S. non-profit organization that was founded in 1983, to promote democracy by providing cash grants funded primarily through an annual allocation from the U.S. Congress.” In addition to the NED there is also the IRI (International Republican Institute) "...an organization, funded by United States government, that conducts international political programs, sometimes labeled 'democratization programs'." Wikipedia Yet, by gosh, with about as much truthfulness and sincerity as the toppling of Saddam’s statue in Baghdad, this particular (and other commentators) regurgitate this schlock and the mind numbed proles lap it up like a baby bird swallowing it’s parents’ regurgitata. Sigh!