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Doublespeak, Doublethink, Double-Standards: I Think I’m Seeing Double!

Noun  1.    doublespeak  – any language that pretends to communicate but actually does not; equivocation, evasion. 2. – a statement that is not literally false but that cleverly avoids an unpleasant truth.     
–  online dictionary

Remember Catch 22‘s The Man Who Saw Everything Twice?

The leader of this team of doctors was a dignified,
solicitous gentleman who held one finger up directly
in front of Yossarian and demanded, 'How many
fingers do you see?'
'Two,' said Yossarian.
'How many fingers do you see now?' asked the doctor,
holding up two.
'Two,' said Yossarian.
'And how many now?' asked the doctor, holding up none.
'Two,' said Yossarian.
The doctor's face wreathed with a smile. 'By jove,
he's right,' he declared jubilantly. 'He does see
everything twice.'

The news stories these days are so full of doublespeak that if you hold one up in front of me, I see two. For example:

1)
June 15, 2010
Christian Science Monitor
US opposes ICC bid to make ‘aggression’ a crime under international law
The Obama administration has resisted efforts by the International Criminal Court to include ‘aggression’ as a crime, mainly because it could impact US military operations abroad.

2)
June 15, 2010
AntiChrist Science Monitor
Ted Bundy opposes proposal to make sex killing a crime under international law
Serial murderer Ted Bundy has resisted efforts by the International Criminal Court to include ‘sex murder’ as a crime, mainly because it could impact his love life.

Another example:

1)
Israel to investigate aid ship raid

Israel’s army has announced the creation of a team of high-ranking officials charged with examining and learning from the deadly May 31 operation against a Gaza-bound aid flotilla.

2)
Manson family to investigate Tate-LaBianca raid
Charles Manson has announced the creation of a team of high-ranking Manson Family members charged with examining and learning from the deadly August 9th-10th 1969 operation against two Hollywood residences. Manson then thanked Athur Sulzberger Jr., chairman of the New York Times company, for appointing Manson’s nephew, Bernie Manson, to cover the story for America’s newspaper of record.  (Real-life version of this story)

* * *

When the “unpleasant truth” being hidden is mass murder in which the media itself is complicit, I guess doublespeak is the only option.

5 Thoughts to “Doublespeak, Doublethink, Double-Standards: I Think I’m Seeing Double!”

  1. Anonymous

    Amen…

    "in a time of universal deceit,telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act"
    George Orwell
    "1984"
    Ps.kids don't have to read it in school anymore…Gee I wonder why?
    Winston Smith..

  2. Anonymous

    Speaking of Israel's flotilla murders, interesting how Israel is defended and the victim demonized:

    Democrats demand flotilla "terrorists" be denied entry into U.S.
    http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2010/06/14/times_square_flotilla

    US lawmakers blast 'disgraceful' Turkey over Iran, Israel
    http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/usturkeymideastisraelpoliticsiran

    On Israel, Congress Still Obedient
    http://politicalcorrection.org/fpmatters/201006150004

    Israel's new propaganda: OK to kill Turks because Ottoman Empire trying to come back.
    http://www.weeklystandard.com/articles/return-ottomans?page=3

    Neo-cons lead charge against Turkey
    http://english.aljazeera.net/focus/2010/06/20106168451670414.html

    Charles Schumer’s Sippenhaftung* and the children of Gaza
    http://www.juancole.com/2010/06/schumers-sippenhaftung-and-the-children-of-gaza.html

  3. The hypocrisy wrecks doesn't it? Something HAS to be done. It's up to "we the people" to do something about this, if not … it won't get done and this will get worst … not better.

  4. Jim

    Another one would be that if israel can investigate the flotilla massacre, why shouldn't N Korea investigate the Chinoan sinking? Just wondering.

  5. Anonymous

    to anonymous at the top. i recently read it for free online about 2 weeks ago on readprint.com i went on just a couple days ago to look up a quote an now its on the list to add… so they took it off just to add it back on again later?

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