Pak Tea House » Media, Politics » Politicians and Media: Fostering McCarthyism
Politicians and Media: Fostering McCarthyism
By Saad Hafiz
There are a lot of lessons to be drawn from the political and media experiences of the United States, but the most relevant one is this: there can be a dangerous alliance between politicians and media using the same pulpit to promote hatred and intolerance with lasting effects.
In the early 1950′s, Senator Joseph McCarthy’s anticommunist crusades, aided by a pliant media, destroyed lives and fostered a climate of fear and hostility in American Society. The Governing Class’ use of the media to spread fear is prevalent in American history, most recently in the run up to the war in Iraq.
The “Red Menace” and “WMD” bogies trumpeted by Senator McCarthy and the Bush administration assisted by a section of the media confirmed that: “the great masses of the people will more easily fall victim to a big lie than to a small one” and “the broad masses of a population are more amenable to the appeal of rhetoric than to any other force” (Mein Kampf)
Pakistani politicians and newly freed mass media are not averse to reckless, unsubstantiated accusations, as well as demagogic attacks on the character, patriotism and religious inclination of political adversaries. These types of attacks greatly contributed to the murders of Mr. Taseer and Mr. Bhatti. The ever present but vaguely defined fear that “Islam is in danger” is a common theme in the rhetoric of right wing politicians and media to influence the masses. There are also more subtle forces of the deep state manipulating and encouraging the unholy nexus between politicians and media recently evident in the Raymond Davis affair.
Famed CBS newscaster and Broadcast journalist Edward R. Murrow, one of the most influential opponents of McCarthyism said most eloquently: “We must not confuse dissent with disloyalty. We must remember always that accusation is not proof and that conviction depends upon evidence and due process of law. We will not walk in fear, one of another. We will not be driven by fear into an age of unreason, if we dig deep in our history and our doctrine, and remember that we are not descended from fearful men.”
Pakistanis should dig deep and remember that they are descended from fearless men like Mr. Jinnah, Liaquat Ali Khan and Faiz Ahmed Faiz among others. The media should be taking the lead in projecting the pantheon of heroes comprising the brave soldiers and law enforcement personnel who have lost their lives battling terrorism and not a cold blooded murderer like Qadri.
It would be helpful if the superior judiciary led by Honorable C.J. Chaudry takes immediate notice of a variety of practices in politics and media which are the hallmarks of Pakistani McCarthyism: aggressively questioning a person’s patriotism, making poorly supported accusations, using accusations of disloyalty to pressure a person to adhere to conformist politics or to discredit an opponent, subverting civil rights in the name of national security, and the use of demagoguery synonymous with the term witch-hunt, both referring to mass hysteria and causing moral panic.
The recent political killings in Pakistan also show the need for a tougher hate crimes law to stop “violence masquerading as political activism”. Perhaps, stronger laws and enforcement aimed at penalizing incitement to hatred or violence towards individuals or groups because of their ethnic or religious origin through public written or oral expressions is required. Prohibition on the establishment of, and membership in organizations which organize propaganda and activities aimed at ethnic and religious discrimination and punishment for public expression of offensive ideas could help as well.
A problem with anti-defamation laws is that once you start undermining freedom of speech it becomes easy to find numerous other excuses to restrict free speech. However, most people will accept anti-defamation laws as a legitimate restriction on free speech as without these laws society would be plunged into chaos.
The divisions created in Pakistan by the unbridled power of politicians and media who peddle a particularly narrow interpretation of Islam may haunt the national psyche permanently unless steps are taken quickly to deal with abuses. These divisions are easily manipulated by the massive security apparatus established over the last 64 years which has its own agenda and definition of national security.
Charlie Chaplin, the comedian, a notable and bitter victim of McCarthyism who chose self-exile saying “I have no further use for America. I wouldn’t go back there if Jesus Christ was President.” Most Pakistanis don’t have the choice of leaving Pakistan so the choice for them is between the devil and the deep blue sea, literally.
Filed under: Media, Politics · Tags: fear, Hafiz Saad, Media, political
21 Responses to "Politicians and Media: Fostering McCarthyism"
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- Rex Minor
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[...] Politicians and Media: Fostering McCarthyism [...]
The leaders reflect the image of the people they “lead.” We should not lament what we get because we vote with our hearts and minds closed – already forcibly taken away by the people we vote for.
I agree with the writer and only hope that may be one day we rise from our knees, on which we are kneeling fro God knows since when.
Ye McKarty Koun Tha? Why desi Log talk about some distant alien? Is it to appear cool and erudite? Why not local Hazares and Edhis?
QeH
Respecting our own Hazares and Edhis doesn’t mean we don’t learn from others. Our fight needs to be against those who have sold their souls to outsiders.
See an interesting example of McCarthyism here.
http://forum.pakistanidefence.com/lofiversion/index.php/t72024.html
The all important forum topic is “Bhutto’s mother was a Hindu.”
Some see in that fact an explanation of why Bhutto was always partial to India, and anti-Pakistan (supposedly).
More knowledgeable Muslims on the forum oppose that insinuation saying that everyone is born a Muslim, but only later, against one’s better sense, takes up other less perfect religions, like Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity etc.
One Pakistani protests: “Cut that mullah’s crap, every one is born without any belief. This is ridicules to think that children’s are born Muslim.”
He is then ambushed by Muslims, almost threatened into silence.
To be sure, such examples can be easily extracted from Indian forums too. McCarthyism is the best to understand what happens here.
Reading and commenting on alien personalities, practices and ideologies comes out of enslaved mind. Seems like Asrani in bellbottom with dark goggles and fake accent (Guddi 1970 with Jaya Bhaduri). Utterly confused and superficial fellow!
But the reasons could be in the history of 19th and 18th century. It’s not just Anglo slavery but Arabo-Tirko-Persian as well -
“Throughout the whole range of Urdu literature in its first phase… the atmosphere of this literature is provokingly un-Indian – it is that of Persia. Early Urdu poets never so much as mention the great physical features of India – its Himalayas, its rivers like the Ganges, the Jamuna, the Sindhu, the Godavari, etc; but of course mountains and streams of Persia, and rivers of Central Asia are always there. Indian flowers, Indian plants are unknown; only Persian flowers and plants which the poet could see only in a garden. There was a deliberate shutting of the eye to everything Indian, to everything not mentioned or treated in Persian poetry… A language and literature which came to base itself upon an ideology which denied on the Indian soil the very existence of India and Indian culture, could not but be met with a challenge from some of the Indian adherents of their national culture; and that challenge was in the form of highly Sanskritized Hindi’.”
See Asarani from 31:30 – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGjrJ5-_qW0
Don’t forget to Keshto Part as well. Pure Name dropping not much from what goes on this site: apane paas To Anglo Lincon hai. Panch hazar ka bandobast Karoge! Apna Mckarty to Dost Hai, Chai Apne Haath Se Hi Pita Hai.
West isn’t the best!
http://www.dailypioneer.com/330476/West-isn’t-the-Best.html
“…everyone is born a Muslim, but only later, against one’s better sense, takes up other less perfect religions, like Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity etc.”
This is the muslims’ way of practising McCarthyism.
Abraham’s idea was: “Declare that there is only one god and this god has given him special rights to capture land and humans and imprison their minds and bodies in his religion”. This evil-imperialist-totalitarian-ethnofascist idea is continually practised by muslims today (abrahamic religion). This is also some kind of harshest McCarthyism.
“Pakistanis should dig deep and remember that they are descended from fearless men like Mr. Jinnah, Liaquat Ali Khan and Faiz Ahmed Faiz among others.”
Placing Jinnah and Liaquat, the two most opportunistic politicians, with a humanitarian like Faiz Ahmed Faiz in the same breath is demeaning Faiz. The rule of the thumb is that if you don’t know about something, don’t write about it. Hafiz Sahib has no clue about McCarthyism either.
Another Raza Habib in making.
Pakistan is much closer to Nazi Germany than it is to the United States of Joe McCarthy. The Pakistani state is immersed in an ideology of believe in its own religious superiority and it uses religion as a form of hyper-nationalism. Like Nazi Germany, the Pakistani state glorifies the irrational, but unlike Nazi Germany’s glorification of an irrational ethos grounded in the secularism of an uber-nationalism, Pakistan does it in the name of religion. Pakistani state religion, thus, is an extension of its sense of nationalism and the mark of patriotism in Pakistan, by which the state judges its citizens’ loyalities to it, is the manifestion of religion and its unquestioning creed as a form of civic participation in the affairs of the state.
The media in Pakistan is the mouthpiece of this idea and its most vehement defender and since the media, itself, judges its patriotism to Pakistan exclusively in theocratic terms, there is no possibility of the media changing its views on the issue and in the process, becoming critical of religion in Pakistan.
Pakistan must be allowed to bleed in the name of religion till that point when religion becomes the tool of its own destruction in Pakistan and ceases to exist as an expression of a public piety in the name of the state and for the glorification of the state!
ciao
“Placing Jinnah and Liaquat …….with a humanitarian like Faiz Ahmed Faiz in the same breath is demeaning Faiz.”
Glad someone recognized that and spoke up. Other people may have been great in their own ways, but treating them all as though they were similar or the same can only mislead.
Pakistan is short on good leaders that are alive or are allowed to live and be alive and will live to see something good happening through their efforts. The arabic religion and its primitive fixations, arrogances and conceits occupy their minds, bodies and public space so thoroughly that no good cheerful, relaxed, honest, intelligent, courageous leadership can emerge. The arabic religion only allows zombies with various amounts of totalitarian powers and ill-begotten moneys in their hands.
@Feroz Khan,
Some of your view of Nazi Germany is pure propaganda.
Nazi Germany wasn’t secular. It had the backing of catholic church.
Germany was the result of WWI, a war started by Britain to control
Oil. Germany had to pay war debts and hyper inflation as a result.
Some of Nazi views came straight from US like eugenics.
Hitler was not atheist nor vegetarian.
Nazi were Fascists a melding of gov. and corporation. Unions were banned.
You can see parallels to US or Nazi if you look hard enough.
You can also see pakistan as sparta or other civilization which
destroyed itself because of economic and environmental damages
which cannot sustain a populous area.
Pakistan will exist or won’t because economics, nothing else.
Religion has to be used as a weapon against the poor otherwise
pakistan will have a revolution. in a way religion is the only
solution poor have against the rich that is what taliban is
actually using. progressive can use all kind of logical argument
but poor religious only know the book.
@viva, progressive right
Are you living in the dark ages? Vedas command pouring molten copper into the ears of shudras if they happen to hear Vedic verses. Practises such as Nayoog (do I have to elaborate?), monkey-worship, sati rites need no introduction. The violence mentioned in maha bharat is unrelenting. You believe in idols and deities who are constantly warring against one another. What can I say when a man like you would bow before stones and believe in such stories?
to amaar
You assume things about me (as per your pakistan-ideology indoctrination). I don’t read any vedas or mahabharatas or worship monkeys or stones.
BTW: hindu religions are not finalized but are evolving and they are not what they were 50 or 500 or 5000 year ago. They have no final messenger or book or central authority or unity or uniformity. Hence you can pass no single or final judgement about them. Islam was finalized 1400 years ago and hence judgement can be passed on its real performance (don’t bring up any excuses for its defects, deficiencies, failures and sins now – 1400 years is a very long time). Since islam is younger than judaism, christianity and some hindu religions hence islam and muslims had the possibility of learning from their mistakes and sins. Hence islam has to be judged more strictly than them.
A good article with salient points which must not be scoffed at. I am also impressed by Yahoo’s informed commentsasl and would add that Hitler was the most popular leader at the time. I wonder if one can say this about the current and past leaders of the Pakistani Govts.The catholic church has been the dominant institution in Germany and still is! A secular system of Govt. but its constitution reflects the values of christianity and imbedded in article one of the constitution.
Hinduism is not a religion nor can it survive the sress of democracy on its fundamentals of caste system. Media today is very powerful and organised and controlled by very powerful groups who use it to enhance their interests. This sounds very innocent but in real life the lobbyists today control many western Govts. and their actions. The representatives of the people in most western democracy, because of corruption are no longer in a position to act in the interest of the majority who brought them intopower. Mr Obama is not the President which can be compared to any of the predecessors nor could one compare Mr Zardari and Gillani to Mr Jinnah or Liaqat. Pakistan media like the the American media has many 5th columnists who instead of understanding the pains and worries of the population, are engaged in exploiting and influencing the weaknesses of humans.
The revolution of the youth which started in Tunisia and has ever since been interrupted in Egypt and Libya by the western dark forces is definitelygoing to reach the shores of Pakistan one day. Time eough to sort out the confused status in the country. Remember a simple lesson of history India was not and is unlikely to be a friend of Pakistan state.
Now what was the influence of the media the author was talking about?
Rex Minor
@ Yahoo (April 12, 2011 at 9:58 am)
You have no idea of Nazi Germany, do you? Are you sure that Hitler was not a vegetarian? Having the backing of the Catholic Church is not the same thing as having religion in politics and the Nazi ideology was based on nationalism not religion. Germany was the result of World War I?!? Are you serious? Britain started World War I for oil?
Then you say, “Religion has to be used as a weapon against the poor otherwise pakistan will have a revolution” followed by “in a way religion is the only solution poor have against the rich…”
You are contradicting yourself.
ciao
to yahoo and raza
This religion from Arabia shows many aspects of being an arabic nazism in the name of an arab god and an arabic destiny and providence – mankind under arab hegemony. 200 million pseudo-arabs plus 900 million non-arab muslims are already under the boot of this arabic nazism-like imperialist ideology. What makes it especially more dangerous is that it misuses the word “god” (allah) for its goals, manipulations and instigations. Even the nazis did not commit this blasphemy of misusing the word god for their ideology.
“Pakistanis should dig deep and remember that they are descended from fearless men like Mr. Jinnah, Liaquat Ali Khan and Faiz”
Speaking of the first two people reflects the narcissism our people have in general for the “founding fathers” of this chaotic country. Your fearless Leaiquat Ali Khan was so afraid of the United States that he rejected the invitation of the Soviet Union abruptly, a few days after he accepted that. He then decided to have good terms with the Unites States of Capitalism rather than the Soviet Union.
Joseph Mc Carthy was actually following muslim traditions. His methods are derived from or are (may be by chance) similar to the islamic way of handling dissent or ideological differences. Islamic societies have been producing Joe-McCarthy-like persons or figures since 1400 years.
There are more Joe McCarthy types in muslim past and present than anywhere else. Islam is suited to be the next fascist-totalitarian danger to mankind. It is already that in a big way. George Orwell’s novels “Animal Farm” and Nineteen-eightyfour” what mankind under islam is and will be like. Iran, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Libya, Turkey etc. are full of such Joseph-McCarthy types.