Ad Council’s new support the troops ads are a thinly veiled pro-war campaign. Its tag line, “Don’t let their enemy’s presence be felt more than yours,” with a classic war movie silhouette at sunset, reaffirms all the noble stereotypes of war. When ever the war gets unpopular we always get hit over the head with this business of supporting the troops, which is a terrific diversion lobbed by those too chicken to fight their own battles. The government (Ad Council is a federal agency) would like to deflect criticism by victimizing the troops twice: first by sending them to an illegal war, and second by using them as a foil against critics. If the desire is to support the troops, send them to New Orleans to help rebuild a city rather than having them destroying ones on foreign soil.
AD COUNCIL LAUNCHES TROOP SUPPORT EFFORT:
“Ad Council President-CEO Peggy Conlon said the campaign is in line with the Ad Council’s traditional role. The Council was created early in World War II in part to support the war effort.
‘We don’t want a repeat of what happened when the soldiers came back from Vietnam,’ she said, ‘because of the politics of the war. We want to strip out the policy and politics and let them know that we appreciate that they are supporting the basic tenants that make this country.’”
(Via Ad Age.)
It is unfortunate that this ad campaign accomplishes the exact opposite of what it should be doing.
It is important that people understand that propaganda is the goverments only true weapon, and the only way to sucessfully disarm it is by continuing to spread the truth.
cheers my friend.
Thanks for the encouragement. It goes without saying that we send lovingkindness to all beings, including the troops. Note that I didn’t say “our” troops. That is another word trick used to void responsibility.