Watching "news" (more commentary than news, some blatantly fictional and biased) while I was outside the USA regarding the 2016 elections, a curious phenomenon became obvious.
Four main camps were vying for the presidency, 1-Hillary and 2-Bernie for the Democrats and 3-Trump and 4-the rest of the Republican field (not to mention Green Party and Libertarian Party candidates). "News" and events were covered differently depending on source and candidate implicitly (and often explicitly) supported by the given media source. That is, although covering similar stories and events, different media outlets were slanting the same stories and events differently depending on the candidate they wanted favored.
That said, once whittled down to two main candidates, then the influential mainstream media, from anecdotal observation, began to exhibit a scheming, lopsided bias rather than holding to journalistic virtues of truth seeking and reporting of facts over commentating with subjective analysis. Along those lines, also, entirely lopsided was the highly influential tech and social media giants of our day with an impact on virtually every aspect of the average person's online life and beyond, i.e., Google (who regularly visits the White House behind closed doors), Microsoft, Twitter, Facebook and many others chose the same side and worked behind the scenes to bolster that candidate, even though that candidate seemed to have unfairly been anointed to ascend through that side's primaries.
That is, these media giants went all-in for one side, actually for one particular candidate including mainstream outlets in print, on air and online, along with the aforementioned tech giants--a massively influential combination. This subjective support was tremendously persuading, especially versus alternate media which receives lesser viewership and is often dismissed out of hand if reports don't match a reality narrative painted by the bigger, more influential players--not to mention the social brownie points available to anyone voicing support for one candidate and disgust at the other candidate...virtue signalling to gain social merit.
Given the above landscape, nearly everyone is aware of and acknowledges Donald J. Trump's sins, especially aware of them are his supporters. His supporters do not deny or duck them, and some are very serious flaws that are obviously alarming.
On the other hand, it seems that Hillary supporters are not similarly aware of their own candidate's serious transgressions. Some supporters dismiss them as unfair attacks that are partisan or simply within the bell curve of an average politician's misdemeanors and peccadilloes. By an large, most of her supporters are not aware of allegations or do not pay much if any attention to them.
That is, from my observation and because of collusion by the aforementioned mainstream forces, supporters seem by and large to be unaware of her dangers and sins and not only that, they do not entertain wider consideration of serious flaws at all and take umbrage when brought up, again unlike the other side which actually seems to acknowledge if not accept their own candidate's failings.
Here is an example from the current Pope, a Catholic figurehead who might be understandably expected to be concerned with spirituality above all other matters and expected to perhaps disregard politics altogether. Well, he cannot seem to separate the two and peculiarly seems to be most interested in politics above all else.
If he truly is overly interested enough to venture outside his ken of religion and dabble in political commentary, at least enough to comment seriously the wide world, then would he then care enough to be as informed as possible? It begs the question, how does this Pope avail himself of information and stay current with news and events? In many cases, he seems to have bought into mainstream portrayals of the candidates and depictions of current events particularly in the Middle East and reacts to them with politically-charged pronouncements laced with opinions that, because of his status, are voiced through a worldwide megaphone to an enormous audience of Catholics and beyond--terribly influential to the average gentile.
Regarding the US elections, he seems to be unaware of major flaws leveled against one of the candidates while blowing the other's out of proportion. Does he realize the enormity and depth of the allegations that he is overlooking on one side....potential flaws that many cannot abide by in any person who would have great national and global powers. Perhaps, like with many Hillary supporters, his lack of awareness is understandable given that major tech and media players including social media (e.g., Google, Microsoft, Apple, Amazon, Facebook, Twitter and beyond) are modifying algorithms and censoring "news", events and stories to slant things and to shadow block others according to their worldview (a worldview largely underwritten by Millennial ideals with a youthful bedrock of staff whose ideas tend toward socialism including limitations on free speech among other anti-democratic positions) while serving up side-dishes of fiction along the way.
Here is the link to a recent story regarding the Pope in America, The National Catholic Review, Days Before The US Election Pope Francis Warns Against Politics of Fear http://www.americamagazine.org/content/dispatches/days-us-election-pope-francis-warns-against-politics-fear
The following is my response to this article:
How does the world's first Jesuit Pope stay informed enough to proclaim that love is the missing, miracle ingredient in the world today including the US Presidential election? Where is this love...and is it perhaps hidden behind his own judgmental policies and somewhat superficial understanding of issues that he may not wholly understand?
-Does Mr. Bergoglio (Pope Francis) realize that Hillary proclaimed "We came, we saw, he DIED (chuckle)" after spearheading a military assault that saw relatively liberal Qaddafi murdered and Libya subsequently devolved to chaos and fallen to ruins as a failed state with deathly suffering to millions since (was HRC leading with love then...or are we supposed to believe that she has changed on no tangible evidence whatsoever...has she really dramatically changed and will miraculously lead with love if elected...except maybe when it comes to Russia...or another Libya and who knows whcih others? #NeoChickenHawk
-Is this politically active Pope aware that The Drone President dropped 23,144 BOMBS in 2015 and this NobelPrizewinner Warmonger is on record saying, "I'm really good at KILLING people"? Whiskey Tango Foxtrot--who says something like that, especially alarming when it is the Commander-in-Chief of the world's mightiest military, a person who can back it up?
-Who in their right mind says something like that regardless of context, especially one of the world's leading statesmen? Where is the love, Pope? Obama? Maybe it is time for the Pope to avail himself of the reality that Obama has been the first US President at war for a full two terms in office. Can any Americans name the seven countries that he has been bombing in their names?! It's horrific to be a voiceless citizen against this wake of death and destruction wrought by our leaders without proper explanation and with scant knowledge by fellow citizens who can do nothing about it.
If the Pope looks closer then he might find that one of the candidates has at least voiced opposition to the lethal collusion between Big War...Big Gov and Military Industrial Psychosis of Profiteering Warmongers and venereal relations between BigCorp/BigBanks/BigPharma/CorpMedia and so on.
-Does Pope Francis realize that HRC voted in favor of war in Iraq... part of a warring resume as an 'experienced' candidate (even though she didn't know better than to vote against a violent, humanitarian tragedy in the first place) and will she now suddenly and miraculously lead with love having learned from the deaths of others or perhaps continue lethal, ignorant neo-chickenhawk ways of Bush, Rumsfeld, Rice, Cheney, Obama and her own warring record as Secretary of State in collusion with arms manufacturers and crony socialists?
-Does this Pope even know upon whom (which countries and peoples) the many lethal bombs have been dropped these last eight years, tragically including innocent victims who've been physically scarred and handicapped if not killed outright while enduring the Neo Chicken Hawks lethal schemes of misguided, deathly "nation building"?
It brings to mind Thomas Paine's exhortation against aggressive warfare, "Not all the treasures of the world, so far as I believe, could have induced me to support an offensive war, for I think it murder."
Regardless of this ghastly, unending tragedy of war on earth, the Pope now supports a proven militaristic candidate who has helped ignite wars and foment a refugee crisis while he also admonishes countries for not bringing more and more of the refugees from countries the recipient themselves are at war with...isn't that a dangerous mix for all involved including both refugees and recipients--i.e., letting in streams of refugees from countries with which you are waging war?! Wouldn't localized safe zones along with assisting refugees to neighboring countries be a more humanitarian solution that would be much more reasonable and viable for all as lifestyles and beliefs within regions are generally more easy to transition into for both immigrants and recipients?
-And dear Pope, when were such high walls constructed around Vatican City and whom were they meant to keep out (hint: think fanatical invaders...maybe the walls were built at that time with love for the safety of cherished people inside, protected by such walls)?
-How many refugees has the Vatican itself accepted so far or does the Pope delight in hypocrisy, too, with a 'do as I say, not as I do' attitude? "First remove the beam out of your own eye, and then you can see clearly to remove the speck out of your brother's eye." Matthew 7:5, Christian Bible
Or, he simply doesn't allow strangers into a strange land, unknown people into Vatican City and doesn't allow this not out of hate for strangers but out of perhaps love, welfare and safety of his loved ones already therein...and wouldn't these strangers from distant lands be much better off in a land more similar to their homeland cultures, beliefs and lifestyles?
-Meanwhile...does the Pope know which country has been the largest supplier of worldwide arms for the same decades that HRC has been politically active and voting on such weapon supply chains and working with the US MilitaryIndustrial Pyschotic Complex? Unfortunately, not much love there it seems anyway you look at it.
Is HRC concerned only with grandstanding about gun violence within the USA while the USA exports arms all over the globe? And isn't she surrounded by guns...her bodyguards and security team...she wants others to give up guns while she herself enjoys the protection they provide?
-Can Mr. Bergoglio at least acknowledge that the worst 'mortocracies' of the 20th century align on the same left that he paradoxically believes is more loving than the right (countless deaths wrought by leftist regimes such as Maoist China, Soviet Russia, North Korea, Cambodia...even murderous WWII Germany was led by a socialist party....would this papal love have stopped any of them or does this love need to be tempered with wisdom and have a strong foundation of common sense and right action to be viable and effective and not just a belief that the giver of love is in the right?
-Does it bother the Pope that many US citizens are very concerned that the US Department of Justice might have become politicized and that the Obama administration has punished more whistle-blowers and journalists than other administrations...except HRC seems to be above these aggressively enforced laws altogether, laws that have been used to punish others severely for far lesser violations....
E.g,, No prosecution for transmitting classified information knowingly or otherwise, and although caught sending and receiving classified messages on unsecured systems, no one within her cadre was held accountable. Although destroying government evidence and property after subpoenas were issued (destroyed not by 'wiping with a cloth (chuckle and a wink)' but knowingly by using high level technological techniques such as Bleach Bit as well as brute force such as hammers with the specific intent to evade capture and prosecution). No one was prosecuted and even more curious, five people were given immunity...strange indeed as normally immunity is granted solely to move prosecution of bigger fish forward...that certainly did not happen so why the grant of immunity in the first place?
-The US now has an Attorney General who has taken the fifth amendment (that is, she declined to answer question to avoid self-incrimination)...yes, this is the Attorney General of the USA, supposedly a role-model of law and justice for the rest of the country...taking the fifth to avoid self-incrimination.
Does this information and much more pass by the Pope and leave nothing save a whiff of the essence of blissful ignorance?
-The Democratic National Committee has gone through three directors because of abuse of power in favoring HRC as well as collusion with the Clinton campaign..."The Most Interesting Man in Vermont" Sanders had to face more than votes to win and therefore lost. Yes, given the behind the scenes scheming, it is no wonder he lost despite widespread popular support--exemplified by political rallies that dwarfed Clinton's in number and enthusiasm.
The above is a small sample off the top of my head of seemingly bottomless evidence against one particular candidate. Yet again, this and more seem to have passed right by the Pope leaving no impression other than perhaps an ephemeral scent of blissful ignorance as it evaporated before reaching his political consciousness.
Dear Pope, unless you believe that the above is part of a vast conspiracy and perhaps wholly untrue, then please seek greater understandings of complex issues before stepping deeper into politics. Without searching for greater truth and thereby, then the Pope will be obfuscating issues for those of us who truly hope and pray that Love and Peace will win and reign after decades upon decades of ignorance and self-serving madness.
"The best road to progress is freedom's road." -John F. Kennedy, 35th President of the United States of America
Four main camps were vying for the presidency, 1-Hillary and 2-Bernie for the Democrats and 3-Trump and 4-the rest of the Republican field (not to mention Green Party and Libertarian Party candidates). "News" and events were covered differently depending on source and candidate implicitly (and often explicitly) supported by the given media source. That is, although covering similar stories and events, different media outlets were slanting the same stories and events differently depending on the candidate they wanted favored.
That said, once whittled down to two main candidates, then the influential mainstream media, from anecdotal observation, began to exhibit a scheming, lopsided bias rather than holding to journalistic virtues of truth seeking and reporting of facts over commentating with subjective analysis. Along those lines, also, entirely lopsided was the highly influential tech and social media giants of our day with an impact on virtually every aspect of the average person's online life and beyond, i.e., Google (who regularly visits the White House behind closed doors), Microsoft, Twitter, Facebook and many others chose the same side and worked behind the scenes to bolster that candidate, even though that candidate seemed to have unfairly been anointed to ascend through that side's primaries.
That is, these media giants went all-in for one side, actually for one particular candidate including mainstream outlets in print, on air and online, along with the aforementioned tech giants--a massively influential combination. This subjective support was tremendously persuading, especially versus alternate media which receives lesser viewership and is often dismissed out of hand if reports don't match a reality narrative painted by the bigger, more influential players--not to mention the social brownie points available to anyone voicing support for one candidate and disgust at the other candidate...virtue signalling to gain social merit.
Given the above landscape, nearly everyone is aware of and acknowledges Donald J. Trump's sins, especially aware of them are his supporters. His supporters do not deny or duck them, and some are very serious flaws that are obviously alarming.
On the other hand, it seems that Hillary supporters are not similarly aware of their own candidate's serious transgressions. Some supporters dismiss them as unfair attacks that are partisan or simply within the bell curve of an average politician's misdemeanors and peccadilloes. By an large, most of her supporters are not aware of allegations or do not pay much if any attention to them.
That is, from my observation and because of collusion by the aforementioned mainstream forces, supporters seem by and large to be unaware of her dangers and sins and not only that, they do not entertain wider consideration of serious flaws at all and take umbrage when brought up, again unlike the other side which actually seems to acknowledge if not accept their own candidate's failings.
Here is an example from the current Pope, a Catholic figurehead who might be understandably expected to be concerned with spirituality above all other matters and expected to perhaps disregard politics altogether. Well, he cannot seem to separate the two and peculiarly seems to be most interested in politics above all else.
If he truly is overly interested enough to venture outside his ken of religion and dabble in political commentary, at least enough to comment seriously the wide world, then would he then care enough to be as informed as possible? It begs the question, how does this Pope avail himself of information and stay current with news and events? In many cases, he seems to have bought into mainstream portrayals of the candidates and depictions of current events particularly in the Middle East and reacts to them with politically-charged pronouncements laced with opinions that, because of his status, are voiced through a worldwide megaphone to an enormous audience of Catholics and beyond--terribly influential to the average gentile.
Regarding the US elections, he seems to be unaware of major flaws leveled against one of the candidates while blowing the other's out of proportion. Does he realize the enormity and depth of the allegations that he is overlooking on one side....potential flaws that many cannot abide by in any person who would have great national and global powers. Perhaps, like with many Hillary supporters, his lack of awareness is understandable given that major tech and media players including social media (e.g., Google, Microsoft, Apple, Amazon, Facebook, Twitter and beyond) are modifying algorithms and censoring "news", events and stories to slant things and to shadow block others according to their worldview (a worldview largely underwritten by Millennial ideals with a youthful bedrock of staff whose ideas tend toward socialism including limitations on free speech among other anti-democratic positions) while serving up side-dishes of fiction along the way.
Here is the link to a recent story regarding the Pope in America, The National Catholic Review, Days Before The US Election Pope Francis Warns Against Politics of Fear http://www.americamagazine.org/content/dispatches/days-us-election-pope-francis-warns-against-politics-fear
The following is my response to this article:
How does the world's first Jesuit Pope stay informed enough to proclaim that love is the missing, miracle ingredient in the world today including the US Presidential election? Where is this love...and is it perhaps hidden behind his own judgmental policies and somewhat superficial understanding of issues that he may not wholly understand?
-Does Mr. Bergoglio (Pope Francis) realize that Hillary proclaimed "We came, we saw, he DIED (chuckle)" after spearheading a military assault that saw relatively liberal Qaddafi murdered and Libya subsequently devolved to chaos and fallen to ruins as a failed state with deathly suffering to millions since (was HRC leading with love then...or are we supposed to believe that she has changed on no tangible evidence whatsoever...has she really dramatically changed and will miraculously lead with love if elected...except maybe when it comes to Russia...or another Libya and who knows whcih others? #NeoChickenHawk
-Is this politically active Pope aware that The Drone President dropped 23,144 BOMBS in 2015 and this Nobel
-Who in their right mind says something like that regardless of context, especially one of the world's leading statesmen? Where is the love, Pope? Obama? Maybe it is time for the Pope to avail himself of the reality that Obama has been the first US President at war for a full two terms in office. Can any Americans name the seven countries that he has been bombing in their names?! It's horrific to be a voiceless citizen against this wake of death and destruction wrought by our leaders without proper explanation and with scant knowledge by fellow citizens who can do nothing about it.
If the Pope looks closer then he might find that one of the candidates has at least voiced opposition to the lethal collusion between Big War...Big Gov and Military Industrial Psychosis of Profiteering Warmongers and venereal relations between BigCorp/BigBanks/BigPharma/CorpMedia and so on.
-Does Pope Francis realize that HRC voted in favor of war in Iraq... part of a warring resume as an 'experienced' candidate (even though she didn't know better than to vote against a violent, humanitarian tragedy in the first place) and will she now suddenly and miraculously lead with love having learned from the deaths of others or perhaps continue lethal, ignorant neo-chickenhawk ways of Bush, Rumsfeld, Rice, Cheney, Obama and her own warring record as Secretary of State in collusion with arms manufacturers and crony socialists?
-Does this Pope even know upon whom (which countries and peoples) the many lethal bombs have been dropped these last eight years, tragically including innocent victims who've been physically scarred and handicapped if not killed outright while enduring the Neo Chicken Hawks lethal schemes of misguided, deathly "nation building"?
It brings to mind Thomas Paine's exhortation against aggressive warfare, "Not all the treasures of the world, so far as I believe, could have induced me to support an offensive war, for I think it murder."
Regardless of this ghastly, unending tragedy of war on earth, the Pope now supports a proven militaristic candidate who has helped ignite wars and foment a refugee crisis while he also admonishes countries for not bringing more and more of the refugees from countries the recipient themselves are at war with...isn't that a dangerous mix for all involved including both refugees and recipients--i.e., letting in streams of refugees from countries with which you are waging war?! Wouldn't localized safe zones along with assisting refugees to neighboring countries be a more humanitarian solution that would be much more reasonable and viable for all as lifestyles and beliefs within regions are generally more easy to transition into for both immigrants and recipients?
-And dear Pope, when were such high walls constructed around Vatican City and whom were they meant to keep out (hint: think fanatical invaders...maybe the walls were built at that time with love for the safety of cherished people inside, protected by such walls)?
-How many refugees has the Vatican itself accepted so far or does the Pope delight in hypocrisy, too, with a 'do as I say, not as I do' attitude? "First remove the beam out of your own eye, and then you can see clearly to remove the speck out of your brother's eye." Matthew 7:5, Christian Bible
Or, he simply doesn't allow strangers into a strange land, unknown people into Vatican City and doesn't allow this not out of hate for strangers but out of perhaps love, welfare and safety of his loved ones already therein...and wouldn't these strangers from distant lands be much better off in a land more similar to their homeland cultures, beliefs and lifestyles?
-Meanwhile...does the Pope know which country has been the largest supplier of worldwide arms for the same decades that HRC has been politically active and voting on such weapon supply chains and working with the US Military
Is HRC concerned only with grandstanding about gun violence within the USA while the USA exports arms all over the globe? And isn't she surrounded by guns...her bodyguards and security team...she wants others to give up guns while she herself enjoys the protection they provide?
-Can Mr. Bergoglio at least acknowledge that the worst 'mortocracies' of the 20th century align on the same left that he paradoxically believes is more loving than the right (countless deaths wrought by leftist regimes such as Maoist China, Soviet Russia, North Korea, Cambodia...even murderous WWII Germany was led by a socialist party....would this papal love have stopped any of them or does this love need to be tempered with wisdom and have a strong foundation of common sense and right action to be viable and effective and not just a belief that the giver of love is in the right?
-Does it bother the Pope that many US citizens are very concerned that the US Department of Justice might have become politicized and that the Obama administration has punished more whistle-blowers and journalists than other administrations...except HRC seems to be above these aggressively enforced laws altogether, laws that have been used to punish others severely for far lesser violations....
E.g,, No prosecution for transmitting classified information knowingly or otherwise, and although caught sending and receiving classified messages on unsecured systems, no one within her cadre was held accountable. Although destroying government evidence and property after subpoenas were issued (destroyed not by 'wiping with a cloth (chuckle and a wink)' but knowingly by using high level technological techniques such as Bleach Bit as well as brute force such as hammers with the specific intent to evade capture and prosecution). No one was prosecuted and even more curious, five people were given immunity...strange indeed as normally immunity is granted solely to move prosecution of bigger fish forward...that certainly did not happen so why the grant of immunity in the first place?
-The US now has an Attorney General who has taken the fifth amendment (that is, she declined to answer question to avoid self-incrimination)...yes, this is the Attorney General of the USA, supposedly a role-model of law and justice for the rest of the country...taking the fifth to avoid self-incrimination.
Does this information and much more pass by the Pope and leave nothing save a whiff of the essence of blissful ignorance?
-The Democratic National Committee has gone through three directors because of abuse of power in favoring HRC as well as collusion with the Clinton campaign..."The Most Interesting Man in Vermont" Sanders had to face more than votes to win and therefore lost. Yes, given the behind the scenes scheming, it is no wonder he lost despite widespread popular support--exemplified by political rallies that dwarfed Clinton's in number and enthusiasm.
The above is a small sample off the top of my head of seemingly bottomless evidence against one particular candidate. Yet again, this and more seem to have passed right by the Pope leaving no impression other than perhaps an ephemeral scent of blissful ignorance as it evaporated before reaching his political consciousness.
Dear Pope, unless you believe that the above is part of a vast conspiracy and perhaps wholly untrue, then please seek greater understandings of complex issues before stepping deeper into politics. Without searching for greater truth and thereby, then the Pope will be obfuscating issues for those of us who truly hope and pray that Love and Peace will win and reign after decades upon decades of ignorance and self-serving madness.
"The best road to progress is freedom's road." -John F. Kennedy, 35th President of the United States of America
