In democracies, the citizens select their representatives by voting for the candidates they feel best represent their interests. Generally, these candidates belong to the same political party as they do, promote the policies they agree with, and are supported by people they admire. Undoubtedly, they feel that their candidates have the highest integrity, experience and skills required to get results, and that they always tell the truth. But do those candidates rise to these high expectations?
The world is replete with examples of corrupt people who have gained control of their country’s government, destroyed its wealth and prosperity, and turned it into a ruthless authoritarian state. But most people believe democracies are different. Democracies have checks and balances that prevent evil people from assuming control. In America, We the People are in control and we are too smart and sophisticated to let that happen. What could possibly go wrong?
History proves that evil is a prevalent force in the world, and humans have a natural thirst for power. Most of these evil people have developed a charismatic image and are extremely proficient at hiding their motives and true intentions. While the sinister tactics of these evil people have mutated over time, they have long and deep roots in history and psychology.
America is far from perfect and it is ineffectual in many areas, but how serious are America’s problems and what is the risk of further deterioration? Are the people who currently control government motivated to protect the health of our nation and solve its problems? Or are they intent upon destabilizing the country through proven techniques that distort the truth and manipulate the people? And who is most responsible for exacerbating the problems? Is it the evil-doers, or is it those who are shining a light on long-festering corruption?
As citizens, do we believe America’s future is being threatened, or are these concerns about its decline being blown out of proportion? Do we owe it to our fellow citizens and future generations to understand the issues facing America and contribute to finding solutions? Are we aware of all sides of this discourse, or are we only listening to one side of the debate? Is there a possibility we have been subjected to distortion and manipulation techniques, or are we critical thinkers?
It is critical that more Americans become aware of current events and understand the motives of the people who control our government. Armed with an understanding of the techniques used for manipulation and distortion, you will be a better judge of character and will naturally be on the side of truth and goodness. Be aware of corrupt politicians who cloak evil motives in admirable intentions.
THE HISTORIC EVOLUTION OF SINISTER TACTICS
According to the Christian Bible, the history of deception began with Adam, Eve, the serpent, and an apple. Since then, it has only become more sophisticated and devious. Philosophically, there is a significant difference between Absolute Truth and Subjective Truth. Absolute Truth is something that is true at all times and in all places. It is something that is always true no matter what the circumstances. Subjective Truth is true for the person or people making the judgement, even though it may not be true for others.
Especially with politics, it is difficult or impossible to ascertain what is actually true and what is definitively false. American politicians are free to say anything they desire, without any repercussions. And these same capabilities have been given to America’s mass media and its education systems. In society today, wokeness, groupthink and identity politics are given precedence over absolute truth and an individual’s right to seek their own understanding of truth.
It is not feasible to describe all of the events and theories that have led to our current reckless re-definition of truth. But highlighting a few of the key events, theories and concepts is an extremely helpful tool in our personal search for understanding and truth.
The End Justifies the Means
Machiavellianism – Highlights a political behavior known as “The End Justifies the Means” which is characterized by subtle or unscrupulous cunning, deception, expediency, or dishonesty.
Tactics are outlined in a booklet The Prince, written by Niccolò Machiavelli’sin 1515. His writings were based on the devious tactics of Cesare Borgia (1475-1507), an Italian politician who prized expediency above morality and who used craft and deceit to maintain the authority and carry out the policies of a corrupt ruler.
For example, if a prince wanted to conquer a city, he would secretly pay agitators and criminals to burn barns, kill cows, and smash windows in order to create crises. The prince would then come in and get rid of the “useful idiots” on his payroll, and nobody was the wiser.
Hitler used “Brownshirts” to create crises by disrupting the meetings of his opponents. Once in power, Hitler had the Brownshirts killed in the Night of the Long Knives and the people praised him for restoring order.
During the COVID pandemic in summer of 2020, criminals, including MS13, looted and rioted in Democrat-run cities across America. In January 2021, there was a protest in Washington DC that resulted in five deaths when protestors broke into the Capitol building. Are these modern examples of Machiavellianism, where agitators and criminals are hired to create a crisis for the villains to resolve?
When our search for Utopia becomes Dystopia
One of the most significant motivations for distortion of the truth and manipulation of the people is the desire to evolve a country into an authoritarian form of government. An admirable but delusional goal would be to realize a utopian society where everyone lives in peace and prosperity. But, as history has shown us, every attempt to strive for Utopia has ended in Dystopia. And sinister tactics are always required to encourage people to give up liberty for the greater good of the community.
We is a dystopian novel written by Russian Yevgeny Zamyatin in 1920–1921. The novel describes a world of harmony and conformity within a united totalitarian state.
In a glass-enclosed city of absolute straight lines, ruled over by the all-powerful ‘Benefactor’, the citizens of the totalitarian society of One State live devoid of passion and creativity. Things seem normal until D-503, a mathematician who dreams in numbers, makes a discovery that he has an individual soul.
The society is run strictly by logic or reason as the primary justification for the laws or the construct of the society. The individual’s behavior is based on logic by way of formulas and equations outlined by the One State.
Bringing to light Collectivist Tactics
Orwellian or Orwellianism – Orwellian systems are methods generally associated with totalitarian propaganda, surveillance, and repression. In 1949, George Orwell published his fiction novel entitled 1984. In it, all citizens of Oceania are monitored by cameras, are fed fabricated news stories by the government, are forced to worship a mythical government leader called Big Brother, and are indoctrinated to believe nonsense statements (“war is peace”, “slavery is freedom”, “ignorance is strength”). It seems to have predicted dangerous totalitarian characteristics that have recurred many times in current history:
- Labeling politically incorrect views as hateful
- Thought crimes and thought police
- Doublethink
- Fake news
- Continual crises and international tensions
Nazi Atrocities and Reign of Terror
Adolf Hitler (1889-1945) was a German politician and leader of the Nazi Party, who rose to power as the Chancellor of Germany in 1933. He assumed power by railing against the countries and people he believed caused the difficult situation that Germany experienced as a result of World War I. The atrocities caused by this deranged madman and the collectivist totalitarian system of government he led must never be allowed to happen again. But more important, the people who use these tactics must be stopped while they are taking root and not after they have managed to assume control.
Tactics used by Adolf Hitler and the Nazi reign of terror
- Banned ownership of guns by normal citizens
- Discouraged belief in a supreme presence
- Banned church services and religious books and artifacts
- Tore down statues and burned the flag
- Destroyed history that conflicted with collectivist doctrine
- Got rid of private police that only the rich could afford
- Intimidation of people and beliefs the party disagreed with.
The Road to Serfdom – was written by Austrian-British economist and philosopher Friedrich A. Hayek. Since its publication in 1944, it has been influential in denouncing the rise of collectivist totalitarian ideologies and promoting the ideals of classic liberalism. It was so popular that the Reader’s Digest published an abridged version in 1945, enabling The Road to Serfdom to reach a wider audience. A cartoon edition was also
In The Road to Serfdom, Hayek warns that the erosion of individualism eventually leads to the loss of freedom, the creation of an oppressive society, and the tyranny of a dictator. Hayek argued that fascism, Nazism and socialism had common roots in central economic planning and empowering the state over the individual. He also warns about the desire to find a Middle Way between individualism and collectivism, which doesn’t make things better and leads to a series of additional middle ways.
MODERN DECEPTIVE AND SINISTER TACTICS
Arguably, the most influential contributor to the deceptive and sinister techniques used today is Saul David Alinsky (1909 – 1972). As a Communist-minded community organizer, he wrote “Rules for Radicals.” In the prologue he explained that the most effective activists were those who worked within the established “system,” not against it, to stir the revolutionary pots of change through fear. Alinsky was opposed to free enterprise, and the limited government concepts that America’s founding fathers established.
First published in 1971, Rules for Radicals was Alinsky’s impassioned counsel to young radicals on how to effect constructive social change and know “the difference between being a realistic radical and being a rhetorical one.” The book contained the following chapters:
- The Purpose
- Of Means and Ends
- A Word about Words
- The Education of an Organizer
- Communication
- In the Beginning
- Tactics
- The Genesis of Tactic Proxy
- The Way Ahead
In his book, he stated “Any revolutionary change must be preceded by a passive, affirmative, non-challenging attitude toward change among the mass of our people. They must feel so frustrated, so defeated, so lost, so futureless in the prevailing system that they are willing to let go of the past and chance the future.” He also stated that “In the arena of action a threat or a crisis becomes almost a precondition to communication.” This statement builds upon Machiavelli’s The Prince “strike and beat down fortune through skilled action .” Today the common phrase is “Never Let a Crisis go to Waste.” Saul Alinsky, commonly referred to as the Father of Community Activism, worked on the community level which, thanks to his political heir Barack Obama, is alive and growing today through his nonprofit “Organizing for Action.” Hillary Clinton is also a disciple and admirer of Alinsky. The collectivist tactics of global left Progressives are in constant use in government today, especially within the Democrat party. These policies are not contributing to a more peaceful, equal and fairer world. Just the opposite.
Summary
The extremely dangerous techniques that lead to totalitarian forms of government are not new. But our memories of the atrocities of Nazi Germany, the death and terror after the 1917 Russian revolution, and the mass genocide of Maoism in the 1950s have faded from our memories. And younger generations are taught an entirely different story about Socialism and Communism. As a result, far too many Americans mistakenly believe that we are somehow immune from the totalitarian forms of government that have taken root in countries like Cuba, Iran, and Venezuela. But we are not.
One of the major attractions of Collectivism is the promise of a utopian society where bliss is within our reach, if only we will sacrifice some of our individual freedoms for the common good. But some of our freedoms are never enough, and more and more must be relinquished. Soon we are asked to suppress our own beliefs about right and wrong for the collective definition of morality. In this system, success and fulfillment are dependent upon supporting the groupthink of the superior wisdom of those who are in control.
How can the people save themselves from the System, when the System is controlling the media and distorting the truth? Can a democracy be saved, when the number of people who understand the truth is much smaller than the people who have been indoctrinated? Is it possible to survive when the collective consciousness is influenced by manipulated truth and not the absolute truth?
Since the 2020 presidential election, the media reported that this was a very secure election and that there is no evidence of fraud. However, a subset of the population has indicated that there is massive evidence and statistical data pointing to massive fraud. This has created an extremely contentious atmosphere in both government and on the streets. But who has the better argument? Most people think that talk about fraud is a conspiracy and feel it would be too much of a disruption to look at the evidence. While many say there is evidence that fraud did not occur, it is impossible to prove a negative. So, the System seems to have won again, and all evidence has been suppressed
The occurrences where absolute truth is hidden from the public and the media’s truth rules are now common. Another example is the ongoing dispute about who was responsible for the January 6, 2021 rioting inside the U.S. Capitol. The Left immediately placed the blame squarely on the shoulders of the Trump supporters. But, as described centuries ago by Niccolò Machiavelli, hiring agitators was a common tactic for any prince wanting to conquer a city under the guise of rescuing it from those same paid agitators and criminals who were burning barns, killing cows and smashing windows to create a series of crises. The riots at the Capitol demonstrated many of the same characteristics as the riots in Democrat-controlled cities during the summer of 2020. So, what is absolute truth and what are distortions of the media and the System? What should be done to determine the truth and how important is the truth to saving our country?
As individual citizens, what is our responsibility to the country we love, and what are the appropriate actions we should take to save our country? The most important responsibility is to continue our individual search for absolute truth and to resist false or collective truth. This begins by learning the history, philosophy and principles of America’s founding. Armed with this knowledge, we must evaluate current events through the prism of these principles. The following are things you can do to help save our country.
Demand Equal Justice for All – All Americans are accountable to the U.S. Constitution. This includes adhering to the principles of American justice, which is equal justice for all. This means every American, whether influential leader or common citizen, is accountable for his or her own actions. In order to have equal justice, we must resist justice that is influenced by groupthink. Groupthink is not justice based on truth and evidence in which people are assumed innocent until proven guilty. It is a modern form of vigilante justice based on emotion and sinister motivations. While there is a powerful pull to be politically correct, it is unfair to the individuals being accused of a crime or indiscretions. This kind of justice evolves into the type of country in which nobody wants to live and where groupthink justice will eventually come after you.
Promote Free Speech – Since its founding, America’s strength has come from critical thinking and innovation. In recent history, the cause of unity has taken precedence over the liberty of individuals. Younger generations are being taught what to think (indoctrination) over how to think (critical thinking skills). Instead of leading to unity and a more equal society, it has led to division, anger and resentment. And because people with opposing ideologies are so entrenched in their beliefs, they refuse to even consider the other person’s viewpoint. This is also occurring at a political party level, with the people in control promoting one-sided policy.
Be Aware of the Hypocrisy and Lies of Politicians – Americans must learn to recognize the hypocrisy of their political leaders. Most of them are extremely skilled at staking out the moral high-ground and chastising their opponents for evil intentions and flawed thinking. Sadly, these actions are not based on a superior relationship with God and a deep knowledge of natural law, but rather a desire for wealth, power and control. These people will accuse others of illegality, while utilizing legal knowledge to determine what they can get away with. These people are not working for the people and must be replaced.
Learn and Respect History – History teaches us the accomplishments and mistakes of our ancestors. While generally written from the perspective of the victors, it can be distorted and slanted, but it cannot be changed. If we don’t learn from history, we are doomed to repeat it. Our statues and artifacts are there to remind us of the good and the evil. Be a student of history.
All citizens must remain cognizant of and vigilant against the evils that exist in the world, the enemies of America, and the tactics they are using. Although their tactics have mutated over time to deal with modern democracies, they are basically the same tactics used with significant success for centuries. To save America, we must ensure that as many people as possible understand, promote, and adopt America’s core values and principles. If we cheer when the system comes after the people we disagree with or don’t like, there won’t be anyone left to help when the system comes after us.
APPENDIX A – TACTICS OF COLLECTIVISTS
The Collectivist side is using a set of tactics that has been successfully used for more than a hundred years to increase control. These are basically the same tactics that were used in the Russian Revolution of 1917 and in Nazi Germany in the 1930s and early 1940s. They have also been deployed in Cuba, Venezuela, Iran, and North Korea. As you read these tactics, think about the things you have been observing, and consider whether they are part of these tactics.
- Establish a loyal and supportive hierarchy – Recruit people for the upper tiers of government, who will be loyal and supportive of the leadership (loyal subjects cannot serve two masters).
- Grow the debt and deficit – Excessive spending bills contribute to slush funds and activist groups, which allows top-down government with loyal supporters to function and grow.
- Convert the Justice System – Replace the justice system that ensures “equal justice for all” with one that protects the loyalists and intimidates and punishes the opposition.
- Weaken or eliminate checks and balances – This includes things like promoting an activist interpretation of the Constitution, stacking the Supreme Court, and eliminating the filibuster.
- Control public education – Vladimir Lenin said “Give me just one generation of youth, and I’ll transform the whole world.” This involves teaching children what to think, not how to think.
- Gain control over voting –install people who are loyal to the cause to oversee the voting process. Promote concepts that encourage mass voting and de-emphasize efforts to maintain voter integrity.
- Restrict Gun Rights – Individual gun rights are a threat to superiority of the government.
- Control the News – Take over the newspapers and media to promote the party message rather than truth.
- Increase indoctrination and limit “Free Speech” – Claim that individualistic viewpoints are offensive and collectivist viewpoints are admirable. People who speak the truth must be suppressed and disgraced.
- Reduce the influence of religion – Religion promotes obedience to a higher power, which conflicts with loyalty to the power of the government.
- Create a dependent society – Convince the people that they will live a better life if they support government programs for critical goods and services. Ensure enough goods and services to keep the common people from revolting.
- Discourage pride and patriotism – In order to make it easier to change our country, the country must be characterized as one that has a flawed and shameful past and needs to be reformed.
- Play the blame game – Identify metrics that can be exploited, blame them on the opponent, and identify yourself as the compassionate one. Create a victim mentality.
- Create fear and reluctance to resist – intimidate those who resist. Find ways to weaken and divide the opposition.
- Promote Socialism over Capitalism – Portray capitalism as an unfair system that is driven by greed. Encourage bringing critical aspects of the economy into government control.
- Arrive as a Superhero – Arrive on scene as the hero or savior of all that is good and right.