It looks like you're using an Ad Blocker.

Please white-list or disable AboveTopSecret.com in your ad-blocking tool.

Thank you.

 

Some features of ATS will be disabled while you continue to use an ad-blocker.

 

Homeland Security Uses Sesame Street

page: 1
6
<<   2  3  4 >>

log in

join
share:

posted on Sep, 18 2008 @ 08:02 PM
link   

Homeland Security Uses Sesame Street


www.dcexaminer.com

In a move that will make Bush administration detractors bring back those duct tape jokes again, the Department of Homeland Security has partnered up with the famous children’s show.

“We all want our children to feel safe in this world,” said Meryl Chertoff, wife of Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, at a ceremony held at the John Tyler Elementary School to announce the partnership. "And who better to do that than our Sesame Street friends, Grover and Rosita!”

“I always knew that [Mr. and Mrs. Chertoff] would be big muppet Muppett supporters!” said Sesame Workshop CEO Gary Knell.

As you can imagine, the partnership is aimed at children, and seeks to encourage family preparedness plans in the case of emergencies.

“Family preparedness is the cornerstone of personal and community readiness,” said Secretary Chertoff in a statement (he was scheduled to attend the event, but has been busy handling the aftermath of Hurricane Ike in Texas). “And we could not be more pleased to team up with Sesame Workshop.”

But perhaps Grover puts it best in his introductory remarks, published in a pamphlet titled, “Let’s Get Ready!”

“I, your furry, blue friend Grover, have a story to share. Are you wondering what it is about? I will give you an itty-bitty hint: It is about getting ready for emergencies! Oh boy, that was a big hint. Do you want to get ready, too? You do? Oh, I am so pleased. Then read this story with me, and let us get ready together!”
(visit the link for the full news article)



posted on Sep, 18 2008 @ 08:02 PM
link   
One question I have -"Do you think that little children should be taught about terrorism and how to prepare for it, or should we let them be children?

www.dcexaminer.com
(visit the link for the full news article)



posted on Sep, 18 2008 @ 08:14 PM
link   
As long as it's not publicly called conditioning, no one's the wiser



posted on Sep, 18 2008 @ 08:27 PM
link   
To me, it depends on what exactly the subject matter is.

If it's something like www.getprepared.ca that just tells you what you should put in a 72 hour survival kit, what to do in case of certain disasters, etc then I think it's a great idea. We teach fire safety in schools so why not how to prepare for a tornado, earthquake, even a nuclear attack (bring back the ol' duck & cover
)

But if it's just propaganda and brainwashing then absolutely no. If it's "if you see a suspicious man in a turban", "If your classmate seems threatening or dangerous, tell the FBI", kind of stuff, "report your parents if they are voting democrat so we can lock them in camps" then I obviously have a problem with it.

[edit on 9/18/2008 by Yarcofin]



posted on Sep, 18 2008 @ 08:51 PM
link   
reply to post by Yarcofin
 

Your last full paragraph was one of the first things that I thought about, and it beckoned me back to Nazi Germany in the 1930's. I certainly hope that is not where something like this is going. Personally, I think that this is something that each family should handle. I would rather have the school send a letter home to each parent and give them an outline of how to prepare a child for an emergency. I know my grandchildren are taught how to dial 911, how to stay low in a fire, touch a door before opening in a fire, etc. When they come to our home, we make sure that they are aware of multiple exits, depending upon where they are in the house.
The problem with this is that you don't know what H.S. is going to say, until they've said it. It may mean that parents have to pre-screen Sesame Street before letting their children watch it.


[edit on 18-9-2008 by ProfEmeritus]



posted on Sep, 18 2008 @ 09:29 PM
link   
Considering Islamic terrorism has killed 3, 000 people on U.S. soil, compared to, say, the 42,116 that were killed in highway crashes alone in that same year or the 20, 000 that annually die from the flu, I think there are potentially more pressing issues they could be educating our children about.



posted on Sep, 18 2008 @ 09:56 PM
link   
reply to post by watch_the_rocks
 


Great post. The total you listed for terrorism is a ONE TIME EVENT. The others you listed occur EVERY YEAR or at least cover the time frame from when 911 until now.

Schools need to start educating our kids on the basics of Mathematics, Science, English, etc instead of Social Issues. The Parents need to step up and become more involved with there education. But, how is this to happen especially today?? Even before all the economy problems there were two parents working in the household, and now with everyone trying to say above "water" even more are forced into a third job. This is allowing the School system to push the agenda of the Government. We need to do something now before its too late.



posted on Sep, 18 2008 @ 10:20 PM
link   
This story make me want to vomit.


I'm so pissed, I can't even write a coherent post.



posted on Sep, 18 2008 @ 11:24 PM
link   

Originally posted by loam
This story make me want to vomit.


Can I share your bucket?

It's pretty obvious what this is about. The name Chertoff being directly involved with it is probably the scariest part.



posted on Sep, 18 2008 @ 11:30 PM
link   
Hey if you going to condition your population to be fearful of the "evil" world around them, it's much easier to indoctrinate them at a young age.


I wonder what character will be playing the evil muslim?



posted on Sep, 19 2008 @ 12:01 AM
link   
This takes my mind back to the 'good old days' of bomb drills in the schools. I remember sitting under the lockers in the hall, curled up in a fetal position with my hands over my head, waiting for the world to vaporize. I remember it because it scared me.

Now, today, we have another doomsday scenario: terrorism. And today, just as in days of yon, we have to make sure the children know all about it. Sure, I doubt they are sitting in school halls with their hands over their head, but now they are being exposed to the danger another way: through friendly muppet characters that have been a staple of children's TV for many years.

It is said that to control the hearts and minds of a people, one must control the hearts and minds of the children first. This is true. And what better way to control the hearts and minds of the children than to use a happy face on a muppet. Grover wouldn't hurt anyone, now would he? Grover wouldn't lie, surely. But Grover might say what the Department of Homeland Security tells him to say...

In short, this could go either way. It could actually be a good thing, showing children what to watch out for and what to do if there was an emergency. Or it could easily turn sinister, becoming a tool to indoctrinate children right under their parents' noses. It depends on how much one trusts the Department of Homeland Security. Now let's examine this organization:

It operates under the Patriot Act, IMO the single most unconstitutional piece of legislation ever dreamed up by men.

Thanks to the DHS, we hear stories regularly about how little old ladies are being strip searched and how operatives are successful in planting fake bombs in airports in the meanwhile.

American trucks are regularly stopped and searched under the Patriot Act, while Mexican trucks are allowed to cross the border unchecked and rife with safety and regulatory violations. Even after Congress specifically stated the cross-border pilot program was to be ended, it was continued in denial of said Congress by Mary Peters, head of the USDOT, which is a section of the DHS.

Two border guards named Ramos and Compean are arrested for shooting at a known drug smuggler from Mexico, in perfect compliance with their job duties, then are railroaded into jail using the paid testimony of said drug dealer, who was not only given free reign to return (and sell more drugs), but was also allowed access to the evidence during the trial by the main prosecutor for the DHS (Johnny Sutton).

The above actions give me little faith in the good intentions of the DHS. So while I must admit that, on the surface, this appears to be a wise move, my suspicion is that the wisdom inherent in it lies not in protecting children from terrorism, but in furthering an agenda that denies liberty and freedom to law-abiding Americans.

Scratch one more children's show that parents can safely allow their offspring to view. What's next, Bugs Bunny asking kids to let him know where their parents keep their guns?

TheRedneck



posted on Sep, 19 2008 @ 12:08 AM
link   

Originally posted by Yarcofin
To me, it depends on what exactly the subject matter is.

If it's something like www.getprepared.ca that just tells you what you should put in a 72 hour survival kit, what to do in case of certain disasters, etc then I think it's a great idea. We teach fire safety in schools so why not how to prepare for a tornado, earthquake, even a nuclear attack (bring back the ol' duck & cover
)

But if it's just propaganda and brainwashing then absolutely no. If it's "if you see a suspicious man in a turban", "If your classmate seems threatening or dangerous, tell the FBI", kind of stuff, "report your parents if they are voting democrat so we can lock them in camps" then I obviously have a problem with it.


[edit on 9/18/2008 by Yarcofin]



LOL "Report your parents if they are voting Democrat so we can lock them in camps"


Now THAT is a Good One. I also totally agree with you, but I do believe they will keep this partnership between Sesame Street and DHS to what you essentially stated in the former. I cannot wait to see what the Cookie Monster's role is in all of this. Maybe the storing of Food Items, and Eating Habits lol.



posted on Sep, 19 2008 @ 12:28 AM
link   

Originally posted by TheRedneck

American trucks are regularly stopped and searched under the Patriot Act, while Mexican trucks are allowed to cross the border unchecked and rife with safety and regulatory violations. Even after Congress specifically stated the cross-border pilot program was to be ended, it was continued in denial of said Congress by Mary Peters, head of the USDOT, which is a section of the DHS.

Two border guards named Ramos and Compean are arrested for shooting at a known drug smuggler from Mexico, in perfect compliance with their job duties, then are railroaded into jail using the paid testimony of said drug dealer, who was not only given free reign to return (and sell more drugs), but was also allowed access to the evidence during the trial by the main prosecutor for the DHS (Johnny Sutton).

The above actions give me little faith in the good intentions of the DHS.



I completely agree with you on the issue of the Mexican NAFTA Trucks, and the two USBP Agents Ramos and Compean who are both serving 11 and 10 years for Assault with a Deadly Weapon, Violation of Civil Rights, etc. Ramos is even a USN Vet. First off, how does a NON- U.S. Citizen even have Civil Rights within the United States? Second, this is an absolutely disgusting abuse of Judicial Power. This further proves how the United States keeps bowing down, time and time again, to the will of Mexico. U.S. Police Officers are RARELY convicted of abusing U.S. Citizens, even when they actually do it, YET, here we see again an Illegal Immigrant with more rights than an actual Citizen of this very Nation.

Another very disturbing case is that of an Active-Duty U.S. Army Soldier, and a Veteran of OIF. He had a sidearm in his vehicle, as he had a license for it. He was driving in Texas near the border, and he missed a turn so he ended up on the "Bridge of the Americas" headed into Mexico. He had NOWHERE to turn around, so as soon as he crossed the bridge he busted a U-turn. He was immediately pulled over by the Mexican Authorities, who then promptly searched his vehicle and discovered his Legal Sidearm. He was arrested and charged with Illegal Weapons Possession. The last that I heard this same guy is still rotting away in a Mexican Jail-cell. The Mexican Authorities claim that they "Have Very Strict Gun Control Laws, and Take Violations VERY Seriously". Yeah, funny, the Mexican Drug Cartels, Gang Bangers, and Junkies seem to be immune to these "Laws".



posted on Sep, 19 2008 @ 01:53 AM
link   

Originally posted by hoochymama
Great post. The total you listed for terrorism is a ONE TIME EVENT. The others you listed occur EVERY YEAR or at least cover the time frame from when 911 until now.


That's right, the September 11th terrorist attacks were a one time event, which is part of the reason I believe that this widespread paranoia bordering on induced mass hysteria is a totally and utterly ungrounded fear.
Also if you had read my post closely you would have also noticed that the number of crash fatalities only counted those occurring in 2001, and the influenza statistics are for annual deaths, and most definitely do not count a time frame longer than one year.
I even have peer-reviewed sources that state the number of deaths caused by doctor-related errors hovers around 200k people per year in the United States alone.

And here we all are spending tens of billions of dollars and untold young lives on an asymmetrical war that is quite simply impossible to win due to its very nature.

I do apologise if I come off as a mad CT'er, but I am more than open to the possibility that the entire war on terror and everything that it entails, including the vastly increased invasion of privacy in our very own countries, has an agenda of some sort behind it.



posted on Sep, 19 2008 @ 02:40 AM
link   
Sounds like the old "Stop, Drop, and Roll" campaign of the 80's to me. This isn't about terrorism, it's about emergency preparedness, something our country clearly lacks as evidenced by, oh, I don't know... they way our citizens have handled themselves following every major emergency the past decade has brought to us.



posted on Sep, 19 2008 @ 07:05 AM
link   
I justy read this somewhere else and wanted to post it but I am glad it's already been posted.

This is absolutely disgusting indeed, it shows how much the govt is willing to do to indoctrinate your children.


S&F



posted on Sep, 19 2008 @ 07:33 AM
link   

Originally posted by DisabledVet
I wonder what character will be playing the evil muslim?
˝

Probablly Ahmed the Dead Terrorist.

Linky



posted on Sep, 19 2008 @ 08:13 AM
link   


Considering Islamic terrorism has killed 3, 000 people on U.S. soil, compared to, say, the 42,116 that were killed in highway crashes alone in that same year or the 20, 000 that annually die from the flu, I think there are potentially more pressing issues they could be educating our children about.


Let me respond to your post, by saying that I certainly agree with you that there are better issues to educate children with. I notice that you are from Australia, and perhaps you are not aware that virtually every high school in America has a MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) and SADD (Students against Drunk Driving) chapter. In addition, virtually every high school HAS a Driver's Education class, where potential drivers are taught those things. In addition, most schools have special after-prom programs to keep students sober.
My post concerns exposing 5 year old children to issues such as terrorist attacks. My gosh, most kids that age are terrified by violent Halloween costumes. You don't have to be a psychologist to see what harm exposing 5 year olds to the possibility that they may get blown up while shopping with mommy at the mall, would do.

As for immunization, I wouldn't go there. There are enough threads here on ATS to expose that two-headed dragon.



posted on Sep, 19 2008 @ 08:27 AM
link   
reply to post by TheRedneck
 





This takes my mind back to the 'good old days' of bomb drills in the schools. I remember sitting under the lockers in the hall, curled up in a fetal position with my hands over my head, waiting for the world to vaporize. I remember it because it scared me.
I'm not sure if I told this story before, so if I did, forgive me for another senior moment. One day, in second grade, the school signaled an air raid drill. We were all supposed to get under the desk, and put our hands over our head. Well, everyone in the class did......except me. My teacher scolded me and said I HAD to get under the desk. I still refused, saying I didn't need to. When she asked why NOT, I answered "Because I had asparagus last night." She said " That's not a good reason." I answered -Yes, because my mother told me that if I ate my vegetables every night, that it would protect me from the Atom Bomb." You see, I hated vegetables then, and that was the only way she could get me to eat them.
Anyway, back to the topic. You make an excellent point concerning the Patriot Act, and DHS. Putting those two together, as I stated earlier, reminds me of Germany in the 1930's. We need to put a stop to this insanity.



posted on Sep, 19 2008 @ 08:39 AM
link   
Now imagine if you will, the beautiful innocence of childhood. Does anyone remember that? I have always believed children should have nothing but joyful exuberance at the discoveries of life, along with wonder and curiosity.

But according to the wisdom of the fear machine, we will make sure that the seed of fear is ever-present - because we KNOW how bad it is for them to be unprepared for a terrorist event or a catastrophic emergency. We expect them to be 'good little soldiers.' We must train our purest, least corrupted, and most important resource to 'accept' the fantasies of the DHS and the fear machine. This mindset will accompany them into adulthood, having had years to ferment and coalesce into the ingrained notion that they can die at any moment, and there is nothing they can do to stop it.... interesting that they expect the children not to see the message for the paradigm it represents....

And I thought the Grimm brothers' work was twisted.

Shall we start survival training, and terrorist profiling at the 1st grade level or the 2nd?







 
6
<<   2  3  4 >>

log in

join