The Weaponization of Hate, 2016 and You

I came across an interesting article today discussing how hate is being used as a weapon. If this belongs in the history forum [history might get discussed a little bit for context] moderators please move it.

The article starts off discussing how hate, as a weapon, begins:

“The Other” is the key.

Once a demagogue successfully turns a person, a group, a gender (or gender preference), a region, a nation, or a race into the Other, the consequences are terribly but consistently predictable.

An Other is, virtually by definition, less than fully human. They’re not “us.” They may be alive, they may be able to feel emotion, they may be able to communicate, but they’re not us.

Therefore, what we do to Them isn’t as important or consequential as what we may do to Us. (See “slavery”; U.S. history 101.)

Who is the "Other"? Anyone NOT like you. Other religions. People of another ethnicity. It is USED to manipulate and CONTROL people into doing the bidding of those at the very TOP of the pyramid.

While the elites marched into the history books, the “little people” were subject to rape, pillage, torture, murder and a shift from the service of one elite group to another.

It’s a story you can find in the Bible over and over again (read the Book of Joshua for some particularly startling accounts of this phenomenon). The Epic of Gilgamesh tells the same story from millennia before Joshua. Every war in every part of the world in the 65 years of my lifetime tells the same story.

Humans have a unique way of forgetting the past when it is unpleasant and sucking up the distractions the elite and wealthiest among us sprinkle DOWN upon us. As a species, we read the books and stories, buy why DO we NOT learn?

The peasants who fell victim to Joan of Arc’s visions and their exploitation by the political and economic elites of her day played no role in their own other-ization and subsequent misery and death. Similarly, the people partying at Pulse had no idea that their own other-ization by both Muslim and Christian demagogues and so-called "conservative" political elites would lead to their specific grisly fate.

I don't think anyone wakes up and DECIDES to become an "Other" and intentionally make their lives harder on themselves. In my MANY years of life I only rarely have been an "Other" to groups of people who are consistently profiled, discriminated against, and eyed with suspicion.

I do NOT buy into this reverse racism hogwash, as other white males like myself LITERALLY RUN this country. I have had small instances of so-called "racism against whites" -- but can I honestly blame those people who don't know me? If I had to be them, would I too not feel as they do?

The article continues:

If history teaches us no other lesson, it's that hate directed by elites, and the fear which that hate incites in the followers of those elites, always ends badly.

Over the short-term, the elites may think they’ve won.

Republicans who use hate of LGBT people as a political tool will see a bump in the polls.

Companies that make and aggressively sell weapons of war to civilians have already seen huge increases in the value of their stock and, thus, their fortunes.

And Christian and Muslim demagogues basking in the revenge fantasies of their acolytes are already promoting another round of hate and fear from the pulpit to the mosque to YouTube

People, we keep falling for it. We keep lapping up the kool-aid and hating one another when we need to be learning from our past. If there really is a NWO agenda it is to keep us fighting one another long enough until things get so bad we are FORCED to get along. I don't want people to be FORCED to get along, we don't need to be FORCED. We can find common ground by waking up and rubbing the sleeping powder placed their by our masters.

When the billionaire funders/owners of the Republican Party (and a few Democrats, tragically) smile while hate-promoting websites and radio/TV programs funnel ever-more-frightened people into their ranks; when hate-promoting pastors, priests and imams jump forward to use hate and intolerance to increase their followings; when politicians use these most primal and easily-manipulated emotions to maintain and even build their own power; it’s time for all of us to say: No.

WE know the history. WE know the endless rat-race and cycle THEY perpetrate. WE know their game. . . WHY then, WHY do we continue to play it? Simply because the "Other" is playing it? The cycle won't END if YOU don't decide to stop and say NO. Someone has to.

The article ends with this:

We either stand together as a human family, or we die together in misery.

Link

And THAT is the crux, isn't people? We are all stuck here on this ROCK and we can either endlessly fight, causing MISERY or we can enjoy and build a better world for us ALL. Hate is easy. Love is hard. We ALL have been taking the EASY path far to long. Maybe if we work TOGETHER, it won't be so hard?

They’re not “us.” They may be alive, they may be able to feel emotion, they may be able to communicate, but they’re not us.

I've heard that one before.

I think the first step is to accept our own failures, accept we have been wrong and work on improving ourselves.
Most people dont reflect on what their own issues are, they focus on others problems
Its to easy, its better to cast blame than accept it.

Its far easier to hurt, reject someone else than feel their pain.
Comes a time when we need to feel anothers pain and share our own

As was mentioned before, we have passed the event horizon, no turning back from here

Maybe in our own little circles we can allow people to be vulnerable and be vulnerable back

a reply to: DanteGaland

As an observer on the world for far longer than your 65 years, I have seen the birth of PC hate spewing directly from those like yourself toward others. It is a rather sudden phenomenon, very fascist in how things MUST be seen from your eyes. You best show your true colors by singling out a particular type of (white) people as the haters while your every (hateful) word condemn these evil people as being the guilty. 'Tis Funny how PC twists everything around in their favor to be judge and jury.

a reply to: Aliensun

I used my OWN race and/or ethnicity as it is the only ONE I CAN speak for.

I do not want to spread HATE -- even at those who DO want to SPREAD it. You can freely hate all YOU want, but realize you are only FALLING for a trap and form of programming by those who hold the POWER.

The choice is yours.

a reply to: DanteGaland

The history of mankind is written in hate.

The history of mankind is written in war. it is written in empires built and empires fallen. It is written in conquest.

Never peace.

Never has been.

Great article, though I do see a hint of Democratic bias within it. Nonetheless the message is still true, this whole left/right, gay/straight, black/white, Christian/Muslim, PC/non-PC etc. etc. etc. etc. BULL# is what is ruining our world.

Have you noticed that over the past few years we have gone from bickering over race (Trayvon Martin) to bickering over a flag to bickering over Bruce Jenner to bickering over gay marriage to bickering over BLM to bickering over transgender bathrooms to bickering over Muslims to bickering over ad nauseum....

It's always something different that leads into something else that we are bickering over. It's all manipulation by those in power and their media puppets. People are so goddamned gullible it almost makes me sick.

We have GOT to end all this hate and DENY the manipulation they are putting us through. ATS seems to think it "denies ignorance" but a good portion of the members here are either falling for the MSM rhetoric or are actually paid trolls that push these agendas.

After this whole Orlando thing dies down I'm sure there will be another "issue" that will be brought to light that will make us bicker over it instead of coming together as human beings and ending the manipulation. Once people's attention span has been reached they tie another carrot on the stick and we start all over again. It's so obvious yet people keep falling for it, it's extremely sad and disheartening.

a reply to: DBCowboy

But does it always HAVE to be?

We have greater access to INFORMATION to better understand people not like US. We have global media and worldwide travel to ENABLE us to SEE the "Other" is much more like US than we ever thought!

Telling people "Hey, you shouldn't treat people like that!" Is NOT in the same leauge as beating them, or discriminating against them, or marching to WAR against them based and predicated on fear-based propaganda by our beloved leaders.

a reply to: 3NL1GHT3N3D1

Yes...and time after TIME we keep FALLING for it! It's maddening!

We can and DO and should know better! We can make the world a lot EASIER for EVERYONE if we just learned to not just TALK TALK TALK ... but LISTEN!!!

We no longer LISTEN. All we do is see who can should LOUDER.

It is a sad thing to see.

originally posted by: 3NL1GHT3N3D1
Great article, though I do see a hint of Democratic bias within it.

I see quite a bit. Another attempt to homogenize people and ignore differences in culture. It sounds nice in written form, but it's unrealistic and the only way to enforce this type of thinking is with violence AKA tyranny.

a reply to: DanteGaland

white males like myself LITERALLY RUN this country

Wow, really? What position do you hold which gives you this power?

Similarly, the people partying at Pulse had no idea that their own other-ization by both Muslim and Christian demagogues and so-called "conservative" political elites would lead to their specific grisly fate.

Ok, once again I have to ask: how were Christians involved with the shooting? Can you show us some evidence supporting the idea that Christianity somehow influenced the guy to shoot those people? That's what the article is implying. Maybe I'm just a little slow here, help me out.

I do NOT buy into this reverse racism hogwash, as other white males like myself LITERALLY RUN this country.

Regardless of whether white males "run the country", those people have very little in common with you, aside from race, and they don't help you out in any way. Being white isn't like being in some secret club. In fact, the "white male elites" might even dislike you and view you as some kind of simpleton, peon, or patsy. Who's to say? You give yourself too much credit.

I have had small instances of so-called "racism against whites" -- but can I honestly blame those people who don't know me? If I had to be them, would I too not feel as they do?

This is a fallacy. Who knows whether you'd feel like "they" do? Who is they? Who's to say what millions of minority individuals may or may not feel?

I didn't read all the way through before I posted, but this at the end is a bit ironic:

To paraphrase Woody Guthrie, it’s time for Republicans to take account. Which side are you on? And how much longer will you stay silent?

"Which side are you on"? Wasn't he just telling us not to think that way?

It's not just Republicans, it's also Democrats who are spreading hate as well. I'm thinking maybe the author of this article may be suffering from a bit of what he is writing about.

I'm not saying we should disregard everything he says, it doesn't change the overall message, but it's still interesting the irony in it.

If only more people thought this way.

Simply being kind to people and doing what is right is not something that seems to come easily to this world anymore.

a reply to: VivreLibre

I read through it a little more after posting and agree there is a bit of Democratic bias to it, but the overall message is still true. Those in power are using our differences against us and breeding hate between us from those differences.

Tyranny is not needed for this type of thinking to take hold, all it takes is an individual effort to deny the hate they are trying to make us feel. Don't worry about what other people do, change yourself. If enough people change themselves then it will work, if not then at least you are not taking part in it.

I think you saying it's impossible is an excuse not to try. Herd mentality basically, "why should I do it if no one else does"? Forget other people, it starts on an individual level, not a collective one.

Something to consider

a reply to: DanteGaland

History will always be written by the victors.

All we are is a footnote.

originally posted by: DanteGaland
a reply to: Aliensun

I used my OWN race and/or ethnicity as it is the only ONE I CAN speak for.

I do not want to spread HATE -- even at those who DO want to SPREAD it. You can freely hate all YOU want, but realize you are only FALLING for a trap and form of programming by those who hold the POWER.

The choice is yours.

Ok, now why do you boldfacing and underlining words like this? Some of the words that you're emphasizing with bold letters aren't even parts of the sentence that people normally stress or accent in conversation.

I don't want to jump the gun here, but are you some kind of troll?

So stop hating, unless its against white males because they deserve it?? What a load.

I dont hate anyone unless they give me reason to. However, if you want to talk hate...look no further than Islam. It is an ideology of oppression and hatred fornnon-muslims. You know what I hate? Oppression. I will judge individuals on their own merits, but oppressive ideologies are not just fair game, but its my duty as a decent human and liberty loving American to oppose them. One cannot be truly liberal and defend such ideology. One that does is the worst kind of hypocrite.

a reply to: DanteGaland

It is human nature to be tribal and protect yours and your resources. It is what kept the human race alive for 1000's of years and you aren't going to just change that with a little rhetoric.

DUDES

Why does the fact that someone who has a D next to their name MATTER!?

Is not the premise TRUE?

The wealthiest, most powerful among us have used fear to DIVIDE us so we can be CONTROLLED and USED for their own ENDS!

That should upset EVERYONE!

Ignore the stuff in the article you DONT like and keep the REST. The MESSAGE is what is important, not WHO delivers it.

Is THAT what ATS is now? Nothing but partisan nit-picking and stonewalling?!

Very, VERY troubling on this end...