Following Orwell’s Playbook

Step One (1)

Those parts of reality which make the government look bad are to be eliminated.

Using Bush administration eliminating 19-year-old international terrorism report (Knight Ridder) as a reference, we read that:

“The State Department decided to stop publishing an annual report on international terrorism after the government’s top terrorism center concluded that there were more terrorist attacks in 2004 than in any year since 1985, the first year the publication covered.”

Further reading shows that the report was politicized last year (showing a drastic undercount, conveniently, in an election year), and was eliminated by “[Condaleeza] Rice’s Office” this year, since it is no longer politically supportive. Incovenience makes facts very unpopular and, in grand Mob tradition, they are “disappeared”.

Step Two (2)

Those parts of fantasy which make the government look good are to be reinforced.

Turn now to Canada Fights Myth It Was 9/11 Conduit (Washington Post)

“Canadian officials are vexed that 3 ½ years later, they have not dispelled the groundless claim that Canada was a route for the Sept. 11 hijackers. … [a]ll had been in the U.S., training in the U.S., with valid U.S. visas.”

It is important to choose a myth that really needs no reinforcing; the best ones are those that simply need mentioning. The “Canada is responsible for all US terror problems” is a natural. All Americans want to believe it, to be able to fix blame on a target that already irritates with its unnatural ideas about marijuana, homosexuals and health insurance. The US government and its representatives are also happy to parrot this myth, in order to absolve themselves of any responsibility.

Step Three (3)

Repeat as needed.

Careful adherence to rules one and two will result in a properly cowed and misinformed populace, with power consolidated in the hands of the fearmongers.