It is also like the propaganda of the Israelis, who are always under attack, always threatened, but whose enemies always suffer a significantly larger numbers of casualties. When they invaded Lebanon and took up all-but-permanent housekeeping, there was a series of Holocaust stories on American television. The sense of threat is used to bolster the act of aggression.

Eschatology. The literary device known as eschatology operates like this. First, you have an historic event, a threat or denial that there is a threat. Then, horrible things happen to those who ignore the threat. The history is told and re-told in various settings and ages. The narrator then turns to the audience and points out that all the signs are there that were there long ago - and he sets forth to predict the future. "We stand to lose significantly, except if we conduct a pre-emptive strike against our threatening enemies."

This form of eschatology was used again and again in Hebrew and later Christian sacred writings. It was used by the prophets of old. In fact, the idea that prophecy is "prediction" is a clear misunderstanding of what eschatology meant to accomplish when skillfully applied. By prophets of old and by generals of today.

Political Control. The propaganda and the eschatology of threat are used in the service of political control.

We are told that we are under threat by "rogue nations" - just as we were once under attack by native Americans (who were always grossly outnumbered), by Mexicans, by Spaniards, by slaves in rebellion against their masters, by minorities petitioning for redress of grievances, by unions (and "syndicalists" - no one knew what the word meant, but it sure sounded threatening), by communists and the Soviets.

Ron Diener

Once sufficient numbers of people have seen "Pearl Harbor," rest assured the President and his surrogates will be insisting that we are under threat even though we do not feel we are under threat - just like that December day at Pearl Harbor when the sky rained bombs and the U.S. Navy was destroyed. And that is why we need a missle defense system.

That is why we need to "modernize" the military - and at the same time we have insufficient funds to finance good schools, take care of the infirm and aged, and significantly raise the standard of living for half of the American population.

Is it a conspiracy of individuals who are trying to put one over on us? No, I do not think so. I think that it is people who mean well. They want only what is best for America. They have financial resources and they have access to talented people who can put on an attractive and realistic show. And they will convince us that we are being threatened and we have to respond.

So it is that "Pearl Harbor" scares me. Not because I am threatened. But because other people will feel threatened and act irrationally and squander our resources, once again, on responding to a non-existent threat.

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