Painting a Picture

We have all heard the saying “A picture paints a thousand words”. In fact, a picture may paint more than a thousand words, but billions of words. Pictures and images can make powerful statements. That is why they are used exclusively when it comes to propaganda, especially by our federal government and progressive lawmakers.

I have written many blogs about how the Left (yes, I realize the Conservatives use the same tactics to a lesser extent) uses sob stories to sell its agenda. For instance, to sell ObamaCare, the administration used kids without healthcare as poster children. We hear all the stories of people who lost their healthcare or how health insurance companies dropped them. The Democrats are trying to paint an image in our minds – and it works to influence public opinion to defend the legislation (although they did a poor job since only 30% of all Americans approve of the legislation).

The best example of liberals using pictures or imagery to influence public opinion is on global warming. Liberals understand that 99% of all Americans (including themselves) do not understand global warming science and the math behind the science (although most ignorant Americans claim to understand both the math and science). Hence, when trying to get support for global warming Congress does not talk about sun flares or linear regression models, instead they talk about the poor Polar Bear. Liberals use the extinction of the “cute and cuddly” Polar Bear to scare Americans into believing that global warming is real and will end life on earth. This is a common fear mongering tactic used by progressives to win support for their agenda and beliefs.

Does anyone even consider what crime was committed by those detainees that were “tortured” in Abu Ghraib (the media only showed pictures of them being, in their opinion, “tortured”)? Does anyone consider the fact that the homeless man that is the poster star for healthcare reform or charitable contributions choses to be homeless and live in poverty (refuses to work)? The truth is that people make emotional decisions and judgments based on a single picture or image that clearly does not tell the whole story.

And what’s worse about the use of pictures and imagery, it is an effective way sway public opinion since Americans are becoming more and more ignorant (although most Americans think they understand everything). So, the next time someone uses a single picture to explain a complex problem (such as global hunger or healthcare), demand to see the whole picture – statistics, models, science etc. Generally, the whole picture is vastly different than those fear mongering posters used by progressives with the intent to brainwash clueless Americans.

My Book: Is America Dying? (Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble)