My letter to the 10th Parliament on their reckless behaviour!

10th-parliament-sep-2016-p2

Dear Members of Parliament!

I know by now that you doesn’t’ care much about the National Economy or about Transparency as you excluded yourself from the citizens you represented when you gave yourself a giant tax-break with no-income tax. That is the way you are I guess, reckless misbehaving children who are creating havoc in the candy store pointing at all the different kinds of treats and wants them all, even if it make them sick of sugar; they still want it all!

You guys, ladies and gentleman, the so called nobles, the so-called honourable citizens of the Republic have no totally forgotten your place and your reason for co-existing in the Republic. You might think that your above the people, the citizens, the one that you represent exist because of. Even if you think you exists and breathes eats and have pleasure because of President Yoweri Museveni, let’s be clear he is just using you!

I am not mad that you want to have air-conditioner in the North or the Eastern Building of the Parliament, it’s hot and you guys doesn’t want to turn into hot-air or Wokoloso. I know that, you want to peaceful creatures, which doesn’t kill Kasese or support arms for the rebels in Democratic Republic of Congo. You want to keep cool and be great support of the Republic.

I am furious over you wish to grand yourself 4 station wagons for whatever purpose of trading socks at Kololo Airstrip or having secretaries to drive some of you around on your shopping spree at Game or Garden City. That is all up to you and the use of the Station Wagons that you acquire to Parliament. You already have a massive fortune in Car money and doling it out when you started your terms as MPs because your official duty needs that the public offer you luxurious transport. Not take Taxis, Specials or boda-boda’s to Parliament Avenue, which is beneath you. You just like eating the monies of the public who would so!

I understand that the Parliament isn’t built for nor have the facilities for all the MPs now. Since you’re Executive, the chief of Rwakitura and the whole nation has let the nation sore with districts and parishes since his dire beginning of power in the 80s. It was nearly any districts when he entered the building as a Defence Minister under Dr. Milton Obote, now it is more than pages in the Kampala Eye and whatnot Tourist Information brochures that are delivered at Entebbe International Airport. Therefore the amount of MPs has soured with the amount of districts; a cow hasn’t been butchered as many ways the districts in Uganda has been during the last decades under Museveni.

So that the MPs needs office space and rebuild their accommodations is responsible acts of the Parliament, though costly because the share amount of MPs created under the President all of his terms. The MPs are in this one reacting with sense, but they should question the need for all of their services, even if it means giving up their wealthy new acquired lifestyle in the Capital.

What makes doesn’t make sense to me, in a nation where the state doesn’t have enough funds to allocate for the Presidential Jet or Helicopter of the farmer of Rwakitura. So when the current reflection of that in mind, the 10th Parliament are allocating funds and finding ways of giving Speaker Rebecca Kadaga and Deputy Speaker Jacob Oulanyah. Because these noble creatures and honourable minds needs to take into air and land wherever. Since their roles in Parliament is damn important that they need to follow the Presidential Jet and Helicopter that the State House cannot allocate enough funds too. So they can all stand still at the Helicopter Landing-sites in Kampala. At the Merry for the Kadaga and Oulanyah who dearly need them for their service of the country. They need to be mosquitos who can travel in the air and suck funds out the taxpayers coffers like the mosquito suck blood of their pray. If the Speaker and Deputy Speaker are lucky they will give the nation malaria as of the purchase and maintenance so the inflation keeps rising and the dwindling economy needs more debt to feed the fiscal imbalance of the state budget. The same state budget the Parliament allocated funds to their helicopters. Their needed helicopter that they will silence the MPs and show their way in Parliament; the Parliament will controlled by the waving wings of silence and the blood sucking drones the Speakers have become.

If you don’t understand the spending is of the chain, when the Mulago Hospital still lacks needed equipment, when other state institutions is depleted and civil servants not getting salaries. At that moment of time… the Speakers doesn’t need more perks, they need to be fiscal responsible and show the Executive just ways, since he is not caring about the Bank of Uganda’s hard work to stagger Inflation and the running debt rate. So when they are using public funds as their playground, these runs rapid wild in spending to be sure they can play all the cool games and be spoiled kids. That is what the Parliament and MPs are right now. Time to stop, rehash ideas and think of accountability, transparency and being fiscal responsible! Peace.

ug-24-01-2017

Written

By the Writer of this Blog!

Michael Moore: ‘100 Days of Resistance’ Starts With Inauguration | The Last Word | MSNBC (Youtube-Clip)

Opinion: I miss Olara Otunnu, already!

Otunnu

After this General Election of 2016, he promised to step-down after the continuing process of keeping him away from the Presidency of Uganda People’s Congress as there we’re a strange placement of UPC in connection with the NRM government, as they got cabinet positions. The fighter and long-time human-rights activist and politician said he would give up politics.

“Tension at the opposition Uganda People’s Congress Party hit the boiling point on Friday, as supporters of the newly elected party President Jimmy Akena, battled with outgoing president Dr Olara Otunnu” (…) “The latter, who announced his resignation at the end of his term, is unsatisfied with the process through which Mr Akena was elected president last week, citing irregularities that characterized the entire process that must be probed” (…) “Sources in the party told us a new committee led by one Patrick Mwondha was set up, which will provide interim leadership until the July Delegates Conference when the new President will be endorsed” (…) “The council will handle all party activities leading to the July 10th National Council and July 11th National Delegates Conference” (…) “All this took place in the presence of president elect Jimmy Akena, who was occupying the party Vice President Joseph Bossa’s office” (Segwa, 2016).

This continued with a long process where Jimmy Akena finally overpowered Otunnu and kicked him out of the party, together with others who has essentially cleared the party of the loyalist behind Otunnu.

Therefore the realization that we do something bold again could appear, but instead he did this: ““Ambassador Olara Otunnu, the embattled UPC president’s time at the helm of one of Uganda’s oldest political parties is up. The man eagerly waiting to hand over power says his attempts have since been failed from 12th of June 2015,when he scheduled to officially hand over power only to be sabotaged by what he calls the Akena faction coup – d’état” (NBS TV Uganda, 10.05.2016).

Now months after I have to drop a few words for this man. Who has a long history in Uganda Politics and all of sudden has silently disappeared, something he didn’t deserve and he could have become more vital if people had given the man a chance. That is not something I alone could believe as he has been important for many during his years in the UPC. A place and heart of a fraction that Akena never can carry, because honest political craft isn’t Jimmy Akena’s way, if it we’re so the battle for Presidency of late would have been without tension, court dates and kicking out people out of the famous Uganda House.

But when looking away from the hurt, let look at the gentleman that Ugandan people now has lost, as he turned civilian and surely has a position with good people around him. Because he has the experience and the wisdom to lead and to focus his capacity at greater things!

In 1982 – New York:

“’There’s been a mistake,” he told Mr. Otunnu, who is Uganda’s representative to the United Nations. ”We don’t accept diplomats.” Mr. Otunnu kept looking, and found another apartment. ”Everything looked O.K.,” he said, ”but when I came on the appointed day with my check, I was told it was no longer available. I had a friend call up and cross-check, and he found the apartment was still available. So I went back with him, and they were embarrassed – they said the apartment was indeed available, but they couldn’t give it to me because I was a diplomat.” (…) “He found a third apartment, but he was again rejected and again for the same reason. Mr. Otunnu, who eventually found an apartment in a new building, remembers his experience with anger. But, he said, it is a ”common story” for diplomats.” (Bennetts, 1982).

In 2009 – ‘About his role in 1985:

Melina Platas Izma asks: “Some of your critics have alleged that you were involved in the coup of 1985. What is your reaction?”

Otunnu: “That is absolute falsehood. It is a vicious smear campaign being peddled for political reasons. At the time of the coup, I was based in New York. First, there were those reports about tensions in military barracks on the outskirts of Kampala. When I contacted my superiors in Kampala, I was assured that the incidents were not serious and were nothing to be concerned about. But then, in very quick order (and to my great shock), came the coup itself. I knew absolutely nothing about it and had no part whatsoever in its planning or execution. After the coup, I travelled to London for a previously scheduled meeting of the Commonwealth Commission on Small States. While in London, I was summoned home. At that time, I called Mzee Milton Obote from Shafiq Arain’s office. He told me how the coup by Bazilio Okello had unfolded. He knew I had nothing to do with it. He concluded the conversation by telling me: “The situation in Kampala is very dangerous. Be careful. And stay in touch when you can.” I did stay in touch with him. During the Nairobi peace talks, I travelled to Lusaka to consult Mzee.  Much later I would visit him while I was now based in New York. From time to time, he would send me messages. In fact one of the persons who carried an important personal letter from Mzee to me on one occasion was Chris Opoka, the current Secretary General of UPC. When I reported to Kampala, at the urging of Paulo Muwanga and Tito Okello, I accepted the assignment to initiate and facilitate the peace talks. That was my primary responsibility as minister. At the time, in a television discussion with Col. [Zed] Maruru, I defended the record and programmes of UPC from what was a wholesale visceral condemnation of the party without any regard to facts. I argued for an objective assessment of UPC’s record across the board – both its achievements and mistakes. Incidentally, soon after the coup, and before I left New York, Museveni had called from Gothenburg in Sweden (my telephone number was given to him by Betty Bikangaga from Geneva), urging me to return home to facilitate contacts and eventual peace talks: “The people who are in charge in Kampala know you and we know you; you can serve as a go-between and help to build confidence for talks.” (Izama, 2009)

His own statement in 1994 as member on the Commission on Global Governance:

“I think it would be equally difficult to have Germany and Japan join as permanent members without seeking some way to redress the imbalance which will be accentuated–the North-South imbalance within the Council. At the very least during this transitional period, we would need to have what one might call “tenured members” of the Council. Those who would serve for a period longer than two years–maybe five, six or seven years–but who would not be permanent members. A possible formula would be three-plus-one. Three tenured members would be drawn from the three regions of the world which are now not represented on a permanent basis–Africa, Latin America and parts of Asia. The remaining one would be a global seat, tenured, elected on the basis of some rough standard of good UN citizenship. It would allow a number of countries, who would not necessarily belong to the three regions mentioned previously, but who contribute very actively to the purposes of the UN, to be invited to serve on this tenured basis” (…) “Now I come to the use of the veto, which obviously has to be discussed in any context, whether it is transitional or long-term. In the long term, I am not sure what the fate of the veto is going to be. I have a feeling that it will be a major issue of discussion. As we move into a world that is more democratic (in spirit if not always in practice), the veto will increasingly be questioned. But in the transitional package, I see the veto being retained by those who now have it, for purely practical purposes. They will not cooperate on anything that prejudices their right of veto” (Otunnu, 1994).

In 2005 – His work for Children in Conflict:  

“Reacting to his departure as Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, UNICEF said today that it was deeply grateful to Olara Otunnu for being an outspoken advocate for millions of children caught in conflict around the world” (…) “She praised Mr. Otunnu for insisting that egregious violations of the rights of children in armed conflict cannot be overlooked or forgotten, and that the cloak of impunity must be lifted for all war crimes and abuses committed against children” (…) “Ms. Salah also hailed Mr. Otunnu for his close work with UNICEF in negotiating the landmark resolution passed by the Security Council last week, which establishes a comprehensive monitoring and reporting system for children affected by armed conflict” (UNICEF, 2005).

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In 2007 – Otunnu could return:

“The Ugandan Government would not accept &rewarding8 the disaffected diaspora and &terrorists8 through the peace process. Museveni argued that if regime critics such as former U.N. Special Representative for Children in Armed Conflict Olara Otunnu wanted to return to Uganda to run for office, they could do so. If northern Uganda was &thirsty8 to have Otunnu represent it, then a member of Parliament should vacate his seat for Otunnu to compete” (WikiLeaks, 2007).

In 2010 – Leadership role:

Last weekend, UPC delegates gave you a hoe to get back to work for Uganda, and the job is very big. Luckily, you bring to the job two very distinct qualities that will allow you to become part of nation building. Foremost, as a former diplomat on the world stage, you are known across the globe; when you call, leaders pick up their phones to listen. Your ability to network, and to connect internationally will serve Uganda well as a developing country” (Opiyo, 2010)

In 2013 – liberate Uganda:

The selection of Prof Omara-Otunnu who comes from northern Uganda may raise eyebrows to many in Uganda but a source close to FUF told The London Evening Post, that the front’s leadership is determined to have leaders from all regions of the country and that no particular tribe would monopolise the front as is the case in the ruling National Resistance Movement. Omara-Otunnu will need all his international experience in bringing together many Ugandans who have for years been frustrated by Museveni’s leadership and are being united because they all share one desire, that of removing Museveni from power and returning the country back to the people” (…) “A practical idealist and visionary, Prof Omara-Otunnu has devoted most of his adult life to promoting democracy, human rights, sustainable development, social justice and the ideal and practice of a common humanity around the globe. He engages these causes as a scholar advocate and a practitioner, by shaping policy and building structures and alliances through which to effect positive change in society. For his achievements, Professor Omara-Otunnu has received international recognition, including the luminary award given by the international affairs council to individuals who have made significant contributions that have profoundly impacted the world” (Gombya, 2013).

olara-otunnu

When you see this kind of words and his rich history from the cradle and in the midst of battles as the rise of Museveni was happening, while he also became a negotiation partner for the government of Obote. So he was on the losing side of history. Olara Otunnu we’re a man who at one point of time, though if I remember correctly that the youth had a say in the Obote government after the fall of Idi Amin where Museveni we’re Minister. So the turn of the coup of 1985, made him flee and also his reputation after years abroad made him a candidate for international works in the United Nations Organizations and partners. Therefore he is man with wide knowledge of the world and of his own nation.

Therefore it saddens me that he is now totally silent. That a man of this stature we wing-clipped by James Akena. That a man of hypocrisy and deceit like Akena could bring a man like this down! Otunnu had deserved another outcome. He has been steady and wanted the positive change of an accountable-government and a transparent election where a government like that would be elected. Certainly a vision he hasn’t seen in his time. Where also a transgression in his own party lead to his fall, as Akena made power moves and in the end cut the ties with the man of a rich history and also knowledge.

Otunnu, the diplomat who has a long career has now been gone into oblivion. The reality is that the man who has worked hard for justice for children and against war-crimes. As well as working of peaceful change from Museveni. That hasn’t occurred instead a man who turned loyal against all odds to Museveni got control over UPC. The Party that are old and stood against the Museveni paradigm is now gone. The UPC that stood against and lost that is well known now.

Otunnu has had many transition and been through many storms, been in exile and been through the worst of the worst. Many might not know this, but they should. He is not a relic or forgotten man; he should be a treasure to counter the NRM propaganda and the NRM control of the historical facts. He has been in the midst of the creation of the NRM from the outside and knows what the losing team looks like. He knows the struggle to get back their legacy and recharge a broken party. A party that betrayed him and took him for granted.

UPC was too good and to deceitful to be connected with Olara Otunnu! Olara Otunnu deserves credit for the work for the cause and I miss him from the public sphere. I am sure it does him good to be out of the spotlight. But the politics and the history of Uganda needs men like this. Who fights within reason and with enlightenment, with the tact and procedure and not with brown-envelopes and impunity! Peace.

Reference:

Bennetts, Leslie – ‘DIPLOMATS HAVING TO SCRATCH FOR APARTMENTS’ (06.06.1982) link: http://www.nytimes.com/1982/06/06/realestate/diplomats-having-to-scratch-for-apartments.html?pagewanted=all

Gombya, Henry – ‘EXCLUSIVE: Otunnu set to lead new Ugandan liberation front’ (10.10.2013) link: http://www.nyamile.com/uganda-in-south-sudan/exclusive-otunnu-set-to-lead-new-ugandan-liberation-front/

Otunnu, Olara A. – ‘1994 Conference – Statement by Olara Otunnu’

Former President, International Peace Academy 1990-98; Member, Commission on Global Governance) link: https://www.globalpolicy.org/the-dark-side-of-natural-resources-st/water-in-conflict/32794-1994-conference-statement-by-olara-otunnu.html

Opiyo, Oloya – ‘Olara Otunnu, UPC has given you a hoe get back to work’ (17.10.2010) – New Vision

Segawa, Nixon – ‘Olara Otunnu Overthrown as UPC President’ (05.07.2015) link: http://www.chimpreports.com/olara-otunnu-overthrown-as-upc-president/

Melina Platas Izama – ‘Olara Otunnu on the way’ (06.07.2009) link: https://melinaplatas.com/2009/07/06/olara-otunnu-on-the-way/

Unicef – ‘UNICEF thanks Olara Otunnu’ (03.08.2005) link: https://www.unicef.org/media/media_27835.html

WikiLeaks – ‘UGANDA: A/S FRAZER DISCUSSES LRA, CONGO, AND SOMALIA WITH PRESIDENT MUSEVENI’ (14.09.2007) link: https://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/07KAMPALA1449_a.html

Opinion: The next steps for Besigye and continued defiance against the Movement!

OPM Press Release 05052016

It’s not easy to give words of advice to the men and woman who are in the line of fire. But we cannot let the Movement and their spin-control run the mill. They are stealing and thieving with massive speed and impunity. They are trying to avoid the weakness of the economy, trying to find new ways of revamping the economy without too much state debt and without loving donor direct aid. They still have the military and equipment served from loyal allies in the United States, if that will happen under Trump and it has happen under Bush/Obama is not easy to know; certainly U.S. will still let other brigades do the dirt they don’t want to do themselves.

The ones who toll with the problems are Dr. Kizza Besigye and his Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), they work for a peaceful transition in Uganda from the militarized politics of the President Museveni’s Movement. So with this in mind, after a year of issues, a year of tribulations, arrests, detained and charges of treason against the government; the political change is still in the wind. Besigye had deserved a better start and a fresher place as he is still monitored and still has Police following all movement done by the man. The same with his party who cannot hold meetings and public consultations without police taking stereo equipment, arrests or intimidation of citizens who shows up or just happen to be around.

Besigye had started the Campaign of Defiance under the Election Road Map for the General Election of 2016. So in 2015 it was started and has been put under fire from the Resistance Movement, an ironic problem for a draconian and tyrant regime who cannot really be democratic as they tries to silence or get rid of the worst opponents. Besigye is only kept because of known place and international scrutiny of they try to attack him too much.

FDC Besigye 05.04.2016

First Step – Defy with actions:

Besigye should continue and with more force, use more than just words and get the FDC to actually take a stronger stand against the ones that supports the regime. The Mafia regime or junta government, which he has described the Movement so many times. If FDC wants to be fair and wants to defy the Movement, they should suspend themselves first from Parliament. It is risky, but would be a grandeur position to take away the Shadow Government and the legitimacy of the current government.

TDA Kizza Besigye 261015

Second Step – Defy with dialogue with other opposition:

Secondly the FDC should be in talks with Democratic Party and other smaller parties that are not involved directly in the Movement regime, as they can try to weaken and strengthen the other voices. As Besigye have already done with his friendship with Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago and Gen. David Sejusa. FDC needs to be connected with people of stature like Norbert Mao and others, who are real opposition to Museveni. Not talk to Jimmy Akena or others who just uses their parties as fronts of beacon of democracy, instead of actually challenging the Movement.

Kale Kayihura Choose Peace

Third Step – Defy the Courts like IGP Kayihura:

Just as IGP Kale Kayihura defied his own court-orders, the same should Besigye himself start to do in 2017, to show that he doesn’t respect the unlawful character of the regime; as the peaceful acts of showing up for treason charge that continue running into oblivion. Time to just say it is a kangaroo court and is only doing it to silence his voice. Therefore not showing up and instead continue to travel around the country to meet and greet party officials and locals to prove the value of building institution over being a sole candidate in Museveni and the NRM.

Times is a wasting, it’s hard to do stuff when you’re behind bars or at court, it’s hard to always move when the Police Force and other Security Organizations follow your every step.

NRM to Daily Monitor 09.02.2016

Fourth Step – Hurt the pocket of the Government:

Certainly the Defiance needs to be hurting the regime. Try to stop the foreign exchange rates, the taxation and the revenue of the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA), even the business that is inter-connected with the Movement. As much as it should stop the state owned businesses that is being used by the Movement. Museveni would hate that he couldn’t misuse the profits of needed businesses, the ones that are owned by investors who are supplying him funds to pay Special Force Command and other militarized outfits that keeps him as the Executive.

If the Besigye and his folks stood behind and hurt the pocket and legitimacy, not in words only, but also actions that could move the regime and also create a vacuum that Museveni and his movement couldn’t control. The ripple effect and the true hurt would be shown. Especially with the knowledge, that the Election already hurt the economy with massive effect. So if they continue pounding on it took out the cash out of the Museveni owned banks and stopped profits to companies that the Museveni clan partly own. Than the Movement and family would feel the pinch.

Defying the state institutions and the government procedures, stop respecting the Police and Courts, stop listening to the draconian laws and also stop the funding of taxes and funds to directly keep the Movement alive. Something that would really hurt Museveni and his elite; this would really make it hard for the Movement to continue to use Police Force and use the state to gain wealth.

Besigye can continue to talk peaceful transition and I respect that. This sort of acts is not easy. They are hard and costly. Many will be arrested, many more detained, more torture and more innocent dying, but there been so much over 30 years that the defiance campaign has to take it to the next level. Show disrespect, let the government lose its value and show the world that the ones behind Besigye don’t see Museveni as their President. Museveni is just a citizen, not an Executive, as he wasn’t really elected to be so; he coup d’état again when he got sworn-in on the 12th May of 2016.

Time for acts, not talk, time for really defying the government and use the power of the people. Time to use the popularity and risk being harassed, as if you don’t than the Police will continue as they do; business as usual and also target the FDC as much as possible without it costing much for the illegitimate government it is. The illegal detained and the illegal arrests cannot be sustained, as much as the house arrests and unlawful behaviour of the Police towards the FDC is unbearable. This is not militant; it is fighting for a just cause. The real freedom and liberty, not to talk about a real legitimate government who represent the citizens of Uganda! Not a government representing Museveni and only his vision. Peace.

Opinion: 2016, the year fake news became a thing!

iraq-wmd

“A wise man told me don’t argue with fools. Cause people from a distance can’t tell who is who.”

Jay-Z

Not that it is news that it’s has existed fake-news. Fake stories and dubious tales to change the outcome and change the demeanour of a nation to swing them to a cause, if it is war, to annex a state or change internal policies; this been done through propaganda, done through blasting tunes on the radio and spreading ill-will on the air. This is well-known methods to sway public opinion.

You begin with altering the truth, making something unbelievable believable, because of former pattern and also history of certain actors that is known. Just as the American Government under George W. Bush, with Dick Cheney and others used all kind of tricks and foul play to target the regime under Saddam Hussain in Iraq; this done with the lie of massive loads of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD), that we’re stockpiled and also imported from various sources even inside Niger and Chad. The Iraqi culprits couldn’t even find the nations on map if their lives depended on it. Still, the people behind spreading this news has walked proud-cock for decades and not asked for their favour to humanity. It isn’t just Tony Blair and George W. Bush who worked for an illegal war, also the men and woman who forced the news of ill-intent in Iraq; which wasn’t true.

“Duelfer portrays the United States as a lumbering superpower whose top policymakers, particularly in the White House and the Defense Department, lacked any basic understanding of Iraq’s history, motives and leaders. But he says Iraq also routinely misread American intentions and overestimated the capability of U.S. intelligence. He says that according to an Iraqi government account, Hussein once asked his top commanders if Iraq had any hidden weapons he didn’t know about” (…) “Duelfer describes numerous requests from senior Iraqi officials to start a dialogue with the United States to improve relations. “Each time I passed on such entreaties to Washington, there was never an answer,” he said. “If nothing else, they were missed opportunities for Washington to gain more knowledge.” (Lynch, 2009).

This is just proof of old history where the media together with government(s) are misleading the citizens to sway them for a war or conflict. As much as this can be countered with facts, the ones that swallow it with feelings will not change opinions with facts. Therefore with the current American election, certain stories has run and been eaten up, while not being true.

“The left has been hysterically pushing a new meme, “fake news.” While ostensibly neutral in practice it is subliminally weaponized as another lame vector — along with attacks on the electoral college and so forth — to undermine the legitimacy of the election of Donald Trump. Love Trump or hate him, he won” (…) “The real “fake news” scandal, of course, lies in the mass hallucination by the mainstream media that Hillary Clinton had a near lock on the general election. The overconfident reports of this reportedly led the Clinton campaign to make some unforced errors which just might (or might not) have cost her the election” (Benko, 2016).

Though other lies during the campaign we’re lizards inside Hillary Clinton’s body, that they had killed a dozen of people and we’re part of grand conspiracy, which apparently is bit funny in hindsight as the Trump Administration is more establishment than ever before, with more businessmen and close tightknit Wall-Street that Clinton was a hired puppet for. So the concern of these reports, the news that we’re created to cater the Trump supporters should be worrying as these conservative news and pages are spread like wildfire.

The third person effect involves more, however, than simply a psychological tendency to assume that others are more easily influenced than oneself; this hypothesis also suggests that people may take significant actions based on these perceptions. It is these actions that ultimately comprise the ‘effect’ brought about by third person perceptions. For this component of the third person hypothesis evidence is again indirect, but suggestive. Some evidence of third person effects is documented in studies of candidate viability. Bartels (1988), for example, suggests that media coverage emphasizing ‘horse race’ aspects of presidential primaries affects perceptions of various candidates’ chances of winning. The perceived viability of candidates in turn influences the attitudes and behaviors of primary voters in choosing among presidential hopefuls. In this case, as in the third person effect, the influence of mass media is brought about indirectly through impersonal impact on how people think others are thinking. The ultimate effect in this case is a vote choice, but other changes in attitudes or behaviors may also result from third person processes. For example, perceptions of viability also have been found to influence reporters’ allotment of news coverage to various candidates (see Goldenberg and Traugott, 1984)” (Muntz, 1989).

This isn’t just pizza-gate, or Bruno Mars dancing on Mars. This is the rational reality that gets naïve men and woman sucked into these stories. They have been spread on Facebook, Twitter and other places to tell our friends and family of the articles from credible sources. Some stories are click-bait to get more people to read on the newspapers and other sites. These are so common that the articles you read after is looking credible, but apparently your scepticism should be true, because when it looks to real and beautiful the deal is fake. The same is also with the well written and articulated stories, that doesn’t have bound with reality and doesn’t seem to be legit.

That people would question this page, I understand, as I am not in writing in my own name. Still, most of the time, I use sources and reports to clarify my own understanding and what sway my opinion. Still, people should scrutinize me too, as much as I pick up wrong sources myself. There are some out there that want to change public opinion and want to bring some people down and get other to rule, or get silence over the acts of evil that is occurring as we speak.

Coler a fake-news writer:

“At any given time, Coler says, he has between 20 and 25 writers. And it was one of them who wrote the story in the “Denver Guardian” that an FBI agent who leaked Clinton emails was killed. Coler says that over 10 days the site got 1.6 million views. He says stories like this work because they fit into existing right-wing conspiracy theories” (…)”The people wanted to hear this,” he says. “So all it took was to write that story. Everything about it was fictional: the town, the people, the sheriff, the FBI guy. And then … our social media guys kind of go out and do a little dropping it throughout Trump groups and Trump forums and boy it spread like wildfire.” (Sydell, 2016).

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It’s fake, but looks grand, right?

When you know that these stories hit a certain well-known perspective, a well-known agenda to be spread and to be fitted into believed atmosphere than you know that the Trump supporters would share it and believe it, even if Coler knew it all was just a lie. The lies that we’re to hurt the Clinton Presidential Campaign; this should worry and concern that major parts of the populations are following conspiracies over reality.

“But the incentives to create and distribute fake news are not only financial, and All-Star Macedonia Crying Eagle Number-One News and Views Very Good is not the only kind of fake-news website undermining the media infrastructure necessary for a functioning democracy. Trump’s nominee for national security adviser, a Jack D. Ripper type named Michael Flynn, has a particular fondness for publishing fake news to his Twitter account, as does Trump’s campaign manager, Kellyanne Conaway. Even nominally anti-Trump Republicans like Nebraska senator Ben Sasse have gotten into the fake-news business, entertaining ideas of “paid protesters” on the same day one of the most prolific fabricators of fake news admitted that the most widely shared account of paid protesters was wholly made up” (…) “This is, uhh, extremely weird, at best. Traditional news organizations, to state the obvious, are not built to survive an economy like that. You know who is, though? Politicians. The scary thing about “fake news” isn’t just that it’s financially incentivized by our new platform-gods, it’s that it’s socially and ideologically incentivized by them in ways that can’t be fixed without dismantling their entire operation. And, further, that the people best primed to benefit from “fake news” aren’t Macedonian teenagers hoping to buy guitars but leaders willing to untether themselves from truth in exchange for the powerful organizing capabilities of a passionate online audience” (Read, 2016).

We as citizens should let these fake news being spread on social media, neither on blogs nor on other platforms. The reality is that just like Ponzi-schemes, when it seems too real to be true, it most like is. The same can be said about Fake-News that is to cater one part of the population and to shelf the real ones. The time spent on fake-news should concern the media houses and newspapers as their legitimacy is under question, the main-stream media that has been under attack. It still is, and will be for a while as the people want the spread the fake ones.

The deception, this is the real danger, it is democratic that fake stories spread and that the population are involved in the reason for the existence. As long as facts doesn’t matter and the ignorance is growing of fact-checking is dying, this is a pre-existing state that will not die down, because as long as the clicks and spreading of these fake stories happens. They will continue to write them and spread them, as long as the Republican Establishment uses them and take them as real. The Main-Stream media will discuss it and put it into the spotlight.

We can do what we can and question our use of media houses and of what we find online. We should read with caution and question the sources. We should be critical too it and not take it for granted the articles, the news and that the reports has the time or the effort to look through the feed, the agencies input or even what the editor sees as important.

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Media bias:

“However, it must also be acknowledged that the myth surrounding the existence of perceptible media bias is not without some small modicum of truth. Advocates of the existence of said bias commonly cite a number of professional patterns and standards of conduct historically employed by journalists (though are not exclusive to “liberal” journalists) in an effort to manipulate the depiction and depth of information presented each day to the American public. Such techniques discussed included six main types or styles of biases, including; gatekeeping information (i.e. purposefully selecting ideologically reaffirming stories for syndication), employing partisan source selection, omission of (potentially contradictory) facts, manipulating the degree of attention and calculable time devoted to a given issue, and finally, openly displaying narrative, subjective contempt for objective facts” (Quackenbush, 2013).

With this in mind, the third person effect, also the media bias. Together with this we can see why the effects of distrust to the media, as it itself created. Fake News will continue to flourish as long as the public cater to it and are in disbelief of the corporate media as much as mass media trying to control the belief of the public. Something they have lost control with all the platforms, as they are not just following Fox News, CNBC or the other main-stay TV Station and Radio, reading the one newspaper, but following digital media that can come from whatever source. This shows the current state and the state of the media in our time, as the fake news can be easily spread and change the opinions of the third persons.

These all are factors and we should question our own use of media, how we perceive the news and how we question the facts… we cannot stop the propaganda, neither fake news, we just have to clear the way and show the opposite waves and counter with productive arguments that can show the reality to those that eats into the fake, the not real and not believable news. Peace.  

Reference:

Benko, Ralph – ‘’Clinton Beats Trump’ Is The Real ‘Fake News’ Scandal’ (12.12.2016) link: http://www.forbes.com/sites/ralphbenko/2016/12/12/clinton-beats-trump-is-the-real-fake-news-scandal/#69090a3529e6

Muntz, Diana C. – ‘THE INFLUENCE OF PERCEPTIONS OF MEDIA INFLUENCE: THIRD PERSON EFFECTS AND THE PUBLIC EXPRESSION OF OPINIONS*’ (1989)

Lynch, Colum – ‘Ex-CIA Investigator’s Book Describes Hunt for Weapons in Iraq, Saddam Hussein’s Final Days’ (31.01.2009) link: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/30/AR2009013003430.html

Read, Max – ‘Donald Trump Isn’t Just Benefitting From ‘Fake News’ Websites — He Is One’ (18.11.2016) link: http://nymag.com/selectall/2016/11/trump-doesnt-just-benefit-from-fake-news-sites-he-is-one.html

Sydell, Laura – ‘We Tracked Down A Fake-News Creator In The Suburbs. Here’s What We Learned’ (23.11.2016) link: http://www.npr.org/sections/alltechconsidered/2016/11/23/503146770/npr-finds-the-head-of-a-covert-fake-news-operation-in-the-suburbs

Quackenbush, David – ‘Public Perceptions of Media Bias: A Meta-Analysis of American Media Outlets During the 2012 Presidential Election’ (2013).

Jon Stewart on President-elect Trump, hypocrisy in America (Youtube-Clip)

NYT: We’re proud of our election coverage & we will continue to “hold power to account.” Here’s what we told our employees & our subscribers (11.11.2016 & 13.11.2016)

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Reid Spokesman: Trump’s Threats Should Concern all Americans (13.11.2016)

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PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi Statement on Trump Victory (10.11.2016)

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Arnold Schwarzenegger – “We Are Not Enemies” (Youtube-Clip)

“I’ve been thinking a lot about this quote from one of my heroes, President Lincoln. I think it’s an important message for all of us today, and I’m sure you want to hear me read Lincoln speeches in my Austrian accent. Remember, today, the campaign is behind us. We aren’t enemies. We are neighbors. We are friends. We are all Americans, and we have a lot of work to do” (Arnold Schwarzenegger, 2016)