Digby discusses the “Hadji Girl” video.
My two cents: It’s an example, as is the laidback reaction of the American public to it, of just how desensitized and detached from the reality of violence most American’s have become. Just another day at the sausage factory. Of course, from a propaganda perspective, it’s entirely possible that Abu Graib was leaked so very early in the “long war” to enhance that level of apathy down the road. Who knows. It certainly has worked out that way.
If we learned anything from the Clinton years, it was that leaking ones own damaging stories to the press helps aleviate the affects of the shit storm that is sure to follow, and the hemmoraging of similar stories down the road.
The way these things work in the national psyche is: the first one (Abue Graib) is an atrocity, the second is unfortunate and after that it’s all just the way it is. Thus, the reaction to future and more recent allegations of atrocities and behavior unbecoming a soldier for the Great Shining Light of Democracy are met with outrage on the left and simple “busienss as usual” excuses by the right. “That’s war. Oh well. Who’s on American Idol tonight?”
In the end, a strong disconnection from the violence of warfare, from the responsibilies of destroying land and lives, is what is required for those who choose to partake in such violence. Cause, if you actually enjoy it, you’re this guy.
Tbogg highlights still another example of this disconnection from the realities of the violence the United States has wrought upon the world and itself.
All of this brings to mind a great post by Billmoon from 2004, who astutely made the connection between the GOP’s ever present focus upon “values”, it’s sway over their religious right base and other American’s swayed by “fear” (wedge) issues:
For the Republicans, the benefits of ginning up a debate over “values” are obvious: It helps them cement their alliance with the religious right (without having to do anything that would actually hurt the porn industry) and it creates a potential rift between the Hollywood donor community and the Democratic Party. This, too, dovetails nicely with the GOP goal of defunding the party and turning it into the token opposition in a one-party state.Of course, that still leaves the 10% of the issue that hasn’t been blown out of Karl Rove’s ass. Do I worry about America’s cultural descent into mindless vulgarity and desensitized violence? Hell yes. I think it helps condition the American people to accept the imperial status quo — and the stupidity, corruption and arrogance that go with it. I think it breeds political passivity and the blind acceptance of authority. (There’s a reason why the guy who gives us Fox News also gives us Fox Sleaze.) And yes, I think it’s bad for the kids, even though the empirical evidence for any direct link between bad culture and bad behavior is still weak. It’s also given us Wonkette, which is pretty hard to forgive.
But I also think popular culture is primarily a reflection of a society’s health, rather than the other way around. I don’t believe the American obsession with violence grows out of a TV tube, and I don’t think controlling what’s on the tube — or the radio, or the Internet — will eliminate it.
It’s more than ironic to note that the guy who gave us Fox News / Fox Sleaze is now the Press Secretary at the White House.
It’s genius on their part. It’s also downright dangerous.
