Friday, August 08, 2008

Propaganda

In doing some research for my class this week, I came across a bit of 'news' that is fascinating me: the supposed NAFTA super highway. What you say? That is exactly what I said. But here is what it apparently is, a superhighway designed to run right through America's heartland which will allow Mexican trucks to haul cargo up into Canada. Well, the downfall of this is easy to see. If it's real.

If I were like my Republican friend, who instantly seems to believe whatever propaganda comes his way, I would instantly believe this and forward it to all my Democratic friends.

However, even though it is apparently anti-Bush, and I would love to accept it as fact and forward it to all my Republican friends (is that not an oxymoron? Just kidding!), I still have to think this is a myth.

Most of the people I've talked to here have heard nothing about this, which leads to one to side with some of the stories that allege this is a subversive scheme of Bush's.

Here is a link to a story on the supposed 'super highway'

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBmFrYWPoG8

But is it real? Is it liberal propaganda?

As I try to get to the bottom of this, I can't help but think how this is the type of concepts our students should be studying and analyzing and trying to decipher. For how many kids just blindly believe what their parents tell them. Now that is not bad, but it isn't necessarily allowing kids to think for themselves (I'm reminded of a student last year who wrote her persuasive paper against the use of seat belts. Knowing that her parents are out in left field on many issues, I knew her ludicrous argument (many people are trapped inside their cars and burn to death because of seat belts or being able to jump from your tumbling car and avoid injury) were coming straight from dinner table conversation).

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