Barnum Was Right Too…

Pop Quiz: Who said: “Irony is wasted on the stupid.” Eric Swalwell call your office.

How about: “There is more stupidity than hydrogen in the universe, and it has a longer shelf life.” Answers at the end of the post.

When we left our intrepid explorers they were about to enter the Fourth Level of the sub-basements of stupidity. The Third Level was populated by those who propagate popular conspiracy theories. The next level is the home of those who actually embrace such theories.

The ride on the escalator takes us toward a shrill cacophony. We hear the Level before we actually arrive. We are greeted by a scene of pure chaos with people running aimlessly about the area. There are images of Chicken Little everywhere.

Almost immediately we find a group of people performing CPR on a prostrate St. Greta of Thunberg. Apparently she overheard some thoughtless soul point out that the world was not flat and Thunberg became disequilibrated and collapsed. No one seemed truly concerned and we were informed that the same thing had happened the previous week when someone mentioned to her that the Ptolemaic theory of our solar system had been discredited by some Polish scientist. Turns out the benighted Thunberg has trouble dealing with things she doesn’t understand. This apparently encompasses the total body of human thought.

In the middle of the Level is a giant lake. The water is filled with people madly treading water in anticipation of the rising sea levels predicted by the folks on the Third Level. Everyone else is in constant motion. The mayhem is increased by the fact that people’s hair randomly, spontaneously combusts for short periods. Any moment of calm is short lived because holographic MAGA hats appear driving everyone into a frenzy. We note that some of the hats (ironically) say Make America Great Again…in Russian!

There are a number of booths set up to answer questions about the “science” of anthropogenic global climate change. Each and every question is answered with: “The science is settled…stupid”. Above the booth is an electronic sign which flashes the dates that the end of the world will end as predicted by the AOC’s of the world. We note that many of the dates have already passed.

Eventually the dissonance becomes so oppressive that even Fredo seems to want to find the exit. On the way we explain to him what the term “The science is settled” means and we better understand why they add the word “stupid”.

The exit is located near the racist contagious disease exhibit. Relieved we jump onto the escalator and begin our descent to the Fifth Level.

As we enter the Level we are asked to fill out a short questionnaire. The questions are as follows:

1. Have you ever actually believed anything that Rachel Maddow has uttered?
2. Have you ever questioned anything Don Lemon has ever said?
3. Have you ever listened to Mika and Joe and not dissolved in hysterical laughter?
4. Do you believe CNN has a shred of integrity?
5. Do you accept without reservation the so-called global warming hockey stick model?
6. Do you think the IPCC reports are based on science, politics or skulduggery?
7. Do you know a reliable haruspex or soothsayer?
8. Do you believe that FOX news is the home of mountebanks and charlatans?
9. Do you use an astrologer?

The residents of this Level are there because they got at least three of the answers “correct” which suggests the required level of gullibility.

Most of the residents of this level are members of the main stream media (MSM). MENSA does not waste time scouting this group. Visitors to this level get to watch the main street media sharpen their skills as DNC stenographers. They can marvel as the likes of Lemon and Maddow demonstrate their ability to insult the President, question his competence and make adverse comparisons between the Trump Administration and the reign of Obama the Wise and Powerful. The true believers can swoon at the MSM’s singular talent for avoiding the presentation of any facts while questioning the positions taken by every Republican.

It is impressive to see the blind obedience to the daily talking points. How many times have you heard that the “walls are closing in on Trump”? How about “Trump is a Russian asset”? And don’t forget the endless suggestions that Trump is just not up to the task of being President? Have you ever heard a member of the mainstream media say the words: “I was wrong and I am sorry”? These words are long overdue with regard to the “Russia conspiracy” story the MSM have peddled to/foisted on the world since late 2016.

Is there a single example of anyone at CNN, MSDNC, the three major networks or the New York Times/Washington Post questioning the veracity of the Steele Dossier (ghost written by Pinocchio) or providing an impartial assessment of Robert Mueller’s death spiral testimony before Congress?. Is there any record of an attempt to direct a pointed question at Obama, any Clinton or James Comey? Compare the treatment of Christine Blasey Ford and Anita Hill to that of Tara Reade (who?), Juanita Broderick or the two women who accused Justin Fairfax of sexual assault. Looking for stupidity requires a very short trip!

The most popular drinking game on this level is Dare or Dare. As no one is acquainted with the concept of truth the traditional game won’t work. It is difficult to separate the stupidity of the MSM crowd from their target audience who, without question, absorb everything that is passed off as “news and analysis”.

To understand how they practice their dishonest craft we had to descend one more level.

The Sixth Level is unique in that it appears to be an actual work environment. It is populated by those scribes, editors, spinmeisters, modelers and other “professionals” who make the news happen. We are indeed fortunate as the entire team is recreating the events of January 18, 2019 on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. It is one of the greatest examples of the manipulation of the news.

In one area a group of screenwriters create brief biographical resumes of the dramatis personae. This is designed to place the various participants in the best or worst light possible.

Nick Sandmann: A 17 year-old student from Covington Catholic High School in Kentucky, a state at the very edge of civilization. This young man positively drips with white privilege and is a Papist to boot. He was in the nation’s capitol to participate in an attack on women’s rights, to wit, a Right to Life event. This smug, arrogant, sneering young fellow was aggressively standing still inviting someone to knock the grin off his face. His menacing presence was strengthened by his headgear…a red MAGA hat.

Nathan Phillips: A peace loving, elderly Native American minding his own business. He was a self-described Marine and Viet Nam War veteran. His military record was still being researched as the news hit the wires. It was rumored that he was a long-time activist for all things good, pure and true. He was clearly traumatized by the MAGA hat.

The Black Hebrew Israelites: Mere passers-by who were quietly observing the intimidation of Phillips by the 5′ 7″, 145 pound student. As they spoke only Hebrew nothing they would have said could have had any impact on the event. This group can be safely ignored as they were extras, not to be included in the film credits.

These “facts” became the basis for all MSM talking points.

We next encounter a group of film editors who are feverishly reviewing the many hours of tape available from the event. Their task is to find any footage that supports the media narrative that the peace loving Native American was set upon by a wild-eyed mob of Trump supporting, white supremacist, anti-abortion Kentucky thugs. This is a tough challenge because only about 17 seconds of the entire coverage supported that position. That 17 second loop was played endlessly for several days. But this is how you earn an Oscar for Best Film Editing.

A team of writers prepares a cliff notes version of the cliff notes which is disseminated to the MSM “talent” specifically for the purpose of inciting those folks who occupy Levels One through Five and, in addition, the storm troopers of Fa-Antifa who are obviously intellectually challenged. The template becomes a drum beat (note what Nathan Phillips was doing) of negativity about young Sandmann. His family is doxed and the leftist Brown Shirts go to work. They targeted Covington School, his parent’s employers and colleges to which Sandmann might apply for admission. Unfortunately they could not find a connection between Sandmann and Putin. Imagine if he had been wearing a MAGA hat in Russian!

Better yet imagine that the presentation of the story had even a tangential relationship to the truth. Phillips was never in Viet Nam and his military service was very brief and included three AWOL events. He had a lengthy rap sheet which managed to elude the investigative bloodhounds in the media.

Eventually it was reported that the students were patiently waiting on the steps of the Memorial for their bus to arrive to return them to the backwoods of Kentucky. Phillips actually approached the students banging a drum and they made no attempt to challenge him. They seemed bemused by his actions. Sandmann actually cautioned other students to stay cool. They sang a school song which was not, to the chagrin of the media, the Horst Wessel Nazi anthem. It was, in short, a non-confrontational confrontation. It was not newsworthy except as an example of the restraint of these young students.

It turns out that the Black Israelites were a group of foul-mouthed racists who hurled invective at the students calling them “a bunch of incest babies”, future “school shooters“, “dirty ass little crackers“, and supporters of “faggots rights”. In other words they were engaged in harmless political dialogue. Nothing to see here, please move along.

When the entirety of the video coverage was made public it became clear that the film editing was very effective if the intent was to create Fake News. Accepting the Oscar…

Mr. Sandman is cleaning up in the courts.

After this sobering experience we move with some trepidation toward the exit leading to Level Seven. Fredo is glowing with pride in his MSM colleagues.

The first quote is from Oscar Wilde and the second Frank Zappa.