Putin hate a distraction

Filmmaker Oliver Stone has just finished a series of interviews he conducted with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Journalist Amy Goodman devoted an hour to discussion with Stone, showing excerpts of the film, which offers insight and context to “the other side” of an antagonism that blinds many.

Comedian Stephen Colbert mistreated Stone on his show by scheduling him in the last few minutes and mocking him with ignorant and disrespectful questions, leading the audience to laugh at Stone. The guest protested that he didn’t see what was so funny.

This performance recalled to me Thomas Mann’s story “Mario and the Magician.” An allegory on fascism, it portrays a magician whose act whips up the audience to a frenzied, violent victimization of one who is scapegoated there.

In George Orwell’s “1984”, the totalitarian society offers its subjects a daily cathartic Two Minutes Hate session. The image of the villain “Goldstein” is shown on a big screen, with all expected to spew their venom at this enemy of the state. Our deep state’s corporate media offer endless new “Hitlers” to blame: Noriega, Saddam Hussein, Quaddafi, Bin Laden, Putin, etc. (most our former allies and business partners).

Such distractions preserve the status quo.

Morton Alexander

Spokane