<bold><fontfamily><param>Georgia</param><bigger> The Ownership Society
Through books, satellite television, articles, and online sources, I
have been made more and more aware that this country and the rest of
the world will eventually, in the not too distant future, be
controlled not by these nations' political systems --- but by a World
Government.
This World Government will consist in the intertwining interests,
power and money of multi-national corporations.
The United States of America, which used to be looked up as the model
of democracy---is becoming--rapidly--a democracy in name only.
Our land, institutions, water, air, even our "elected representatives
are being systematically PRIVATIZED.
Bush has spoken of the OWNERSHIP SOCIETY. Naive fellow citizens
believe that this is a new society where ordinary Americans, the bulk
of us, the 80% of us--will have more control over our lives, and will
be the actual owners of a large part of the American "Dream".
Actually---this is NOT what Ownership Society means, We are moving
forward at a rapid pace to the point at which--- corporations and
wealthy individuals will OWN AMERICA.
>>>>> The airwaves originally were considered to be "owned" by all
Americans. Radio and television stations were permitted to purchase
licenses to utilize that --- which belonged to us.
<underline>Example: </underline>Clear Channel Communications which
started out in 1972 as 1 Texas based radio station --- now owns 1,225
radio stations in the U.S.; 39 television stations and equity in 240
stations internationally. (SourceWatch.org)
As more and more media outlets: print, radio, television come to be
owned by fewer and fewer large companies---the result will be less
independent sources of information; more control over what is
expressed or kept quiet; more commercialization with --- a sole focus
on maximizing profits rather than using OUR airwaves to keep us
informed of the total picture of what is happening and why.
What do you think Thomas Jefferson would say about the filtering and
control of information necessary for Americans to make decisions on
election day? He said that an educated and informed citizenry was an
absolute for a democracy.
"Shortly after 9/11 filmmaker Michael Moore received a confidential
memo forwarded to him by a radio station manager in Michigan. It came
from Clear Channel, the radio conglomerate that owns that radio
station. 'The company, Moore wrote, 'has ordered its stations not to
play a list of 150 songs during this time of national emergency. The
list, incredibly, includes Bridge Over Troubled Waters, Peace Train
and John Lennon's Imagine.'" (Source Amy Goodman)
The FCC especially under Colin Powell's son, Michael, did everything
conceivable to change our media regulations so that a handful of large
corporations will have "ownership" of what we hear, and what we know.
Michael Powell is gone but like minded persons appointed by the White
House are attempting to pursue the same course of action.
Clear Channel is one example of what Bush means by the "Ownership
Society".</bigger></fontfamily></bold>
