Pubdate: Tue, 28 Jan 2003 Source: GSU Signal, The (GA Edu) Copyright: 2003 The GSU Signal Contact: http://www.gsusignal.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1622 Author: Kevin Slocum AMERICANS SUPPORTING TERRORISM: AN UPDATE What do pumping gas and smoking marijuana have in common? According to the viewpoint of certain TV commercial sponsors, the answer is terrorism. Political TV commercials aired over the past year have linked the purchasing of a dime-bag, as well as filling up your SUV gas tank, with the support and finance of international terrorism. Even though the commercials are sponsored by separate organizations with different political agendas, both commercials attempt to capitalize on the emotions and public sentiment produced after the events of Sept. 11. Consequently, these assertive ads essentially act as propaganda messages that use fear, fabrication and weak logic to persuade public opinion. The only important distinction between the two commercials, however, is that one commercial is financed by voluntary donations and the other is paid for unwittingly by YOU, the taxpayer. Debuting during last year's Super Bowl, the federal Office of National Drug Control Policy aired multiple commercials suggesting that ordinary Americans who buy marijuana were in fact contributing to drug profits for Middle-Eastern terrorists. Following the same premise as the government's ONDCP commercials, The Detroit Project by Americans for Fuel Efficient Cars recently ran an ad campaign that labeled the owners of gas-hungry SUVs supporters of terrorism as well. Although the author and columnist Arianna Huffington, the creator of the commercial, considers her ad a parody of the government's terrorism commercial, she and other environmentalists are sincerely committed to changing the driving habits of Americans. They contend that SUVs destroy the environment more than ordinary automobiles do, perpetuate dependency on foreign oil and hinder progression toward more fuel-efficient vehicles. While the contention that Americans who own SUVs support terrorism is quite a stretch, this idea definitely seems more reasonable than the assertion by the federal government that individuals who buy marijuana support terrorist activity. Not only is the government exploiting terrorism and the Sept. 11 attacks to continue the "War On (certain) Drugs," but it finances propaganda campaigns using hard-earned, American taxpayer money. Now I have no problem when a group of concerned citizens wants to waste its own money on propaganda commercials; however, I must draw the line when my own government engages in this despicable activity on my dime. Perhaps the $18 billion in taxpayer money allotted to the ONDCP would be more wisely spent on commercials linking the products of poppy plants, heroin and opium to terrorism. Afghanistan, the home of those who constructed and financed the Sept. 11 attacks, has only one exportable commodity to offer the world market: opium. Only months prior to Sept. 11, the United States government awarded $43 million to the Taliban for banning the cultivation of poppy plants. Before the ban was instituted by the Taliban, Afghanistan was the world's number one producer of opium. The ban worked to some extent. Nonetheless, it only resulted in Afghanistan slipping to the No. 2 spot in world production. Since the Taliban have been ousted by the U.S and coalition forces, opium production in Afghanistan has actually soared to record levels and put the country back in the No. 1 position. How could this be, you ask? Wouldn't the U.S. military feel obliged to destroy the poppy fields so their products do not reach the streets of America? The answer lies in questionable politics. Because the Americans need cooperation from local war lords for allegiance to the new interim government, coalition forces did not destroy the poppy fields, the war lords' only source of income. Where are our priorities? Just say NO to international politics!