Mainstream media sources have become overly biased with a love of sensationalizing everything. Turn on CNN or FOX news and you can hear the exact same story told in two very different ways. Slanting the story or at minimum, focusing on parts of the story that fit their narrative is common place for all news media. Am I surprised that websites like Antiwar and The American Conservative are not known or heard of in mainstream news? No absolutely not.
If you look back on history, there is plenty of evidence pointing to the fact that our government did not always act in the best interest of its people. President Abraham Lincoln passed the Sedition Act making it possible to jail those who criticized the government including newspaper journalists in the north who were against the war. Government leaders have always been concerned about perception and less about welcoming all points of view.
In a recent Pew Research report, Public Trust in Government: 1958-2022, examined the publics trust in government since 1958. As you can see from the chart below, that trust has fallen since the 1960's. Events like the Vietnam War, Watergate, and the 9/11 Attacks have sparked a greater distrust. This report recognizes party differences may contribute to lower numbers. For example, when democrats control the White House, there is less trust by those in the Republican Party. Trust measures were also looked at according to race, by party and ideology, and who controls the Presidency. The main takeaway for me was the fact that the overall numbers had steadily declined since the 1960's indicating a steady decline in the governments reputation to do the right thing.
https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2022/06/06/public-trust-in-government-1958-2022/
Does times of national crisis make the citizens of our nation distrustful of its government and if so why? Another finding was that when Pew looked at race in relation to trust in government, it was African Americans that were the most distrustful of government except during the time that former President Obama was in office. This same type of finding is true of whites where during times of Republican Presidencies like Trump or Reagan, whites were found to be more trusting of the government.
So why would we need to put such efforts into finding websites like The American Conservative? Our government has a longstanding behavior of not always acting in our best interest and especially when citizens speak out against it. The Quartet of cases of 1919 are one such example. When four individuals (Scheneck, Debs, Frohwerk, and Abrams) spoke out against the governments involvement into World War I, those anti-war protestors were jailed and the Supreme Court did not find in their favor.
Finding ways to silence those who go against the government is repressive. Today, we see the government overreaching to control what is said on social media. Around the world, government leaders do this all the time to control things like protests or to cover up abuses that take place. This continues playing out with privately owned companies or with famous celebrities who silence through 'canceling.' The era of cancel culture instills fear and takes away a persons right to free speech. Taking away the voice of the people is nothing new and in todays climate, it is sadly becoming the norm.
A few years back, Ben Shapiro (one of my favorites) was visiting the University of Minnesota to give a speech on Capitalism and the First Amendment when the university decided to make him give his speech off campus and in a smaller venue than originally planned. Shapiro explains that the University absurdly obscured why the location was moved and blamed it on safety and security. Here is yet another example of how this public university under government influence attempted to limit and obscure information it deemed unsuitable.The University of Minnesota is a left leaning democratic school that felt the need to at minimum, limit those who could attend Shapiro's speech by offering Shapiro and those in attendance a smaller venue that could not hold as many people. Limiting access and information is just one way those with power try to control their agendas. This type of game playing is seen all the time and it is why the public only sees what a university or news source or an internet company chooses. Making things difficult like travel or access is one such way to 'control' what information gets through and serves to discourage anyone from having a different opinion than that of the government.
In order to hear strong antiwar voices you must seek obscure websites. To believe that those in charge (ie: our government leaders) will make available all sides and all information so that We The People have complete information is simply not the case. Our government controls much of the information we regularly receive and our military is a very profitable institution for our government. War is profitable through arms production, reconstruction efforts, private contracting, and more. Keeping citizens in the dark is a lucrative business. Regulating the information we receive while controlling those who speak out against the government is priority number one. Websites like AntiWar and The American Conservative strive to give voice to those who do not necessarily agree with our government and recognize it necessary since mainstream news sources fail to do so. Both websites give their views openly and without favor so to provide readers another perspective and outlet for information. When we silence, threaten, or control what citizens of the United States can say and what information they are given, their fundamental human rights are violated. In doing so, progress and innovation cease to exist and citizens are unable to make informed decisions based on all information. I believe much of the problems we see today in our nation is a direct result of our leaders wanting to make themselves look favorable. Controlling media outlets and concealing information keeps citizens in the dark and only makes the problems worse.
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