Propaganda for children

Last night, I wrote about Al Gore’s concept of global warming.  Tonight, I want to continue.  But first, I want to give credit where credit is due.  

The idea that if Al Gore is actually serious about global warming  he should run again for President came from a column written by George Will published in the Peoria Journal Star on June 12, 2006, page A4.  The idea that if Al Gore is actually serious about global warming he should call for the immediate end of motor vehicle racing as entertainment came from a column by Jonah Goldberg published in the Peoria Journal Star on June 16, 2006, page A4.  From the columns, I gathered that neither of these two columnists accepts Al Gore’s concept of global warming.  I don’t know if they accept that man has walked on the moon.    

I found this interesting in a propaganda sort of way.  On June 12, 2006 the Peoria Journal Star published a section entitled “Kids Journal Star.”  On page C2 of this section, they had the following items.  “Kids offer tribute to Dad” which consisted of four Father’s Day cards produced by four children.  Each card gave the name of the child who produced the card and the age of each child.  Below the four cards were two short articles.  One featured the video game of the week by the Associated Press and the other article was “Hey Wiseguy” which featured a science question from a nine year old and the answer from the “Wiseguy.”  To the left of the four cards was the “Book Corner.”  This section featured three book reviews written by three seventh-graders from Pleasant Valley School.  Below the three book reviews—the book reviews ran down the left column of the page, was an article credited to Missy Shepler.  

Nothing else is given about Missy Shepler.  I don’t know if she is a child, an employee of the Associated Press, an employee of the Peoria Journal Star, or if she just walked into the Peoria Journal Star and handed the article to the editors and asked them to print it.

The article is entitled “’An Inconvenient Truth.’”  If you don’t recognize that title, it is the title of Al Gore’s movie about global warming.  Quoting from the article:

“If the scientists of the world are right, we are turning our world into a ticking time bomb.  Temperatures are rising all over the world, causing global storms, and we have a mere 10 years to avert major disaster.

Former vice president Al Gore, longtime advocate of the environment, has sounded a rally cry.  It’s time for us to change our ways.  Visit www.climatecrisis.net to learn about global warming and how you can take action against it.  Calculate your personal impact to see how much carbon dioxide your household produces each year, and find out what 10 simple things you can do to reduce it.

Watch the trailer for ‘An Inconvenient Truth,’ and see when and where it is playing near you.  Download e-cards, Take Action PDFs, film posters, desktops, icons and screensavers.

If you love your planet, you have to see this film.”

Isn’t that a nice, short propaganda piece crammed into a kids section of the newspaper.  It starts with “if” and then proceeds as if all that Al Gore claims is true.  Notice some of the concepts expressed in this short article:
“ticking time bomb”
“causing global storms”
“avert major disaster”
“longtime advocate”
“rally cry”
“it is time”
“climate crisis”
“take action”
“your personal impact”
“produces each year”
“do to reduce”
“Watch the trailer”
“see when and where”
“download” (get free goodies at the website)
“love your planet” and
“have to see”  

All this propaganda for children!!!  Do you think the children will recognize this propaganda for what it actually is?

I especially like the ending for a compelling piece of pure propaganda.  “If you love your planet, you have to see this film.  (my underline)  

Is this a paid commercial for this movie or just pure propaganda?  It sure is not news!!!  Is it typical of the Peoria Journal Star???