“People should not be afraid of their governments. Governments should be afraid of their people.”
In reality, this works both ways. People fear that governments use their power not in people’s best interests. Governments fear that people will stop supporting them, thus ceasing their status of being governments. This gives people motivation to keep a keen eye on governments’ actions. Suitably enough, governments have motivation to make sure that what catches the people’s eyes is something not too shady. Yet without sometimes doing things that people might not look very happy upon, nothing would ever get done.
This is why doing public things that the public might frown upon have to be timed appropriately. For example, the little piece of legislation Mr. Obama signed that allows indefinite detaining of basically anyone who can be, in any way, connected to some kind of terrorism did not receive almost any public attention. Why? Because it was signed on December 31st. But New Year’s Eve does not come along more often than once a year. What else could be used?
Using publicity companies to change the public opinion about certain events or actions is an option, explained a little more in a previous post some time ago. Using publicity stunts is another. I for one would not be completely surprised if the KONY campaign was merely a smokescreen to hide something less obvious. There has to be a reason why the campaign is so… full of holes. And diversions are the simplest techniques in the book. Just like divide et impera. Fine, I will grant that simplex sigillum veri and that I have a weird penance upholding for using excessive use of Latin, but that is not the point. When it comes to politics, nothing is ever simple. If you have any doubts, watch Yes, (Prime) Minister. If you don’t, watch it anyways.
Half of writing history is covering up the truth.
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