Fifty Million Frenchmen

By: Matilda Lipscomb

Many, many years ago when I was still a child, there was a saying: "Fifty million Frenchmen can't be wrong." In those days, shortly after World War I, fifty million Frenchmen was the whole population of France. I can't even remember to what this referred, but the point was... PIPE DOWN... NOBODY AGREES WITH YOU!!!

In our great country today, the corporate-controlled media would have us believe that 90% of Americans support the Bush administration. It's pretty much the same idea, isn't it?

"PIPE DOWN... NOBODY AGREES WITH YOU!!!! If you don't like what this administration is doing, back off... you're in the small minority of Americans. Don't forget, this is a democracy, and in a democracy, the majority rules!! And besides, who cares what you think???"

But what if this 90% popularity for Bush is another corporate media lie? What better way to "unite" Americans behind this illegimate administration than to tell them over and over again how popular George W. Bush is... how he has the majority of the country behind him, and that any criticism or dissension is unpatriotic, even treasonous? Of course, in the wake of an attack such as we suffered on September 11^th, it is understandable that the country would support their leaders. But last year's presidential elections clearly showed a Democratic majority, and many disappointed voters were and still are bitter about having lost their vote.

The media would have us believe that these millions of Americans have suddenly become dedicated supporters of the man who occupies the White House, and who has surrounded himself with many of his father's old cronies with their cold war mentality. They would have us accept the shredding of our Constitution and the withholding of unclassified presidential papers indefintely.

And which is even more insidious, they would have our Democratic congressmen show reluctance to speak out in opposition to the "majority" of their constituents.

But the saddest of all is the indisputable fact that without the honest reporting of what used to be a free and courageously investigative press, many Americans are simply not aware. This is not an indication of indifference on their part, but of a feeling of helplessness based on a lack of the truth. It's rather that they feel they belong to a powerless minority.

After all... who am I to make waves and to rock the boat? Fifty million Frenchmen can't be wrong.