The Four Color Media Monitor

This is one of the most horrific things I have ever seen, more proof of how the medium of comic books can be exploited for bad purposes and intentions. From ABC News (via Hot Air):

Feb. 7 - KGO - Reading, writing and anti-militarism? That may soon be the case in San Francisco where a new comic book pushing a political point of view is raising serious questions.

Ronald Reagan hugging Osama Bin Laden, corporate America celebrating the spoils of war, a cartoon view of the Abu Ghraib prison scandal isn't off limits in this comic book -- "Addicted to War -- Why the U.S. Can't Kick Militarism."

It's an undisputedly leftist view of the United States involvement in wars, and it may soon come to classrooms in San Francisco public schools.

[...]

Frank Dorrel, Publisher, "Addicted to War": "We're really glad that the San Francisco School District, which is apparently against the war in Iraq, well not apparently, obviously is, has chosen to do this."

Frank Dorrel is now helping to supply the San Francisco Unified School District with 4,000 copies of the book for use in high school social studies and history classes. The books are being donated by a local anti-war activist.

Frank Dorrel: "It's important to show once again - the alternative history of U.S. foreign policy -- of U.S. wars, of U.S. militarism."

Leo Lacayo: "You need to focus in on both sides of the issue in order for students to create their own opinion."

Leo Lacayo is with the San Francisco Republican Party -- he opposes the book's approval. Lacayo accuses the district of being anti-military.

Leo Lacayo: "If you just look at this -- it's a comic book with bad illustrations. It's obviously made to poke fun at a very serious situation."

Lacayo isn't alone.

Col. Robert Powell, S.F. Junior ROTC: "We wouldn't have this United States if it wasn't for this revolutionary army to fight against England to be the United States. And like I said we'd probably have slavery if we didn't have the civil war."

Colonel Powell has run the San Francisco Junior ROTC program since 1983.

The San Francisco School Board voted to phase out the program last November, the board, taking a political position, says public schools are no place for the military. Colonel Powell says "Addicted to War" could be a valuable classroom tool, but he's concerned purely political ideology may cloud how teachers present the book.

Robert Powell: "You can put this out to stimulate discussion, and in fact use it to get discussion going in a good civics class, you know what I mean, but you go to have two opposing points of view."

There is however, no prescribed book for the opposing perspective -- that will be up to teachers. The district says it is looking for books that will adequately present an opposing points of view.

Something tells me that, should this ghastly "product" ever find its way into the schools, that it won't have any differing perspectives to accompany it. Exactly why there have to be objections made to its use.

There is no word when the book will make it into classrooms. The anti-war activist who pushed for the district to use the book, is still pulling together the cash for the purchase.

I hope the activist doesn't make it. This just shows why SF's schools are not a place where I'd want to send my children.

The SF Bay Guardian spoke to the publisher, Frank Dorrel, and what he says really makes my blood boil:

The current publisher, Frank Dorrel, came across the book in 1999. “This is the best thing I’ve ever read,” the Air Force veteran told the Guardian. “I’ve got a whole library of US foreign policy, but this puts it all together in such an easy format. Howard Zinn, Noam Chomsky, Michael Parenti — they’re all [authors of] great books, but they aren’t easy reads.”

That's a big fat lie. They're not "easy" reads, they're unreadable! Just plain sick.

Labels: msm propaganda, politics