A very scary guy

Recognize him now?

Jospeh Goebbels the archetype for modern propaganda, misinformation and disinformation.

No, the kindly looking "gentelman" featured in the July 8th, post is not a member of the local Board of Supervisors, in by-gone years.

Correct answer seems to have first been submitted by Jerry Griffin. Bingo! You get a cyber-cigar! Others got it right also.

It is heartening to see that others pay attention to history. We learn important lessons from history especially we learn to recognize danger when it is still in its infancy. By doing so, we can sometimes avoid a lot of misery.

The correct answer to our little quiz is Joseph Goebbels – the late Chief of the Reich Ministry of Information and Propaganda, from 1933 to 1945, for mass murderer Adolph Hitler and his Third Reich.

Geobbels was a very clever guy. A very bright guy. Excelling in academics he even held a PhD degree. That is why they called him Doctor Geobbels.

He did indeed pioneer the use of emerging technologies including the cinema, radio and…yes… even initiated in 1935 the very first application in the world of regular television service. With his natural intelligence, good education and appreciation of cutting edge technology, it is little wonder that he rose rapidly to the highest levels of Nazi leadership.

But don't let appearances of education, culture and refinement fool you.

Doctor Geobbels was a mean little man who fancied himself as a "ladies man" to compensate for his deep insecurities.

Goebles was a very scary guy. Very ambitious, passionate for his causes no mater how wrong they may be, ruthless in his dealings with perceived opponents. He had a win at any cost mentality and didn't care who had to pay the ultimate price. A very scary guy.

Remind you of anyone?

Goebbels is often pointed to by modern day political pundits as the archetype of those who would practice the dark sciences of propaganda, misinformation, and disinformation. His name is often invoked as the personification of bad government, running a muck, and deceiving the people into believing myths and lies typically for all sorts of improper motives.

Never could someone like this emerge in a position of power in a democracy… right?

Think again.

Even in America, “the home of the brave and land of the free” we see too often instances where our political leadership runs a muck and falls short of telling the people the truth. A little oversight here, a little cover-up there… it is a very slippery slope leading sometimes to wholesale abuse of political authority.

This can be seen in the highest or lowest political offices in the land… from the White House to the Courthouses.

Why, you might ask, in America, would our democratically elected government or any of its officials, ever want to fool the people?

I am not even going to attempt to answer that question!

Just remember, as American Psychologist Timothy Leary once wisely suggested: “Think for yourself and question authority.”

Don’t let scary people run your government.

Keep informed and question authority.

You will be glad you did.