2005 is reminiscent of Orwell's "1984"
By Emily Neisig
Published: Thursday, January 20, 2005
Article Tools: Page 1 of 2

War is peace, freedom is slavery, ignorance is strength, and 2005 is

years too late. Most students read George Orwell's mind-blowing

some time during high school, but many neglect the implications of
similar events that are currently unfolding.

I know second semester of senior year is typically "slackericious,"
undone homework piling higher than Uncle Larry's flapjack stacks, but
despite my lack of work ethic, I managed to actually read "1984"

of our classes' reading schedule.

Orwell graphically detailed a highly plausible theory as to how
overbearing the government might become by the year 1984. The

structure of a society that was so blatantly founded on mind-control
shocked me into a state of activism, and this is my wake up call to
you, students.

War is peace. On June 18, 2002, President Bush gave a speech at the
Department of Housing and Urban Development, saying, "I just want you
to know that, when we talk about war, we're really talking about
peace."

Of course, this is the proper attitude to take because we all know

going to war means that the world is automatically going to be more
peaceful.

The United States is at war with Afghanistan and Iraq and has always
been at war with Afghanistan and Iraq.

Bush continued later in that same speech, saying that "We're going to
be steadfast toward a vision that rejects terror and killing and

peace and hope." Thank goodness for that, because I am so glad that

president is committed to a war that rejects killing and creates

arbitrarily.

Freedom is slavery. The USA PATRIOT Act guarantees the freedom of
Americans by allowing the FBI to examine their activities fiercely.

Similarly, the act allows the government to perform searches on U.S.
citizens, in part for exercising their freedom of speech. For

a small, anti-war group in California named "Peace Fresno" was
infiltrated by a government agent because they were against the

made against Iraq and Afghanistan. Continued...


The "potential for terrorist activity" in this small organization

apparently, so much that a man was hired to attend meetings and spy

the members. No pre-emptive action was taken, and the group was not
informed of this surveillance. Clearly this act has set them free as
birds in a smog-ridden sky. Hypocrisy haven has arrived, America!

Furthermore, the government's "Junior Anti-Sex League" has decided to
give away grants to companies who support its efforts at abstinence.
The president even requested that the League's budget be moved from

million to $73 million. This is all under the heading of "Faith-Based
and Community Initiatives" at the White House's Web site, implying

the DHHS should and will operate under moralistic rather than
scientific boundaries. If Barbara Bush were a stem cell, George would
probably pray for her disappearance (four more years!).

Ignorance is strength. Our literacy rates are dropping and the people
most likely found in destitution and extreme poverty are children,

the last election focused primarily on medical funding and social
security, two benefits usually pertaining to senior citizens. The war
on Iraq has been another firecracker, used to distract us from some

the most pressing homeland issues. And I love how the department of
"Homeland Security" secures us in other areas of the world.

In April of 2004, Bush said that abandoning the PATRIOT Act would
merely "demonstrate willful blindness to a continuing threat."

This is highly ironic, considering that the amount of terrorism

the world has not changed within the past 15 years. It seems as

because it suddenly seems to affect us, we have a "justified" need to
pursue peace, chase down the "evil-doers," and "smoke 'em out of

cave." Causing a war to promote world peace is always the best
solution, I suppose, especially since violence sells better than
diplomacy.

So, where do we go now? Well, Gering once said, "The people can

be brought to the bidding of the leaders; all you have to do is tell
them they are being attacked and denounce the pacifists for lack of
patriotism and exposing the country to danger." - I guess undying
love-of-country is next to godliness in this era of "evil-fighting."