StarrNarrative

  United States Propaganda Films of the 1980s   By David Starr   The 1980s unfortunately was the decade of Reagan. His legacy is filled with a series of policy debacles.   Quoting Peter Dreier  in  The Nation , who teaches politics:   “During his two terms in the White House (1981–89), Reagan presided over a widening gap between the rich and everyone else, declining wages and living standards for working families, an assault on labor unions as a vehicle to lift Americans into the middle class, a dramatic increase in poverty and homelessness, and the consolidation and deregulation of the financial industry that led to the mortgage meltdown, foreclosure epidemic and lingering recession.   Reagan is often lauded as “the great communicator,” but what he often communicated were lies and distortions.”   Reagan, a grade B actor, nevertheless played an effective role as president as evidenced by his popularity within the U.S.; but it was based o...

  The Verbal Battle Between Israeli Supporters and Palestinian Supporters   By David Starr   Accusations have flown back-and-forth between Israeli supporters and Palestinian supporters. It is worth looking at these accusations and why they are expressed.   Whenever someone criticizes Israel, they are labeled an antisemite. When one is an anti-Zionist, they are labeled an antisemite. In December 2023, the Republican-controlled House of Representatives  passed a resolution  saying that anti-Zionism is equal to antisemitism. The vote was 311 in favor, 14 against, and 92 Democrats abstaining, the latter having mixed feelings.   Those in favor, that is, Israeli supporters, presented the resolution to oppose the “drastic rise of anti-Semitism in the United States and around the world.” It declared that the slogan, “From the River to the Sea” was a “rallying cry for the eradication of the State of Israel and the Jewish people.” Palestinian supporters deny thi...

  Right-Wing Insanity: Turning Mickey Mouse into a Nazi   By David Starr   Admittedly, the following is silly to write about. But the right-wing in the United States has come up with some zany assertions. And the following is yet another example of that zaniness. As bizarre as it sounds,  Daily Wire  host Michael Knowles came up with an idea to  turn the iconic Disney character Mickey Mouse into a Nazi .   The idea is to make Mickey Mouse repulsive to children. But this may be hard to come by since the character has been popular among children for decades. Thus, the absurdity of it.    But Knowles has an objective based on his anti-LBGT+ obsession. He is firmly against the LBGT+ community and would not bat an eye if they were to become second class citizens. To Knowles, the Disney company is an enemy because it has the nerve to promote diversity and inclusion. Knowles has the crazy idea that trans people, for example, will go after children a...