The Famous Four of the Abuse Cycle~Deny, Minimize, Justify, Blame
I've often said that the US taxpayer is the 'battered wife of an abusive hubby with a gambling problem'. My joke is coming back to haunt me. I recently read a bunch of stuff on the Abuse Cycle. The Abuser's Famous Four is illuminating: http://www.terrapsych.com/
a different context, the resemblance to the US government's treatment of citizens is uncanny. Since New Year's Eve, when Obama signed the NDAA bill with provisions that basically repeal the Bill of Rights, the cycle was classic:
I've often said that the US taxpayer is the 'battered wife of an abusive hubby with a gambling problem'. My joke is coming back to haunt me. I recently read a bunch of stuff on the Abuse Cycle. The Abuser's Famous Four is illuminating: http://www.terrapsych.com/
a different context, the resemblance to the US government's treatment of citizens is uncanny. Since New Year's Eve, when Obama signed the NDAA bill with provisions that basically repeal the Bill of Rights, the cycle was classic:
Deny~"The bill does not authorize indefinite detainment and killing of citizens on US soil."
Minimize~"Okay, it does authorize these, but the President will never use it."
Justify~"We are in a state of war with Terror until further notice.
Blame~"Al Qaeda and domestic terrorists hate our freedom and seek to destroy us ."
Apply this model to any and all of the Draconian measures passed by the Administration since: SOPA, CISPA, PIPA, HR 347...
The Federal Restricted Buildings and Grounds Improvement Act of 2011 or the “Trespass Bill” (HR 347 and its companion Senate bill, S. 1794) was signed into law by Obama on March 9, 2012. According to Business Insider, this “potentially makes peaceable protest anywhere in the U.S. a federal felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison.” Anyone can be charged with a federal felony for “trespassing” on property or grounds under Secret Service protection, even if the supposed “trespasser” is unaware that the area is under such protection. One can also be charged if he or she“impede(s)or disrupt(s) the orderly conduct of Government business or official functions.” Any place or event can, at any time and under any circumstance, be designated a “trespass” area and, anyone protesting any event can be arrested. Under NDAA, Section 1021, once arrested, a person can be detained indefinitely and extradited or killed outright if he or she is deemed a threat.
There is the recent Executive Order signed by Obama on March 16, 2012: National Defense Resource Preparedness (EO 8248). This order allows the executive branch – through various federal authorities such as the Secretaries of Energy, Health and Human Services, Transportation, Defense, and Commerce – to take control of all food, all energy, all health resources and all transportation resources in the service of “national defense,” even in times of declared peace. It is true that this executive order is merely an update to the one signed by Bill Clinton in 1994, just like Obama's reauthorization of The Patriot Act of 2001~which he said he would repeal when elected. Of course he claimed he was opposed to Section 1031 of the NDAA Bill. It later came out that the Administration 'insisted' on indefinite detention of citizens.
Eventually, the abuser always blames the victim. "Look what you made me do..." Focus is shifting from the chimeric al Qaeda to 'domestic terrorists', which the FBI is recruiting and setting up in farces that would never fly in a Hollywood script conference, much less real life.
So next time you hear a speech from the President, or any of the stooges in Congress, remember the Famous Four.
Minimize~"Okay, it does authorize these, but the President will never use it."
Justify~"We are in a state of war with Terror until further notice.
Blame~"Al Qaeda and domestic terrorists hate our freedom and seek to destroy us ."
Apply this model to any and all of the Draconian measures passed by the Administration since: SOPA, CISPA, PIPA, HR 347...
The Federal Restricted Buildings and Grounds Improvement Act of 2011 or the “Trespass Bill” (HR 347 and its companion Senate bill, S. 1794) was signed into law by Obama on March 9, 2012. According to Business Insider, this “potentially makes peaceable protest anywhere in the U.S. a federal felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison.” Anyone can be charged with a federal felony for “trespassing” on property or grounds under Secret Service protection, even if the supposed “trespasser” is unaware that the area is under such protection. One can also be charged if he or she“impede(s)or disrupt(s) the orderly conduct of Government business or official functions.” Any place or event can, at any time and under any circumstance, be designated a “trespass” area and, anyone protesting any event can be arrested. Under NDAA, Section 1021, once arrested, a person can be detained indefinitely and extradited or killed outright if he or she is deemed a threat.
There is the recent Executive Order signed by Obama on March 16, 2012: National Defense Resource Preparedness (EO 8248). This order allows the executive branch – through various federal authorities such as the Secretaries of Energy, Health and Human Services, Transportation, Defense, and Commerce – to take control of all food, all energy, all health resources and all transportation resources in the service of “national defense,” even in times of declared peace. It is true that this executive order is merely an update to the one signed by Bill Clinton in 1994, just like Obama's reauthorization of The Patriot Act of 2001~which he said he would repeal when elected. Of course he claimed he was opposed to Section 1031 of the NDAA Bill. It later came out that the Administration 'insisted' on indefinite detention of citizens.
Eventually, the abuser always blames the victim. "Look what you made me do..." Focus is shifting from the chimeric al Qaeda to 'domestic terrorists', which the FBI is recruiting and setting up in farces that would never fly in a Hollywood script conference, much less real life.
So next time you hear a speech from the President, or any of the stooges in Congress, remember the Famous Four.
