Airports Refuse To Play Kristi Noem's Propaganda Video
Airports Refuse To Display DHS Secretary Kristi Noem’s Propaganda Video
Look, we’ve all seen those movies that take place in fictional dystopian societies, where the oppressed are subjected to video loops of oppressors repeating propaganda on giant overhead screens in public areas. Although many of those films are American movies, and the guy on the endless video loop is never the good guy, neither the Trump administration nor its supporters seems to see the similarities between those depictions and what’s currently going on in real life in the U.S.
Fortunately, some see exactly what is happening and refuse to play a part in it.
Earlier this month, we reported that President Donald Trump and his loyalists were demonstrating how propaganda works by having the websites of virtually every federal government agency explicitly pin the government shutdown on the Democratic Party and the “radical left.” Well, according to the Washington Post, the administration also wants airports across the nation to display a video of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem placing blame for the shutdown on congressional Democrats.
“It is TSA’s top priority to make sure that you have the most pleasant and efficient airport experience as possible,” Noem says in the video. “However, Democrats in Congress refuse to fund the federal government, and because of this, many of our operations are impacted.
“We will continue to do all that we can to avoid delays that will impact your travel. And our hope is that Democrats will soon recognize the importance of opening the government,” she continues.
Again, it’s fortunate that not everyone is willing to capitulate to this corrupt, authoritarian, propaganda-reliant administration. In fact, airports in more than half a dozen U.S. markets are refusing to air the video, because, bro — this is clearly the kind of futuristic authoritarian sh*t that is only supposed to be real in Hollywood and in classic literature.
Also, it’s probably illegal.
From the Post:
Officials that oversee airports serving Buffalo, Charlotte, Cleveland, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Seattle and Portland, Oregon, said the video could violate internal policies that bar political messaging or contravene state or federal laws that prohibit the use of public resources for political activity.
“We believe the Hatch Act clearly prohibits use of public assets for political purposes and messaging,” said Molly Prescott, a spokesperson for the Port of Portland, which operates Portland International Airport. Enacted in 1939, the Hatch Act bars federal employees from engaging in politics while on the job and is meant to ensure that federal programs are administered in a nonpartisan fashion.
Oregon law also precludes public employees from promoting or opposing political parties during working hours, Prescott said, noting: “This is the first time to our knowledge that the Port has declined to play a video.”
Westchester County, a community just north of New York City, also declined to show the video; County Executive Ken Jenkins called it “inconsistent with the values we expect from our nation’s top public officials” and “unnecessarily alarmist” in a statement on Friday.
But there’s a reason the Trump administration is so desperate to send the message that Democrats caused the shutdown while Republicans control both chambers of Congress and the executive branch. Polls consistently show most voters are placing more blame on Republicans than Democrats, despite the messaging campaign of the GOP and the White House, and with the midterm elections right around the corner, that just isn’t good for congressional Republicans or the Oval Office.
After all, travelers across the country are being told to prepare for potential flight disruptions as the shutdown continues, due largely to a shortage of air traffic controllers, who are being made to work without pay until the shutdown ends.
From CNBC:
Air traffic controller shortages this week delayed flights at some U.S. airports, including in Burbank, California, and Nashville, Tennessee.
“It is safe to fly, but ATC staffing shortages strain the system and cause flights to be spaced out, slowing down everything. In some cases, flights may be delayed or even cancelled,” said Airlines for America, whose members include Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, American Airlines and others.
During a federal government shutdown, “essential” workers such as air traffic controllers and TSA agents work without pay, while many other employees are placed on furlough.
According to the flight-tracking website FlightAware, staffing shortages at major U.S. airports caused delays to nearly 8,000 flights within, into, or out of the U.S. on Sunday alone, and another 271 flights were canceled altogether.
Yeah — nobody wants to take the blame for that kind of chaos, so party leaders will naturally point fingers at each other. The only difference is, only one party made a video to be displayed at airports after using taxpayer money to blame the other party on all government websites.
We should all remember that come midterms.
SEE ALSO:
The Government Shutdown Has Officially Happened: What Happens Now, And Who Is To Blame?
Here’s Where We Are In The Current Government Shutdown
Federal Workforce Layoffs Begin Amid Government Shutdown
Burbank Airport Faces Air Traffic Controller Shortage
Explaining The Hatch Act: When Government Agencies Go Too Far In Political Messaging
Airports Refuse To Display DHS Secretary Kristi Noem’s Propaganda Video was originally published on newsone.com
