Why Are We so Gullible?

Why Are We so Gullible?
Posted by Butler Shaffer on May 12, 2011 08:14 PM

I got into a discussion with a friend today over the bin Laden assassination. She opined that it was good that he was taken out so summarily, given all the plans he had for more attacks on Americans. "How do you know this is so?," I asked. "They found his diary in his house, detailing what he had in mind," she replied. "And do you believe this to be true? Do you simply accept the government's assertions on this point?" "But this was contained in his diary," my friend insisted. "And do you know whether bin Laden -- or, perhaps, someone else -- actually wrote this? Don't you recall the forged documents, lies, faked photographs, etc., used by the Bush administration to try to convince us that Saddam Hussein had 'weapons of mass destruction' -- which he intended to use -- in order to justify a war against Iraq? Do you think the Obama administration is above using similar deceitful tactics?" My friend just stared at me.

When will we begin to take seriously the words of George Carlin, who said "I never believe anything the government tells me"?