DO NOT BE COMPLACENT,

HAVE STRENGTH AND FORTITUDE

DO NOT
COMMIT TO THE STATUS QUO
 Inevitable Conflicts of Propaganda
-- Michelle Brown Velandia --

The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.-- Edmund Burke

By the skillful and sustained use of propaganda, one can make a people see even heaven as hell or an extremely
wretched life as paradise. -- Adolf Hitler

Groupthink occurs when a group makes faulty decisions because group pressures lead to a deterioration of mental
efficiency, reality testing, and moral judgment. Groups affected by groupthink ignore alternatives and tend to take
irrational actions that dehumanize other groups. A group is especially vulnerable to groupthink when its members
are similar in background, when the group is insulated from outside opinions. -- Irving Janis

Propaganda is a prime example of the masterful application of Groupthink. It has been used throughout history
during many different circumstances and conflicts. Propaganda is a very potent tool regardless of whether its used
for good or bad. Sheeple by definition are people compared to sheep in being docile, foolish, or easily led.

The simple truth is that you can get away with anything, in government. That covers almost all the evils of the time.
Once in, nobody, apparently, can turn you out. The People, as ever, will stand anything. -- W. R. Anderson

2015-2016. I was honored to receive an academic-political scholarship from Congress-Bundestag and the U.S.
Department of State to serve, live, and study abroad as an American Youth Ambassador. I was abroad as an American
Youth Ambassador; nonetheless, I have deep German roots and lineage.While abroad, I immersed myself wholly in an
array of experiences and opportunities involving culture, politics, travels, and relationships. I was present during the
ongoing refugee crisis. More than 1.2 million refugees came to Germany in 2015 and 2016. I experienced firsthand
the environment that existed at this time in Germany as a foreign exchange student, as a citizen, and as a friend of
both natives and immigrants to the nation of Germany.

Xenophobia inherently connects to historical examples such as Mein Kampf and many other examples throughout
the history of mankind. Mein Kampf implies that there are inherent and genetic racial differences that cannot and
will not ever be resolved so that humans can coexist and justifies inhuman acts to that which is different. These are
further examples of propaganda justifying inhuman acts: the Crusades, the Spanish Inquisition, and anti-immigration
movements across the world. However, all nations are built upon varying degrees of immigrants at some point in
their histories.

There are differences; however, we are all human of this one world we have. Is it possible for us to coexist? Yes, but
there are constant challenges. Propaganda has and always will exist. We can use such a powerful tool to strengthen
our hopes for a future as human beings or seal our fate. Will we guide this tool or allow it to guide us?

People in different places and backgrounds also labeled as foreigners or whatever the current propaganda labels
them as for better or for worse according to its intent.This is our reality.Yes, there are evil and bad people, but there
are also decent and good people who are simply looking for a better life and escaping difficult situations and citizens
that do not fall victim to Groupthink. Those people create their own propaganda. Prime example, propaganda, end
result, for good or evil.

My grandfather has always shared his experiences being German yet not understanding German at family reunions.
Why? He was not taught German because of the general suspicion, hatred, bias, xenophobia and concern of family
and ancestral origins overtly demonstrated during his childhood despite the fact that his father had volunteered
and went to fight and serve during World War II. My grandfather also volunteered and served as a corpsman during
the war in Vietnam. In the heat of battle, he had an underlying concern that his German roots created a kind of
indifference to active participation in inhumane and inherently evil actions. As a young man, as a patriot, propaganda
was so effective that it made him concerned on the battlefield regarding his tolerance and actions in the heat of
battle. Remember, he was not allowed to learn German because of societys view of Germans as a direct result of
propaganda.

Past and modern day propaganda, politics, figures, groups, both internationally and in the United States are, have
been, and use propaganda countless times for numberless motives. Media, entertainment, advertising, businesses,
religions, governments. Do not be fed truths as fed to you...rather, find your own. Endure the perils to do what you
believe is right. Do not be complacent. Have strength and fortitude. Do not commit to the status quo.