In George Orwell’s seminal novel 1984, a stark warning against the dangers of Stalinist socialism, the British author issued a prescient statement that has long underscored how misleading statements can be used to control a free public: “The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.”
The line resonates for many Americans that endured the Biden presidency.
During a prolonged and often contentious campaign, we were reassured that the nation’s leader was in good health – despite observations that sometimes suggested otherwise.
Many witnessed moments on television where the now former president appeared uncertain, had difficulty with stairs, seemed disoriented, or struggled with his speech.
We were frequently assured that the U.S. economy was stable and thriving, even as Americans experienced rising costs and struggled with inflation not seen in decades.
We were assured that the president would not intervene in his son’s legal matters. As late as November 8, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre even reaffirmed the president’s pledge not to grant a pardon or clemency by defiantly declaring: “We’ve been asked that question multiple times. Our answer remains the same: no.”
Americans later observed the president granting pardons to both his son and brother, raising questions about fairness and accountability.
Radical notions met with skepticism were often dismissed with criticism, if not outright scorn, leaving many citizens feeling as if something was amiss.
The Democratic Party essentially told Americans to reject the evidence of their eyes and ears, and Americans rejected the Democratic Party – and they did so resoundingly.
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One could be tempted to think that a lesson would be learned from such a humiliating defeat, but it appears this may not be the case.
Barely 48 hours before Trump’s inauguration, Dina Titus, the Democrat Representative for the first district of Nevada posted on X: “Eighteen Armenian political prisoners stood trial today in secret proceedings following Azerbaijan’s ethnic cleansing of Artsakh. I condemn these sham trials and urge @StateDept to consider the use of Magnitsky sanctions to target the human rights abusers in the Aliyev regime.”
For those wondering what “Artsakh” is, it doesn’t exist. The land is internationally recognized (including by the U.S. government) as part of Azerbaijan but had been illegally occupied by Russian-backed ethnic-Armenian separatists since the 1990s. Rather, “Artsakh” was the name given to that land by those separatists. The breakaway state – real name Karabakh – was returned to Azerbaijani control in a 2023 war, whereupon “Artsakh” was dissolved by its leaders. The “ethnic cleansing” Titus refers to is the return to Armenia of its own armed forces.
The political prisoners? “Artsakh’s” leaders – Ruben Vardanyan and his cronies are rightly on trial for war crimes and terrorism, charges they deny.
Vardanyan is an Armenian-born Russian oligarch, who allegedly made his billions as a money launderer in the Wild West of early 1990s Russia. He has long been a place man for Russian interests earning the nickname “Putin’s Wallet” and is sanctioned today by Ukraine for supporting and profiteering from Russia’s illegal war there too. He was appointed State Minister of the then illegal and unrecognized, now non-existent, “Artsakh” where some believe he may have operated as a Kremlin agent supporting Moscow’s efforts to destabilize the Armenia-Azerbaijan peace process and bolster Russia’s waning influence over the region.
As for “secret proceedings” and a “sham trial,” the opening of the trial was attended by local media, and the next stage of the trial will be open to the public. Radio Free Europe, a U.S. government-funded entity, reports that the defendants have been appointed lawyers and translators, as is their right.
Surely, Rep.Titus knows this, and is aware that Americans can fact check for themselves?
Why then is she publicly attacking Azerbaijan, a U.S. ally, to support Armenia, a country that has hitherto acted only to bolster its own and Russia’s interests– a country that recently erected a monument to a prominent Nazi collaborator in its capital city? Readers would not be surprised to learn that Nevada is home to the fifth highest population of Armenians of any U.S. state.
It would not be the first time that a prominent Democrat with a large Armenian diaspora in their congressional district has put Armenian – and by extension, Russian – interests above those of America to court votes. California’s Adam Schiff – ironically known for referring to Trump as a “Russian Stooge” – was no stranger to claims that he lobbied on behalf of the illegal breakaway state.
Most Americans would agree that separatist leaders should expect to be put on trial when caught by the nation they sought to occupy. It’s only controversial if one objects to the obvious evidence of their eyes and ears.
If Democrats want to understand how they lost America’s trust, they should begin by reading 1984. Let’s just hope they read it as it was intended – as a warning against how truth and facts can be manipulated by those in power and not a “how-to” guide.
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