Boo!

People are stupid. Hit their panic buttons, and they'll believe any ignorant, totally unsubstantiated thing you want to tell them.

On this day in 1938, Orson Welles broadcast his now famous radio drama "War of the Worlds." A simple Halloween radio drama cast as a series of news reports of an invasion of Martians set the nation into panic. There were people running amuck, panic in the streets. Cops were brought in. Lawsuits were filed. There were newspapers editorializing for censorship of the airwaves.

On a totally unrelated note, we have American elections next week. Keep in mind that if the Republicans get control of the congress, they will cancel Social Security, and re-direct all the old people's money to Ken Lay.

Article tags

Spread the word
Bookmark and Share
Profile image for al-barger

Article Author: Al Barger

Unreformed hawkish Hoosier hillbilly Al Barger runs the still squeezin' down the psychodelic Kentucky moonshine at More Things. What with the paranoid religious visions, the Pentecostal music, visions of God and anarchy running amok and such, somebody …

Visit Al Barger's author pageAl Barger's Blog

Read comments on this article, and add some feedback of your own

Article comments

Add your comment, speak your mind

Personal attacks are NOT allowed.
Please read our comment policy.
Please preview your comment.

blogcritics lists for Nov 29, 2009

fresh articles Most recent articles site-wide

fresh comments Most recent comments site-wide

most comments Most comments in 24hrs

top writers Most prolific Blogcritics for October

top commenters Most prolific Commenters in 24 hrs