General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: The real reason a very loud few are posting hostility toward Glenn Greenwald at DU: [View all]RufusTFirefly
(8,812 posts)If an agent provocateur infiltrates a peaceful group and throws the first punch, there's an unfortunate possibility that the next punches will be thrown by other members of the group in earnest. That's how it often works.
It's very likely that in addition to sockpuppets that there are "true believers" who are smearing Greenwald and Snowden as well. Unfortunately, the discourse is so poisoned that they don't realize the source of the "facts" and impressions that led to their conclusions.
In California, more than 90 percent of the state favored GMO labeling. Yet, some six months later when the election arrived, the initiative lost. That's a great example of propaganda at work.
Even people who are completely unplugged from manipulative sources of information aren't immune to its influence when their friends and family are dictating the direction of the discourse.