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Wong (NYT), November 23 2005

Text Source

Wong, Edward. "Bare-Knuckle Democracy in Iraq Rebel Territory." New York Times (www.nytimes.com. November 23 2005): http://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/23/international/middleeast/23elect.html.

Message Unit 1 - an example of patriotized history

core myths				unpatriotized history: The Iraqis are being ruled and killed by the Americans.
message (of patriotized history): The Iraqis are like children receiving benevolent guidance from the Americans.		patriotic change (of history)
technique: transparent redefinition
text: "In childhood, people have to crawl .... We're learning as we go."

Message Unit 2 - an example of patriotized history

core myths				unpatriotized history: The US controls information in Iraq, shutting down outlets that advocate resistance.
message (of patriotized history): The Americans have brought freedom of political expression to Iraq.		patriotic change (of history)
technique: transparent redefinition
text: People were never able to air their grievances in this manner under the rule of Saddam Hussein, and the fact that the debate was happening at all was a sign of progress.

Message Unit 3 - an example of patriotized history

core myths				unpatriotized history: The US supported Hussein for years as he tyrannized and killed Iraqis; the US has now taken on these tasks for itself.
message (of patriotized history): The US did the Iraqis a favor by toppling the dictatorial Hussein.		patriotic change (of history)
technique: fact displacement
text: People were never able to air their grievances in this manner under the rule of Saddam Hussein, and the fact that the debate was happening at all was a sign of progress.

Message Unit 4 - an example of patriotized history

core myths				unpatriotized history: The problem for democracy in Iraq is that the rulers with the firepower aren't elected by the citizens they use it on.
message (of patriotized history): Democracy is having a lot of problems in Iraq due to the Iraqis.		patriotic change (of history)
technique: transparent redefinition
text: With officials like Mr. Muhammadi unable to travel anywhere unless accompanied by enough firepower to level a village, and with even the politicians expressing distrust of the electoral system, this vote is fraught with as much peril as the last one, in January.

Message Unit 5 - an example of patriotized history

core myths				unpatriotized history: The Americans will continue to be in charge.
message (of patriotized history): The Iraqis will now be in charge.		patriotic change (of history)
technique: transparent redefinition
text: An election on Dec. 15 is expected to produce Iraq's first democratically elected government since the toppling of Saddam Hussein in April 2003. After the election, the number of American troops is expected to be brought back to about 138,000, which military officials refer to as the baseline contingent.

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