White House turns footage of Iran airstrikes into memes to cover up the brutality of war
The administration of Donald Trump publishes videos on social media where footage of real airstrikes on Iran is edited with memes, anime, and video game elements, especially after reports of mass civilian casualties, including children. This is reported by The Washington Post.
After an airstrike on an elementary school in Iran that killed dozens of children, the White House released a video called “Justice the American Way,” which combines footage of the explosions with clips from the movie “Top Gun,” the anime “Dragon Ball Z,” and the game “Halo.”
Deputy White House Communications Director Kelan Dorr shared the video with the caption: “Wake up, Dad at home.”
Others have since appeared The videos include rocket strikes over the sounds of SpongeBob SquarePants; footage of burning trucks and people with the words “WASTED” from the game Grand Theft Auto.
University of Georgia professor Roger Stahl, who studies war and media, believes that the goal of this campaign is to create an “aesthetic of bloodlust” and turn war into entertainment so that Americans feel less sympathy for the victims. According to him, this is a “Hollywood version of war” that hides the real consequences of the conflict.
“They are giving Americans an empathy-free Hollywood video game version of war to distance the public from realities that make them uncomfortable,” — says Stahl.
White House spokeswoman Annie Kelly said that the administration would not apologize for “covering the incredible success of the US military” and would continue to show examples of the destruction of ballistic missiles, production facilities and Iran’s hopes for creating nuclear weapons in real time.
The Pentagon has been working with Hollywood since the 1940s, and after September 11, 2001, this work became more active to shape American opinion about war and to support film companies that glorify or normalize the violence of war.
