Editorial – Caveat elector

Lately there has been a great increase in the number of venereal diseases among our officers and men owing to prolific contacts with Filipino women of dubious character. Due to hard times and stricken conditions brought about by the Japanese occupation of the islands, Filipino women were willing to offer themselves for a small amount of foodstuffs. It is advisable in such cases to take full protective measures by use of condoms, protective medicines, etc.; better still to hold intercourse only with wives, virgins, or women of respective character.
Furthermore, in view of the increase in pro-American leanings, many Filipino women are more than willing to offer themselves to American soldiers, and because Filipinos have no knowledge of hygiene, disease carriers are rampant and due care must be taken.
The above italicized message in faulty English entitled “Guard Against Venereal Diseases” purportedly came from the “US Army” and contained in leaflets dropped by Japanese planes in the Philippines during World War II. The message, which was very derogatory to Filipino women, is a piece of black propaganda designed to turn Filipinos against the United States.
Thousands of articles, messages and information similar to the above were circulated by the Germans, British, French, Italians, Americans and most other governments and their military establishments to confuse the enemy, destroy their image, or undermine the morale of their armies. Rampant use of black propaganda was also true during the Cold War.
There is also a surfeit of black propaganda in domestic politics, especially during electoral campaign seasons such as what we are currently having in the Philippines. These scurrilous materials are usually turned out by “dirty tricks” departments of political parties whose leaders condone these dubious activities in the hope that it would improve their chances of winning the elections.
The camps of the two strongest rivals for the presidency–Senators Benigno S. Aquino III and Manuel Villar Jr.– accuse each other of engaging in black propaganda. Both deny they’re doing it. What is undeniable is that both are hurt by the propaganda materials, perhaps more than both care to admit.
Unfortunately, the bigger number of stakeholders adversely affected by false propaganda are the voters. They’re supposed to pay close attention to the campaign and the issues therein to be able to make a wise decision on whom to vote for on election day. But the disinformation spread by evil politicians against each other contaminate the political atmosphere and tend to render voters unable to arrive at choosing the best and deserving candidates.
Unfortunately, political discernment is not taught in school. The voter is at the mercy of the charlatans who peddle lies and similar concoctions. The media establishment can pontificate on the need for decent campaigning but is not helping the situation any simply because many of them are guilty of dignifying dubious information.
Voters, like buyers, are expected to simply beware. Caveat emptor, caveat elector. See?