Believe Quote by Medea Benjamin
“There is a real attempt to sanitize the CIA killings and to glorify the CIA and to give it a new face. That's what happened with Zero Dark Thirty, that's what happened with Michelle Obama... When she appeared my jaw dropped; I couldn't believe it... These were really a disgusting propaganda films, glorifying the role of the CIA.”
About This Quote
Source Film: Zero Dark Thirty (2012); political commentary
The quote criticizes media that whitewash CIA actions, portraying them as heroic rather than violent.
In simple terms: Media can distort truth about covert operations.
Key Takeaway
Question sources critically.
Themes
media criticism
political propaganda
government accountability
Mood
skeptical
concerned
Type
political
critical
analytical
When to use this quote
- watching documentaries
- discussing foreign policy
- educating peers
- advocating transparency
Key Concepts
propaganda
sanitization
public perception
Questions to Reflect On
- How does entertainment shape views of espionage?
- What responsibilities do filmmakers have?
A Different Perspective
The film may also show legitimate complexities of intelligence work.
![“The CIA is absolutely out of control. The CIA has been on a killing spree... The CIA has become a death squad and to see these films [ like Zero Dark Thirty] get so much acclaim at the time when the CIA is in its rogue killing phase is very disturbing.” quote by Medea Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/dc2/medea-benjamin-27522_acclaim_the-cia-is-absolutely-out-of-control-the_1543302.jpg)
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![“There were between 46 and 52 drone strikes under the [George W.] Bush administration. And now there are over 400 - that's not counting Afghanistan. So this has been tremendously increased under the [Barack] Obama administration.” quote by Medea Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/db9/medea-benjamin-27522_administration_there-were-between-46-and-52-drone-strik_1140265.jpg)
