Propaganda Puppies

Puppies! The unbeatable way to instantly arouse protective instincts in anybody. The more curious it was last night that CNN Headline News ran an unusually extensive story about rampant puppy smuggling around the US-Mexican border. There they were on hidden camera, the cruel profiteers bringing in those unbearably cute bundles of fur and muzzle, endangering their wellbeing and health. There were interviews with the poor victims of puppy smuggling - young mothers, telling tearful tales about buying the cutest little pup for their children, just to see it die a few weeks later. The reporter asked the little boy on one of the mothers' lap, if he knew what happened to the puppy. Only the cruelest mind could've resisted, when the kid stammered 'it died'.

The method of using animal stories to drive home a political point has been used by CNN for a while. I remember that just when the US citizenry had to warm up to the idea that their arch enemies who had threatened them with nuclear anihiliation for about four decades might be turned into their future customers in a soon to be globalized economy by Perestojika, CNN ran an exposee about a Russian bear handler, who sacrificed so much to raise and take care of those adorably well trained bears. It was so heartwarming to see a real life Russian being nice to animals. As enraging as it is to see heartless Mexicans smuggle puppies! Well, at least now we know where CNN stands on immigration reform.

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Watch the CNN report on puppy smuggling.

Puppy photos courtesy of the Cute Overload blog.