WAS IT Dr. Goebbels or who that, as chief propagandist for Germany's warmonger, Adolf Hitler, developed the theory that a lie told over and over again tends to be accepted by the masses as the gospel truth? Whoever it was that said it seems to have done an irreparable damage to humanity - including generations yet unborn.
This is because some unscrupulous politicians, mass communicators and advisers seem to have clung to this wicked theory and are using it to, at least, confuse the gullible masses and, if they are luckier, to get the unsophisticated minded person to believe them. And this is the kind of ploy, it seems to The Chronicle, Mr. Jerry John Rawlings, the former president, seems bent on using to create confusion in Ghana.
After Rawlings has presided over the affairs of this nation for 19 uninterrupted years, two years of which saw the dastard murder of 33 women, and after he has been retired constitutionally alongside the defeat of his National Democratic Congress (NDC), here comes the man with a bombshell: he knows people in the new government who masterminded the serial killings of women. This man would neither mention their names, nor stop smearing the new government with his wild allegations, unless his impossible demand of illegal devices - a lie detector and chemical tests are provided by the state.
The editorial column of The Chronicle has had to return to this Rawlings comical and farcical charge because of what it considers an imperceptible agenda underneath all the seemingly imbecile game being played by the serial coup-maker. It does seem to us he wants to create mistrust, hatred, and rejection of the ruling party by the Ghanaian populace - even before the general elections slated for December 2004 are due.
Such public rejection could be geared towards civil disobedience, demonstrations and riots that can be capitalised on by any military adventurist of Flt. Lt. Jerry John Rawlings' ilk to attempt a coup and possibly topple the legitimately constituted government of his avowed enemies: the NPP. After a coup, the chances of the biggest opposition party to win the next general election is brighter than any other, as the history of this country and others has shown - and that means the NDC has a better chance of returning to power after a coup.
We on The Chronicle do know that not everybody in the leadership of the NDC will endorse such a crude, unorthodox method of returning to power. Actually, we do know that the many fair-minded people in that big political party are opposed to Rawlings' allegations and insistence on the illegal tests. The irony is that they curse him under their breath and defend him in public.
The Chronicle, therefore, has the irritating duty of once again imploring the NDC to find a way of getting their founder to call and tell the police the names he claims to have, or hold his peace.
Government need not remain calm but alert regarding the security of the nation. And all Ghanaians should analyse what Rawlings is saying before taking it with the pinch of salt it deserves.
