An Analysis of the Parallel Frames in the Media Used to Describe Communism in the Early Cold War and Terrorism in the Post-9/11 Era

Abstract

A persistent rhetorical pattern dominates both the early years of the Cold War and the years immediately following the 9/11 attacks leading up to the Iraq War Specifically, this pattern portrays the threat of Communism and the threat of Terrorism to the United States using dualistic terms of good and evil. This thesis examines the origins of this rhetoric, which can be found in Presidential speeches of each era, and its subsequent adoption by various media outlets. The result of this deep-rooted rhetoric is failure in the marketplace of ideas. This failure is not simply a result of one administration or institution, but rather the mutual reliance of the media and elites on one another for success within a marketplace that values financial and personal prosperity above all else. In conclusion, within the current economic and political systems, the media and elites will continue to benefit one another at the expense of a healthy, democratic marketplace of ideas.