The American people are under a form of attack never before seen in modern culture. With the boom of the Internet in the late 90's and the surge in Social Media over the last two decades, information (and disinformation) are flying at us from every possible angle imaginable. During the 2016 election year we saw an assault on the American People by foreign governments and even domestic elements using social media bent on distorting the truth and twisting the minds of the People leading to a very dangerous individual beating the system and getting into a position of power. Since the current Administration was slipped into power the psychological warfare on the American People has increased to epidemic and extremely dangerous new levels. On one hand we have a single news outlet that has always been extremely bias to the republican agenda and expert on twisting facts to suit their needs now abusing viewer, and on the other hand a counter balance of all other media outlets responding to this by also implementing their own form of counter-psychology. We the people are stuck in the middle now. The truth is now called "Fake News" and false information is being presented as pure fact. Those who do not take the time to do the research and look to other more credible sources are getting twisted and radicalized by these assaults on the truth. This single news outlet seems to have a monopoly on the undereducated as they hold near exclusive rights to sporting events, and since Humans seem to have a need to idolizes gratuitous violence in a colosseum like arena and then these psychological attack occur in the in between while emotions are already high is leading to this form of brain-washing, mental abuse, and traumatic stress currently being exploited to push these hateful agendas.

During this holiday, I spoke with my son about this issue, and he told me a story of a family member. He told me how an extended family member who had always been a kind, loving, open minded, rational person. Since 2016 she started watching Fox News. She has drastically changed. She has become cold, scornful, closed minded, irrational, and near psychotic. When her position is challenged, before she would at least hear you out, and discuss the different views. Now she immediately goes into a defensive posture, goes from a normal speaking voice to yelling, and completely disregards all evidence contrary to her own ill-formed beliefs. However, here is the kicker. There was a period where she went two weeks without watching Fox News and within days she returned to her normal rational, open minded, loving, compassionate self … but within hours of starting to watch Fox News again she reverted to this angry hateful screaming mad-woman again.

Since the 2016 election our nation has been polarically divided, and this divide has been violent, almost to the point of civil war polarized and violent. The natural reaction of most rational people to someone who it believing the deceptions is to respond with frustration the “how could you possibly believe this...” mindset. This puts us into this near frantic need to correct their behavior, but the mental abuse those who watch Fox News have already endured and the brain-washing they have received become even more defensive and irrational, leading to an escalation of behaviors.

We, the ones not affected by this psychological warfare, are the only ones who can change our behaviors. We can control our responses to the irrationality of those affected. And this we must. We need to understand and accept that our family, friends, co-workers who watch Fox News are victims of psychological warfare, extreme mental abuse, and traumatic stress. We need to approach them as we would an Armed Forces member or refugee with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. We have to see them as victims of violent mental abuse. We need to change our behavior and not further attack them for their victimization, but we need to approach them with love and sympathy. We need to be the grounding force to help them accept the trauma they experienced, and help guide them to heal from this psychological warfare.

Since making this realization I armed my son with the tools he will need to hopefully approach this family member differently and guide her to healing. I have also decided that I too must approach others I encounter in this New Year with the same tools. As difficult as it is to acknowledge and relate to the twisted realities these individuals are experiencing we are the only ones who can, they have no control over their responses. It is our duty as the healthy to help the ill return to a state of health. I also believe that as Witches we are more resistant to these forms of psychological warfare and "brain-washing" because of the time we take to train our minds for magick works, meditation, and self-healing. We require and maintain tremendous mental disciplines to be practicing Witches.

It is my New Year's Resolution to use the tools of dealing with someone suffering from PTSD on those victims of Fox News. As Witches, it is our calling and duty to bring healing and balance to the world, this is just an extension of that duty.