I'm embarrassed by this. Deeply.
This is not the America I know and love.
What the heck happened?
"Finally, I suspect that it is by entering that deep place inside us where our secrets are kept that we come perhaps closer than we do anywhere else to the One who, whether we realize it or not, is of all our secrets the most telling and the most precious we have to tell." Frederick Buechner
Friday, October 17, 2008
AlJazeera's take on the Presidential Election
18 comments:
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(With thanks to Sojourners)
I always find it to be unfortunate that no US stations carry Al Jazeera international. It was rather useful in England that they got it sort of the way we can sometimes get BBC World Service. It is interesting to see what sort of coverage the election - and the US in general is getting in some parts of the world.
ReplyDeleteI admit that is not the America I know and love, but I'll admit I've seen places that are almost that bad.
Frightening, isn't it?
It would be nice to see some of this coverage (not even just al Jazeera, there's stuff all over YouTube) on the network news. But I won't be holding my breath. My father-in-law told us last night exactly what he thinks of Obama (which cannot be repeated here, as it is too vulgar), as he rode in my car that has two Obama bumper stickers on it. :)
ReplyDeleteI frankly don't understand those who drink the McCain/Palin KoolAid (not to mention the Bush/Cheney/Rove KoolAid), and believe every lie after it is said often enough. The lack of critical thinking in this country astounds me.
And to be fair, I don't believe every word that comes out of Obama's mouth, either, but I find him more trustworthy on the whole than those he is running against.
My neighbors aren't this outspoken but they are just as prejudiced. Anyone who believes that the polls giving Obama the advantage are reflective of reality is delusional. I don't trust the American electorate. This election scares the daylights out of me.
ReplyDeleteOh, Elizabeth, this has been the America that you have loved all these years because this is the stuff I saw and had to fight when I was a young adult in Selma. We think that we have come such a long way. No, No, my dear. It has just been covered up. But at least now they are not the majority.
ReplyDeleteI do fear for Obama when he is elected. But I fear more for my country if he is NOT elected.
I am embarrassed by this as well.
ReplyDeleteI have met ignoramuses on both the left and the right. One of the glories of a free society is that one can express one's opinions. One of the sadnesses of a broken humanity is that one can form an opinion without recourse to facts.
I'm also embarrassed by this, but I know lots of people just like this. Some of the very things that came out of these folks' mouths are things I've heard some of my close relatives say. My husband's step father, whom I've unaffectionately nicknamed the Angry White Man, is one.
ReplyDeleteAnd there is absolutely no reasoning with them. Like the AWM says, "My mind is made up, I won't listen anymore!"
When I was younger I used to wonder how on earth the Holocaust could have happened. The terror of growing up was the realisation that it could happen again so easily, wherever we live. Our world isn't nearly as civilised as we like to believe.
ReplyDeleteThis video makes me sad. How can one human being so devalue another? Does seeing the color of another person's skin so blind people to the humanity looking back at them?
ReplyDeleteI grew up in the deep south and have had a long history of being exposed to racism but I always questioned and can only wonder why others do not question.
I received an email last night entitled, "Muslims." It was a hate filled, untruthful document. It was the last straw for me. Up until then I had just been deleting them. I went through the entire document and answered each point with the truth including the source. I doubt that the person will read my response and if they do it probably won't change their mind but I just had to speak up.
We are never far from another holocaust, alas. Any generation can descend into subhuman behavior just as any person can. I have been fighting eliminationism in my own heart when I respond to this sort of thing. Sigh. But it's better that folks come right out and say this crap then harbor it secretly. Perhaps we will be appalled enough to do something. Oh, and since this arises through ignorance I believe Obama's emphasis on education comes not a moment too soon. Critical thinking needs to be taught above all else!
ReplyDeleteThis is pure propaganda Elizabeth. It is not representative of America but a picture that folks with an agenda are foisting on the globe.
ReplyDeleteThis is not the America I know and love. What the heck happened?
ReplyDeleteSadly Revda. Dra., this is the "America" that many of us encounter all of the time! Every time I cross the border to visit family or friends in the USA I see this "America" at some point in my journey. Oft times a bit worse. You should experience folks like this blonde woman when she is not just playing to the camera, but being her hate spewing self.
People began to call liberalism political correctness in order to silence those speaking for equality and against hate-speech. My sense is this hate comes out of insecurity and a fear of loss of importance in society ... it underscores the importance of getting out the vote for Obama. Because these angry, fearful folks will be voting ... don't assume that a supposed "edge" in the polls will really translate into votes
ReplyDeleteWait, Kansas Bob, are you trying to say that those aren't REAL people being interviewed? Looks pretty authentic to me.
ReplyDeleteAnd in the world of politics, what isn't propaganda?
Thanks for all your postings here. Here's what I want to know: When did it become a slur to be called a Muslim? Why are the Anti-Defamation Leagues and the National Council of Churches decrying this apostasy?
ReplyDeleteLast time I read the Constitution, it guaranteed not only freedom of speech but freedom of religion.
I don't think the 'right wing nuts' have been successful in writing discrimination into our Constitution - YET.
If we don't stand up for prejudice against anyone, who will stand up for us when we become the target of prejudice?
I guess propaganda is all a matter of perspective Elizabeth.. and possibly the picture presented by the video represents the stereotype that many embrace? Certainly the stereotype that Al Jazeera wants to promulgate :(
ReplyDeleteThe thing I have learned about stereotypes is that they make some of us mad because they contain a grain of truth.
ReplyDeleteYes, women can become hysterical. Yes, men can be violent. It's less about the nature and more about the nurture.
The importance of stereotypes is that they are instructive. The woman on the video who objects to Obama's candidacy because "this is a Christian nation" is an important stereotype for us to see.
We were founded by Christians, but we are not a 'Christian nation'. We were founded, first and foremost, as a country where freedom of religion could be practiced.
Therein lies the instructive pinch.
Bob-I don't think you'd be calling this propaganda if it were someone from Faux Noise interviewing the people in the video. Heck, the Fox bully boys Hannity and O'Reilly (and Sarah Palin) would be calling these bigots "true americans" and "american heroes." I think you're just annoyed that an English speaking Arabic news station did the piece first and that it has been picked up by some of the MSM.
ReplyDeleteInteresting comment vtcrone.. seems that you may have stereotyped me :)
ReplyDelete