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2004-01-06 Europe

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Posted by Anonymous2U 2004-01-06 12:49:43 PM|| || Front Page|| [8 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 Are you sure this wasn't CNN or ABC News (US)?

Read the article. This is a good example on how the media can 'slant' a story using various tricks...

The villains[Bush, Blair, etc..] are photographed at their worst in dehumanizing close-ups. The finger-pointers, on the other hand, walk through tree-shaded gardens, enter their homes through beautiful glass doors, sit intelligently in front of double-barreled bookshelves and tell us how Bush lied, because Cheney lied, because Tenet lied, and told Powell to lie, and dragged America into this senseless war. Each in turn is filmed with hushed respect: Hans Blix, Greg Thielman, and Joe Wilson, among others, tell the truth about the liars. These charming scenes with truth-tellers are interspersed with crescendo passages of the liars. And, as in the hunting-for-Saddam film that preceded it, the WMD-lies-investigation special has been updated with a few words about the insignificant matter of Saddam's arrest. The splicing is so obvious, you can almost see the masking tape.

Posted by CrazyFool 2004-1-6 2:28:40 PM|| 2004-1-6 2:28:40 PM|| Front Page Top

#2 National Review Online, click on Cheese-eating surrender monkey and it will link to the story.

Posted by Anonymous2U 2004-1-6 3:29:10 PM|| 2004-1-6 3:29:10 PM|| Front Page Top

#3 Now dear Rantburgers go to National review online and see what the French people have being fed for the last twenty years and wonder how such brainwashed people could not hate you.

Posted by JFM 2004-1-6 4:02:46 PM|| 2004-1-6 4:02:46 PM|| Front Page Top

#4 JFM, it is a tribute to you that you have resisted the brainwashing.

Were you educated at an international school, spend time overseas, or whatever ? How does the average French person (especially the younger generations) rise above the hateful drivel peddled there ?

Posted by Carl in N.H. 2004-1-6 5:18:08 PM|| 2004-1-6 5:18:08 PM|| Front Page Top

#5 JFM, just curious, ignore if the questions are too personal....

Posted by Carl in N.H. 2004-1-6 5:18:41 PM|| 2004-1-6 5:18:41 PM|| Front Page Top

#6 I stopped caring what the French government thought about anything around the time of C. DeGaulle.

Posted by mojo 2004-1-6 6:28:30 PM|| 2004-1-6 6:28:30 PM|| Front Page Top

#7 Only 10 people in the entire world give a rats ass about what the French think. The nine Democratic candidates and French Foreign Ministers Dominique De Villipian (who is a man, I think). Fcuk the French! I sleep very well at night knowing the French are TOTALLY irrelevant in the world today and so should all Americans.

Posted by Cyber Sarge (VRWC CA Chapter) 2004-1-6 6:51:59 PM|| 2004-1-6 6:51:59 PM|| Front Page Top

#8 N. H.

I am a Pied Noir, ie a French born in Algeria before the independence. That is already a big difference. My father was spanish, my mother was french (Pied Noir too) but if you go two or three genrations up all her ancestors were spanish.

From, 4 to 18 I lived in Spain, studying in a french institution. However Spain was a dictatorship so I learned to question what the papers and TV were saying.

I had my phase of antiamericanism. But one day two Khmer Rouges handled me a leaflet and a couple months later when I learned of their crimes I became angry about the people who allowed Khmer Rouges walking unchallenged in French university (people from the American embassy handling leaflets would have been lynched on the spot), who led youngesters to accept leaflets of that kind of thugs and who were unrepentent about it. That is when, little by little I began moving right wing and rejecting the reflexive anti-americanism of the French (who was not nearly as bad as now).

In 1992, tehre was the referendum over Maastricht and while France was split in half (the "Yes" won by a hair) the press was 100% for it and used every trick to convince people Maastricht would lead us to Nirvana. That is why I began questionning why unelected and not specially intellectually gifted (journalists, at least in comparison with engineers or scientists) would hold the power to mold public through the ability they have to voice their ideas (instead of mereley informing) and through distortion of news.

Finally around 1994 I noticed I was seeing some politicians not as they were but as portrayed by their muppets in a popular satirical TV show. This show played a big role in Chirac's victory in 1995 (the people of the show hated him but they hated his rival still more).

This was was the final shot I needed to make me wary of any attempt of manipulation and to build a deep distrust toward the chattering classes. (1)
Now you know all

(1) In addition in France the chattering classes have similar opinions in most subjects ("Pensee unique", unique thinking), those there is no balance from other sources. Those opinions are far from reflecting those of the normal people. But on international matters the people has no direct contact with reality so they believe our so impartial and truthful media.

Posted by JFM 2004-1-6 7:24:35 PM|| 2004-1-6 7:24:35 PM|| Front Page Top

#9 JFM - pretty impressive to have made the transition you did, especially in the environment you were in. I applaud you, and welcome your comments
Frank

Posted by Frank G 2004-1-6 8:09:23 PM|| 2004-1-6 8:09:23 PM|| Front Page Top

#10 Interesting background, thanks JFM.

I remember those Khmer Rouge dudes back when I was in Tokyo, I forgot all about it until now...

I second Frank's comments also.

Posted by Carl in NH 2004-1-6 8:21:07 PM|| 2004-1-6 8:21:07 PM|| Front Page Top

#11 JFM, very cool. I think most Rantburgers "wont be fooled again, no, no". Not here!

Posted by Lucky 2004-1-7 12:29:31 AM|| 2004-1-7 12:29:31 AM|| Front Page Top

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