The danse macabre of US-style democracy

financeguy · 04-03-2008, 03:27 PM

http://www.johnpilger.com/page.asp?partid=471

Quote:

What struck me, living and working in the United States, was that presidential campaigns were a parody, entertaining and often grotesque. They are a ritual danse macabre of flags, balloons and bullshit, designed to camouflage a venal system based on money power, human division and a culture of permanent war.

Harry Vest · 04-03-2008, 03:56 PM

Couldn't have said it better myself.

Irvine511 · 04-03-2008, 03:58 PM

i've seen a few of his films. it's tough to take his criticism seriously, and he blurs right and left attacks on candidates in order to implicate the entire system, and thus an entire country, with not a dime's bit of nuance.

[q]Barack Obama is a glossy Uncle Tom who would bomb Pakistan.[/q]

i mean, honestly, he expects to be taken seriously with this meaningless, empty, and ultimately offensive -- a foreigner using the phrase Uncle Tom? fuck off -- faux-sophisticated language?

[q]None of this drivel is journalism. It is anti-journalism, worthy of a minor courtier of a great power.[/q]

the "pot/kettle" goings on in this sentence remind me of a certain FYM poster (and not the OP).

Irvine511 · 04-03-2008, 04:08 PM

honestly, ask yourself how this:

[q]Nothing has changed. Barack Obama is a glossy Uncle Tom who would bomb Pakistan. Hillary Clinton, another bomber, is anti-feminist. John McCain’s one distinction is that he has personally bombed a country. They all believe the US is not subject to the rules of human behaviour, because it is "a city upon a hill", regardless that most of humanity sees it as a monumental bully which, since 1945, has overthrown 50 governments, many of them democracies, and bombed 30 nations, destroying millions of lives.[/q]

is any different from the Republican Party's narrative of a country selected by God to lead the world into freedom and democracy?

it's all crap.

financeguy · 04-03-2008, 04:08 PM

I don't agree with Pilger......just posting it to generate debate.

He has a warped view of things, which obscures the good points he does make.

Irvine511 · 04-03-2008, 04:10 PM

i don't know where to take the debate, though.

Harry Vest · 04-03-2008, 04:32 PM

Yep, the whole article was not exactly amazing journalism...the "uncle tom" quote was way over the top. However, that doesn't mean there are no good points.

04-03-2008, 03:56 PM	#2
Harry Vest Refugee Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Winnipeg, Canada Posts: 2,455 Local Time: 04:15 AM	Couldn't have said it better myself. __________________

04-03-2008, 04:32 PM	#7
Harry Vest Refugee Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Winnipeg, Canada Posts: 2,455 Local Time: 04:15 AM	Yep, the whole article was not exactly amazing journalism...the "uncle tom" quote was way over the top. However, that doesn't mean there are no good points. __________________

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04-03-2008, 03:58 PM	#3
Irvine511 Blue Crack Supplier Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Washington, DC Posts: 32,356 Local Time: 05:15 AM	i've seen a few of his films. it's tough to take his criticism seriously, and he blurs right and left attacks on candidates in order to implicate the entire system, and thus an entire country, with not a dime's bit of nuance. [q]Barack Obama is a glossy Uncle Tom who would bomb Pakistan.[/q] i mean, honestly, he expects to be taken seriously with this meaningless, empty, and ultimately offensive -- a foreigner using the phrase Uncle Tom? fuck off -- faux-sophisticated language? [q]None of this drivel is journalism. It is anti-journalism, worthy of a minor courtier of a great power.[/q] the "pot/kettle" goings on in this sentence remind me of a certain FYM poster (and not the OP).

04-03-2008, 04:08 PM	#4
Irvine511 Blue Crack Supplier Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Washington, DC Posts: 32,356 Local Time: 05:15 AM	honestly, ask yourself how this: [q]Nothing has changed. Barack Obama is a glossy Uncle Tom who would bomb Pakistan. Hillary Clinton, another bomber, is anti-feminist. John McCain’s one distinction is that he has personally bombed a country. They all believe the US is not subject to the rules of human behaviour, because it is "a city upon a hill", regardless that most of humanity sees it as a monumental bully which, since 1945, has overthrown 50 governments, many of them democracies, and bombed 30 nations, destroying millions of lives.[/q] is any different from the Republican Party's narrative of a country selected by God to lead the world into freedom and democracy? it's all crap.

04-03-2008, 04:08 PM	#5
financeguy ONE love, blood, life Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ireland Posts: 10,122 Local Time: 10:15 AM	I don't agree with Pilger......just posting it to generate debate. He has a warped view of things, which obscures the good points he does make.

04-03-2008, 04:10 PM	#6
Irvine511 Blue Crack Supplier Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Washington, DC Posts: 32,356 Local Time: 05:15 AM	i don't know where to take the debate, though.