Wednesday, November 25, 2015

And Speaking Of Perspective

...along with xenophobia, bigotry and demagoguery, the folks at Fox News would seem to be quite ignorant about their country's own history.

Here is a timely festive reminder of that history for those soon to be celebrating American Thanksgiving:
Thanksgiving is a refugee’s narrative. The first Thanksgiving (or at least, the event we now remember as Thanksgiving) was celebrated in 1621 at the Plymouth Plantation colony in modern-day Massachusetts. It was attended by both native inhabitants and newcomers—the latter having fled England, by way of the Low Countries, due to religious persecution.

Syrian refugees today are fleeing warfare and the political oppression of both a secular dictatorship and an extremist theocracy. But in attempting to find safe haven in the United States—a country that owes a great deal of its success to immigrants, from all over the world—they are now being met with persecution in another form.
What is that special persecution? This clip from Fox says it all:



Although the above commentators might be viewed as egregious examples of a failed U.S. education system, they are at least providing reassurance to their special audience, who no doubt take great solace knowing that such giants are on the job and protecting Americans' interests.

My favourite line from the clip?
“It is always interesting to listen to a condescending British person tell you about colonialism,” co-host Dana Perino said. “The British were so much better at colonialism than the Pilgrims.”

6 comments:

  1. Lorne, I consider Fox News a comedy channel. However, it is dangerous too when it spreads hatred like this.

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    1. The most disturbing fact, LD, is that it apparently enjoys very high ratings. What does that say about the people who watch it?

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    2. Lorne, it is like Donald Trump. Imagine if he wins the nomination for Cons and then Presidency. It is scary even to think about it. Say goodbye to the world peace.

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    3. We can only hope that people choose to vote Democrat, LD, in light of the clown parade that constitutes the Republican slate.

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  2. It is indeed unfortunate that Australia produced Rupert Murdoch, that rather nasty media baron who lets his nitwits on Fox revise history, and everything else for that matter. From his base in Blighty, Murdoch even managed to buy his way out of the News of the World debacle and phone bugging.

    Of course, Canada has also produced media barons who went to the UK and prospered. Thomson, Beaverbrook and Lord God Almighty hisself Conrad Black, who distinguished himself by being a mere minnow in the streams of conservative "thought" if it can be termed that. At least he ran afoul of US Justice, bleating all the while that it was so unfair on him, a forthright, honest man who was an expert on history. Funnily enough, his history books aren't bad if you can stand to read them from his ideological viewpoint.

    Perhaps he can be persuaded to pen a rebuttal of Fox news revisionism in the way he dissed harper. Murdoch hardly came to his assistance during his time of troubles. We need the right to argue with each other.

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    1. That scenario would indeed be a sight to behold, Anon.

      I was out with some friends last night telling them about the above video, and I suggested that perhaps one of the factors playing into the benighted nature of so many Americans is that Fox News is a ratings leader. Can we really surprised that the state of discourse in the U.S. is so debased when a network that plays into everyone's ignorance, prejudice and fears thrives?

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