February 27, 2007
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TUESDAY POLITICS
I
enjoy the Academy Awards and all the other awards shows each year.
Usually, I turn off the TV and fall asleep before they’re over, but
Sunday night I watched to the end. As for the winners, Forest Whitaker
was one of two black actors taking top spots, thereby giving them 50%
of the wins. That’s progress. Surprisingly, Eddie Murphy did not make
it 75%. Helen Mirren and Alan Arkin represented us older folks. And of
course there was our beloved Ellen DeGeneres, posting up for gay
Americans. Quite a diverse group. Then we had Al Gore winning for his
very important film, An Inconvenient Truth to much applause. Ellen
threw in a comment about the stolen election seven years ago, but you
know what I just realized was missing? Not a single mention by anyone
at the podium of the Iraq War or what and who got us there. Not one. As
for Best Picture, while I loved Little Miss Sunshine and The Departed
and The Queen (didn’t see Letters from Iwo Jima), I recently watched
Babel on DVD and felt it had the most relevant message that would
relate to the current world situation. It was complex and a little
convoluted, like Crash and Traffic in former years, but its point (in
my mind) was that so much horror on this planet occurs because of
simple misunderstandings in communication, jumps to conclusions based
on too little evidence that wind up being wars that kills thousands.
This coming Friday, the much maligned Cindy Sheehan will be speaking
against the war once again before a Senate panel and apparently they
haven’t been able to find a single person to oppose her and speak for
the war. We probably won’t get to see it, this mother of one soldier
who won’t give up and doesn’t have the appeal to the media of Anna
Nicole Smith, but billions of us sure did get to see those Academy
Awards. Wonder how many more will die in Iraq before they come around
again next year. What an opportunity missed.
Deep Thought: “Love is not something that you can put chains on and throw into a lake. That’s called Houdini. Love is liking someone a lot.”
Today I am grateful for: Snow in pictures and other places
Guess the Movie: “My plan was so simple. It terrified me. First I must get the death mass and then, I must achieve his death.” Answer: Amadeus, 1984. Winner: titus_bigglesworth
Dems’ Me-Too Iran Talk
by Gareth Porter
As
the Bush administration ratchets up its military threat to Iran, the
leadership of the Democratic party is providing a free pass to continue
on that potentially disastrous course. Congressional leaders have
tacitly or explicitly accepted the necessity of keeping the “military
option”—meaning a massive, unprovoked air attack on Iran—”on the
table,” as have all three of the leading candidates for the party’s
presidential nomination. (Rest of article here.)
Comments (32)
seems like the focus has shifted from supporting the troops in iraq to stating that the war was a bad idea in the first place – (did you watch the grammy’s and the dixie chicks wins?) – or to not mentioning the war at all, cos ppl want it to end so badly…
i am concerned that the same ppl who supported the iraqi war are going to support a new war in iran…
from imdb.com
Sunday night’s 60 Minutes feature about 1,000 U.S. military personnel who signed a petition urging a withdrawal of forces from Iraq has touched off angry comments on the CBS News site, Public Eye. Brian Montopoli, who edits the site, said Monday that it had already filled 73 pages with public comments about the story, “many of them vitriolic.” Montopoli also observed that even before the story aired, Fox News Channel’s Sean Hannity called it “a hit piece” and charged that it was designed to “work with the Democrats in Congress, embolden the enemy, undermine the troops.” Montopoli commented, “Whether the story should have run is, of course, a news judgment call” and maintained that it was made legitimate by a Military Times survey, cited in the report, that found more U.S. soldiers now oppose the president’s handling of the war than support it.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/02/22/60minutes/main2505412.shtml
Amadeus? (that really is a guess) The Oscars were good this year. Helen Mirren was the highlight for me.
I was glad to see Al Gore win. I thought Ellen Degeneres did a *really* great job of hosting. Normally, I only watch with a good book in hand. But she kept me watching and engaged.
I never thought about it that way. I really hesitate to watch tv because it just makes me angry.
I hope your week is great.
I enjoy the Oscars for the most part and this year was no exception…
I noticed that. The Smith coverage is driving me nuts. And there’s some sort of ridiculousness going on because Anderson Cooper has said that he won’t be covering it anymore because there are so many (so, so, so many) more important things going on and of course, some Fox news guy is calling Cooper an elitist or some such garbage. I don’t watch television news, but it makes me want to watch Anderson Cooper.
well I think opinion on the direction of the Iraq war is already settled isn’t it?…
Amadeus wins!
I think…
the general consensus has already spoken about Iraq…
and perhaps we all just wanted a night of entertainment…
and a focus on something we can do something about at home…
going green…
Well. I didn’t love Ellen and I’ll tell you why. I like her more or less, but I think that gosh-wow self-effacing humor in the face of all the glorious back-patting didn’t sit well with me. I think the host needs a little sting to make it all tolerable for me. About the war. I don’t post much about it, but last night I linked to a Sports Illustrated story about some soldiers that I warned was very sad. And…my comments are few, and they are things like, I can’t handle anything sad. So, based on that and other conversations I’ve had, now I worry that our country is tired of the war, tired of the sadness of people like Cindy Sheehan, and our response is to cover our ears, close our eyes and go la-la-la about our business.
I think it may not have been mentioned because EVERYONE knows how Hollywood feels about the war in Iraq. They aren’t called “those damn Hollywood liberals” for nuttin’.
I mean. AL GORE won an Oscar this year, or his documentary did which is world a damn lot all things considered.
Nice post, it is difficult watching as we all watch, waiting, wanting change and then the past repeats. We live a groundhog day flick of sorts. Thank you for the site referral- should you ever come across some way to deal with this I would be grateful, this winter has all but three weeks of January and February been migraine ridden. Life stops- almost. -g
RYC: The war is a tradgedy. It sickens me. I remember all the flags that flew after 9-11. I look around now and see very few. I still have a yellow ribbon tied to my tree. Sadly, I think it will remain for some time.
The one thing that gives me any amount of hope was a comment from a speaker I went to see. He asked if any of us had family or friends in Iraq. Several raised their hands. He said to them, ” Just know that they are with the best friends they will ever have. They love you and they will be home soon.”
I cried. I still cry when I think of it.
I thought Ellen was brilliant – she brought the Oscars back, in my mind (Chris Rock slaughtered them). There was an appropriate amount of politicizing in the Oscars – going green! It was nicely done. I really enjoyed Melissa E and the messages that popped up during her presentation of her song for AIT. I brought my knitting over to my folks’ (where I watched the Oscars) and I didn’t pick it up once. I loved the “improv” with the folks in the audience (giving Scorcese a script and Clint wondering where his script is). Nicely done. And nearly done on time.
I just wish people would write a “thank you speech” and not try to ramble stuff off the top of their heads. But that’s just me. Or is it?
It is kind of twisted that Ana Nicole Smith trumps the war…I was just thinking the other day about how we live in a strange culture that can make war and at the same time ignor it and focus on fun and frolic.
RYC: “A break from Iraq…is a luxury.” Oh definitely agreed! I didn’t say that to belittle what’s going on over there. Our troops and tax dollars & the Iraquis are all suffering at the hands of one of the largest corporate machines ever built! The Government & it’s industrial partners profit from war, plain and simple. I don’t think we should be quiet, even if it won’t be heard. Are you right about missing out on the global forum which is the Oscars? You betcha! However, I think most of the American public believes that even if we created a picketing mosh pit in Washington with bullhorns and opinions that nothing will change until the election & the industrial figurehead is done with the office. He won’t step down, it’s too late to impeach and he’s not going to stop this war. So, while we are waiting for that…perhaps we should pick up some agendas that we can make a difference with…right here…in our own backyard…instead of tending to the buisness sticking our noses into other people’s business under false and glorified pretenses with the only benefit being to the rich, money whores of war.
And again they got the aksent on the wrong cyllabell. Or put the hart before the course. But I don’t think there ever is a dictionary used in trying to figure out what one biggie is saying to another.
hi L, ryc: at least a ‘rant or a rave’ is putting some personal energy into moving out of the ground hog day…but ultimately until there is a change- a real change- ground hog day remains. something out of the box needs to happen to make the transition it seems. -g
The dialogues these days have gotten so convoluted it’s like babble. If you’re against the war, you’re against the troops (if I were doing the Texas two-step through land mines in Baghdad, I wouldn’t hear it that way at all) and that means you want to take away their bullets. Down is up, up is down, and when the White House had a bomb drill the President went on a bike ride instead. “We’re at war–let’s party.”
Hi there. RYC: I agree so much about wanting people to shout the war from the rooftops, but I think this was Go Green and Al Gore’s day to shine. I don’t want to say that one is more important than the other because that isn’t true. I think that Go Green! being highlighted was appropriate given the tenor of the Oscars this year (look who won – not people who are actively voicing their opinions about anything, cum Susan Sarandon and Richard Gere).
Eddie Murphy NOT winning is progress in my mind. Oh, you make an excellent point about the war in Iraq and how it seems we in general have decided to ignore it as much as possible.
I think we’ll get enough about Iraq in the endless electioneering that has already begun and the first Tuesday in November 2008 can’t come soon enough for me. I for one loved the fact that we had an evening with no mention of Iraq. Just a respite. For one evening. You won’t begrudge that, will you?
I’m with you on the need to maintain, even raise, awareness of Iraq. I’m just saying it was nice to have one night on which we didn’t have to think about ugliness. A respite. Just one evening.
By the way, you know I’m nuts for Barack Obama. I missed a lot of the flap over what it was that David Geffen said that got the Clintonistas to accusing Obama of the same old negative politicking that we’re all so tired of.
Here’s a link (I hope it works) that explains the incident fairly well. What I love is that Obama appears astute enough not to make the kinds of mistakes that John Kerry made. They’re just not going to be able to swiftboat this guy, I don’t think. Obama says the right things, in the right way, and he’s going all the way to the White House.
There is hope for the world.
RYC: Thanks. (Blush.)
can we change the channel (litterally on iraq and gouging at the pumps?)..i’m glad i’m Libertarian.
Why is Cindy Sheehan so maligned? I missed how that happened; only realized it the other day, when I peeked out from under my rock.
I really appreciate your take on Babel. It’s so true what you said, “so much horror on this planet occurs because of simple misunderstandings in communication…” It’s true on many levels. I find 99% of our arguments at home are really based on misunderstandings, or miscommunication.
At the moment I’m considering springing for $200 for my wife and me to meet Barack Obama. He’ll be 100 miles south of us at noon on Sunday, March 25. The fundraising event is limited to a thousand participants.
Tonight I’m meeting up with a guy I found who’s as keen on supporting Obama as I am. So far we are THE two-man Obama for President committee in Vero Beach.
I’ve never gotten involved in politics before. Never contributed before. Just a voter.
But this guy’s different. You’ve seen my slogan. “The U.S. needs him. The world needs him.”
I’ll shut up if you ask me to.
Maybe.
Regardless, I’ll continue to love you and your blog.
I actually fell asleep on the Oscars–a true rarity for me. But as I get older, I realize that four hours is a lot of living to devote to watching the glitterati pat themselves on the back. I gave up the Grammys and the Emmys years ago. Guess I’ll stay with the Tonys and watch the Academy Awards via highlights.
RYC: Babies are good.
I just received a copy of ‘Bable’ and can’t wait to watch it. A friend is a mamber of the Screeen Actors Guild and has promo copies of all the nominated movies. Yes, at times I feel apathetic about the War and polotics in general, it’s like “what good is all of my complaining doing?”.
I’m waiting for Children of Men to come out on dvd. Someone told me that it succeeds in making the point Babel tries to make. I’m going to try and see both and see if I agree. Of course, by the time I do that, it’ll probably be time for the 2008 Oscars.
Thanks for the visit and subscription. I shall return the flavor>
I too watched the Academy Awards until the end. Over the past several months, I have grown to like and enjoy Ellen. The few days I am home in the morning, I like catching her show. I’ve considered recording it.
LOL Good points on Iraq and Anna Nicole Smith. I can’t believe MSNBC, CNN and the like can spend a whole hour or whatever show on it. Huh?