Chris Matthews
Well, I didn't see this for myself, but I just read a few articles about it. MSNBC's very own Bill O'Reilly, Chris Matthews, had something interesting to say in regards to the latest Bin Laden tape.
Matthews compared Bin Laden to director and author Michael Moore. Moore is probably best known for his past two documentaries, "Bowling For Columbine" and "Fahrenheit 9/11." Chris Matthews said that Bin Laden was talking like Moore in the latest video. John Kerry had a few words to say after that, as have many media sources, stating that Matthews owes Moore and journalism, in general, a major apology.
I don't care if someone loves Moore's work or downright hates it. I don't ever remember Michael Moore's name coming up as a suspect for masterminding the 9/11 attacks. He's not responsible for the deaths of 3,000 Americans on that day. Just to put Moore's name in the same category as Bin Laden is ridiculous and wrong. I can't stand Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, or Bill O'Reilly, but am I going to compare them to Osama Bin Laden? No. I don't agree with the majority of their views and don't like how they treat their guests on certain occasions, but that still does not put them in the same category (or anywhere close) to Bin Laden or any terrorist like him.
The beauty of America is in its diversity of voice and opinion. Liberals can speak out with the likes of Moore, Al Franken, and the like. Conservatives can do likewise with Hannity, O'Reilly, Limbaugh, and evidently, Matthews. We can disagree entirely with one person and agree whole-heartedly with another. Yet, at the end of the day, we can shake hands, head home, and live in peace. But, there is a line that should be drawn for both parties. Osama Bin Laden has been the figure, the icon, that most Americans have viewed as being responsible for 3,000 deaths on 9/11. Whether one is very liberal or very conservative, neither side should go on comparing Bin Laden to a member of the other party that they don't care for very much. Chris Matthews may have a thing or two against Moore and other liberal-minded folk, but Matthews needs to give a sincere apology, and fast, because what he said is a disgrace to journalists everywhere.
If anyone would like their voice to be known on this issue, feel free to go to MSNBC.com and write to the show hardball. Try to make the e-mails or letters as appropriate as possible. Even though Matthews' comments were very inappropriate, I doubt they'll take too kindly to e-mails reminiscent of Matthews' word-usage. Contradictory? Yes, but deep down there somewhere, they know it's inappropriate. It'd just be nice if they could admit that regarding some of his comments. Hopefully, with our help, they will be able to do that this time.
posted by Craig @ 2:10 PM
2 Comments:
Here is the transcript of Osama Bin Laden's most recent speech so you can decide for yourself whether there are any similarities between the rhetoric of moore and the rhetoric of OBL:
http://www.forbes.com/home/feeds/ap/2006/01/19/ap2462598.html
Personally, I have seen both Fahrenheit 9/11 and Bowling for Columbine and saw a lot of value and truth in both movies, but also a lot of propaganda. I also try to read the complete transcripts of Osama's speeches when they're released. In them too, I see some truth, but also lot of B.S.
It doesn't look like there really is a lot of similarity between F9/11 and the most recent speech. The only thing OBL mentions that I think I remember from the movie is Bush's landing on the aircraft carrier to announce a cease in major operations.
Thanks for the link and the post. In case anyone is having problems reading the link because of this dang box on the right side, I'll repost it.
http://www.forbes.com/home/feeds/ap/2006/01/19
/ap2462598.html
I don't see much similarity, either. But, it seems that ever since the invasion of Afghanistan, many hard-core supporters of Bush, and even Bush himself, have resorted to informal fallacies in attempt to get the public on their side of the debate. They used the false dilemma, in particular, claiming, "If you're not with us, you're against us. If you're not with us, you're with the terrorists." Perhaps Matthews feels the same way and since Michael Moore was so obviously against the war from the start, Matthews likes to link Moore and others like him to Osama Bin Laden and terrorists, in general. I don't agree with this in any sense. Just because one doesn't agree with the decision of a president or with the job he is doing overall, that does not mean they're anti-American or that they sympathize with terrorists, as some like to suggest. As Edward R. Murrow said during the McCarthyian years, dissent and disloyalty are completely different. It seems that some of these folk, like Matthews, O'Reilly, and others, are still stuck in the McCarthy years.
PS- To those checking out the link, there is no space between the "19" and the "/ap". I wrote it like that, because when the link was first posted, the box on the right side covered up everything from the "ap" on, so I tried to make it so the link could be seen in its entirety. I hope it worked.
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