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May 18, 2005

Cry for Bill Moyers ...

... he is just so incensed that MSM has lost its stranglehold over the dissemination of information its own high priests feel the unwashed masses need to hear that he's totally lost it.

Of course, he couches his screed in the conspiratoral tones that the MSM is not to blame for this loss of power, but that it's nothing but a Rightwing Conspiracy hatched in the Bush White House. (cue the screaming horses)

Money line that Moyers has gone around the bend:

flag's been hijacked and turned into a logo — the trademark of a monopoly on patriotism. On those Sunday morning talk shows, official chests appear adorned with the flag as if it is the good housekeeping seal of approval. During the State of the Union, did you notice Bush and Cheney wearing the flag? How come? No administration's patriotism is ever in doubt, only its policies. And the flag bestows no immunity from error. When I see flags sprouting on official lapels, I think of the time in China when I saw Mao's little red book on every official's desk, omnipresent and unread.
Geez, understand, rubes? American flags = Communist propaganda. Pride in America and its values as expressed in the Constitution, Federalist papers, Declaration of Independence, et al, is no different than the cult of personality that led to some of the bloodiest genocidal policies of the last century and supports the contention that the individual exists at the pleasure of the collective.

Funny how Moyers lectures on and on about the "sins" of the right when he, himself (while press secretary for LBJ), is responsible for one of the most infamous political commercials in the history of American poltics -- the anti-Goldwater "Daisy" ad.

Posted by Darleen at May 18, 2005 06:49 AM

Comments

heard him on Ingraham this morning - what a pompous blow-hard. Threatening to come out of retirement b/c the WH is intimidating the press.
Please do...we can use all the idiotarians in the spotlight we can get.

OT, only slightly. Just watched "The Weather Underground", available from BB. How did we survive the '60's?
Oh, and still waiting for that revolution...

Posted by: Sal at May 18, 2005 08:15 AM

You're missing the point of his remark. The point is that the symbol of the American flag is being used as shorthand for "I am more patrotic than you are", and that those who display the flag are somehow bigger believers in the American ideals.

The comparison with Mao's little red book is idiotic though. Those who didn't display that book prominently were probably executed... we haven't gotten to that point with the flag yet. ;)

/Mike

Posted by: Mike at May 19, 2005 10:58 AM

And where does Moyer get that meme, Mike? Has any person wearing a flag, displaying it on their home/apartment/office cubie (especially immediately after 9/11) said "I am more patriotic than YOU?"

Indeed, just who has been tossing the label "un-American" when referring to other Americans lately? Just who, immediately after 9/11, decried any display of flags as "jingoistic"?

Moyer's was drawing that nonsensical parallel with Mao for one reason only... to attempt to demonize ANYONE that believes that there ARE differences between cultures/societies/governments and that some Americans actually are FOR America.

Posted by: Darleen at May 19, 2005 12:29 PM