Wednesday, May 11, 2005
24: the popular face of Bush murder and terrorism
The mindset of a society is often exemplified by its popular entertainment. Unfortunately for the world today, the finest example of America's post-9/11 love of imperialism and Bush-CIA/US aggression is the Fox (Rupert Murdoch) television series 24.
From its breathless “kill Arabs before they do another 9/11” time bomb storyline, to its ultra-racist depictions of Muslims (and Chinese), and the program's enthusiastic embrace of torture (a nod to Alberto Gonzales), it is no less than Bush administration “war on terrorism” paranoia and propaganda on steroids, spitting poison from its fangs, and fanning the violent pro-war mob mentality of an ignorant American populace like the best Karl Rove program.
This season's 24 storyline is a Dick Cheney/Donald Rumsfeld wet dream: Islamic “terrorists” colluding with Chinese “terrorists”, threatening the United States with nuclear annihilation, and “all hell breaking loose”. It is this exact wet dream that the Bush administration's criminals are provoking with its policies. Months from now, fans of 24 may look back and think, stupidly, “Wow, this is just like the show”.
This thorough analysis of 24 should be read in its entirety:
Fox's 24:propaganda thinly disguised as television programming
The piece details how 24 is indeed a favorite among Bush neocons, such as Daniel Pipes, and how the show's creators, producers and writers militantly promote the Bush war at every turn. In response to criticism from the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) about the program's racist stereotyping, Fox officials had actor Kiefer Sutherland (who plays the asinine counter-terrorist Jack Bauer) read the following non-apology:
“While terrorism is obviously one of the most critical challenges facing our nation and the world, it's important to recognize that the American Muslim community stands firmly beside their fellow Americans in denouncing and resisting terrorism in every form.”
As the WSWS piece notes, “The statement as presented by Sutherland actually contains a not-so-subtle message about Islamic or Arab Americans or even any other Americans who oppose the war on terror, and recognize it as a cover for the brutal agenda of US imperialism at home and abroad.” In essence, the Bush crime empire, through the Fox network, has issued a threat to all individuals who believe in the rule of law, who believe in true law and order.
Post-9/11, Pentagon interference in American film production and Bush administration/CIA involvement in Hollywood productions have been direct, and rampant. Not surprisingly, Hollywood has churned out a loud and steady stream of “anti-terrorism”, pro-CIA travesties such as “Spy Games,” and pro-US/anti-everyone else deceptions such as “Black Hawk Down” and “Hotel Rwanda.” So complete is government control that, unlike previous periods, there are no critical depictions of the US government to be found anywhere in the American entertainment world.
In coming weeks, Americans will be subject to such imperialist fare as “Kingdom of Heaven,” an “action” film about the Crusades, in which Christians will wholesale slaughter followers of Islam (sure to be a favorite among Bush's Christian Reconstructionist theocrats), and Steven Spielberg's “Into the West,” a glorification of American manifest destiny, featuring the wholesale slaughter of Native Americans, gorgeously filmed.
Enjoy the bloodshed, America.
From its breathless “kill Arabs before they do another 9/11” time bomb storyline, to its ultra-racist depictions of Muslims (and Chinese), and the program's enthusiastic embrace of torture (a nod to Alberto Gonzales), it is no less than Bush administration “war on terrorism” paranoia and propaganda on steroids, spitting poison from its fangs, and fanning the violent pro-war mob mentality of an ignorant American populace like the best Karl Rove program.
This season's 24 storyline is a Dick Cheney/Donald Rumsfeld wet dream: Islamic “terrorists” colluding with Chinese “terrorists”, threatening the United States with nuclear annihilation, and “all hell breaking loose”. It is this exact wet dream that the Bush administration's criminals are provoking with its policies. Months from now, fans of 24 may look back and think, stupidly, “Wow, this is just like the show”.
This thorough analysis of 24 should be read in its entirety:
Fox's 24:propaganda thinly disguised as television programming
The piece details how 24 is indeed a favorite among Bush neocons, such as Daniel Pipes, and how the show's creators, producers and writers militantly promote the Bush war at every turn. In response to criticism from the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) about the program's racist stereotyping, Fox officials had actor Kiefer Sutherland (who plays the asinine counter-terrorist Jack Bauer) read the following non-apology:
“While terrorism is obviously one of the most critical challenges facing our nation and the world, it's important to recognize that the American Muslim community stands firmly beside their fellow Americans in denouncing and resisting terrorism in every form.”
As the WSWS piece notes, “The statement as presented by Sutherland actually contains a not-so-subtle message about Islamic or Arab Americans or even any other Americans who oppose the war on terror, and recognize it as a cover for the brutal agenda of US imperialism at home and abroad.” In essence, the Bush crime empire, through the Fox network, has issued a threat to all individuals who believe in the rule of law, who believe in true law and order.
Post-9/11, Pentagon interference in American film production and Bush administration/CIA involvement in Hollywood productions have been direct, and rampant. Not surprisingly, Hollywood has churned out a loud and steady stream of “anti-terrorism”, pro-CIA travesties such as “Spy Games,” and pro-US/anti-everyone else deceptions such as “Black Hawk Down” and “Hotel Rwanda.” So complete is government control that, unlike previous periods, there are no critical depictions of the US government to be found anywhere in the American entertainment world.
In coming weeks, Americans will be subject to such imperialist fare as “Kingdom of Heaven,” an “action” film about the Crusades, in which Christians will wholesale slaughter followers of Islam (sure to be a favorite among Bush's Christian Reconstructionist theocrats), and Steven Spielberg's “Into the West,” a glorification of American manifest destiny, featuring the wholesale slaughter of Native Americans, gorgeously filmed.
Enjoy the bloodshed, America.
