Post by Darius on May 7, 2005 14:36:34 GMT -5
I didn't really know where to post this. I am a huge fan of The West Wing for many reasons, not the least of which is the fact that they cover a tremendous number of issues from a generally liberal, yet - I think - fair place. It makes me think about and become aware of many issues that I should know more about. And many, many other artistic reasons, too, but... Anyway, I was watching an episode earlier today and a character made a speech that I don't know what I think about, but which got me thinking enough to share it and ask what others think.
Here's the scenario, for context (and pardon me if this seems ridiculous, I feel ridiculous typing a West Wing plot summary, but bear with me):
The Preisdent is to give a speech to the UN, a section of which reads - "The world will be free when we have freedom of speech for every nation; the world will be free when there is freedom to worship for everyone; the world will be free when we finally shake off the rusted chains of tyranny, whether in the guise of fascist dictatorship or economic slavery or ethic hostility or the cruching yoke of Islamic fanatacism."
There are people who take issue with those last six words saying that we're asking to start World War III, that this is why they hate us, that it is not for us to decide what is right, etc. Fairly lengthy and very interesting conversation between one of the issue-filled people and the speech-writer who wrote it, culminating with this exchange/speech.
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WOMAN WHO TAKES ISSUE WITH THE PHRASE: At this one moment in time, you have to get off you horse and just, simply put, be nice to the Arab world.
SPEECH WRITER: Be nice? Well, how about when we, instead of blowing Iraq back to the 7th century for harboring terrorists and trying to develop nuclear weapons, we just imposed economic sanctions and were reviled in the Arab world for not giving them a global charge card and a free trade treaty? How about when we pushed Israel to give up land for peace? How about when we sent American soldiers to protect Saudi Arabia and the Arab world told us we were desecrating their Holy Land, well, ignore the fact that we were invited. How about two weeks ago in the State of the Union, when the President praised the Islamic people as faithful and hard-working only to be denounced in the Arab press as knowing nothing about Islam. But none of this is the point.
WOMAN: What's the point?
SPEACH-WRITER: I don't remember having to explain to Italians that our problem wasn't with them, it was with Mussolini. Why does the US have to take every Arab country out for an ice cream cone? They'll like us when we win. Thousand of schools teaching children nothing, nothing, nothing but the Koran and to hate America. Who do we see about that? Do I want to preach America, Judeo-Chistianity? No. If their religion forbids them from plaing the trumpet, so be it. But I want those kids to look at a globe, be exposed to social sciences, history, some literature. They'll like us when we win.
------------------
Now, the State of the Union address he mentioned was, to my knowledge, fictional. And the character backed down a little and this is the climax of a complicated conversation and the performance sold a lot of it, so it's not as strong on paper... so, take it for what it's worth... This was written before 9/11, before the current Iraq war... maybe it's nothing, it just struck me somewhere. I watched it three times. And then I wanted to ask someone about it, so I did this... so... I don't know what to say about my own opinion about it... just throwing it out... so...
There it is.
Darius
Here's the scenario, for context (and pardon me if this seems ridiculous, I feel ridiculous typing a West Wing plot summary, but bear with me):
The Preisdent is to give a speech to the UN, a section of which reads - "The world will be free when we have freedom of speech for every nation; the world will be free when there is freedom to worship for everyone; the world will be free when we finally shake off the rusted chains of tyranny, whether in the guise of fascist dictatorship or economic slavery or ethic hostility or the cruching yoke of Islamic fanatacism."
There are people who take issue with those last six words saying that we're asking to start World War III, that this is why they hate us, that it is not for us to decide what is right, etc. Fairly lengthy and very interesting conversation between one of the issue-filled people and the speech-writer who wrote it, culminating with this exchange/speech.
-------------
WOMAN WHO TAKES ISSUE WITH THE PHRASE: At this one moment in time, you have to get off you horse and just, simply put, be nice to the Arab world.
SPEECH WRITER: Be nice? Well, how about when we, instead of blowing Iraq back to the 7th century for harboring terrorists and trying to develop nuclear weapons, we just imposed economic sanctions and were reviled in the Arab world for not giving them a global charge card and a free trade treaty? How about when we pushed Israel to give up land for peace? How about when we sent American soldiers to protect Saudi Arabia and the Arab world told us we were desecrating their Holy Land, well, ignore the fact that we were invited. How about two weeks ago in the State of the Union, when the President praised the Islamic people as faithful and hard-working only to be denounced in the Arab press as knowing nothing about Islam. But none of this is the point.
WOMAN: What's the point?
SPEACH-WRITER: I don't remember having to explain to Italians that our problem wasn't with them, it was with Mussolini. Why does the US have to take every Arab country out for an ice cream cone? They'll like us when we win. Thousand of schools teaching children nothing, nothing, nothing but the Koran and to hate America. Who do we see about that? Do I want to preach America, Judeo-Chistianity? No. If their religion forbids them from plaing the trumpet, so be it. But I want those kids to look at a globe, be exposed to social sciences, history, some literature. They'll like us when we win.
------------------
Now, the State of the Union address he mentioned was, to my knowledge, fictional. And the character backed down a little and this is the climax of a complicated conversation and the performance sold a lot of it, so it's not as strong on paper... so, take it for what it's worth... This was written before 9/11, before the current Iraq war... maybe it's nothing, it just struck me somewhere. I watched it three times. And then I wanted to ask someone about it, so I did this... so... I don't know what to say about my own opinion about it... just throwing it out... so...
There it is.
Darius
