Few people can see genius in someone who has offended them.
- Robertson Davies, Canadian author
A few posts ago in my other blog (Grow Your Dollars), I was complimenting America on its progressive social values, but the latest salvo by Fox News ranting on in an anti-Canadian way has bothered me.
Here's a link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVKlFT58Zwc
Gentle Canadians and good Canadian officials are calling the piece disrespectful, ignorant, ill-informed, inaccurate, mean-spirited, offensive, disgusting "hate speech" and worse.
Of course, Fox News didn't verify its show with the truth, and is exhibiting another example of its low standards. If it doesn't care about the truth what can justify airing the segment at all? Nothing can justify televising ignorant views. Where is the adult supervision at Fox News, anyway? Haven't they employed any experienced citizens of the world to pre-edit their stories? Why didn't they research this piece?
Oh, why even dignify it with my attention? I am originally from Canada and the top Canadian General who is mocked, the "Chief of Staff", used to be a school friend. I can assure all my readers that he is from a fine family, and would have none of the articles of clothing referred to. I don't know whether the facts in the video are the truth or not. But such obvious disrespect, rudeness and narrow-mindedness is unacceptable to an international audience, offensive even to an audience of the international within the country. Nevertheless, it's sadly an omnipresent mindset all too commonly heard in American society. It just got on television this time.
It bothers me when American neighbors get this noisy on television and misbehave with a seeming drunken abandon of verbal abuse. This really shouldn't be acceptable behavior in America at all. The American public should be told the truth in the media.
A Canadian in the comments blog of The Globe and Mail said:
The sad thing is that Canada has been fighting shoulder-to-shoulder with the Americans in Afghanistan since 2002 and has lost more soldiers per capita there than the Americans have - some even killed by Americans in so-called "friendly fire" incidents.
Another comment said most Canadians rank Fox News "a tabloid". In fact, Fox News says it has a policy according to Wikipedia, that is "just a policy and not a "law, rule, or regulation" to tell the truth, so "the whistle blower law did not apply". That was the case of Jane Akre. It merely proves my point that Fox does not value common journalistic practices, or even good human values, like truth, let alone compassion, kindness and justice.
Canadians are reacting with angry phrases like "A pox on Fox" and "Fox is to news what compost is to food (except that compost serves a purpose)"...What other human reaction could be expected? To close up and say nothing?
No wonder America has so many foreign enemies and is despised around the world. If it makes a laughingstock of and slanders its closest allies and neighbors, it clearly doesn't care about being liked or fear an aggressive reaction. That's not what good neighbors do...just ones who've fought and partied too noisily and haven't the forward vision to imagine the value of getting along.
But then with the economic war now raging within America, it's not so surprising that the rage should spill over to television. Personally, I had not noticed this show until it was brought to my attention, and don't know the names of the village idiots on it. This is one show that should stop immediately. It's just offended all Canadians.
Just be quieter about it, please, America? Keep the war within yourself. Please show a little self-discipline for a change and learn about your neighbors with peace and humility. Give them credit, too. Yes, all of that would make a most welcome change.
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