Malcolm Hutty has some interesting perspectives on something more commonly associated with nasty dictatorships: Spontaneous Pro-Government Protests… only this time they are the real things!
BBC News 24 reports that there are protestors outside the French embassy in Washington D.C. decrying French obstructionism on the U.N. Security council. Footage showed that the equivalents of usual street protests were present: placards screaming “Remember Normandy”, and bottles of wine ceremonially poured into the gutter.
This strikes me as a rather unusual story in two respects. Firstly, when half a million people on the streets of London protesting UK government policy on hunting and the countryside barely trouble the BBC for a mention, why do a few Americans merit coverage for a viewpoint equally antithetical to the BBC party line? Is this just an example of News 24 desperately needing footage to fill its airtime? Or has the imminence of war persuaded their editors to recognise that Bush-n-Blair aren’t the only supporters of ousting Saddam?
Secondly, stripped of all the ephemera, this was essentially a pro-government political protest. Such things may be common on the streets of Baghdad and P’yongyang, but are not generally the done thing in western democracies.
I wonder whether the protestors saw what they were doing as “supporting America” or instead as attacking a powerful foreign regime that was interfering with their own disposition, as realised through their domestic political leaders. Curiously, seeing people with whom I identify strongly adopt the tactics of really alien cultures prompts in me a new sympathy for misguided Leftist foreigners.
Next thing you know, the BBC will be filming an Israeli pizza parlour nearly bankrupted by the fear of terrorism, and I will suddenly (and unwillingly) decide that the Palestinians should own the freehold there anyway. Who knows? If the BBC dared to drop its own bias briefly, nations might speak a little more peace unto other nations.
Malcolm Hutty
The obvious difference that comes to mind is that in Pyongyang and Baghdad, the people “protesting” are (one way or another) forced to be there and forced to “protest” (on pain of torture, death, imprisonment, etc.).
I imagine that nobody outside the French consulate in DC was there because the US Government wanted them there (I think the State Department, at least, would strongly prefer they shut up and go home, in fact).
I kinda think that was exactly Malcolm’s point, Sigivald
It may be a minor distinction but I suspect that most of the pro-war demonstrators were supporting the United States, first and foremost, the Bush administration second.
The BBC may have showed this demonstration in order to represent Americans as warmongers reinforcing stereotypes that they differ from more peaceable ‘Europeans’. Did the commentary provide any hints of their position since that would prove the point either way?
Eh? This wasn’t a pro-war demo or a pro-government one, it was simple anti-French one. Nothing unusual about that surely?
youre right that pro government rallies are uncommon in western deomcracies. but america has been under SO MUCH vicious attack for SO LONG, by everyone from pacifists and hippies and europeans and the middle east… that we are getting tired of hearing their bullshit.
the normal, everyday americans normally wouldnt bother rallying if they are happy with the status quo. But when people start holding up signs that say “bush=hitler” or some other nonsense, while Saddam and Kim Jong are still in power… well something is seriously wrong. They are no longer harmless, their vicious words ARE hurting the US both in terms of international respect and hurting our governments resolve to act with force (when necessary). So someone has to counterbalance the idiots.
I don’t know. The American always try to remind the French that it was the American that liberated France from Germany during World War II.
However, they forget that without the French, there will be no United Stated of America. If it was not for the French, almost the whole North America might only be another Hong Kong or Macau.
Thanks Peter, for your comments! I feel exactly the same way! Ordinarily, I’m a peaceful, easy going citizen, but when I see these so called “peaceful” protesters blocking traffic, busting windows, and worse, I get a little riled up! Someone has to let the world know that the USA is not a bunch of doped out hippie pinkos with no sense of right and wrong! Americans today have a moral and social obligation to show support for their leadership! It’s time for the silent majority to let the outspoken minority know where to shove there Anti-American, Pro-Terrorist garbage!
Thanks Peter, for your comments! I feel exactly the same way! Ordinarily, I’m a peaceful, easy going citizen, but when I see these so called “peaceful” protesters blocking traffic, busting windows, and worse, I get a little riled up! Someone has to let the world know that the USA is not a bunch of doped-up hippie pinkos with no sense of right and wrong! True patriotic Americans today have a moral and social obligation to show support for their leadership in this time of crisis! It’s time for the silent majority to let the outspoken minority know where to shove their Anti-American, Pro-Terrorist garbage!
It’s not a power hungry, oil thirsty war…..its pro-democracy and liberation…simple as that!