Oh, gosh people.
I think it’s safe to say that most Americans would be nervous about traveling to the Middle East, and they don’t need a movie like Argo to make them feel that way – they have the evening news! That said, I’ve been to the Middle East. I lived there as a child. I visit every year. And, no, I didn’t think for a minute that Argo was a CIA propaganda film. If anything, the opening sequence of the movie shows what happens when the “West” interferes with a sovereign country when they deem that the “wrong” person won an election. For instance, Mosadegh: he was labeled a Communist at the height of the Cold War after he nationalized Iran’s oil. He was then promptly ousted by Britain and the U.S. The backlash was the revolution. To me, I made the connection to Venezuela and a good argument for the U.S. to keep their nose out of Chavez’s presidency. Everyone I’ve spoken to who lives near Iran, if not Iranians themselves, see the ouster of Mesadegh and the installation of the Shah as the beginning of the religious radicalization of the area – because it’s a form of security to keep foreign powers out. Not unlike North Korea’s nuke tests. We’re kind of driving them to do it. Along those lines, the US backed the Taliban during the Cold War, and the U.S. used anti-Communism as the reason at the time, as I’m sure everyone on this list knows. And we can all see how awesome that was for the future of Afghanistan. Argo is a cautionary tale of what can happen when America and the UK get involved in a country they don’t understand. And, I think it’s very clear that the US still doesn’t understand the area. Why else would they install a pro-Iranian government in Iraq, for example. I don’t even think the US would admit that that is what we’ve done. Mission accomplished? I don’t see that people will be any more rah-rah about some kind of American attack on Iran after seeing the movie. If anything, people get a little history lesson. Cuz I’ll bet you a million-bazillion dollars that less than 1% of the US population knew who Mosadegh was BEFORE seeing the movie. In the spirit of differing views, Dr. Barrett’s views were the first I’ve seen where he thinks making this movie is a war crime. If you Google “opening sequence of Argo,” what pops up is a lot of right-wing vomit about how the movie is pro-Iranian propaganda that is being used to make us all hate Israel and NOT go to war with Iran. I kid you not. Go ahead and try it. Although you might want to scrub your brain with Clorox when you’re done. I felt the same way about Dr. Barrett’s article. Tamadhur www.newsharpoon.com --- On Tue, 2/26/13, steve zrucky <[email protected]> wrote: From: steve zrucky <[email protected]> Subject: Re: [LAAMN] Oscar for ARGO: A crime against humanity To: "[email protected]" <[email protected]>, "'Romi Elnagar'" <[email protected]>, "'LAAMN'" <[email protected]> Date: Tuesday, February 26, 2013, 1:34 PM Gary Gordon's critique is the same as MANY OF US who read that racist rant. Thanks Gary ________________________________ From: "[email protected]" [email protected]> To: 'Romi Elnagar' [email protected]>; 'LAAMN' [email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, February 26, 2013 12:22 PM Subject: RE: [LAAMN] Oscar for ARGO: A crime against humanity How nice for Romi to elevate herself as a person of honor and therefore claim a shield for herself as she merely forwards a piece that could have come straight out of the Protocols of the Elders of Zion. Follow the so-called logic of the piece: Affleck is Riefenstahl. "Hollywood is a virtually 100% Jewish enclave". Apparently the Zionist-Hollywood-Obama conspiracy conspired to shaft Zero Dark Thirty from the awards and slap Spielberg (or was he part of the conspiracy, purposely making film about rectifying a gross inhumane element of the U.S. Constitution that he knew would not win and agreeing in a backroom at some deli as they all ate matzoh ball soup that Affleck should win?). The writer she forwards, Kevin Barrett, declares without any sense of the preposterous that Argo is a propaganda film "designed to open the door to war on Iran". Yeah, when I went everyone was so whipped up in nationalistic fervor they all soaped their cars with Bomb Iran-it's just nonsense. Barrett is using a fairly ordinary heist/rescue movie to forward his own thinking about U.S.- Iran relations and his hostility toward Jews (using a tired but workable tactic of equating Jews to Nazis). "The makers of Argo deserve. criminal conviction for crimes against humanity. Instead, Hollywood's Zionist mafia." If you can't see the Crap in that line of pathetic, hate-filled, delusional thinking-but then, I know you can't. You, Romi, have elevated yourself, have declared yourself an honorable person who doesn't hate Jews and you're merely forwarding this nonsense. It must be wonderful to live in the world Barrett lives in, where rhetorical charges to a susceptible audience is all that's necessary, no evidence required. It is propaganda because I say so. It is designed to start a war because I say so. Jews run Hollywood for Israel because I say so. Barrett even goes so far as to quote a joke by comedian (get it, comedian-he makes jokes) Bill Maher as if it's a serious straightforward factual comment-replace the word admitted with the word joked and you get a better picture. The leaps in logic continue with Barrett's time-travel reporting: "I watched Argo on the plane en route to Iran , where I recently spent two weeks. The film depicts Iranians as scowling, bearded fanatics lusting for American blood. When I arrived in Tehran, I was surprised - well, not really that surprised - to discover that Iranians are friendly, gracious, smiling, generous people who absolutely love Americans." Let's see, he watches a new movie in 2013 on a plane in 2013 about something that happened n 1979 and he's surprised to find that what was depicted in 1979 is not happening in 2013. It's fucking amazing! How did that happen? 1979 is not 2013? Incredible! It must be a Jewish conspiracy. They're very good at numbers, you know. And actually, the film depicts revolutionaries and a collateral mob storming the embassy. I didn't really see anyone "lusting for American blood"-perhaps Barrett's confused Argo with a vampire or zombie movie. As a matter of fact, I didn't see any "bearded fanatics", just angry people-many rightfully angry at the U.S. government. But the hyperbole is important to Barrett's whole argument. Without the hyperbole, the hideous rhetoric, the absence of logic, the entirely overblown comparison of Affleck to Riefenstahl, why, he wouldn't have an argument. This article is thoughtless, useless. I'll amend my earlier comment: it doesn't even rise to the level of Crap. And it's a shame it was on this listserve. Not the first time something stupid came from the otherwise necessary Left. Oh well. Gary _____ From: mailto:laamn%40yahoogroups.com [mailto:mailto:laamn%40yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Romi Elnagar Sent: Tuesday, February 26, 2013 11:41 AM To: LAAMN Subject: Fw: [LAAMN] Oscar for ARGO: A crime against humanity I received this message offlist in response to my post. It is not a logical argument IMHO, but may represent what is in the head of the person who sent it to me, and who is now blocked from my private email address. While there are good and logical arguments to be made against this article, other people have also agreed with me as far as ARGO being CIA propaganda, which was my point, and which I have seen expressed elsewhere. Also, if anyone cared to read the article thoroughly, it is clear the writer had some personal experience in Tehran. Best, Romi ----- Forwarded Message ----- From: "mailto:gordon.gary2%40gmail.com " mailto:gordon.gary2%40gmail.com > To: 'Romi Elnagar' mailto:bluesapphire48%40yahoo.com >; 'undisclosed recipients:@yahoo.com Sent: Tuesday, February 26, 2013 12:16 PM Subject: RE: [LAAMN] Oscar for ARGO: A crime against humanity Crap. ________________________________ From:mailto:laamn%40yahoogroups.com [mailto:mailto:laamn%40yahoogroups.com ] On Behalf Of Romi Elnagar Sent: Monday, February 25, 2013 3:45 PM To: undisclosed recipients: Subject: [LAAMN] Oscar for ARGO: A crime against humanity NOTE: While the following article MAY appear to be anti-Semitic in nature, anyone who knows the record of tolerance of the Islamic Republic of Iran towards its own Jewish citizens can see that the seeming racial hostility in this article is in fact clearly directed towards supporters of the Zionist state if Israel, which practices genocide against Arabs every day. If I thought it represented hostility toward all Jews, including the enlightened ones who decry Israeli racism, I would certainly not forward it to you, but when I read it, I felt it expressed exactly and eloquently my own reaction to ARGO, which is that it is propaganda designed to incite Islamophobia and war against Iran . In Peace, Hajja Romi, "Blue" Oscar for Argo: A crime against humanity Mon Feb 25, 2013 7:22PM GMT 5 By Dr. Kevin Barrett The only award the makers of Argo deserve is a criminal conviction for crimes against humanity. Instead, Hollywood 's Zionist mafia has handed them an Oscar for best film of the year. The members of the academy should themselves be in the docket, facing war crimes charges, right alongside Ben Affleck." Argo is a propaganda film. Like the films of Nazi publicist Leni Riefenstahl, it is well-made. Like those of Riefenstahl, it glorifies a murderous criminal organization. And like those of Riefenstahl, its ultimate purpose is to elicit hatred and turn its audience into mass murderers. Riefenstahl glorified the Nazi party; Argo glorifies the CIA. Riefenstahl made Nazi war-mongering and Jew-hatred look beautiful; Argo makes Zionist-incited islamophobia and iranophobia look natural and inevitable and desirable. Riefenstahl's films helped open the door to World War II, which killed 70 million people. Argo is designed to open the door to war on Iran and World War III, which could kill hundreds of millions or even billions. The only award the makers of Argo deserve is a criminal conviction for crimes against humanity. Instead, Hollywood 's Zionist mafia has handed them an Oscar for best film of the year. The members of the academy should themselves be in the docket, facing war crimes charges, right alongside Ben Affleck. But Affleck and the Hollywood mob aren't just guilty of war crimes. They are equally guilty of treason against the United States of America . Hollywood , you see, is a virtually 100% Jewish enclave. And with a few noble exceptions, the Jewish billionaires who own and run Hollywood , and determine what kinds of motion pictures dominate the world, are rabid supporters of Israel 's genocide in Occupied Palestine. Their films should be considered "enemy propaganda" - not just by Palestinians and their supporters, but by the American people. Why? Because war on Iran - as Zbigniew Brzezinski and Chuck Hagel and all genuinely American strategists have been screaming from the rooftops - is an Israeli plan, not an American plan. The Israelis want to drag America into wars against their enemies. And Iran is Israel 's public enemy number one. Israel 's real problem with Iran isn't those nonexistent nukes. (Both the CIA and Mossad have assured us that Iran is not building nuclear weapons.) Israel 's problem is that Iran 's government offers formidable ideological and material support to the Palestinian resistance. Why is that America 's problem? Because America is dominated by a powerful, treasonous Israeli fifth column. As Jewish, pro-Zionist comedian Bill Maher recently admitted, "The Israelis are controlling our government." Argo is enemy propaganda from Israeli-occupied Hollywood . It is a slick attempt to brainwash Americans into seeing Iranians as enemies. Argo seeks to drag the American consciousness back to 1979, when Iranians overthrew their CIA-installed torturer-in-chief, the Shah, and sought justice for his decades of misrule. It seeks to hide the fact that today, America and Iran should have good relations - and would have good relations, if Israel weren't running US foreign policy. I watched Argo on the plane en route to Iran , where I recently spent two weeks. The film depicts Iranians as scowling, bearded fanatics lusting for American blood. When I arrived in Tehran, I was surprised - well, not really that surprised - to discover that Iranians are friendly, gracious, smiling, generous people who absolutely love Americans. (They have no difficulty making the distinction between the American people, and the policies of the Israeli-dominated American government.) After being held hostage to their kindness, hospitality, and generosity for fourteen days, all I can say is that I hope they kidnap me again soon. Most Americans, unfortunately, do not have the opportunity to visit Iran . If you put Mr. Average American on a plane for Tehran , and showed him Argo as the in-flight movie, he would probably have a panic attack and try to kick open the emergency exit door and bail out of the plane. That, of course, is precisely the kind of reaction the Hollywood Zionists created Argo to elicit. In some ways, Argo is almost like a zombie horror movie, with Americans as protagonists, and Iranians as evil flesh-eating zombies. When, in Argo, the small group of Americans visits Tehran's magnificent Grand Bazaar, only to be surrounded, mobbed, and threatened by vicious Iranian extremists hungering for their flesh and thirsting for their blood, I was reminded of nothing so much as the zombies-in-the-shopping-mall scenes from George Romero's horror classic, Dawn of the Dead. When I visited a bazaar in Tehran earlier this month, I had a wonderful time. The scene was lively and colorful. The throngs of shoppers were enjoying themselves. The sellers were courteous and fun to haggle with. Maybe they were hungering for my dollars and thirsting for my coins, but if so, they were reasonably polite about it. I did not experience any zombie attacks. Argo depicts Iran as a living hell for Americans. But for me and the other Americans I visited with, it was more like a paradise. Americans can live well in Iran on very little money. The Iranian rial's value has dropped in relation to the dollar, thanks to the Zionist banksters' currency war. A can of Coca-Cola or a candy bar costs a nickle, a gourmet meal can be had for a few dollars, and all sorts of Iranian-made items are available at bargain prices. (Iranians are getting very good at making all kinds of products, since the sanctions have made imports prohibitively expensive.) But the best thing about Iran is its people. There are no false guides and scammers accosting you, as in some Middle Eastern countries. Iran 's people, regardless of philosophical, political, or religious persuasion, are both dignified and genuinely friendly. They have overcome the colonialist-imposed schizoid complex of servility/resentment. Iranians deal with Westerners, including Americans, naturally and amiably as equals. When will the American government start treating Iran on a similar basis of natural amiability and equality? The short answer: As soon as Americans take a lead from Bill Maher, and shake off Israel 's domination of their country. When that happens, the makers of Argo, and the other Israeli occupiers of America 's media and entertainment industry, may have to seek refuge in Paraguay . http://presstv.com/detail/2013/02/25/290795/oscar-for-argo-a-crime-against-h umanity/ [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ --------------------------------------------------------------------------- LAAMN: Los Angeles Alternative Media Network --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Unsubscribe: <mailto:[email protected]> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Subscribe: <mailto:[email protected]> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Digest: <mailto:[email protected]> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Help: <mailto:[email protected]?subject=laamn> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Post: <mailto:[email protected]> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Archive1: <http://www.egroups.com/messages/laamn> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Archive2: <http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Yahoo! 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