After allowing the Iranian Leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to lecture the nation yesterday on Channel Four's alternative Christmas speech, one must be grateful that Channel Four was not around in the 1930s as it seems improbable that they would not have allowed Hitler the chance to legitimise himself to us.
But don't worry everyone, because next year Channel Four have lined up Robert Mugabe to speak to us all.
6 comments:
He didn't actually use the speech to justify himself at all, though, as far as I could see. Demonising him will do no good, either.
I think people are getting upset for the wrong reasons. It is a good thing that people appear in the mass media to explain their beliefs. It harks back to the days when speaker's corner thrived.
I think we should have more of it. Let the BNP or Mugabe appear on TV to explain their beliefs and to be challenged on them. At least that way, we can make informed choices.
But he did justify himself by appearing to be reasonable and gentle, a sort of "cuddly" image, at a time when in Iran Christians celebrating Christmas face arrest for having Christmas trees, where children are executed if they commit crimes and were homosexuals face similar punishment.
Is this the sort of person who should be on our screens on Christmas day ?
But Paul, I wasn't liek Speakers Corner. There was no challenge to him, there was nobody asking why he persecutes gay people, children, Christians, etc. He was allowed to appear as a genial benevolent person.
I am all for debate, but not propaganda and lectures.
Remember the way the Soviets labelled Stalin as a benevolent kind man ?
Yes, I take your point, Nich.
Beat me to it. There's no challenge/rebuttal broadcast to deal with it. It was just spin.
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