Drive-by Times

Sep 5, 2009

Erik Gandini film Videocracy: trailer blocked in Italy

An Erik Gandini documentary titled Videocracy takes aim at Silvio Berlusconi's media empire and the ways in which trash-TV has come to subvert and manipulate culture and politics in Italy.

The film brilliantly exposes the media circus that is Italian commercial TV with its omnipresent ringmaster Berlusconi. It's a world in which the lines between fantasy and reality have become strangely blurred.

An opening scene that resurrects archive footage of a stripping housewife gameshow sets the tone for what follows.

In Italy life itself has become the show. For example, a starlet who once strutted her stuff on a TV show is now Italy's Equal Opportunity Minister. The ringmaster himself has a private life that is at times indistinguishable from a soap opera.

Videocracy captures the moral erosion that occurs when a society takes its value from the 'games' in an electronic coliseum. Welcome to life-as-entertainment. As director Erik Gandini aptly put it "In Italy, what does not exist on TV does not exist."

The film says a great deal about the power of image and the allure of fame and money.

Gandini: "You get a picture of a generation which is very very obsessed by brands, by their own appearance, not interested in politics so much, nor in the world... You have a country which is culturally caught in a bubble of values which are what I call a videocracy, where image is everything,"

The trailer for Videocracy shows scantily dressed women and provides statistics about restrictions on press freedom. Italian public broadcaster RAI and Berlusconi's Mediaset channels have refused to air it. Ironically the reason given for rejecting the trailer was that it was offensive to Berlusconi's reputation.

The rejection has helped to accelerate interest in the documentary in other quarters - the number of cinemas eager to obtain prints of the film has doubled.

Videocracy screened this week to a rave reception at the Venice film festival. It was included in the independent international Critics' Week strand.

Guardian article - here.

Review of Videocracy - here.

Sep 2, 2009

Brandon Huntley: South Africa calls Canadian refugee ruling 'racist'

South Africa's ruling party has condemned Canada's 'racist' decision in granting refugee status to Brandon Huntley, a man who claims he was the target of repeated assaults in South Africa because he is white.

Huntley is an unemployed 31-year old who formerly worked as a water sprinkler salesman in SA. He obtained a temporary permit to work as a carnival attendant in Canada. When the permit expired in 2006, he remained in Canada illegally.

Huntley

According to Huntley he was mugged and stabbed on numerous occasions in South Africa by attackers who called him "white dog" and "settler' during the alleged assaults.

The attacks are purely Huntley's say-so, because there is no record of them in SA - he never laid any charges with the police.

Several residents in the Cape Town suburb of Mowbray where Huntley lived say they have never heard of anyone being called a "white dog" or a "settler."

South Africans who claim they know Mr Huntley on a personal basis have described him as 'a conman.' They claim he had a plan to stay on in Canada after his temporary work visa expired and had decided to play on popular prejudices about South African crime in order to press his case for refugee status.

A South African radio talk-show host told The Times that “The truth will soon come out. He came out with this cock-and-bull story and probably never expected to receive this publicity. There are no records of any attacks and he admits he never reported any of them.”

Ronnie Mamoepa, a spokesman for SA's Home Affairs department said the SA government was "disgusted" by the Canadian ruling and "preposterous claims" by Mr Huntley.

Brian Sokutu of the ANC said: “We find the claim by Huntley to have been attacked seven times by Africans due to his skin colour without any police intervention sensational and alarming. Canada’s reasoning for granting Huntley a refugee status can only serve to perpetuate racism.”

Given the political implications of this case and the rather sketchy circumstances surrounding Huntley's application, it is all the more surprising that Refugee Board member, William Davis, appeared to have no problem believing that Huntley had been persecuted because of his race, as opposed to simply being a victim of crime.

Davis went further and enlarged the canvas by suggesting that South Africa had failed to protect its white citizens from robberies and muggings - a situation he depicted in alarmist terms as the "persecution" of whites by "African South Africans."

There are a number of misconceptions behind the scenario painted by Davis. Crime in South Africa is a serious problem, but whites aren't the primary victims.

The South African Institute of Race Relations (SAIRR) pointed out that "... the vast majority of the victims of violent crime are black." SAIRR further noted that there was no "general pattern of racial attacks on white South Africans by black South Africans."

Davis said that Mr Huntley would "stand out like a sore thumb" in any part of S.Africa because of his skin color - a rather odd statement considering that there are more than 4 million whites in South Africa.

He also said that Huntley would be unable to find employment in SA because affirmative action favors blacks. Statistics paint a different picture. The unemployment rate for blacks in South Africa is 27.9%, compared to whites at 4.6%. Moreover 61% of South Africa's top corporate executives are white men.

The South African government has announced that it will seek a review of the Canadian Refugee Board's decision.

Globe and Mail article - here.

Guardian article - here.

SA Mail and Guardian - here.

Sep 1, 2009

Bill Donohue of the Catholic League says atheists 'out to get us'

Catholic League President and Vatican shill Bill Donohue has a tendency to overreact at the best of times.

When he was on the morning show Fox and Friends promoting his new book with the bombastic title - Secular Sabotage: How Liberals are Destroying Religion and Culture in America - Donohue was true to form.

With paranoid conviction he warned that "militant, dogmatic" atheists are "out to get" Catholics and dismantle American society.

There is little room for nuance in Donohue's RC-centric universe. The boiler room where he churns out his diatribes is so far removed from the diverse and changing face of America that his brand of Catholic zealotry comes across as badly out-of-touch.

With typical overstatement he refers to 'militant, dogmatic fundamentalist atheism' in an effort to conjure something cultlike and menacing. It's an obvious attempt at scare mongering.

While he's at it Donohue should look in his own backyard. Militancy includes dogmatic and unreasonable Catholic positions on matters such as birth control, abortion, stem-cell research, gay marriage. Scandalous positions include the concerted effort of high ranking Catholic clerics to cover up the sex abuse of children by priests who routinely got shuttled from parish to parish.

Donohue's persecution complex knows no bounds.

A recent episode of the Showtime series Penn & Teller: Bullshit! took aim at the Catholic Church. The show was characterized by Donohue as "a Nazi-like assault."

He is seeing Nazis in all the wrong places. During WW2 it was the Catholic Church that turned a blind eye to fascist crimes when it suited them to do so and in the case of certain clerics acted as enablers.

With the reactionary climate created by Pope Benedict the church has been regressing. It has lost both its authority and relevance for many people.

Penn Jillette put it this way: “If your morality is governed by anything personal, ethical, rational or humanitarian, then the Vatican is bullshit.”

Raw Story article - here.

Tags: Bill Donohue, Catholic League, Bill Donohue warns about atheists, Penn and Teller, Catholic Church, Vatican, Nazis, secular sabotage, Penn & Teller Bullshit, Pope Benedict, Fox and Friends

Bill Donohue: a bad case of myopia

Aug 29, 2009

Kennedy's passing and the silence of the Pope

Former US Presidents and Washington power players showed up at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Basilica in Boston to pay their last respects to Ted Kennedy.

The Senator was described by President Obama in his eulogy as "the greatest legislator of our time."

There was a certain irony underlying the Roman Catholic send-off for Kennedy. It's hard to overlook that a funeral for an American icon took place in a Boston church rather than the city cathedral. Also to date Pope Benedict has made no comment about Kennedy's passing. The silence of the Vatican speaks louder than words.

As a Time magazine article notes, "the niceties of international diplomacy do not require the Pope to issue a statement on the death of a non-head of state." However the article also points out that when the Senator's sister Eunice was dying, the Papal Nuncio to the US sent a letter to the family saying the Pope was praying for her and her family.

Ted Kennedy fought courageously for abortion rights, gay marriage and stem-cell research - all taboo in the eyes of the RC magisterium. The official Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano, praised Kennedy for fighting for immigrant rights, gun control and higher minimum wages, but regretted his "unfortunate" support of abortion.

A Vatican official quoted in the Time article had some scathing remarks about how Ted Kennedy is viewed in Rome.

"Here in Rome, Ted Kennedy is nobody. He's a legend with his own constituency. If he had influence in the past, it was only with the Archdiocese of Boston, and that eventually disappeared too."

When President Obama met with Pope Benedict on July 10 of this year, he handed the Pope a letter from Senator Kennedy. There has been speculation it contained a request for a Papal blessing.

A Vatican official queried why Kennedy even bothered to make the effort: "Why would he even write a letter to the Pope? The Kennedys have always been defiantly in opposition to the Roman Catholic magisterium."

The magisterium with its ideological inflexibility and hard nosed adherence to doctrine seems oddly removed from the teachings of the Jesus of the New Testament who placed love and compassion ahead of doctrine.

The Vatican stand-in for the prince-of-peace should maybe reflect on the saying - "Judge not, lest you be judged."

Kennedy funeral - commentary and video highlights here.

Aug 26, 2009

Microsoft photo racism row: black man edited out of web photo

A photo that appeared on Microsoft's US website turned up on the website of the company's Polish business unit with a few key changes. The pic had been edited to replace the head of the black man with that of a white man.

It's an amateurish photoshop job. The hand of the black man has been left in place. The position of the imported head looks awkward in relation to the torso giving the impression of a bad case of crick-in-the-neck. The head also appears to be a tad too large.

The Asian man made the transition to the Polish site without having any body parts replaced.

The vast majority of Poles are white and some pundits have suggested that the photoshopped pic might reflect, for want of a better term - 'localization' concerns. Another way of putting it is to say that the PS job was about catering to racial priorities.

Microsoft is an international company supportive of diversity and its ads ought to be reflective of that when appearing on Polish sites or anywhere else.

It seems probable the pic was photoshopped in a misguided effort to render it more kosher for a Polish audience, possibly by some party on the Polish site.

Microsoft has apologized for the 'gaffe' and will be investigating to find out who was responsible for the changes.

The company also issued an apology on its official Twitter feed:

"Marketing site photo mistake - sincere apologies - we're in the process of taking down the image."

BBC report - here.

Aug 21, 2009

Challiss McAffee: Idaho GOP leader/tea party activist charged with assault

More evidence that the GOP is increasingly being defined in the media by fringe actors and cowboys.

Idaho GOP leader, Challis McAffee, is District 16 chairman from the Boise suburb of Garden City. He's also a member of the Idaho Republican Central Committee and a tea party activist. McAffee has been charged with felony aggravated assault for pointing a .357 Magnum handgun at a 51 year old homeowner, Robert Lutes.

This move wasn't just over-the-top, it was illegal in more ways than one. Ada County's Sheriff's spokeswoman, Andrea Dearden, said Friday that McAffee doesn't have a license to carry a concealed weapon.

McAffee was taking photographs of Lutes' home as part of a foreclosure investigation. When Lutes understandably became upset and wanted to find out why some dude was snapping pics of his house, McAffee retrieved the Magnum from the floor of his truck and pointed it at the resident.

Lutes: "I'm unarmed, I'm an old man. I''m trying to find out why he's taking pictures of my house. I said, 'Knock on my door, let me know what you want.' Then, I think he's reaching for his business card and he pulls out a concealed weapon and I think he's going to blow my head off."

Wells Fargo contractor, Tony Schewmaker, hired McAffee for the investigation, and has been complaining that "we can't use a gun for our own protection."

Schewmaker's complaints don't jibe with comments by Wells Fargo. A spokesperson said "Mr. McAffee's behavior is horrific and absolutely inexcusable. Our policy is to ensure that our customers, including those in financial distress, are always treated respectfully and with dignity. We have already begun to look into this with our contractor to make sure they are reinforcing these policies."

It's kind of ironical that a teabagger is engaged in helping the banks throw people out of their homes. Hiring 'contract employees' is a handy way for corporations to minimize their liabilities - except of course when contract help start behaving like gunslingers.

A friend of McAffee claims that producing the weapon was an attempt to 'de-escalate' the situation. It seems more like escalation. McAffee must be easily spooked. You generally lower tensions in a situation like this by backing off and showing some respect for the homeowner.

After the arrest McAffee was held in Ada County jail. He was released on Thursday when family members and friends posted a portion of the $50,000 bond.

No word if the jail served regular black tea... or possibly Orange Pekoe with a twist of lemon.

More details from Think Progress - here.

Crooks and Liars - here.

Liberty lovers

Aug 18, 2009

Gays in Iraq targeted for torture, murder: HRW report

Sadr City

Human Rights Watch has released a report titled "They Want Us Exterminated: Murder, Torture, Sexual Orientation and Gender in Iraq" that documents a brutal anti-gay campaign that began in early 2009.

The attacks began in Sadr City, stronghold of Muqtada al-Sadr's Mahdi Army and have subsequently spread to other cities in Iraq - although the persecution remains concentrated in the Baghdad area.

Human Rights Watch believes the campaign is being coordinated by Iraqi militias and says government security forces may also be involved.

Gay men derisively referred to as "puppies" [jarawi] have been targeted. Mutilated bodies of victims have turned up in garbage dumps - some daubed with offensive terms such as "pervert" or "puppy."

In the case of some of the victims there is evidence that a powerful glue was used to seal the anus. Some of those subjected to this barbarity died after being forced to ingest a laxative.

One man described the attacks on gays as "a slaughterhouse on the streets." Another referred to it as "a theater of humiliation." The public manner in which the atrocities are 'advertised' make clear that it is meant to serve as a warning. Killings have been filmed and the videos circulated via Bluetooth.

Behind this persecution lies a deep-seated paranoia about the "feminisation" of Iraqi men. Being judged as 'too feminine' could be as simple as a lack of facial hair or hair that is slightly longer than average. Dress-choice and fashion accessories can make a person a target... jeans that are too tight, tank tops, the use of gel, a golden earring, a spiky hairdo, the use of perfume or cologne.

One explanation for the upsurge in violence against gays has been connected with the push by the Mahdi Army to reassert its control. In 2007 the Mahdi Army backed away from a confrontation with the Americans. It effectively stood-down and militia members faded into the general population. Rumors circulated that Muqtada al-Sadr had retreated and there was talk that he was seeking refuge in Iran.

A doctor who was interviewed by Human Rights Watch said that the Mahdi Army "has no authority on the street: so they want to use this (the anti-gay campaign) as a way to restore their credibility."

Officials dealing with the attacks face a wall of silence. The relatives of victims seldom volunteer information to the police.

A ministry spokesman Major General Abdul-Karim Khalaf said: "They consider talking about the subject worse than the crime itself. This is the nature of our society."

It's hardly surprising that relatives are reluctant to speak when there are widespread suspicions of police involvement in the attacks.

BBC report - here.

Aug 16, 2009

Kate Spall and Katie Brickell: British women duped into appearing in CPR anti-health reform ads

Kate Spall

Two British women, Kate Spall and Katie Brickell, became unwitting stars in a conservative ad campaign that takes aim at president Obama's healthcare reforms. The women are furious and say they were duped into appearing in the ads run by the anti-healthcare reform group Conservatives for Patient's Rights (CPR).

Ms Spall and Ms Brickell said they agreed to give their views for what they believed was a documentary on healthcare reform. Neither was aware that the footage would be used in conservative anti-reform ads carried on US networks.

They claim their views of the British National Health Service (NHS) were misrepresented.

In fact both women support government-run health care. They admit that as with most systems, the NHS could use improvement in some areas and were prepared to advocate reform within the NHS - but not its abolition.

It should come as no surprise that the unethical treatment the women allege came at the hands of Conservatives for Patients' Rights (CPR), a group led by Rick Scott, the disgraced former CEO of Colombia/HCA Healthcare.

The Hospital Corporation of America/Columbia Hospital Corporation that Scott founded was charged with defrauding the government for more than a decade and had to pay a record 1.7 billion in fines.

Rick Scott

This background hasn't prevented Scott and his group from smearing the British National Health Service.

Scott is on record saying that he wanted 'to do for hospitals... what McDonald's has done in the food business.' Compared to Scott's graft-ridden enterprises and 'double cheeseburger' model, the British NHS comes off looking pretty good.

The eminent physicist Stephen Hawking has also been misrepresented by conservative anti-reform advocates.The right-wing Investor's Business Daily (IBD) ran an editorial written by someone who was severely fact challenged. The claim was made that Hawking "wouldn't have a chance" in the UK because the NHS doesn't offer proper care for the elderly.

It so happens that professor Hawking is British. The professor reminded IBD that he resides in the UK and that without the NHS's "high quality of treatment" he wouldn't be alive today.

The attack on the British health service by American anti-reform conservatives is part of the effort to scare the American people away from the president's healthcare plans. It has sparked a backlash in the UK.

The up and running welovetheNHS campaign has drawn so many hits on Twitter it crashed the site. Support has come from across the UK. British PM Gordon Brown and his wife are included among the fans. A message from the PM's residence at 10 Downing Street said: 'NHS often makes the difference between pain and comfort, despair and hope, life and death. Thanks for always being there.'

The PM's wife added her own comment - 'welovetheNHS - more than words can say.'

Story and video from Think Progress - here.

American doctor says US has much to learn from the NHS - here.

British conservative leader Cameron stands up for the NHS - here.