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Fox News Insults Canada and the Canadian Forces

Well, things are happening. Apparently one of the 4 panelists was just booted from performing at the Edmonton comedy show.

Link

By the way, here is a list of companies that presently advertise on Fox news. Email them and let them know you will be boycotting their products from now until they withdraw their support of the network.
 
I don't see what's the big obsession over a pathetic TV show on a pathetic TV network is all about. Like honestly, there is more to standing up for Canadian interests than complaining about some third rate moron on the tube. Which of course, we have failed again and again to do, from softwood lumber to GWB's snub of Canada. What did we do, demand that they apologize? Please.

And another thing - personally, I think insulting Canada as a nation is far more worthy of our interest than some unsavory comments about our military. Where did our foreign affairs minister go with the former issue, which happened time and again (Coulter, etc) on Fox? Nowhere. Sounds like trying to score cheap political points to me.

AoD
 
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AlvinofDiaspar said:
And another thing - personally, I think insulting Canada as a nation is far more worthy of our interest than some unsavory comments about our military. Where did our foreign affairs minister go with the former issue, which happened time and again (Coulter, etc) on Fox? Nowhere. Sounds like trying to score cheap political points to me.
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Though hard to tell these days, if stuff like this signifies a turning point in attitudes t/w the debased Fox News approach even among the principled right...
 
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Millions of Americans take FOX "News" very seriously. Last week CNN ended up 4th in the news cable ratings. Yes, 4th out of 4. Ever seen Hannity or O'Reiley's ratings? It's troubling.
 
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I have to admit I'm a little embarrassed by our reaction to all this nonsense. This selfrighteous indignation of Canadians is a little rich considering our favourite national passtime of ridiculing the Americans at any opportunity (hello Rick Mercer).

Canadians love to consider ourselves superior to Americans, far more knowledgeable and correct, and we claim to despise American ignorance of us yet become 'outraged' when we hear them talk about us in ways that we don't like or agree with. Can we have it all ways? The world isn't always going to 'love' Canada or 'get' Canada. Fine.

Also, were *all* the comments truly off the mark? For example isn't it arguably true that as a sovereign nation we do ride on the coattails of American defense spending yet are uncooperative or unappreciative when something is asked in return? Couldn't it at least reasonably be perceived that the constant portraying of ourselves as innocent, gentle 'peace keepers' is somewhat self-serving at the expense of the big bad Americans, when all we are really doing is protecting our own political interests the same way they are?

The Fox show is meant to be satiric and cutting, and probably slightly offensive and distasteful. Oh well. At the end of the day, however, we come off looking petulant and reactionary in our outrage when government officials get involved demanding an apology as if this insult came directly from Washington, or even the New York Times for that matter. We should be leaving our retorts to Rick Mercer or 'This Hour...' who would have aimed the appropriate zingers back and the whole thing would have been forgotten in two seconds.

The timing of this is of course truly unfortunate but I would find it very difficult to believe that the idiots on the Red Eye show were truly mocking the deaths and sacrifices of Canadian soldiers. That would be unconscionable to be sure.
 
isn't it arguably true that as a sovereign nation we do ride on the coattails of American defense spending yet are uncooperative or unappreciative when something is asked in return?
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No, not true. Sorry that you hate your country so much.

The timing of this is of course truly unfortunate but I would find it very difficult to believe that the idiots on the Red Eye show were truly mocking the deaths and sacrifices of Canadian soldiers.
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Yeah, screw the Canadian soldiers, these guys were just having a little fun.
 
Sorry Tewder, but that explanation is simply post-facto Fox apologist codswallop. How is it humour or satire to suggest our Chief of Land Staff has an effeminate name or that the troops need a break to do yoga, paint landscapes or run on the beach? How is any of that commentary on our defence policy? Would it be taken as that if he or a Canadian comic made similar comments on the US armed forces at 3am in the morning? Would it be seen as commentary on US defence policy if somebody suggested that the US Army needed a break to run on the beach in 'their gorgeous white capris pants'?

As for the timing issue....sure they had no say on when four guys would get killed, but I found the comments equally distasteful given that 3 Canadians were killed the weekend before. All in all, poking fun of serving men and women requires some sensitivity (we aren't above poking fun at ourselves...some of the best jokes about the CF come from the CF). Doing so in a time of conflict when those men and women are dying requires particular sensitivity and skill. None of which Gutfeld or his panel members demonstrated. They simply sought to re-gurgitate tired cliches on Canada and our 'weak' military. When they and their supporters got called on it, they said, 'Oh just kidding'. Unacceptable.

Jonathan Kay's commentary at the Post is spot on with this issue:
http://www.nationalpost.com/opinion/columnists/story.html?id=72484aca-3045-4678-9505-29aa237e843f
 
kEiThZ, as a consequence of being outraged at these fools, especially at such a national level, we have made them relevant when they should be not.

the outrage is justified, don't get me wrong but we're making these losers and their show famous.

it probably wasn't such a good idea for the federal government to get so involved. the canadian media could have fought the battle for the government, like a proxy. then if asked why there was no official response from our government, they could simply say that "we have more important things to do than officially care about a stupid program and their stupid comments".

our government demanding an apology was a risky move. what if we didn't get one? what were we to do then?


we shouldn't take such small timers so seriously. we make them seem important in the process.
 
our government demanding an apology was a risky move. what if we didn't get one? what were we to do then?
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Pull our troops out and let the yankees clean up the mess they started?
 
digi said:
Pull our troops out and let the yankees clean up the mess they started?
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if it was an american government official who said that and then refused to say sorry, probably, but you can't make such a response because of some small time fool.


p.s, these pink eye guys are beginning to feel the consequences. a canadian comedy club already told one of them not to bother coming to an upcoming gig and there's alot of pissed off people out there making all kinds of threats like throwing beers at them, etc.
 
kEiThZ said:
Sorry Tewder, but that explanation is simply post-facto Fox apologist codswallop. How is it humour or satire to suggest our Chief of Land Staff has an effeminate name or that the troops need a break to do yoga, paint landscapes or run on the beach?
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Actually, those things are kind of funny. Americans make fun of us as being hippy-dippy hosers all the time. They make fun of everybody else and themselves too. Why must we take ourselves so seriously?

Keithz, I think you are aware of my respect for the armed forces, that I believe we do good work honourably, and that what I say here is in good faith. I certainly hope we wont let silly comments like those of Digi sidetrack the real issues...

I'm absolutely not suggesting that we have to like what was said or agree with it. I'm just not liking the way we have responded and find it a little tough to swallow that Canada is acting out so indignantly at some ignorant 'pot shots' from an unsanctioned and independent source. Good grief, we do it all the time! Rick Mercer has made a career of it, and do we remember the likes of Carolyn Parrish stomping on the US flag? The point is, these things happen but they are not necessarily representative of public opinion. We must absolutely expect that our government leaders and diplomats not engage in this nonsense but how far do we go in the censuring of free speach, satire or humour? I would argue that in Canada we're perhaps just a little too quick to easily jump to censorship when we simply don't 'like' something. We need to understand that this is not necessarily the culture in the USA.

These bafoons obviously had no truly informed idea of Canada's real efforts in the war and the sacrifices that have been made etc., and I simply do not believe that they were mocking our war dead. Instead they are taking shots at Canadian stereotypes the way we do at their's. Tasteless? Yes! Uninformed? Yes! Should our humourists and comedians retaliate? Absolutely! but Lets leave our government out of it though, and not be so quick to roll out the bandwagon for Anti-Americanism.
 
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