Friedman writes another stupid column

[jos]

In short: "Success in Iraq is just around the corner because an Arab version of American Idol got a big audience."

The man continues to make a fool of himself.

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/09/03/opinion/03FRIE.html

[K-Centrist]

1. Not really, just that

. . . cultures can change "under the weight of history."

I'm sitting in Iraq this minute, and I have to agree that the likelihood of such changes coming before the coalition forces have to hightail it outa here is way low.

But think of what would have happened if whistleass hadn't invaded this place: The "Lebanese Idol" program would have been held, and the two older gentlemen would have felt that same breath of freedom.

Georgie has set the world back 2 years, 5 years, 10 years, but liberalizing forces are still stirring. In the same pot with the forces of repression and evil, but let's not give up hope or refuse to see that there is some light out there.

[Uzybone]

2. he keeps digging the hole

deeper. Makes himself sound more foolish each time he writes a column. Its all gonna good in the ME becasue there was a close vote in a talent show...uh ok.

[Wetzelbill]

3. Sometimes I worry about ol' Tom

He's an intelligent man and all, but this guy comes up with about as many "WTF?" columns as anybody I can recall.

[The Zanti Regent]

10. Sometimes????????

You have to be kidding.

This fifth columnist still flitters and flays about in his Lasseiz Fairyland!

[Boreas]

4. That's not what I got out of it.

"The man continues to make a fool of himself." Not.


"This was a fascinating example of how the power of technology — in this case satellite television, Internet and cellphones — can tap sentiments and prompt people to action." Rami Khouri

"In the Arab world, where few can speak freely, let alone vote, satellite TV is becoming a virtual Democracy Wall."

"... many Arab economies are dominated by state oil revenues and state companies, with private enterprise very weak. Therefore, holding onto or being close to power are the only pathways to wealth."

"...culture and historical legacies matter, but so, too, do new ideas and technologies. All of which means America's attempt to bring democracy to Iraq isn't crazy — just something that will be very hard."

Doesn't sound like a fool to me.

[Cocoa]

6. you're not alone

A lot of people like Friedman and quote him, and I've never understood it.

I hope you can elaborate on why you don't think that column is stupid.

For me, on the face of it, reading about what is happening in Iraq, what Friedman is talking about is as trivial as it sounds, and Friedman's trying to make something ridiculously more significant out of it.

I think that's one of his main schtiks. He gives himself an air of profundity by finding meaning in unexpected places. His problem though is that there's no meaning there.

[Boreas]

7. I thought I did elaborate

There is meaning here and I'll be glad to elaborate a little further.

One has to make a few small leaps here. It was certainly NOT praising the Arab version of American Idol. It elaborated effectively his thesis, the first sentence, that Arab culture is resistant to democracy, and that Arab culture is changing. It was about satellite tv becoming an instrument of the changing Arab culture, for the good, for the possible democratization of the culture.

There is much to despise about American Idol; it is mindless ego posturing that adolescents lap up, ok, most grow out of that. It gives them something else to talk about besides the end of the world. It gets them talking on the most basic level, that's good; they're talking to each other!

Here's the most important sentence in the essay: "In the Arab world, where few can speak freely, let alone vote, satellite TV is becoming a virtual Democracy Wall." If you don't get it, I don't know what else to tell you.

[Jack Rabbit]

11. An Arab version of American Idol proves nothing

Would it say anything if Arabs were watching reruns of Gilligan's Islandc? That sort of entertainment fare is pure escapism. It has nothing to do with anything.

If Friedman wants to talk about communications technology becoming a source for the better in the Arab world, then he might mention Al Jazeera. It provides an independent source of news and opinion that is not universally appreciated in the Middle East. Iraq's past tyrant threw Al Jazeera reporters out of Iraq. Iraq's present tyrants bombed the bureau's headquarters on their way into Baghdad.

[Boreas]

12. Guess I should have explained the Democracy Wall

for those who don't remember. During the peoples rebellion in China, whose focus was mainly at Tiananmen Square in 1989, (remember the telephoto video of one man facing down a Red Army tank?) there was a wall where people posted anything they wanted to say. This was referred to as the Democracy Wall. Friedman probably said what he wanted to say, and if you're still going on about the Arab version of American Idol, I sure don't know what more to say.

[KG]

5. shut-up tom, just shut-up. someone turn off his mic!!!

:)

[Boreas]

8. Kewl

That's what O'Reilly said to Franken at the Book Expo in L.A.

[KG]

9. actually bill o'rilly said that to the son of a WTC victim

who came out against the illegal and immoral invasion of iraq.

and i heard friedman on 'fresh air' parrot whistle-ass' 'they thought we would just sue them, but we went over there and kicked their ass' BS.

got no patience for boot-licking chicken-hawk war cheerleaders. fuck tom friedman and the rest of the bush apologists.