MSNBC Special on McVeigh is just fanning the flames

[FirstLight]

I saw the promo for "The McVeigh Tapes" - though it took some digging to find info on the show - to be aired on the Anniversary of the OKCbombing.

http://www.newsonnews.net/msnbc/2371-msnbc-to-mark-oklahoma-bombing-anniversary-with-the-mcveigh-tapes.html


So Rachel Maddow is to be the host, but will that ease the fact that this may be the "special presentation" to send all the loonies over the collective edge? She is a great journalist, but I don't think she can make him look any less appealing to those whack jobs, they idolize him. If anything, her 'left-leaning' reporting would probaboly be another reason for them to protest or revolt.

What purpose will it really serve to promote this heinous act or the man who was proud of it...? WHY would I WANT to hear his convoluted reasoning about it? You know the wingnuts will just be taking notes, or quoting him for their own manifestos.

Soooo.... SHOULD this be stopped or CAN it be stopped ... what is your take on this, folks..?

[Ian David]

1. Would you rather Joe Scum be the host? n/t

[omega minimo]

36. Would you rather not ignore the OP questions and contribute something to actual discussion?

Ever?

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

2. I am very much against suppressing anything, assuming it's not false.

The trailers I've seen don't seem to glorify McVeigh in any way; he's described as a domestic terrorist (which he was). I see no reason why this shouldn't be broadcast. And with Rachel Maddow involved, it will very likely be fair and objective. If the crazies are going to act up it won't be on account of this. They will act up anyhow.

[FirstLight]

3. you are right about suppression not being good...BUT

With current rhetoric and the 'open carry' march planned on April 19th....it just makes me uneasy.

If anything, maybe they should air the show on the anniversary of his execution, instead.

I agree the wingnuts are going to be doing stuff regardless, but this is not helping. Regardles of the objectivity of the reporting, you know the crazies HEAR what they want to hear, and playing his tapes is just orgasmic material for many of them.

[RKP5637]

10. To me, the crazies already seem to be getting all of the hatred feeding

they need from Limbaugh, Beck and the like. I have mixed feelings on the airing of it, but I will be damn if I'm going to cower in fear of the crazies of this country. Once we start doing that we will become pawns in their insanity. I think Rachel will be objective, (As a note, when I said cower I was not speaking of you, I just said it to get my point across.)

That all said, I certainly understand your point of view and believe me, a portion of me shares the same concern. As usual in these times anymore nothing seems straight forward, except, I am really fed up with the RW hatred being spewed in this country.

[goclark]

15. They surpressed millions of issues during the Bush years

No one dared to stop them.

I'll always believe that the Bush Crime Family is still running the Media.

They give us some crumbs but when they are on a mission, like now they realize that we won Health Care, the Media is on LOCK DOWN, IMO.

Other than Rachel and Keith, who reports the real news?

Is it my imagination~ some of them look so scared that they will tell the truth and bye bye job.

[KharmaTrain]

4. A Worthy Reminder...

...of what the great unhinged are capable of. Be assured that if there's another McVeigh out there, he/she doesn't need this to light the fuse, it's already lit. But there are many in this country who have forgotten about this terrible attack and who McVeigh is. I see no problem in shining light on how right wing extremism is the biggest threat this country now faces.

[MkapX]

5. hmmm

doesn't surprise me really, the media is suppose to inform it's viewers, it was suppose to be the so called "4th branch of government" because it puts the government under a microscope. But today's news producers feel that they have to complete with monday night football, pro wrestling and other ventures for ratings. So they flood the airwaves with LA car chases, violence, sex, and other useless bits of hyperbole.

It's just as the 1970's movie NETWORK predicted...im as mad as hell im not going to take it any longer!

[WolverineDG]

6. So to make sure it never happens again, we stop talking about it?

:eyes:

dg

[woo me with science]

28. Would you feel that way about a 911 retrospective? nt

[fishwax]

7. Stopped? No.

It certainly didn't look like it was glorifying McVeigh. Perhaps, given the timing, some in the audience will draw connections to the teapartiers.

[Walk away]

8. Thousands of Timothy McVeigh wannabes are scheduled to march on Washington..

April 19th. Don't you think the country deserves to be reminded of what these people represent? I think the loonies have already gone over the edge when they come to the nation's capitol armed to the teeth on the anniversary of the Oklahoma bombing.

[Still Sensible]

9. Suggest it could help a little by drawing attention to

the similarities between McVeigh and the teabaggers. Sometimes you just have to hit people between the eyes before they get it.

Sure, those of us into politics and probably more aware of these kind of issues see the growing danger of this largely racist right wing teabag movement. I think to a lot of the general public though, thanks largely to Fox and other media coverage, they look upon these people as, at best, a small lunatic fringe. Unfortunately, for many the lunatic fringe of earlier decades--the militias, the black helicopter folks, the John Birchers--were just that, a fringe and unless peoples' eyes are opened that is their frame of reference.

The lunatic fringe is now a lot bigger. When I was young, the CW was that this was somewhere between 10-15%. I really believe it is now closer to 25%. Between the internet as a recruiting tool, the attraction of the movement by fundamentalists and others whose greatest goal is to bring down Obama, and much of the media that prizes the ratings of controversy and gives them perceived legitimacy that they never would have received 30-40 years ago, this fringe movement is much more mainstream. The fundamentalist foothold in the republican party that started with Reagan and crescendoed with Bush II, just gives them a never before pool of vulnerable followers.

Perhaps if MSNBC presents it well, some rational people might start making the connections we have seen from the beginning.

[RKP5637]

13. All excellent points!!! n/t

[Walk away]

18. I agree with you 100%

but your icon makes me want to put a pillow on your keyboard.

[Cleita]

11. If it's going to be aired at all, and apparently MSNBC wants to,

be grateful that it's Rachel who's doing the hosting. There will be truth and facts there. I don't think Rachel really understands the mind of the white supremacist. I doubt if any journalists on the beat today do. However, she will dig out all the information available and do a really good job. But, in the future as a follow up, she needs to spend some time in the woods to understand really where these people are coming from.

[csziggy]

12. It may show the less insane members of theTea Party movement what could happen

If the over the top rhetoric continues. Of all the journalists out there today, Rachel Maddow is one of the better people to be hosting this show. She will not succumb to histrionics or exaggerations to make her points, just show the truth and the history behind the militia movement that led to the Oklahoma City Bombing. I suspect that she will also compare the political climate of the time to current events.

No, I do not think this should be stopped. I welcome putting as much light on the delusions of this kind of "American" to help guard against repeats of his crime.

[RKP5637]

14. +1, n/t

[global1]

23. I Think This Program Will Point Out Just How Big A Whack Job McVeigh Was.........

and hopefully is some of the Tea Baggers watch - they will draw some similarities to their actions. Maybe it will help them draw back if they feel that they are being lumped in with the McVeigh's of the world.

[veganlush]

16. I share your concern, but Maddow is pretty good at

building a story and guiding it to a logical conclusion. (assuming she had a hand in it's writing/production). I don't know, I guess we'll find out. If it doesn't soothe the loons, maybe it will at least put the reasonable people on notice with some common sense perspective.

[chill_wind]

17. Wingers don't watch MSNBC in any useful numbers.

If they did, they might be a little (precious little) less crazy and better informed.
Not to be outdone, I'm sure Fox will come up with their own bizarre distortions/treatment of the whole topic
soon enough. And when they do--- that's when to worry.

[OHdem10]

19. I cannot understand why anyone would object. It might help

people understand how these people think and how they
get to such a point.

[paulsby]

20. sunlight IS the best disinfectant

good for maddow and MSNBC

[omega minimo]

39. Part of it is monkey see, monkey do.

So the less he and his actions are treated to celebrity and stardom in the media, the better. The context and treatment, even the title of the program, may help, one way or the other.

[TheKentuckian]

21. Fuck coddling the radical regressives. If they gotta pop then they pop

and then can be dealt with in a much firmer fashion and put the fuck down.

Tip-toeing around these idiots will do nothing to abate their nonsense.

[omega minimo]

40. Glamorizing McVeigh "will do nothing to abate their nonsense."

Fuck

[TheMadMonk]

22. This pus filled boil needs to come to a head and be lanced once and for all.

If this show, (or a distorted copy cay via. Faux) is the final trigger that brings the crazies out into the open then so be it.

Letting things fester for thirty some years certainly hasn't helped any.

[jtuck004]

24. There will be survivors with tears that night. Hope her ratings are worth it.

Not saying it should be stopped or go forward. But I was driving out of OKC on my way to work that
morning, had to call back and hear from my wife how windows were blown out of their office building
miles away. I knew people who were killed. There are people who survived and crawled out of the rubble,
got up off the sidewalks. Survivors will have to live through his images and his unapologetic
stance once again, and there will be nightmares. I understand the point she is trying to make.
But she gets paid for the viewers that watch, and the more sensational the more eyes, regardless
of the cost to others. Newspapers do it every day. There are other ways.

There will likely be thousands of people watching him and agreeing, seething in their anger and
fantasizing about their vengeance. Even though I know there might be another trigger somewhere else,
if this motivates even one of them to action, it's not worth it.

On the other hand there are people who will hurt us, a lot of us, for some perceived wrong. And maybe
showing that they look "just like us" is useful.

[FirstLight]

25. Kick for the morning crew...

I am not the only one of the opinion that this isn't just a bad idea, but that we are sick of hearing about these militant bastards...

as much as I'd like them to be exposed and those who are dangerous 'locked up'...I feel more inclined to just turn my back on them and let them decimate themselves via infighting and disorganization...

[otohara]

26. If Rachel Is Part of This....

Rachel will shed some much needed sunlight on McVeigh's of the USA.
My guess, it will be coherent, stern and timely.
I plan on watching

[get the red out]

27. It's like we are supposed to just EXPECT this

It makes me think that we are just supposed to expect domestic terrorism because we dared elect a Democratic President. It's like, "Well, here's what you idiots are going to get". The message we need to show these terrorists is that we aren't going to glorify your acts by rehashing them and re-experiencing the fear they create. These people want to be important enough to give the rest of society fear, they get off on it. Why give them their porn??

[FirstLight]

29. +100

That's the point I am trying to make...they have taken up too much of our time, airwaves and taken too many LIVES to be given the platform.
McVeigh is one of their heroes, they will be drooling over this, and even if Rachel presents it with integrty, they will attack her for being a lefty and talking bad about him...and they will STILL hear those tapes in their own twisted way....

:shudder: I am just digusted with it all. And should I still watch it because of the morbid curiosity factor...? I don't know if I can or will.

[rusty fender]

30. Geeze, get your panties in a bunch, much?

Loonies love Hitler also. Should "we" suppress the History Channel? Maybe "we" should also outlaw all specials about MLK, jr.'s assassination also; afterall, many loonies admire James Earl Ray. What a stupid-ass OP.

[FirstLight]

33. not the same comparison, but thanks for playing /nt

[northernlights]

41. wow. less than 200 posts in 4 years

and you choose to be a stupid-ass snarky b*tch...um...who's panties are in a bunch over the topic?

[UTUSN]

31. The cockroaches need the light turned on them. Plus, HISTORY needs to be known.

Nobody should be surprised that significant events are simply NOT KNOWN to vast numbers of people, whether younger people or those who were living at the time.

And jever notice how those wingnut terrorists just seem to DISAPPEAR from media common knowledge-=-like the Olympics bomber, the survivalist it took 10 years to track down, and others. It's like nothing-to-see-here soon after the events, then POOF!1 They're gone.

[UTUSN]

32. Btw, it airs Sunday, 04-19, 8-10 P.M.

**********QUOTE********

http://www.ktul.com/news/stories/0310/721250.html?ref=rs&cmpid=rss_news_721250

MSNBC To Air McVeigh Documentary

Oklahoma City - A documentary featuring the confession of Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh is set to air on the 15th anniversary of the blast that killed 168 people.

MSNBC plans to air the documentary, "The McVeigh Tapes: Confessions of an American Terrorist" from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. on April 19th.

Buffalo News reporters Lou Michel and Dan Herbeck interviewed McVeigh in jail for their book "American Terrorist: Timothy McVeigh and the Oklahoma City Bombing". The pair recorded more than 45 hours of audiotapes during his prison stay.

In the documentary, viewers will be able to hear McVeigh's confession for the first time in his own words -- the planning and carrying out of the attack. ....

********UNQUOTE********

[ricochetastroman]

34. I agree 100% too

He is no hero

[Better Believe It]

35. The flames need to be fanned against those rightists who promote violence.

This program could serve as a warning to those attracted to right-wingnuts and who don't really understand yet what they might be getting into.

[omega minimo]

37. It will inevitably glamorize him and his actions.

[Motown_Johnny]

38. they are trying to point out that all the people celebrating that day with marches on DC

shouldn't be

[northernlights]

42. I understand your concerns...

and share your desire to just turn my back on them and walk away. The best way to do that is to...just do it.

Don't watch. Don't read threads about them. Just go on about your life as if they don't exist. Or pay just enough attention to be ready to stay home if they come to your town for a visit. Chop wood. Carry water. Plant a garden. Don't feed their self-importance by giving a flying fuck about them. :D

[WinkyDink]

43. Well, he WAS executed. THAT might put some RW'ers off their feed.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

44. Yeah! Let's file a complaint with the Ministry of Truth.

"What purpose will it really serve to promote this heinous act or the man who was proud of it...?"

Two things.

1) The word "promote" is found in some of the better dictionaries.

2) Thankfully journalism, entertainment, art, conversation and thought do not face a "What purpose will it serve?" test. Yet.

I obviously don't think your OP serves any good purpose but I will not ask whether it ought be stopped or try to stop it. I will not even un-recommend it.

I disagree with you but I don't think you should have to clear some social-utility thresh-hold to say something. It is what you felt like saying.

Cool.

Consider how many posts on DU every day could serve to stoke the fires of right-wing hate. I'd say most of them. They would make certainly make RWers angry.

But what the most degenerate members of society think does not dictate what everyone else may say.