Did Anyone see Monday's Oprah Show - promoting Fear of Terrorism

[clitzpah queen]

No debate -- Thomas Friedman, and Peter Bregen ("CNN's terrorism expert"). It was a very sensationalistic piect -- done in that very serious Faux Journalistic tone Oprah can get when she's "dealing with serious material". She kept repeating the phrase "they want to Destroy America" (and of course she was talking about Al Queda and other "muslim terrorists".
No show about the dangerous position George Bush is putting us in vis a vis the world. She kept saying "We have the EXPERTS here" who are gonna 'splain the NEWS to you.
I KNOW IF anyone responds to this, it'll be probably "What do you expect?" but I think she should be blasted with emails pointing out how shows like this contribute to a negative climate of fear -- that is not well-founded and that is benefiting the Bush regime and then demanding her to do a show on Domestic Spying that does NOT have Bush apologists as all her guests.

[clitzpah queen]

1. Is this seen as a bullshit topic?

I'm getting a little paranoid....cuz this is the third post I've made in 2 days (about different subjects) that no one has said boo to.

I think HUGE numbers of people watch Oprah and are affected by info given there. I think attention should be paid. No?

[EFerrari]

2. I think people, the mighty fighters at DU, may be recharging

their batteries. It's been a long day.

Don't take it personally in any way.

You're right about Oprah. She's an opinion leader and as such, she is accountable to the public. Do you have contact info for her producer or for her show?

:)

[clitzpah queen]

7. I dunno how to crate a hyperlink here, but if you copy/paste into browser:

http://www2.oprah.com/email/reach/email_reach_fromu.jhtml

I believe that'll get you there.

(thanx for your encouragement sfex- appreciate it)

[EFerrari]

13. Thank you. n/t

[Greyhound]

5. Don't worry, been there myself. I think Oprah would be open to the

suggestion if it was packaged right.

[Journeyman]

3. I think it would be a mistake to dilute your message by demanding that Opr

do a show on a separate topic than the one in question: the nature of the terrorist threat against us. There are plenty of reputable people who could give powerful presentations in contradistinction to the pap Oprah's selling this week, and she should be encouraged to host some of these alternate viewpoints, in the interest of full faith and accurate education, if nothing else. To slide though, from criticism of her slanted stance on terrorism to a discussion on domestic spying or any other competing topic, without pressing for a complete explication of our present situation and the true nature of the terrorist threat posed to "our way of life," would be a terrible mistake and would give Oprah a ready-made reason to marginalize any competing arguments.

Hit her hard on one topic, show how the stance she highlighted was an inaccurate and imperfect view of the situation, and she may pay attention. Otherwise, it seems to be criticism not of the content of her show but her selection of topic -- and she'll dismiss it as frustrated activity by "wannabe Oprahs."

Otherwise, I think your intent is good and I wish you well.

[clitzpah queen]

10. Excellent point Journeyman!!!!

I wish I had read this before I posted my complaint to her on the site. You are 100% correct. And you said it so well, clearly and respectfully. (you're a natural teacher!). Thanks so much.

[Surya Gayatri]

4. No, I don't think this is a "bullshit"

topic at all. Oprah has an enormous audience in middle America (lots of those soccer moms) and she should be soundly rebuked for using her powerful forum for sheer scare-mongering. I don't get US teevee so can't watch her show, but i'd like to send e-mail expressing my disgust. Got links? SG

[bliss_eternal]

6. I dislike that woman and her show more than mere

words could ever effectively convey. She may give to democratic causes, but I personally classify it as guilt money, for all the ways she undermines the progressive cause.

She makes me sick...

[Moochy]

8. What part of richest woman in the world

is progressive? Oh yeah her Public Relations department rules!! and um the woman part.
the rest.. eh not so much.

The same thing happened back in the last Robber Baron period, the public loved them Rockefellers soon as they started those extreme acts of public charity.

"richest woman in the world gives crappy US-made cars to loyal poor fans"

[ClintonTyree]

14. And few got to keep them..........

once they found that they had to pay income tax on them. That would be somewhere is the 35% tax bracket for what the vehicle is worth. A cruel little trick by Oprah and General Motors.

[FreedomAngel82]

30. Oh wow

I didn't know that. She really gipped them off.

[Dover]

9. I think she's going to be hyping the bird flu thingy next....

She does hate germs!...lol.

I think she does a lot of good, but is pretty misguided about a number of things politically.
Maybe that's due to the particular circles she's in, or she just doesn't dedicate any real time to investigating things for herself...relying on so-called 'experts'....like Dr. Phil..LOL!
Unfortunately she does have a lot of influence over people.

I think she does listen to criticism from her fans, though. But most of them are probably on the same page politically as she is.

I heard she spends alot of her money purchasing land.

[bigscott]

11. she is a billionairess

she loves the * tax cut - she detests the poverty from whence she came. she is just another successful sell-out

[Dover]

15. I don't think that's a fair or balanced view. She HAS made a contribution

and has been a role model for many women...not so much because of her financial success as her personal journey....which is not over yet.

She's done a lot of good with those billions ( I'm not talking about car give-aways at her show...which makes me ill...but serious work in a neglected Africa). She has, no doubt, become insulated from her roots, though seems to make an effort at least to keep a connection. She does seem to be enjoying the glamour of her new look and celebrity in many ways, but why not? What a waste to have it and not enjoy it! I don't begrudge her that.
My point is her shortcomings shouldn't and don't discount her whole life with one broad stroke.


If there have to be billionaires in the world, I suppose she is probably one of the better ones. I wonder how you would behave if you had billions? It's another world and one that someone who didn't come from money has to grow into I'm sure...with plenty of mistakes along the way.
I don't share her her middle of the road political viewpoint, but I don't have high expectations...she's not a politician. I do wish she'd stay away from political topics and stick to what she knows and quit spreading the fear, however.

[AZBlue]

27. Actually she supports Dems.

She's quiet about it but she's definitely a liberal. Even last year before the election she had show on why it's so important to register to vote and she talked about the need to keep personal freedoms for women and stacked the show with Dems like Drew Barrymore, Cameron Diaz, P. Diddy and Christina Aguilera (no, not political heavy hitters, but the right people for her audience). After the show over 100,000 voter registration forms were downloaded from her site.

Just because someone is rich doesn't automatically make them bad. Or Republican.

[FreedomAngel82]

31. I didn't know

Christina Aguilera is a democrat. Really?

[AZBlue]

32. Well, they did play her music as torture at Guantanamo

So I'm sure she's no fan of the Republicans for seeing her in that light! LOL.

Actually I think she's a bit like Oprah - she didn't come out fully, but she said if you don't register and don't vote you'll lose rights to birth control and abortion, basically an anti-Republican/Bush stand.

I think some celebs fear losing fans if they state they are in either party. In one way that's a real shame. In another way, it could be helpful: maybe a Republican, who might not listen to Christine if she stated she was a Dem, listens to her and hears what she has to say - and realizes how wrong it would be to make abortion illegal. Kind of tricking them to keep an open mind.

[Dogmudgeon]

12. Actually, they DO want to destroy America.

But between al-Qaeda and the USA are usually a phalanx of self-appointed experts being paid by Big Brother. Oprah's at ringside on this one, possibly as a result of some arm-twisting.

As for accountability, chances are good that she is reacting to a concerted effort by the Right to push her to be "fair-n-balanced", also in the name of accountability. How many liberals have stuck up for her lately? None, especially since that pseudoscandal with her book-of-the-month author. The Right waits until the Lefty Icon has been temporarily cut off from the pack, then surround it and offer a Devil's Bargain. They can occasionally "turn" someone, but even a temporary mouthpiece is a win in their method of accounting.

We've seen this trick before, and we know how to counter it: a steady flow of polite letters correcting her misunderstandings, and offering her the Real Story. "We're your fans, but we've been concerned with some of the mountebanks and Bush catchfarts you've been giving airtime to -- here's what they're NOT telling you." Honey beats vinegar every time.

And let's face it, we've been negligent in cultivating our contacts in show biz; ironic when you consider the vast number of repetitions of the Big Lie that Hollywood is 110% Liberal.

When a show-biz liberal has been raped, they're usually keen for a little get-back. In a few weeks, when she realizes she's been played like a drunk and lovestruck teenager, Oprah will be seething. We should be there for her, to keep her in contact with the truth of the matter, and help her assemble an air-tight case. Fer cryin' out loud, there's half a million American troops who've been swilling contaminated water, who have to face the insurgency without body armor, and who are ordered to sell their souls for Little King George and then plead guilty on national TV. How do you think Oprah feels when she reads that?

Oprah Winfrey is an intelligent woman, but she's not a political wonk. On the other hand, most of us ARE. Ms. Winfrey is a woman of passion and commitment to justice, even if she occasionally rubs a few of us the wrong way. But people like her usually hunger and thirst after the truth.

Let's help her out, shall we?

--p!

[clitzpah queen]

21. I had this urge to send one of her mentors this letter this morning:

Dear Mr. Mandela,

I am a woman living in New York and a long-time admirer of your fortitude, courage and your political leadership over a lifetime. I'm sure you are painfully aware of what a precarious situation we are in here in the United States. We seem poised on the edge of a dangerous political chasm -- that is being expedited by the media: news and entertainment's role in pumping up a bottomless sense of fear. This attitude has allowed the most criminal Presidency in our history to loot the treasury and the rest of the country's resources for all his corporate cronies -- while bespoiling the world's resources and being an unopposed bully to the rest of the world. It is the FEAR FACTOR I want to address in the hope that you can have some impact.
On today's Oprah (Winfrey) Show, the subject was: "What Should You Be Worried About? Terrorist Attacks, Suicide Bombers, Nuclear Weapons...(NOTHING About an Imperial Presidency Lying Us into a Horrendous War -- Pushing the world to hate us more on a daily basis).
Oprah had her "EXPERTS" - Thomas Friedman (of the NYT), Peter Bregman- CNN's "Terrorism Expert" and this other guy (whose name escapes me). The show served as Republican talking points --promoting this FEAR meme. (And tomorrow's show will be on THE BIRD FLU THAT IS DEFINETELY COMING!!!) There was Absolutely Nothing balanced in outlook on this show. No statistics about how the War in Iraq has Increased the recruitment in Al Quaeda. Her "Experts" were insisting that Al Quaeda is Weaker since 9/11 and as a result they are more desparate to attack us - as evidenced by Bin Laden's most recent tape. We were told that his offer for "Truce" was totally false. Her show has a BIG impact on a significant portion of American opinions. This show INSURED that they will remain Ignorant, UNinformed and Manipulated. And it is all done with sincerity, benificence and with serious tones.
Mr. Mandela, Oprah has utmost respect for you. You must encourage her to be more intellectually probing and brave and have a greater spectrum of analyses and opinions represented on her show. Only THEN can we call this a Democracy. The stakes are WAY too high now. If our country continues down into the chasm we seem to be free-falling into (because there has not been an effective opposition to the Bush regime) than Oprah will, I believe UNwittingly, have played a significant role as a propagandist for this regime -- by NOT showcasing other opinions.
PLEASE, Mr. Mandela. Please have a talk with Oprah. She respects you. Make her understand how dangerous a game this fear mongering can be now-- particularly when it's aimed to promote Imperial Expansion and Repressing Domestic Dissent (as Oprah, UNwittingly participated in today). Time is of the Essence.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

[Mojorabbit]

25. Actually the bird flu show was great

and badly needed. If just a quarter of her audience listened then if the worst does happen they will be somewhat prepared. I did not watch the terrorism show, actually this was only the second time I have ever watched her.

[Dover]

16. I'm curious. What would YOU do with celebrity and billions?

I imagine I'd live a little more upscale and have a few more things of quality, eat better food,etc.

But I have many pet projects and causes that I'd love to see develop further and faster. I can imagine having a lot of fun building those things up and maybe even creating my own organizations rather than dumping a huge amount into existing organizations. I think I might look at all that can be done to make things better and have my billions suddenly seem a small sum indeed...if that was the measure of things. Forunately it is not.

[leftchick]

17. I find it shocking she had Friedman on again

She had him on pre-Iraq war and he assured the audience of what a bad man saddam was with all of his WMD that he wanted to kill us with. You would think she would have learned a lesson there.

SHAME OPRAH! :puke:

[Dover]

18. HE sure didn't learn anything from it either....lol!

..What a waste of newsprint.

[Justice Is Comin]

19. She's a waste of air time.

Trying to appear so meek and in touch with average America. All she does it for is adulation. She can shove it right up her wide ass.

She was a Bin Laden promoter that carried that Kerry can't protect you message too. F her.

[Berry Cool]

20. Oprah has just shown that her dedication to "the truth" is tenuous at best

Let's not forget, she justifies the book "A Million Little Pieces" by saying essentially, "Who cares if it's true, so long as it HELPS SOMEONE?" Uh, yeah, but Oprah, there's a place on the bookstore shelf for stories about things that never really happened. It's called FICTION. Let's admit that that's what it is.

If she thinks stretching the truth about your own life is OK, why would she find anything wrong about stretching the truth about world affairs and terrorist threats?

[Justice Is Comin]

22. When you hold yourself out

as someone who knows what they're talking about, you should know what you're talking about. That's a foreign concept to her. She's her biggest fan.

:puke: on the payroll for Bush non stop.

[bliss_eternal]

23. I agree--

very well said! :applause:

Quote:
... All she does it for is adulation. She can shove it right up her ...ass.

People that do good for the sake of just doing so don't have to have a press release sent every time they donate money or time to a 'good cause.'

Watching her sit on her throne, um, er...couch while some celeb rhapsodizes about all the gifts o gave her--while o tries to pull off the "oh shucks" look. :puke:

[lonestarnot]

24. Oprah is just more blah blah blah.

[MellowOne]

26. Is this the same Oprah who said

I will do everything in my power to get Bush out of office? She supported Kerry, what happened?

[AZBlue]

28. I saw the show. It didn't discuss any of the causes. Did you see it?

They didn't talk about why they want to attack - just the likelihood of future attacks, what they might look like, etc. So saying that she didn't give an opposing opinion on the root of it is false - there was no discussion on the root of it. Given that she didn't go into the causes, it was actually a good show.

She also had guests who stressed the need for Americans to look beyond our own borders and be more informed. You obviously didn't see the show or you wouldn't say "shows like this contribute to a negative climate of fear" - her guests advocated absolutely not giving in, not changing our lives, not running around in fear and living life as usual.

[FreedomAngel82]

29. Right

She's only showing one side of it. What about the people we're terrorising?

[seabeyond]

33. my family was in passport office. clerk streaming it. 8 and 10 yr

old sitting there listening to oprah in extreme talking be afraid, very afraid, they are coming to kill us. i got kids out in car and told the, adult acting messed up again kids. they want to put a program in school be afraid so so afraid. dont you dare let them to convince you to be afraid. i am not afraid. if there was anything to fear, i would be protecting you. there is nothing. dont let them win. they just want you to vote repug, wink. lol lol

told them, better something dropping from the sky and hitting ya on the head.

and that never happens

[Lorien]

34. Unfortunately it's only the Right that organizes massive letter writing

campaigns to change the media. We did it once with the swiftboat liars-with success-but that was it. I believe that we do have the power to create a more balanced an honest media, but it would take unity, organization, follow through, and commitment to boycotts of their advertisers. Maybe things just haven't gotten bad enough for that to happen just yet. :shrug: