Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

America: From Freedom to Fascism (The right finds its Michael Moore and Oliver Stone)
The American Spectator Web Site ^ | August 2, 2006 | James Bowman

Posted on 08/02/2006 5:26:21 AM PDT by PDR

As I may have had occasion to mention before, movies go as naturally together with paranoia as they do with voyeurism. Possibly with other mental disorders as well, but we can confine ourselves to these two for the moment. Sufferers from both imagine that they see things most people do not see, and the thrill of that exclusive view is what makes it so compelling. The moving picture camera flatters that sense of exclusivity. Everything that it shows us, it has sought out and separated from the torrent of visual experience available to it, a tiny nugget of presumed significance amidst the booming, buzzing confusion. Every movie's unspoken assumption is the same as the paranoiac's, namely its view of the world is something new, exciting, and more or less invisible to everyone else up to now.

At any rate, some such idea has been indispensable to recent history of documentary film-making. With each new documentary, it seems, there's at least one conspiracy theory, new or old, to be added to the ever-growing pile. And the latest, Aaron Russo's America: From Freedom to Fascism, shows us that the conspiracies can be right-wing as well as left. In fact, in Mr. Russo's film right and left are often indistinguishable.

Starting out from the venerable right-wing theory that the income tax and the Federal Reserve are gigantic frauds perpetrated on the American people by the IRS and the banks, it falls into the familiar trap of conspiracy-overload that also afflicts such left-wing docs as Eugene Jarecki's Why We Fight. Like Mr. Jarecki, Mr. Russo seems to think that throwing in ten or a dozen extra fantastical conspiracies will act as a further confirmation of the main one.

(Excerpt) Read more at spectator.org ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society
KEYWORDS: aaronrusso; bias; conspiracytheory; documentary; fascism; media; michaelmoore; michealmoore; movies; oliverstone; tas

1 posted on 08/02/2006 5:26:22 AM PDT by PDR
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: PDR

bookmarked


2 posted on 08/02/2006 5:27:07 AM PDT by stylin_geek (Liberalism: comparable to a chicken with its head cut off, but with more spastic motions)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: PDR

The best argument against such theories is that movies and books "exposing" the conspiracies continue to be produced and distributed freely.


3 posted on 08/02/2006 5:48:23 AM PDT by Restorer
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Restorer

yes -- but how many times have we encountered the anti-globalistists and other conspirators in herre?


4 posted on 08/02/2006 5:53:48 AM PDT by PDR
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: PDR
Exactly!

Can anyone explain the mind numb accusations and ramblings of Syrianna?

Sheesh!

5 posted on 08/02/2006 5:59:49 AM PDT by Northern Yankee ( Stay The Course!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: PDR

My disenchantment with conspiracy theory came when I actually tried to conspire. It's harder than it looks, particularly over time.


6 posted on 08/02/2006 6:05:02 AM PDT by NaughtiusMaximus (WARNING: Alcohol may cause you to think you are whispering when you are definitely not.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: NaughtiusMaximus
WE intended for you to have that experience... our club is small and we are slective about who we let in.
7 posted on 08/02/2006 6:07:38 AM PDT by PDR
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: PDR

That such theories are popular is not proof of their truth.


8 posted on 08/02/2006 6:49:00 AM PDT by Restorer
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: NaughtiusMaximus

Excellent point.

As they say, three people can keep a secret if two of them are dead.

Most of the conspiracy theories out there require the willing and carefully organized efforts of hundreds or thousands of people, all of whom keep the secret, in many cases for decades or even centuries.

Not something on which a wise person would bet a large sum of money.


9 posted on 08/02/2006 6:51:36 AM PDT by Restorer
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: PDR

It's considered polite for the author to first define what a conspiracy is so the issue can be argued. Bowman doesn't do so.

The Venona files clearly show a conspiracy.

The Teapot Dome scandal was a conspiracy.

Congresscritters taking bribes to initiate favorable legislation is a conspiracy.

And to infer there's no fascism in this country simply tells me that Bowman hasn't a clue what the word means.

The primary tenet of fascism is government controlling private property for the collective Marxist common good, as defined by the state. The rights of the individual in his property is ignored by the state.

He might try reading Kelo for a clue, or count the thousands of private properties seized as de facto government nature preserves under the endangered species act, without paying compensation, of course.

He might try reading "The Vampire Economy" for more clues.

Mr. Bowman sets up a silly strawman and then knocks it down. His inference that there are no conspiracies in government is sophistry.


10 posted on 08/02/2006 6:54:17 AM PDT by sergeantdave (Nothing happens in a vacuum until I get there - the 4th Law of Physics)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: All
Link to the entire movie on YouTube.com."
11 posted on 12/10/2006 6:29:14 PM PST by Jason_b
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Jason_b

Sorry! That is not the whole movie but it is an hour's worth.


12 posted on 12/10/2006 7:16:46 PM PST by Jason_b
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: Jason_b; joan; Smartass; zagor-te-nej; Lion in Winter; Honorary Serb; jb6; Incorrigible; DTA; ...

No, but this is, although the quality is not high, but then again neither was the original: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4312730277175242198&q=

And before you write it off as just another excuse to tax dodge, I suggest that you watch it all. Admittedly, the production quality is not high and the beginning may sound like just another excuse not to do what we don't want to do (pay taxes), but once it's past that, it gets a lot more interesting as "food for thought". I just watched it for the first time tonight and I intend to research the statements in it, but it does begin to make sense of a world that seems to make no sense.

I'll take the film one step further -- if international bankers are running things, then who has much of the money? The one one with the most expensive and yet plentiful (but controlled resource) -- oil. That would be Saudi Arabia. And who are we having the most problems with? Islamic Wahhabist Saudis who are laying out a stake to much of the world. And while we are crying about "the war on terror" in the West, why are we are helping the terrorists? Because they are controlling our governments purse strings!

It all fits and the American people are getting duped!


13 posted on 12/19/2006 11:51:27 PM PST by Bokababe ( http://www.savekosovo.org)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: Jason_b; joan; Smartass; zagor-te-nej; Lion in Winter; Honorary Serb; jb6; Incorrigible; DTA; ...

No, but this is, although the quality is not high, but then again neither was the original: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4312730277175242198&q=

And before you write it off as just another excuse to tax dodge, I suggest that you watch it all. Admittedly, the production quality is not high and the beginning may sound like just another excuse not to do what we don't want to do (pay taxes), but once it's past that, it gets a lot more interesting as "food for thought". I just watched it for the first time tonight and I intend to research the statements in it, but it does begin to make sense of a world that seems to make no sense.

I'll take the film one step further -- if international bankers are running things, then who has much of the money? The one one with the most expensive and yet plentiful (but controlled resource) -- oil. That would be Saudi Arabia. And who are we having the most problems with? Islamic Wahhabist Saudis who are laying out a stake to much of the world. And while we are crying about "the war on terror" in the West, why are we are helping the terrorists? Because they are controlling our governments purse strings!

It all fits and the American people are getting duped!


14 posted on 12/19/2006 11:51:40 PM PST by Bokababe ( http://www.savekosovo.org)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: Bokababe

The international bankers are in fact running the country without question. They have been doing this since even 1820....with the same family names, recruiting members along the way generations later. They divide enemies and take sides fueling both sides with loans and bankrolling. This is a fact that is hardest to get across to the American and European people. It's not the U.S. Government nor the English Parliament. The CFR and RIIA controls both governments above the presidents and Prime ministers. In other words they tell the President what to do........on both sides if they are financing enemies.

We have been duped since even before the Civil War when both sides were financed by the international Bankers.

Here are the facts..........

http://www.questionwar.com/war_is_a_racket.html


15 posted on 12/20/2006 2:03:54 AM PST by tgambill (I would like to comment.....)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: Bokababe

http://smedlydarlingtonbutler.blogspot.com/


16 posted on 12/20/2006 2:05:22 AM PST by tgambill (I would like to comment.....)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: Bokababe

http://www.tacklingthetoughtopics.net/Eberhart/eberhart_civil_war.html


17 posted on 12/20/2006 2:07:16 AM PST by tgambill (I would like to comment.....)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson