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NY Times, The Grinch That Trashed a Christmas Classic
Boycott The New York Times ^ | December 19, 2008 | Don Feder

Posted on 12/19/2008 1:42:56 PM PST by AIM Freeper

The headline on a critique in today’s New York Times says it all: “Wonderful? Sorry, George, It’s a Pitiful, Dreadful Life.” Nothing more clearly illustrates the paper’s hatred of normalcy than its revisionist perspective on “It’s A Wonderful Life.”

The moral of the 1946 Capra classic — life has meaning. Even if we don’t achieve our dreams, even if our existence is seemingly hum-drum, those who lead good lives will never know how much good they’ve done.

George Bailey does, by glimpsing what his world would look like if he’d never been born. He discovers (to paraphrase the film) that every life touches so many other lives — and, if it’s not there, it leaves a terrible void. This hopeful message is why the film has charmed audiences for over 60 years.

Wendell Jamieson, author of The Times’ diatribe, hates nearly everything about the film. George Bailey is pathetic for sacrificing his dreams for the greater good of his family, friends and the depositors of the Bailey Savings and Loan. Jamieson finds the film’s nostalgic vision of small town life embodied in Bedford Falls boring and stultifying.

He much prefers Pottersville in the alternate reality. “The women are hot, the music swings, and the fun times go on all night.”

Yes, and George’s wife is a mousey, spinster librarian; his mother is a bitter, dried-up hag who runs a dilapidated boarding house; brother Harry died as a child because George wasn’t there to save him (consequently, all the men on Harry’s ship died because he wasn’t there to save them); Uncle Billy loses his marbles when the Saving and Loan closes its doors, and so on.

Jamison’s piece reflects The Times’ worldview — individuals should live primarily for themselves, self-sacrifice is stupid, fast women, gambling and loud music are fun, and life is ultimately meaningless.

People who are world-wise are attracted to one type of cinema; those who are world-weary are drawn to the opposite. One is tempted to describe The New York Times as the Grinch who trashed a Christmas classic. But it probably likes the Grinch too.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: christmas; film; itsawonderfullife; thenewyorktimes
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1 posted on 12/19/2008 1:42:57 PM PST by AIM Freeper
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To: AIM Freeper

The Pinch who Stole Christmas?...............


2 posted on 12/19/2008 1:45:43 PM PST by Red Badger (I was sad because I had no shoes to throw, until I met a reporter who had no feet.....)
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To: AIM Freeper

Any questions as to why the NYT is going under?

Nuff said.


3 posted on 12/19/2008 1:45:46 PM PST by Badeye (There are no 'great moments' in Moderate Political History. Only losses.)
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To: AIM Freeper

Just another sign of the times, it had to be written eventually. More to come. Maranatha!


4 posted on 12/19/2008 1:47:10 PM PST by mrsmel (Hussein is not my president.)
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To: AIM Freeper

What’s the big deal? A film critique is just one guy’s opinion.


5 posted on 12/19/2008 1:47:30 PM PST by Borges
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To: AIM Freeper
Dear Times:

There's a new movie out about Pinch Sulzberger. When he gets to see what the world would have been like without him, it is a far happier place! In the end, the angel refuses to let him live again, saying, "It's a mitzvah you were never born!"

6 posted on 12/19/2008 1:47:44 PM PST by pabianice
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To: mrsmel

Way to go Don. See tag line.


7 posted on 12/19/2008 1:48:03 PM PST by massgopguy (I owe everything to George Bailey)
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To: AIM Freeper
fast women, gambling and loud music are fun

I'm finding it difficult to argue with this part.

8 posted on 12/19/2008 1:49:57 PM PST by JennysCool (Internet Powerhouse)
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To: AIM Freeper

“Jamison’s piece reflects The Times’ worldview — individuals should live primarily for themselves, self-sacrifice is stupid, fast women, gambling and loud music are fun, and life is ultimately meaningless.”

I enjoy Feder, but I don’t agree. THE TIMES would have us all be part of the collective, doing everything for the good of the world.


9 posted on 12/19/2008 1:50:43 PM PST by doug from upland (8 million views of .HILLARY! UNCENSORED - put some ice on it, witch)
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To: AIM Freeper

Liberalism is a mental disorder.


10 posted on 12/19/2008 1:51:45 PM PST by Mad_Tom_Rackham (The committed will surely dominate the complacent.)
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To: AIM Freeper
I have learned some lessons in life and one of them is that people who hate their own lives have an insatiable need to drag others down into their misery. They also tend to expend a great deal of energy "proving" that others are not as happy as they seem to be, or might be. Such people are to be avoided, at all costs. I would begin by refraining from reading the Times.
11 posted on 12/19/2008 1:53:16 PM PST by andy58-in-nh (Liberty has few friends, many enemies, and no adequate substitute.)
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To: AIM Freeper

Diversity. You don’t have to address anything more than that, and you have the real reason why the Times and its ilk hate the holiday classics.

It’s the 1950s white middle class American that these rags are at war with. They claim those classics touch on values that never existed. And I say hogwash.

George Bailey is the quintessential John Doe, the guy who saw a need, recognized a cause, volunteered for the draft and to help out his fellow man out of loyalty to them and the nation.

If the Times and it’s ilk (hate to use the word twice, but what better word to describe their ilk) were only at war with our founding documents and principals, it’s would be bad enough, but it doesn’t stop there.

If you are a moral individual who has even the slightest tinge of respect for our nation, moral values and the golden rule, you’re a world class jackass, chump, and pseudo criminal in their eyes.

I say F M and the horse they rode in on. May these bastards be relegated to a hell in the afterlife that closely resembles the one they would create on this earth, if brighter souls didn’t exist in every nook and cranny of this nation.


12 posted on 12/19/2008 1:55:38 PM PST by DoughtyOne (I see that Kenya's favorite son has a new weekly Saturday morning radio show.)
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To: AIM Freeper

liberal Socialists...(spit)...They all go around walking and talking like they are some kind og guild of George Baileys...But if you watch the movie, and see the part when the town exists *without* Geo. Bailey...You see a town where libperv values and the things that the plague rat ACLU, fight, tooth and nail to achieve.

DemoLib Socialists are the ones who want the godless, souless socialist, dog eat dog, loneliness, of a nation of Pottervilles....in the name of “civil” & “individual rights”.


13 posted on 12/19/2008 1:55:56 PM PST by DGHoodini (Nor shall my sword sleep in my hand)
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To: AIM Freeper
Jamison’s piece reflects The Times’ worldview — individuals should live primarily for themselves, self-sacrifice is stupid, fast women, gambling and loud music are fun, and life is ultimately meaningless.

Casey Anthony would heartily concur.

14 posted on 12/19/2008 2:02:26 PM PST by Mr Ramsbotham ("A laurel, and hearty handshake ....")
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To: JennysCool

I have fast women always tailgating me on Interstate 77.


15 posted on 12/19/2008 2:04:33 PM PST by Carl LaFong (Building Code Under Fire)
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To: AIM Freeper; SkyDancer; DollyCali; lysie; Molly Pitcher; MozartLover
He's kind of all over the map in his assessment of It's A Wonderful Life.

It's hard to understand what he's really trying to say.

The story is still one of my favorites.

16 posted on 12/19/2008 2:05:50 PM PST by Northern Yankee (Freedom Needs A Soldier)
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To: AIM Freeper
Spending ones life in a bathhouse is indeed a Pitiful and Dreadful Life.

Poor NYT boys.

17 posted on 12/19/2008 2:08:22 PM PST by roses of sharon ("No socialist system can be established without a political police.", Churchill -1945)
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To: AIM Freeper

It’s simply a group autobiography of the NYT staff... nothing more.


18 posted on 12/19/2008 2:17:14 PM PST by xcamel (The urge to save humanity is always a false front for the urge to rule it. - H. L. Mencken)
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To: AIM Freeper
I like the movie, but in light of the recent real estate boom and banking bust I've become more of a fan of Mr. Potter's careful lending practices. :-).

The end needs to be updated. When they are reading the telegram near the end of the movie:

Mr. Gower cabled you need cash. Stop.

My office instructed to advance you up to twenty-five billion dollars. Stop.

Hee-haw and Merry Christmas.
Ben Bernanke.


19 posted on 12/19/2008 2:18:19 PM PST by KarlInOhio (11/4: The revolutionary socialists beat the Fabian ones. Where can we find a capitalist party?)
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To: AIM Freeper
Sort of a digression, but this reminds me of a Hollywood type years ago reviewing the old TV show, L.A. Law. She said, "People love the characters in the show because they are so sophisticated, they have affairs."

I think we've all gotten that message from la la land, that you really haven't experienced life until you've taken a walk on the wild side.

A friend of mine says, "It's the work of the devil" And you know what? I haven't a better answer.

20 posted on 12/19/2008 2:21:06 PM PST by StACase (Global Warming is CRAP!)
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