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Let’s Stop Flattering Ourselves by Insisting It’s 1984
National Review ^ | March 2, 2017 | Jim Geraghty

Posted on 03/04/2017 10:55:27 AM PST by EveningStar

If Orwell were alive today, he'd be more concerned with the world's genuine dictatorships than with the Trump administration.

On April 4, almost 90 art-house movie theaters across the country will show 1984, the British film starring John Hurt, as a form of protest against President Trump's stated desire to defund the National Endowment for the Arts. The theaters say they "strongly believe in supporting the [NEA] and see any attempt to scuttle that program as an attack on free speech and creative expression through entertainment."

The George Orwell novel on which the film is based, you'll recall, is the classic story of a totalitarian government that controls all forms of mass media. It thus seems an odd choice for those protesting any government attempt to get out of the mass-media business.

In fact, 1984 has become something of a touchstone for the anti-Trump left.

(Excerpt) Read more at nationalreview.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; Government; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 1984; georgeorwell; jimgeraghty; nationalreview; nineteeneightyfour; orwell; orwellian; trump
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1 posted on 03/04/2017 10:55:27 AM PST by EveningStar
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To: EveningStar

Kind of weird since the first thing I thought of when I read it in school was how much it was like the society Democrats were trying to create.


2 posted on 03/04/2017 10:57:34 AM PST by piasa
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To: EveningStar

The left now defines tyranny as the lack of government, so there’s not much they can learn from Orwell.


3 posted on 03/04/2017 10:58:10 AM PST by Telepathic Intruder
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To: EveningStar

Government sponsored art is the opposite of art.


4 posted on 03/04/2017 11:00:14 AM PST by Bryanw92 (If we had some ham, we could have ham and eggs, if we had some eggs.)
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To: EveningStar

To the left, 1984 is a “how-to” guide.

To the right, it is a cautionary tale.

The left is, in fact, engaging in tactics described in 1984 when they show this film. Their stated purpose in showing it is the opposite of their true purpose.

We have seen plenty of attempts to quell free speech, but they do not originate from the right.


5 posted on 03/04/2017 11:01:51 AM PST by exDemMom (Current visual of the hole the US continues to dig itself into: http://www.usdebtclock.org/)
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To: EveningStar
What a minute.

Are they really saying that it is "big brother" when government doesn't have its filthy paws in something????

6 posted on 03/04/2017 11:02:08 AM PST by BenLurkin (The above is not a statement of fact. It is either satire or opinion. Or both.)
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To: EveningStar

Does National Sociographic still exist?


7 posted on 03/04/2017 11:04:13 AM PST by doorgunner69
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To: piasa

The point is: the rioters, the assaults, etc. Are doing more harm than Trump actuallyrics is doing.


8 posted on 03/04/2017 11:06:13 AM PST by Morpheus2009
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To: piasa

To the left down is up and up is down.


9 posted on 03/04/2017 11:11:59 AM PST by Chickensoup (Leftists today are speaking as if they plan to commence to commit genocide against conservatives.)
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To: doorgunner69

Yes, but that was a brainfart by me. It’s National Review.


10 posted on 03/04/2017 11:12:29 AM PST by EveningStar
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To: EveningStar

I see the whinny losers at NR are still singing from the same globalist playbook.


11 posted on 03/04/2017 11:14:00 AM PST by Harmless Teddy Bear (Not a Romantic, not a hero worshiper and stop trying to tug my heartstrings. It tickles! (pink bow))
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To: EveningStar

>>The theaters say they “strongly believe in supporting the [NEA] and see any attempt to scuttle that program as an attack on free speech <<

The Constitution is crystal clear on Free Speech. It also clear in that there is NOTHING that says the government must subsidize that speech.


12 posted on 03/04/2017 11:14:33 AM PST by freedumb2003 (Not tired of winning yet!)
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To: piasa

Or like East Germany during the Cold War.

And in the year 1984 itself, liberals accused Ronald Reagan of seeking to create the Orwellian state (?).

Look up the 1955 British film “1984”. Ultimate film noir spooky.


13 posted on 03/04/2017 11:14:42 AM PST by elcid1970 ("The Second Amendment is more important than Islam. Buy ammo.")
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To: EveningStar

The jokes write themselves.

For 8 years we had Obama’s ugly mug EVERYWHERE on EVERYTHING!!! Every news outlet around the world posted Obama. I thought I would get away living in Germany. NOPE. There’s king Obama everywhere and on German TV. I would go to Poland with my girlfriend and there was Obama on magazine covers everywhere. I don’t speak Polish but even the radio would have a report about Obama. And of course here in the USA Obama put himself everywhere. Superbowel, there’s Obama. Basketball game, there’s Obama. Commercial break, there’s Obama.


14 posted on 03/04/2017 11:14:45 AM PST by Organic Panic (Rich White Man Evicts Poor Black Family From Public Housing - MSNBCPBSCNNNYTABC)
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To: EveningStar
"...The theaters say they "strongly believe in supporting the [NEA]..."

Great!

How big of a contribution shall we put you guys down for?

15 posted on 03/04/2017 11:17:27 AM PST by skimbell
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To: doorgunner69

Nat Geo still exists but its pages now feature PC lecturing instead of topless native babes who used to give Playboy a run for its money. Preachy and boring now.


16 posted on 03/04/2017 11:21:50 AM PST by elcid1970 ("The Second Amendment is more important than Islam. Buy ammo.")
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To: EveningStar
As much as I'd like to see Suzanna Hamilton nekkid on the big screen...

...I'm not willing to give aid and comfort to the enemy in the process.

17 posted on 03/04/2017 11:26:50 AM PST by PLMerite
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To: PLMerite

It is a wonderful film for the Right to claim. I own it and my children have all watched it.


18 posted on 03/04/2017 11:28:57 AM PST by Chickensoup (Leftists today are speaking as if they plan to commence to commit genocide against conservatives.)
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To: BenLurkin
We, are who, We warned you about.

 photo apple-1984-runner_zps4yk13bax.jpg

It didn't start out that way, but when we realized that most people are too stupid to think for themselves and we could tell them what to think and make billions of dollars in the process?


19 posted on 03/04/2017 11:30:08 AM PST by Zeneta
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To: doorgunner69

It’s basically a thicker version of Ranger Rick for people that want to act like they are “smart” for reading it.


20 posted on 03/04/2017 11:31:49 AM PST by VanDeKoik
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