Media Bias Outrage of the Week - Bill Moyers Takes Back the Flag

fairpress.org ^ | 03/17/2003 | Peacerose

[Peacerose]

Bill Moyers Takes Back the Flag

03/17/2003
Following the tragedy of September 11, 2001, Americans took pride and comfort in displaying our flag. It was a symbol of our unified grief and our unified resolve. It symbolized our love of freedom - a love that binds together a diverse nation. How odd, then, that Bill Moyers feels the need now to 'take' the flag 'back'. Here are his words as he ended his February 28 show, Now, on PBS:

"I decided to put on my flag pin tonight. First time. Until now I haven't thought it necessary to display a little metallic icon of patriotism for everyone to see. It was enough to vote, pay my taxes, perform my civic duties, speak my mind, and do my best to raise our kids to be good Americans…

"So what's this doing here? Well, I put it on to take it back. The flag's been hijacked and turned into a logo - the trademark of a monopoly on patriotism. On those Sunday morning talk shows, official chests appear adorned with the flag as if it is the good housekeeping seal of approval. And during the State of the Union, did you notice Bush and Cheney wearing the flag? How come? No administration's patriotism is ever in doubt, only its policies. And the flag bestows no immunity from error. When I see flags sprouting on official lapels, I think of the time in China when I saw Mao's little Red Book on every official's desk, omnipresent and unread.

"But more galling than anything are all those moralistic ideologues in Washington sporting the flag in their lapels while writing books and running Web sites and publishing magazines attacking dissenters as un-American…

"I put it on to remind myself that not every patriot thinks we should do to the people of Baghdad what Bin Laden did to us. The flag belongs to the country, not to the government…"

I fully agree with that last line! And doesn't it sound familiar? That's exactly what flag-wearing, flag-waving Americans said to those who found flag displays distasteful.

When dissenters said that waving an American flag is aggressive, jingoistic, and exclusionary, conservatives said, "It's your flag, too." When media personalities said that wearing a flag pin on the air would create an impression of approval of the Bush administration's policies, conservatives said, "It represents the whole country." When hand-wringers feared that flag displays would cause Americans to injure other Americans, conservatives said, "The flag unites us."

Here's what I want to know: Now that Moyers has 'rescued' the flag from moralistic ideologues, does he think that changes it's meaning? Or is it now in the hands of yet another moralistic ideologue? Does it not still belong to all of us?

And that jab about Mao's little Red Book! What a hoot! Moyers must be talking here to those who aren't aware that some of the organizations backing the "peace" rallies truly are, if not "un-American", genuinely communist. A few of their websites are listed below.

Please join me in letting Bill Moyers know what you think of his silly, one-sided rhetoric. Below is the contact information.

Now with Bill Moyers
WNET
450 West 33rd Street
6th Floor
New York, NY 10001

(212) 560-8600

Email: now@thirteen.org

Read more here:

MRC CyberALert, 03/03/2003: Moyers Wears Flag Pin to Protest Hijacking by Ideologues
Now with Bill Moyers web site
What is a Front? WWP & A.N.S.W.E.R

"Peace" web sites:
International A.N.S.W.E.R.
International A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition
IFCO/Pastors for Peace
International Action Center
Workers World Party
Workers World Party - about

[Peacerose]

Citizens Coalition for Responsible Media (CCRM) is the Free Republic Network media bias chapter. You are all invited to visit our web site at www.fairpress.org.

[Peacerose]

Flag!

[Bigg Red]

Who's Bill Moyers? Just let the little piece of clinton keep running his fat mouth. He becomes more and more irrelevant every day.-

[Chad Fairbanks]

Comparing our Flag to Mao's Little Red Book ????? This man is a sick twisted freak....

[Argus]

Moyers is exactly who Samuel Johnson was talking about when he said that "Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel."

[Nagual]

Hey Bill Moyers, do you remember calling targets for our troops in Viet Nam? Yes you and your Dem buddies at the Whit House really f&*@ up. You had no idea what you were doing, and a lot of my friends died. Frankly you Dems have no idea how to fight. stay home and shut up.

[Interesting Times]

When I see flags sprouting on official lapels, I think of the time in China when I saw Mao's little Red Book on every official's desk, omnipresent and unread.

But... but this is McCarthyism!

All urgently scorn the running-dog fascist Moyers!

[Rocky]

I think Bill is remembering his own desk, with his own copy of Mao's little red book, highlighted, underlined, memorized, chanted, recited until it is second nature. Bill, you should emigrate to Red China. You would feel more in tune with their government. (And they wouldn't put up with your nonsense for a nanosecond.)

[Peacerose]

Urgently scorning as recommended!

[battlegearboat]

Hey Moyers: Tell it to the Marines!

[Madame Dufarge]

He picked the wrong team.

He can't figure out how to get out of it.

His "life" is flashing before his eyes.

He's our Huckleberry.

[pabianice]

Moyers: the inspiration for the movie "Pumkinhead."

[pabianice]

[Peacerose]

Yes, I think you're right! Just past Lance Hendrickson's shotgun barrel, I can see the glint of a tiny flag pin!

[Alex Murphy]

I think Bill's had to much to drink. Again.

Alert to all of you Maine residents: keep your kids off the roads tonight!

[Cicero]

Dear Mr. Moyers:

In response to your "take back the flag" campaign, I'm glad to hear you've decided to be an American.

Cicero

[Peacerose]

HA! Fabulous!

I keep wondering if he has worn his flag pin outside of the TV studio.

[F.J. Mitchell]

I wear my flag on my lapel-
if that bothers Moyers,
he can go to hell!!!!

[gridlock]

Please join me in letting Bill Moyers know what you think of his silly, one-sided rhetoric.

Bill Moyers already knows that I think he's a moron. I've told him several times...

[Happy2BMe]

He had to be coached by Tom Dasshole - no other mind could invent such trash.