Nordlinger on “Leninade”
Jay does it again.
A reader in Santa Monica writes me to complain of Leninade -- this is a drink, a lemonade soda, that features images of Lenin, the hammer and sickle, and so on. It’s supposed to be funny. My correspondent’s not laughing, and you can call her a crabapple. But perhaps you will be inclined to forgive her when you learn she is from Russia.
It’s an old question by now: Should we laugh at, or shrug off, these uses of Communist symbols because we have “won”? (There is still “winning” to do for millions in China, Cuba, North Korea, and a few other places.) Maybe so. But we have also “won” over the Nazis — years ago. And no one messes around with images of Hitler or the swastika. You know?
The key difference is: Americans and other Westerners are taught about the Nazis; they are ignorant of the Communists and their record of mass murder.
My Russian-born reader also says, “There are quite a few apartment buildings here [in Southern California] with the portrait of Che Guevara plastered on the façade.” This bothers her. Silly lady, she must be. (And how painful it often is to be aware of things.)
It's not just the school system. It's a much broader problem. The entire cultural system, the one that largely controls which information is put out, which is not, and how information is presented and spun clearly has a double standard. The media, obviously, is a glaring offender. Unfortunately, just as reforming the legal system is virtually impossible because most legislators are lawyers, changing the culture is comparably difficult because there are way too many vested interests. And let's face it, the real problem in this country is not lousy politicians; the true problem is the voters who elect them and keep them in office, or replace them with other lousy politicians.
"And no one messes around with images of Hitler or the swastika."
Actually, Hitler has been spoofed many times in Western culture. E.g., on many Britcoms in the 70s, nowadays on The Family Guy [which actually has a big following in Europe.]. And very recently we have this:
22-May-2009
Many Germans were nervous leading up to the premiere of the stage version of Mel Brooks’s “The Producers.”
According to columnist Erik Kirschbaum of Daily Variety, the premiere of Mel Brooks's The Producers at Germany's Admiralspalast was met with laughs and some well timed gasps--a far cry from the angst-ridden mood plaguing many Germans as the days counted down to the stage show's debut May 17.
As the curtain rose, the crowd was led in cheers by Berlin Mayor Wowereit, who applauded the show from his seat high in the velvety box designed--ironically enough--for Hitler himself during his 12 year dictatorship.
Charles,
One thing is spoofing and image. Its quite another to carry around a purse witha swastika on it.
Val,
The trouble with Charles is why doesn't he see that automatically? Why should he need that pointed out to him?
Just let someone make a cartoon spoofing Islamists, and we know what follows. Yet was there widespread shock at a horrible cartoon against American Cubans? But it is boring if anyone here is disgusted with Che worship.
If Brooks had tried writing a spoof of Islamism... He did, however, direct a spoof of communism, one of my favorite movies, The Twelve Chairs.
But Nordlinger hits on a truth here. Most of my friends allow hatred of Nazis, but if I try to show disgust for communists or Islamists, I am overreacting.
They would be horrified by that speech of Patton's elsewhere on this blog, but maybe they'd give Patton a pass because it was against the Nazis.
Isn't Nordlinger just wonderful?
Charles is a moron. A contrarian moron.
Someone has to fact check the articles posted on this board, since most of you have obviously have no desire to do so.
The idea that no one messes around with images of Hitler, as Nordlinger claims, is simply incorrect.
I said nothing about the use of the Swastika, which is a more complicated subject.
Honey, STFU.
I don't know why I bother.
But the point is Val is right. It is one thing to make fun of Nazism. That is fine mostly these days.
But tell me how many Hitler t-shirts you see walking around. Tell me how many adoring pictures of Hitler you see on office walls.
And, forgive my ignorance, but what is stfu? I hope it isn't a dirty expression.
And, sorry, chuckie, but Nordlinger is never wrong. I have no respect for anyone who doesn't know this.
Charles, if you tell Honey to STFU ("shut the fuck up") again I'm going to ban you. She's a lady. You and I can go at it all day, but not with a lady. Understand?
BTW, Fact-Check your liberal ass, asshole.
About freaking time!
The Pitbull at it’s best...LOL
I try to keep a civil tongue on this board, but it is difficult to do so when people call me ass and moron and tell me to go f*** myself every other day. Sorry if I blew up this once, but I wish all of us would treat one another civilly.
Honey, there are lots of Hitler t-shirts available on the market and on the street. I am amazed that you have never seen one. Google these words "Hitler t-shirts" and you will find retailers selling oh-so comical (I am being sarcastic) "Hitler European Tour 1939-45" shirts, Hitler smiley-face shirts, "A-dog Hitler Pet Dictator" shirts, etc.
Hitler's image was also used on a soft drink label a few years back, but I can't find a link to that right now.
So I am sorry, but Nordlinger is simply incorrect when he says that "no one messes around with images of Hitler" ... They certainly DO!
That is all I was saying in my original post. Why people feel the need to attack me for pointing out a simple fact, frankly, God only knows.
You know why we react as we do with you? Because you are always saying the wrong Goddamnned thing in a weak attempt to go against the original point of the post. As I said above, you are a the worst kind of contrarian, going against the grain just to be obnoxious and to show off how fucking smart you think you are. You comments are full of shit and if you are offended for pointing out the obvious, so be it.
I see. Well, then I apologize for not being one of the babalu 'sheeple' and bleating in agreement with everything our masters Nordlinger, Limbaugh, and Cheney say, even those times when they are factually incorrect and base their arguments on a collapsing house of cards.
Fromage; you wouldn't know the truth even if it was staring you in the face. You're a sad caricature of what's killing this country from the inside...pathetic.