Politics and other Matters
 

Not sure if this has been addressed, but I was wondering what you people think about politics being brought up in the most nonpolitical events.

Case in point: Michael Moore's infamous Oscar speech after receiving an award for best documetary thanks to Bowling for Columbine. The Oscars is an award ceremony for the theatre. Not a place for some smelly, unkempt liberal to announce that Bush is a ficticious (sp.)president involved in a ficticious war, etc. There are other forums which are appropriate. The Academy Awards is not one such forum.

(NOTE: The author does not mean to imply that all liberals are unkempt and smelly. Moore just happens to be.)

And what brought this issue again to my attention was last Saturday. I know most of you probably missed it, but when the Bruins were vying for the chance to play in the Stanley Cup Finals against the Canadiens, the audience in Montreal boo'd the Star Spangled Banner. This was of course because Canada does not agree with the US on such issues as the Second Gulf War. Regardless, I show respect for O Canada,they can respect my national anthem. If they don't want to stand, they may sit quietly,as I do when the Canadian anthem begins. Hockey is not the place to show your contempt for politics, anyways.

I'm sorry if you don't agree, but feel free to discuss. Is it disrespectful to boo another country's national anthem, or trash the President while receiving an award? Or does the message transcend good manners and environment if it needs to be said?

I believe that politics should be kept to political events, there is no reason to turn an oscar speech to a political forum. There is no reason to do that except for shock value. Also it has nothing but negative effects, e.g. the Dixie Chicks. Also there are times and places to critique.

During any national anthem= no
During an open discussion about politics=yes
Any case where you will get nothing but shock value=no
Any case when you will get good discussion from it=yes

Ah, yes. Moore's rabid speech. Ficticious times. Ficticious presidents. Ficticious causes for war. Ficticious "documentaries" getting Oscars. Too bad he didn't bring up that last part. He also mentioned that the Pope was against Bush -- apparently he wants us to go back to a time when the Catholic Church was more powerful than any government in the European World, but hey, whatever. The Academy was fairly pissed about that event; they wouldn't let him use the footage on the BFC DVD, and I wouldn't expect them to vote him up for another award at any point in the near future.

Moore's a rabid activist. Activism is simply what he does. Possibly the reason he made that speech is for the apparently contradictory reason that he was not, if a few decades of precedent is any indication, supposed to; things that aren't supposed to happen, yet do, are more likely to get media attention. Activists like attention.

Personally, I'm not really sure what to make of Moore's speech. I'm political enough that I understand his desire, and frankly I don't care about the Oscars enough to get angry. The main bit of his speech that irked me is that he called up the other documentary contestants and effectively forced them into supporting him without any discussion beforehand to the effect that he was going to drag them into his rant.

And sports events. Hum. I think it's fairly disrespectful to boo the anthem, but that's also a fairly harmless way for them to voice their opinion using a simple, easy method and without much in the way of effort. I'm also thinking that there's at least a bit of truth to this: if sporting events aren't the proper time and place for politics, are they necessarily the proper time and place for national anthems?

As far as moore's oscar speech I wonder what would have happened had he NOT given it. Alot of his readers/viewers are probably also rabid activists and most likely were expecting somthing from an event as public as an academy awards speech. Had he not been radical he might well have lost following.

this is a good point. Honestly I think it's demonstrative of a small intelect that the only method of protest you can think of is disrespectful behavior at a sporting event. It really accomplishes nothing beyond pissing people off and thus can be releated to trolling on forums. Sure you can say "I'm just expressing my opinion" but that doesn't make what you're doing any more constructive (and in most cases won't prevent you from getting banned). Say maybe Mashirosen should be given the power to ban any activist who expresses themselves in a non constructive manner?

I bet that would go a long way toward fostering a more appropriate approach to politics...

I'm far too lazy to post all my opinions about politics here, so I will just say the following: Moore's speach was indeed addressed in the wrong place, but I agree with him pretty much...

Agree or no, I just didn't think it approproate. And the national anthems show pride in one's country, not the country's political agenda. That is why I do not boo the Canadian anthem: even though I do not respect Canada's politics most of the time (such as condemning us for the war), I do not disrespect their country, merely the people who condemn us, and disrespect MY country.

There is, to me at least, a difference between politics and patriotism. Sporting events is a place for patriotism, being teams from different parts of the country, usually; games are not the place for poitics.

I agree. You need the find the real place to talk/argue about politics.

About sport I just want to say that...WE FINNS KICK ASS IN ICE-HOCKEY! :D

Its just not good manners.

Still, unless their country has turned into a police state, they will express their opinion on anything that they think is important, no matter how rude it may be.

Makes you kinda worry about the Olympics doesn't it?

Actually, I think booing a national anthem is more of a product of mob mentality. If you're the only one who'd be booing, you'd never start in the first place. If you know everyone's going to boo, and you agree and think it'd be fun, you'll boo too. (depending on the amount of control the people in the crowd have, and how strong their disposition is).

It would apply the same way if a bunch of passionate supporters of OIF booed at the French national anthem during an athletic event.

The anthems, I think are alright for playing at these events in the same way that team mascots and city/state mottos or songs are appropriate. It's for exciting the fans of the team. In this case, the teams represented their countries, so the national anthems play into it. Still, it would be nice if people didn't protest at games. While they may not mean disrespect (some of them), that's what it shows.