Tuesday, December 29, 2015

Land of the Not Free & Home of the Not Brave

Michael Singh's Valentino's Ghost: Why We Hate Arabs (2015) "is an epic documentary that resituates the whole question of anti-Arab/-Muslim stereotyping as a matter of the 'special relationship' between the US and Israel... " (Valentino's ghost makes comeback after 4 years of suppression, Terri Ginsberg, mondoweiss.net, 27/12/15 )

Which explains why it's encountering censorship in USrael, land of the not free and home of the not brave:

"... perhaps the most troubling instance of the film's censorship was evidenced by Singh's encounter with PBS's [Public Broadcasting Service] David Fanning... Singh simultaneously transcribed one of his revealing telephone conversations with Fanning...

FANNING: I agree with your premise and your arguments, but I will do everything I can to block the broadcast of your film on WGBH or in fact any other PBS affiliate in the country.
SINGH: Why is that?
FANNING: Because it'll piss off my rich Jewish friends.
SINGH: So this huge subject will remain under the rug?
FANNING: It's not a huge subject. You can cover your premise in about 4 minutes. What will you do for the next 50 minutes?
SINGH: I actually have enough material for a 3-hour miniseries.
FANNING: How are you going to fund that?
SINGH: I don't know. Get grants.
FANNING: And if you get Arab money, I'm going to find you out.
SINGH: What about Holocaust films made with Israeli money?
FANNING: That's OK. Not a problem.
SINGH: That's a double-standard.
FANNING: Yup. It's a double standard, and you're going to have to get used to it. 
SINGH: That's hypocritical
FANNING: Well, he who pays the piper calls the tune.
SINGH: That's the opposite of PBS's mission. In fact, it is a violation of their charter for the money people to influence filmmakers editorially.
FANNING: That's the way it is, and if you quote me, I'll deny it.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I'll remember this the next time some rotten politician has the hide to talk about 'our values' and other self-congratulatory propaganda talking points.