ABC is showing an episode of “Our Century” right now. It chronicled the rise of Hitler and the development and use of the atomic bomb.
Given what we have so recently been through, does anyone else think it is appropriate to show something like this?
There are only two possible results of showing this: to disturb people further by showing massive explosions and catastrophic loss of life, or to inflame us by showing us the face of a demagogue and following it up with the means to destroy people such as him.
Either way, I don’t find this to be responsible journalism. It’s unsurprising, but nonetheless disappointing.
I may be reading too much into this, but it sure made me blink once or twice.
I disagree. At times like this, I think it’s imperative for us all to remember and examine our history. I don’t want what comes next to be a case of “remember the atrocity committed against us, as we prepare to commit the next atrocity”. I want thoughtful, reasoned leaders who have learned from history guiding us to punish the guilty, not inflict death and pain out of rage. Maybe remembering Hitler will help that.
And one can always change the channel.
I’d bet it was intended to make you blink at least twice. Few of those who will be responsible for the terrible decisions that must now be made; and relatively few of the current US population are old enough to remember the first half of the century when there were two world wars, worldwide economic depression, and the scientific advances that enabled the development of “the bomb”.
I won’t judge whether or not the timing was in good taste, but I think I may understand why it was shown.
The “Hell no! We won’t go!” folks left a much different social legacy than the generation that signed up to put their lives on the line.
I’m on the west coast and they just started the broadcast. I don’t think it’s inappropriate at all. It is nice to have something thought provoking, but not completely morbid on the television for the first time in days. Prior to this episode they ran the one about Lindburgh (sp?) and the space program. I think they are probably going to just run a marathon of the series until there is some actual news to report.
I am grateful for it. I hope that a few of the people hellbent on destroying the Muslims will watch and understand the point. Unfortunately, I doubt they will.
I’m sick of all these accusations of “poor taste” as we return to our everyday life. What happened on Tuesday was terrible, and it will never leave us completely, but we do have to return to our everyday life. And that everyday life includes thinking critically, even about the things that cause us pain. We cannot turn this attack into such a sacred and untouchable thing that we lose our ability to rationally examine our lives.
Was it created after Tuesday? If not, I think that whether or not it is in poor taste should be evaluated by the standards of what was known when it was made, not what is known now. I don’t think that self-censorship is a good way to deal with this crisis.
I guess I was knee jerking like a lot of people when I saw that.
But it was still somewhat of a surprise to me, given the circumstances.
Just wanted to say, Airman, that your sig has become eerily appropriate. If I hadn’t known you’d been using it long before 9/11, I’d be justified in thinking it was ad hoc.