Of course it was. Somebody screwed up gluing the montage together. They play a few words, then show some Americana, then back again, then away again, then back again. Some poor member of production crew accidentally spliced it out. It’s like when you see a post that has that has words repeated or , and you can tell it’s been edited.
All this is a lack of proofreading. It wasn’t intentional. It was a straight-up blunder.
Clearly they were pandering to the vast Atheist Neo-Confederate audience.
That doesn’t mean there wasn’t a nugget of truth to it. How is it so far out of the realm of possibility that NBC thought omitting those words would tick off fewer people than including them?
Nice strawman. I never claimed there was. You are the one claiming that. I simply said it isn’t such a fantastical notion that NBC was trying to avoid controversy. As Vinyl Turnip satirically points out, it backfired.
Conspiracy theory? Really? Again, it is only you spewing that nonsense. I hear what you are saying about “indivisible”. But do you really stand by the notion that over a 6 hour broadcast (scheduled.. it could have gone longer) they really felt the only place they could trim 10 seconds was from the pledge? This is where Mr. Moto and I agree. I think those words were chosen purposefully.
Turn it around, Dio. Why do you care that some Senator is involved? How have you been injured? What justification do you have to bitch about it?
The fact a US Senator is involved, acting in the role of a US Senator, is where I have a problem. I don’t care that NBC cut out “under God”. I think it should be removed from the pledge. But my opinion notwithstanding, this is no business of a US senator. None. That is where I agree with you.
I think so, also. But I would not say it with the certainty you did. It could have been intentional on the person putting together the montage (although I’ll usually ascribe stupidity before malice, I don’t rule out malice…not that I think leaving out “under God” is malicious). It’s possible DtC is correct and the person putting it together was told that he had only x seconds (regardless of total broadcast time) and dropped a segment of pledge and salutes to fit the time frame.
However, Coats was wielding his title of “Senator” as a douchebag, and this I will say with certainty. I find that extremely more offensive than the edit. As stated, last time I was required to say the pledge, I was specifically told that I had the option to omit “under God” by the ‘Government’. I took it.
eta:
They would not have been cutting for time. They would have said “Here is what we want, and you have ~ seconds for it.” Certainly one of the possibilities.
Asked.
And answered.
A government official demanding an explanation that a TV station explain why it did not include in its National pledge a reference to a specific religious idea sounds vaguely…Taliban-ish.
Completely outside of any reasonable consideration Totally loony and ridiculous. The networks are far more terrified of Christians than atheists, since Christians are 80% of the population (and that includes those who work for television networks).
I haven’t been injured yet, but I have a right to be concerned when the government starts demanding that private companies explain their religious stances.
Then we agree.
Anyone at NBC who truly thought this should be evaluated for early onset dementia. Aside from Michael Newdow’s one-man windmill joust---- or actually, including that— the bar chart comparing atheist vs. religionist offenderati complaints would resemble a drink coaster juxtaposed with the Burj Khalifa.
I see what you did there.
MsWhatsit: Not exactly answered. Dio is completely confounded as to why anyone cares. Not just a senator. Anyone. I was trying to point that that if he figured out why he cares why others care, he’d have his answer. I know why he cares about a senator. He asked about “anyone”.
You’re moving the goalposts. You asked why anyone cares. Not just the senator.
There it is, then. Your ludicrous statement is valid, then. Not going to argue you’re wrong, but at least you’re consistent.
About the stupidity of the senator’s actions, yes.
[QUOTE=Vinyl Turnip]
Anyone at NBC who truly thought this should be evaluated for early onset dementia. Aside from Michael Newdow’s one-man windmill joust---- or actually, including that— the bar chart comparing atheist vs. religionist offenderati complaints would resemble a drink coaster juxtaposed with the Burj Khalifa.
[/QUOTE]
Could very well be, to be honest. You, Dio and others seem pretty certain it is an idiotic notion on it’s face, so I could easily be misjudging it. I was coming at it from the perspective of people are more likely to not miss something that isn’t there vs. people reacting to something that is there. If I knew saying or not saying something would be sure to tick off one group or another, I’d probably opt for the “neglectful” approach. It is easier to explain and less likely to be caught. I guess I’m just ready for evaluation of early onset dementia.
The senator’s actions are only stupid if he’s going to get voted out or other punishment. Chances are he’s doing what his constituents want, and using the bully pulpit is not against the law (and something you guys want when the other side does it), so nothing will happen to the senator.
Everyone with even half the intelligence of the average Doper knows that taking this particular part out of the pledge is a big deal. It’s been used for boycotts in the past. And there are more people who get upset about the removal than people who will get upset about its inclusion–or it wouldn’t still be in there.
Of course the company should have chosen better. By doing this, they’ve given free good PR to this senator. By doing something that has absolutely no power, he’s probably increased his chances to be reelected.
And they also get a lot of people who, seeing as NBC already has a problem with quality programming, will not have any problem with no longer watching.
Why even have such a thing? What do we gain with such a public affirmation of the bleeding obvious? Does anyone else do this, see such a need? The French simply affirm their Frenchitude by their smugly self-satisfied attitude and disdain for soap. We already have a ghastly national anthem, The Song That Cannot Be Sung, that we are expected to stand up at sing at ball games and monster truck rallies.
Maybe just one ceremony, borrow from the Christian rite of confirmation, and nobody under twelve years of age should have to even think about whether or not God exists, and if He is favorably disposed to our Republic. Maybe just one confirmation ritual, recite the Pledge on the Fourth of July of your thirteenth year, kind of like confirmation or first communion, but secular. And then you’re done with empty rituals of patriotism, yesterday you were just an American, today you are a real American. Or something.
(Rather than adapt a Christian ritual, I thought about adapting the identifying ritual of Judaism, but that might well prove to be a hard sell to thirteen year old boys…)
Turns out NBC is damned if they do and damned if they don’t.
They (the people that have complained) care because they feel that NBC took the words out as part of some atheistic, communist, whatever (as Vinyl Turnip stated).
They’re of course, IMHO wrong, but my saying that doesn’t make them any less angry.
NBC did exactly the right thing in apologizing, they’re a business and they’re in this business to make money. Apologizing and putting this entire thing behind them as quickly as possible was exactly the right thing to do. Ostracizing parts of your customer base isn’t a good practice, especially when simply apologizing and assuring your customers it won’t happen again will likely make the problem go away.
If you have an issue with the words ‘under god’ I’m with you all the way but I’d think changing the opinion of the viewers is the way to go. NBC is again a business.
As far as the senator, I’m assuming that some member of his staff felt there was enough voter support on the issue that he benefited by asking the questions publicly of NBC. Besides the fact that he is a sitting senator the last thing that NBC wants to do is drag this controversy out, they stand to gain nothing because of it.
I’ve worked public relations for more than 25 years. My advice to the board would be, apologize, assure the audience it won’t happen again, re-air the uncut pledge at another event, move to the great new fall lineup (or whatever the next big thing on NBC is).
Getting this out of the spotlight is NBCs best bet.
They realized just cutting the God part would be too obvious.
Other atheists caring about the pledge was always kinda weird to me. The whole patriotic pageantry before sports and school/political assemblies is a religious event. It’s meant to push the exact same tribalistic buttons. The God bit is arguably the least offensive part, especially when they have the military involved or have jets fly over head.
But since it seems so divisive, maybe we should formulate a new routine for the modern age that can unite people of all ideologies? I suggest a woman dressed in red, white and blue, or maybe as lady liberty, doing a dance and then giving a nice smile while taking off her top and showing us why the nation is worth defending*. Nothing pervy, mind, just a good 5-10 second reveal. That would calm everyone down and we could all relax and enjoy the event with a smile on our face. I’m sure something as wholesome and family friendly as an exposed breast wouldn’t make anyone complain or write letters, right?