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Fox News Creates 'Controversy' About 'Lone Survivor' To Smear 'Liberal' Critics?

Posted by Priscilla -25.80pc on January 16, 2014 · Flag

The movie blockbuster "Lone Survivor," is about a group of Navy Seals, in Afghanistan, who were involved in a firefight that left only one survivor. While it seems innocuous enough, Fox News talkers have their patriotic panties in a bunch about an Atlantic Monthly article and bloggers who are using their First Amendment right to opine that the movie glorifies war. The writers are not defaming the soldiers involved in the mission; but that is how Fox News, the media booster for George W Bush's not so excellent adventure in Iraq, is playing it. It must be a big f**king deal for Roger Ailes because as of today, there have been five segments on it. Why the propaganda blitz? Is Fox trying to increase the box office take? Is it being used as an opportunity to smear those who are anti-war? Or is it because Marcus Luttrell, the "survivor" Seal who co-wrote the movie material,  really hates the liberal media? Go figure!

 

On Monday, Megyn Kelly reported that "some media reports are criticizing the film for being pro-war propaganda and questioning the mission of the seals." The chyron reinforced her comment: "Some in Media Suggesting That Navy Seals in Lone Survivor Died for Nothing." Her guest was Marine vet and Medal of Honor recipient Dakota Meyer responded to Kelly's description of the criticism. He defended the film as a realistic portrayal of what happened. She played part of an interview during which Jake Tapper suggested to Luttrell that the mission was senseless. After Meyer defended the war in Afghanistan, Kelly noted that former Secretary of Defense, Bob Gates' wrote that the President was "not fully behind the mission in Afghanistan" and played part of a Gates' TV interview. Perhaps Kelly was expecting Meyer to attack the President but he criticized Gates for waiting to reveal this information.

Tuesday morning, Fox & Friends hosted Donna Axelson who is the mother of one of the fallen Seals who spoke emotionally about her son who, along with all the other Seals except for Luttrell, was killed. After five minutes, Doocy worked in the agitprop: "I'm sure you've seen some stories on some of the internet sites, some of the lefty blogs are referring to this particular movie, based on a true story, is just political propaganda." He asked her what she would say to those who write this. She responded "hogwash" and praised Luttrell for not being political.

Tuesday, The Five discussed how "some liberal critics have the audacity to call it war propaganda." Video of one of the fallen Seal's mother was shown in which she said that Luttrell didn't bring politics into the movie. Eric Bolling described the movie as a "pro-America" movie about American "exceptionalism" which doesn't "play well in liberal la la land" and "they call it pro-war propaganda which is exceptionally offensive especially to the moms."

Yesterday, Martha MacCallum, on the alleged "news" show, America's Newsroom, discussed the Fox abetted "controversy" over what she falsely claimed was an "op-ed" in the Atlantic Monthly. (It was an article titled "Lone Survivor's Takeaway: Every War Movie Is a Pro-War Movie.") She played the Fox & Friends video of Axelson praising the military. She claimed that other unnamed blogs had a "similar message" which was even "harsher" in that the authors claimed that "the movie was military propaganda." Howard Kurtz responded that those who criticize the movie aren't necessarily anti-military. MacCallum said that "in this case the movie is talking about a real operation..." Kurtz and MacCallum asserted that the Atlantic article went beyond mere movie criticism and became a political treatise on war and as such is offensive to the families of the fallen. Kurtz seemed to think that because this is a true story, political commentary relating to it should be off limits.

Today, on Fox & Friends, Elisabeth started by reminding viewers that "we've" been telling you about how "liberal bloggers are blasting the film as propaganda." Director Peter Berg responded to, as Hasselbeck described, "leftie bloggers" specifically a woman from LA Weekly who accused the film of being simplistic - brown people bad, American people good." Berg defended the film by describing how the lone survivor, Luttrell, was saved by a Muslim tribesman. Berg praised Luttrell and Luttrell''s mother. 

So it was fine for Phil Robertson to make vile comments about gay people, but when writers claim that war movies glorify war, that's tantamount to treason. And if you didn't think that at the beginning of the week, Fox's binge propaganda will certainly have you thinking it now! 

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RocStarr commented 2014-01-18 10:58:01 -0500 · Flag
I think Lone Survivor was nothing extraordinary certainly as a movie, because there have been so many war films made in Hollywood since World War II, which makes it very difficult to make one that is that good and distinctive, but the film was good. Because it focused on a SEAL team getting almost completely wiped out, at times, it really felt like watching a real-life slasher movie. You really feel the palpable terror of the situation. I think the level of violence in the movie actually serves in its favor, because it shows the true horror of war, warts and all. Mark Wahlberg, who has said this was the best film he ever worked on, particularly did a good performance. When I saw Peter Berg’s interview on Fox & Friends, I did not get the impression that he made this as a pro-war movie. I think he made this about their individual story, and every individual soldier reacts to war differently. I believe if he wanted to do that, the violence wouldn’t have been as grisly as it is. I think it’s truly disgusting that Fox News is trying to make political hay out of the reviews of the film, which, if you go to the website Rotten Tomatoes, have largely been positive. I also believe the book’s author Marcus Luttrell is doing himself a tremendous disservice to himself, to veterans, and the public by getting on a political soapbox about his experience. It shows how all the fame and attention is corrupting him, when a soldier should do what they do because they feel it is their basic duty. In that sense, the movie is actually better, because as like Berg says, he’s taking the politics out of it and focusing on the flawed humanity of these particular individuals. In a sense, it actually redeems the book and its obviously somewhat fame-hungry author into a fairly entertaining and commercial war film.
Aria Prescott commented 2014-01-18 01:25:50 -0500 · Flag
Yeah, but it wasn’t even a good war movie, and a pretty sorry excuse for “based on a true story.” And, IMHO, it’s pretty freakin’ sad when they have to extort patriotism to force someone’s opinion of a film. It’s even sadder than when they try forcing you to like a bad film because of who’s starring in it.
Lakeview Greg commented 2014-01-17 17:24:05 -0500 · Flag
It’s a war movie, not a documentary. It’s supposed to be simplistic. Do you know what you get when you try to show all the ins/outs and this and that that goes on in real life wartime in a movie? 99 times out of 100 you get a box office disaster. There are exceptions, of course, Tora Tora Tora comes to mind. But the bottom line it’s a war movie, entertainment, meant to make money, and maybe, perhaps, “make a statement” of some sort. But mostly make money. Imho.
Aria Prescott commented 2014-01-17 16:42:34 -0500 · Flag
@brian: I saw this movie. It was war story puffery at it’s finest, and every bit as offensive as those “glory boys” who get half their squad killed, then talk about how they singlehandedly saved the other half.

And I’ll repeat: You knew who wasn’t just a flag waver in there, because they were the people who weren’t snickering and going “yeah, right!” the entire time. It was that obvious.
mlp ! commented 2014-01-17 13:10:37 -0500 · Flag
So it’s okay that he’s going around glorifying his role in the war?
Dude….you fought for nothing but GWB’s whims.
And you’re a loser now.
Go figure.
Richard Santalone commented 2014-01-17 10:06:51 -0500 · Flag
From Brian Hicks’s comment:

“Just goes to show you can’t trust a righty to watch your back.”

Dear Brian: That’s because rightwingers are accustomed to MAKING LOTS OF $$$$ FROM WARS — NOT FIGHTING AND DYING IN THEM.

’Nuff said.
Richard Santalone commented 2014-01-17 09:56:58 -0500 · Flag
@ Chris Rector OH YEAH? Mark my words Chris:

YOU ARE NOTHING BUT A DYED-IN-THE-WOOL POM (Puppet Of Murdoch) THAT DOES NOT POSSESS ANY CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS! And by the way, FYI, BOTH CNN AND MSNBC ARE CORPORATE (i.e. rightwing) OWNED: CNN is owned by Time Warner and Comcast Corporation is the majority owner of MSNBC. Here’s a link that backs this up:

http://www.mediaowners.com
Chris Rector commented 2014-01-17 09:43:00 -0500 · Flag
Let me guess, you consider MSNBC and the Clinton News Network (CNN) to news, but somehow Fox News presents a different view than you and somehow it is not ‘news’? You’re a typical left wing hack. Fox News is NOT creating controversy, they are reporting what is being said about the movie and discussing the content and the incident the movie presents. Nice try Priscilla
NewsHounds posted about Fox News Creates 'Controversy' About 'Lone Survivor' To Smear 'Liberal' Critics? on NewsHounds' Facebook page 2014-01-16 22:04:01 -0500
Fox News Creates 'Controversy' About 'Lone Survivor' To Smear 'Liberal' Critics?








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