(POL) Dem's turn in the Censorship Barrell - Pressuring ABC to dump "Path to 9/11"

[Jonathan Ezarik]

Originally Posted by GrantDawg

And I'm not arguing that it is right. I'm saying in historic drama is going to contain some level of fiction, whether it be conversations, actions, etc. The Clinton administration actions in questioned have been long rumored, and to those who chose to believe it, they have not been completely de-bunked. The filmmakers choose to believe it did happen. Just as other film makers choose to believe the CIA killed Marilyn Monroe, or the defense contractors killed JFK.

We are treading very dangerous ground when we demand only those political views we agree with can be aired, and those we don't must be pulled. As someone else has stated, free speech should only be combated with more free speech, not threats to pull licenses and such.

I agree with the last part of your statement, but in regards to this film I'm not sure it applies. A lot of the complaints I've read about concern events that have been debunked by the people that were supposedly involved and also by the 9-11 commission (like the belief that Clinton had the chance to kill or capture bin Laden but was afraid to make the call). When confronted about it, ABC and the producers cited "artistic license." There's a difference between artistic license and flat out twisting the truth, which is apparently what this film has done.

For what it's worth, I would hope Democrats would be just as up in arms if this film claimed that the 9-11 attacks were a CIA conspiracy or other such nonsense. Artistic license is fine; rewriting history to fit your views is not.

[MrBigglesworth]

Originally Posted by GrantDawg

And I'm not arguing that it is right. I'm saying in historic drama is going to contain some level of fiction, whether it be conversations, actions, etc. The Clinton administration actions in questioned have been long rumored, and to those who chose to believe it, they have not been completely de-bunked. The filmmakers choose to believe it did happen. Just as other film makers choose to believe the CIA killed Marilyn Monroe, or the defense contractors killed JFK.

Originally Posted by Buccaneer

I agree with GD. How would you do a movie about the path to 9/11 that includes the intelligence failures during the 1990s?

You guys are creating a straw man. This movie was not billed as a work of fiction. It was orginally billed as something of a documentary (since downgraded to a docudrama) and said that it was based off of the 9/11 Commission Report, when in fact the movie in many cases directly contradicts what is contained in the report. It would be like someone making a movie 'based on the Bible' that has Sodom and Gomorrah destroyed by nukes brought to Earth by aliens. It's fine that someone makes the movie, but don't go saying that the movie is based on the Bible when it clearly isn't.

[MrBigglesworth]

Originally Posted by rowech

Censorship...perhaps. However, doesn't anyone in the media have a responsibility to report...wait a minute....THE TRUTH. I'm a huge Republican so I can't believe I'm defending this but I'm sick and tired of people in media outlets not reporting facts and instead just twisting things. We have a public where people believe 9/11 was an inside job. This movie simply plays into those kinds of people. When our biggest news stories continue to be Tom Cruise's baby and stories where we twist the truth about anything the report wants, (both sides) how can we have a true democracy?

The media, especially with the advent of the internet, has become extremely powerful in this country. I would agrue perhaps even more powerful than either political party if they want to use it.

I'm not sure if you are trying to say that the news media is responsible for this or not, but in this case it's ABC's Entertainment division that made the film, the News division had nothing to do with it.

[duckman]

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Jonathan Ezarik

For what it's worth, I would hope Democrats would be just as up in arms if this film claimed that the 9-11 attacks were a CIA conspiracy or other such nonsense.

While I suppose it's okay to "hope" such a thing, I sincerely hope you aren't naive enough to believe that would be the case.