more on Jobs 9/11 Disney and Apple

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: Tim Onosko <onosko () gmail com>
Date: September 13, 2006 11:27:02 AM JST
To: dave () farber net
Subject: Re: [IP] Jobs 9/11 Disney and Apple
Reply-To: tim () onosko com

Dave Farber:

I am neither a conservative nor a Republican, but I watched the ABC  
film, "The Path to 9/11" on the advice of a friend (a respected  
historian and someone whom i would consider a poltical liberal) who  
has worked with the writer of this miniseries before.  I wonder who  
among those objecting to the program have bothered to watch the film?

First, with regard to fairness shown toward the Clinton  
administration, the cruise missile attack on the Sudan, which was  
widely criticized at the time (by Republicans and conservatives, no  
less) as the "Wag the Dog" scenario to distract from the Monica  
Lewinsky issue, is depicted in a different light and I had new  
respect for that action considering it in the context shown.  And,  
again with regard to even-handedness, there is also a scathing scene  
in which Condoleeza Rice demotes special adviser Richard Clarke, all  
the while describing it as a restructuring and reassignment.  If  
anything, my impression is that it is the bureaucracy that is  
depicted as the real enemy, and characters representing both  
administrations use compromised language with equal ease.

Second, if the film fails, it is because it may be overly ambitious.   
My own speculation is that someone at ABC watched (and admired)  
"Syriana" and thought that it was an appropriate direction for this  
TV film.  While I don't think it comes near meeting "Syriana" for  
quality of writing, acting, direction, etc., this might have been a  
good goal.  The problem is that "Path" is twice as long and is an  
endless litany of (mostly Arabic) names and places.   Many audiences  
found "Syriana" confusing (although I didn't), so a sizable portion  
of the ABC audience must have tuned out early, I suspect.

I consider myself informed on the subject of 9/11, and I admired Adam  
Curtis'  excellent BBC documentary, "The Power of Nightmares" (mostly  
for its superb historical background) but the sheer hailstorm of  
detail in "Path" was daunting, even for me.  It required attention  
that I'm sure many viewers were not accustomed to devoting to a TV show.

I don't know if I am defending "Path to 9/11" or not, but I do  
question those who dismiss it without the benefit of having seen it.   
I think that is unfair to any filmmaker or writer who dares put forth  
his or her work to be criticized without due consideration.   
Moreover, Americans need to be more informed about the events and  
people that have led to the current Middle East situation, not less.   
And this film is not as easy to dismiss as its critics would have us  
think.  I does serve a purpose, if only to stimulate debate.

The notion that Apple shouldn't do business with Disney/ABC because  
of this is simplistic and, in my opinion, completely silly.

-- Tim Onosko


On 9/12/06, David Farber <dave () farber net> wrote:

Begin forwarded message:

From: hugh crawford <hugh-list () thoughtballoon com>
Date: September 12, 2006 1:09:01 PM JST
To: David Farber < dave () farber net>
Subject: Jobs 9/11 Disney and Apple

Dave,
Perhaps someone on the IP list will be in a position at the Apple
press event Tuesday to ask Steve Jobs how he feels about Disney
possibly alienating a sizable percentage of Apple's customers with
The Road To 9/11.

I've been hearing a growing murmur of an Apple boycott over The Road
To 9/11, and I'd love to hear anything that Jobs would have to say
regarding the impact of Disney/ABC's product on Apple's profitability
and ability to develop new products

-Hugh

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