John Doyle (The Globe and Mail), April 28, 2010: "CBC News has contorted itself in order to appear more populist, mainstream and appealing to everyone. It has been terrorized into avoiding any appearance of political bias."
Back in January 2010 Conservative Minister James Moore appeared on CBC Power + Politics to discuss his top political films of the decade. His first choice: Milk. Yes, the Oscar-winning film Milk. Yes, a Minister from the Conservative Party of Canada Minister choose a film about a ... well I'm not sure exactly.
Here's how Moore describes the film in the clip: "the story of Harvey Milk and what he confronted running for comptroller down in the city of San Francisco. He's a man who, as the trailer said, a man who inspired controversy but also inspired a whole group of people to stand up for civil rights in a way that had never been done before in the city of San Francisco."
They way he uses "San Francisco" I'm reminded of Woody Allen's quip about the rest of America looking at New Yorkers like they're "left-wing, communist, Jewish, homosexual pornographers." Though, from what I know about San Francisco, Moore could be saying Harvey Milk is a "hippie, liberal, tree-hugging fan of handlebar mustaches."
Talking about Harvey Milk and the film Milk without mentioning his homosexuality is quite an accomplishment really. It's like talking about JAWS and instead of saying "shark" you point at your teeth and, wide-eyed, gyrate in the direction of the nearest large body of water. Or describing Malcolm X as a film about a man who wore bow-ties.
So he avoids it. But that's a Conservative Minister for you - always thinking about their base. Have you meet their base? *makes twirling circle around temple and, wide-eyed, gyrates in the direction of the nearest knuckle-dragger.* He knows he can't be quoted saying anything particularly kind about "gays" or "homosexuals" so he leaves it at "San Franciscan".
It's lame, but much worse is that the host of the show, Evan Solomon, not only lets him get away with it, but avoids saying it too. He plays Moore's game, and given that the film is about the process of an invisible minority asserting itself and finding political and personal liberation by "coming out" and proudly identifying themselves as faggots/queers/cocksuckers/gays/homos, without fear or shame, in the streets, to their families and to themselves — their omission is offensive. Watch the film again, fellas.
They end their Milk discussion with a mention of Sean Penn's role as Spicoli in Fast Times at Ridgemont High as though this discussion is happening at a kegger or an eyes up conversation in the gym locker room.
Also odd that Solomon didn't call Moore out about his party's long record of homophobia, especially after his remark about Anita Bryant being a "venomous bigot." I realize Gus Van Sant hasn't made a film about it, or any filmmaker for that matter, but at one point during the same-sex marriage debate the Conservative party hosted rallies in a bid to stir up anti-gay sentiment and gain political power. I attended one where Minister Jim Flaherty gave a speech about the "slippery slope a gay marriage" to a crowd of thousands. So Moore might also want to re-watch the "List" film he mentioned.
Anyway, I like Evan Solomon and I want to like his show, but watching this new misshapen CBC is painful.
http://blog.unionstayshyn.com/2010/04/28/cbcs-power-and-politics-on-harvey-no...
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Power and Politicsby CanadianPatriot604225 views
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