Louis Theroux

[Tim Ingmire]

This has been on my mind all day.

Anybody see the Louise Theroux programme last night - he was doing a doc on the US Neo Nazi's.  I just could not believe what I was seeing and hearing - to say a lot of it was shocking is an understatement.

A lot of the programme (or rather the way it was cut) was unbelievably uncomfortable to watch - especially when he was at a skinheads house asking if they would accept him  differently if he was a Jew - talk about putting your head into a Lions head and squeezing the buggers balls!

The attitudes of some of these people is quite simply shocking and that they are fostering the same in their young children was very saddening to watch.

[andy2tanx]

You're right Tim. It was a sad program to watch.  However, did it not strike you that had these people been true racists then they would have kicked him out, cameras or not.  Maybe they were bigging it up for the cameras a bit.  After all, Tom Metzger, seemed to actually like his Mexican neighbour.  Struck me as a sad old individual, who was living on his past reputation.

[Mr T.]

Aye Tim,

Last night's programme should be 'set text' and required viewing in all UK schools along with 'The Mark Thomas Comedy Product' (regardless of your politics) and Michael Moore's 'Bowling for Colombine' (amazing how simple questions can change the product range - in this case ammunition - of a global conglomerate like Wal Mart).

Indeed, it would be impossible to sit down and write such essential viewing.

Top marks Theroux! More of the same please. Nice to see him doing something worthwhile instead of interviewing the Hamiltons and Paul (Twat) Daniels and Debbie (permanent Blonde Moment) Magee.

[Tim Ingmire]

Tom M seemed a sad git.  The skinhead family were a different story tho.  they did actually turn there backs and walk away - I hate to imagine what would have happened if the cameras weren't there.

I saw his programme on similar types in South Africa and the same comments and atmosphere came out in that programme (honestly, I had goosepimples beacuse the atmosphere was just so threatening) - what was bizzare that was that one of the 'racists' had a fair number of black blues and soul artists amongst his CD collection - go figure!

One thing that made me shout at the TV (really) was a comment by Tom (Louis had seen a CD in Tom's collection which depicted a lynching and asked Tom if he agreed with the sentiment); Tom's view was that lynching one by one was too slow - the 'whole lot' needed to be done at once.  F**k me.  And they are actually teaching their children and grand-children this stuff.  And this wasn't in the deep south - it was in California.

My greatest fear is that we dismiss this as American Idiots - this kind of bigotry is all too prevalent in the UK also.  Maybe Louis should do the same over here too.

[Fiona]

<font color='#0000FF'>I also watched this programme, not sure why but most of what LT does is quite facinating.

I thought the worst part was when he suggested that those twin girls were a bit young to be singing about racism and the Mother said they had to start sometime. WHY? &nbsp;Those girls have no life, no education and no future what are they going to do when they grow up, marry a nice skinhead boy covered in tattoos and bring up more children taught to hate.

The Mother also sait she didn't like non whites as they didn't speak English, very sad.

As for Tom M, just a very sad old guy who has latched onto another US cult. &nbsp;

Fiona

[Rick Huggins]

<font color='#0000FF'>FionaB, for what it's worth:

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] ]just a very sad old guy who has latched onto another US cult. &nbsp;

He is a sad old git, but the Skinhead movement was actually started in the UK in the summer of 69 as a progression from The Mods.

And beleive it or not; not all Skin'eads are neo nazi's. Infact the majority have nothing to do with them! Again, not all Skin'eads are thugs, it's not a statement but &quot;a way of life&quot;!

I too could not believe my eyes or ears with this programe and top marks to Louis.

You don't need to look far from your own doorsteps to find people like this in the UK.

[Seadart Mark]

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] (Bren Tierney @ Dec. 22 2003,20:00)]Aye Tim,

Last night's programme should be 'set text' and required viewing in all UK schools along with 'The Mark Thomas Comedy Product' (regardless of your politics) and Michael Moore's 'Bowling for Colombine' (amazing how simple questions can change the product range - in this case ammunition - of a global conglomerate like Wal Mart).

Indeed, it would be impossible to sit down and write such essential viewing.

Top marks Theroux! More of the same please. Nice to see him doing something worthwhile instead of interviewing the Hamiltons and Paul (Twat) Daniels and Debbie (permanent Blonde Moment) Magee.

Spot on Bren.

Mark Thomas, Michael Moore and the likes should be, as you say, 'set text' if only to teach the younger generation to question the 'facts' and 'reasoning' they are presented with through the media etc that is so often taken as gospel.

On the subject of US Neo Nazis, check out a great film called American History X. Great story, great acting but more important a thought provoking message.

Mark

[Mr T.]

Agree totally with ya there Bob on 'American History X' - top movie - all the better for being shot in black-n-white (irony? given the subject matter?) Indeed, my one fear whilst watching the film was that it might 'wimp-out', as most Hollywood films tend to do and offer a somewhat saccharin and sugar-coated 'cop-out' ending where everyone has a group-hug and makes friends - I am glad to report that no such worries were realised!

One of the worrying aspects of the film is the scene where we are listening to one of the chief protangonists (the big brother part, played by Ed Norton) list and rationalise his thoughts on white supremacy to his younger brother - and then you realise, with object dread, that some of what he is saying isn't actually the ugly racist cant which you're expecting and is, horror of horrors, quite mundane and pedestrian.....and with that, the realisation hits you - my God, in the past, I've had some of those thoughts myself and I'm now sitting here having my quiet prejudices exposed in front of me!! Cathartic in a very real sense.

The feeling is rather akin to the line in 'Apocolypse Now', where Robert Duvall, as the 'out-on-a-porch-mad' US Cavalry Captain in Viet Nam, and with all manner of battle Hell being unleashed around him on a beachhead they've just taken, simply gets down on one knee and instructs one of his subalterns to go and test the surf!!! And then, with perfect focus, turns to his 2i/c and offers us &quot;You know, I love the smell of Napalm in the morning...&quot;; either he's completely oblivious to to the chaos and carnage errupting around him, or he's completely focussed on the moment - and that's a similar focus that the Ed Norton scene to his brother gives you: you have no option but to confront your prejudices and after doing so you find that they are, after thought and reflection, unsupportable and unacceptable.

A similar thing (a bit of a 'Road-to-Damascus' moment)happened some years ago: I used to be a strong supporter of the death penalty - until I read Albert Pierrepoint's (one of the last public hangmen in the UK) autobiography and was convinced, as was he, by the end of the book that I could no longer maintain my once steadfast position on capital punishment.

As with Napalm in the morning - it's healthy in the extreme to have your prejudices challenged and adjusted. We can only hope that the process continues.

[Scuba1]

<font color='#000080'>I agree with you on that one Bren even though I am a ( shaved head kraut ) sherry drinker. And just i9n case it is cloudy in your end of the world ...the sun is over the yardarm
Cheers
Michael