Fox Business Network host Lou Dobbs is accusing animated movies such as Disney/Ghibli’s The Secret World of Arrietty and Universal/Illumination’s Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax of trying to indoctrinate children with liberal messages. The conservative commentator called the two animated features “insidious nonsense from Hollywood” and proclaimed that “Hollywood is once again trying to indoctrinate our children!”
Apparently, the fact that Arrietty and her family are “Borrrowers,” didn’t sit well with Dobbs, who thinks the movie is about “class envy and redistribution of wealth” and that The Lorax preaches “environmental radicalism!” He seems to have conveniently forgotten that Arrietty is based on a 60-year-old classic written by English author Mary Norton and that Dr. Seuss books have been hugely popular with both children and adults all over the world for many decades.
He also labeled the movies “insidious nonsense from the president’s liberal friends in Hollywood targeting a younger demographic using animated movies to sell their agenda to children.”
lame.
I don’t think Arrietty is so much that way, but I do feel that Lorax is really shoving it’s message down my throat.
This smacks of the anti-Communist witch hunts of the 1950s. Someone needs to sit Dobbs down, as Edward R. Murrow did with Joseph McCarthy, and say to him “Have you no decency, sir?”
I wonder what he thinks of Sponge Bob Square Pants.
I wonder what he thinks of Sponge Bob Square Pants?
Here’s proof that Dobbs’ career is slipping away. Or, possibly, what little mind he ever had.
Lou Dobbs is one of the new breed of extremists. They want to move the world back into the Dark Ages of ignorance, lynchings and Nazism. There is no cooperation only divisions with their messages. Hitler twisted lies to bend them into a perceived truth too.
Of course not….Hollywood is not liberal, does not promote a political agenda through its movies (anyone see Game Change?), doesn’t support this President with the 1% in the industry dolling out millions to his campaign…now who’s being naive. Maybe Dobbs strayed a bit too far on this one, but he’s still in the ball park. And yes there were socialist themes 60 years ago people, wake up. Also, to anyone who brands this man a Nazi or a Hitler because his opinion differs from yours makes you no better than Joe McCarthy. There are more radical extremists on the left lately than ever before. Stop the BS!
You. Cannot. Be. Serious.
“More radical extremists on the left”??!
Let me guess… you consider the Tea Party to be middle of the road??!
The real damage done to our country by actual, living, breathing, not imaginary right wing zealots over recent years will also take years to undo. Either help with the cleanup or get out of the way.
You mean, right wing zealots since 1776, I presume, when you say “recent years”?
Agree with Dobbs about Lorax. Yes, I read it to my kids too, but what a preachy, irritating story based on economic fantasies. (Of course we should be smart about earth’s resources, but think about it: I’m guessing no one plants more trees than the paper industry.)
Plus, to me the biggest “Thneed” is the iPod! 🙂
Have to admit the Lorax was never one I was particularly enchanted with, because it’s a little ‘darker’ than Seuss’s other works I suppose. But sorry, Arietty was made in Japan first and then dubbed in English. To be honest, as soon as I saw the guy was from Fox, I immediately started chuckling. I’ve never been able to take them seriously.
Gee, Marissa what do you watch? CNN? MSNBC? Or these other biased liberal channels that are fronts for the White House? FOX News levels all of them. Wise up!
Fox News isn’t even a real news channel. You wise up!
I think you’re marooned, but not on this planet! More people get their news from FOX than all the other channels combined. And CNN rightwing? Wow, you must be really to the left. As long as CNN keeps avoiding any criticism of Obama, then they’re still a left-wing front for this administration.
Newt… Is that you??! 😉
Funny, I’ve always considered myself a moderate. Perhaps it is the right lately that have pulled the cliff closer to themselves?
CNN not criticizing Obama? Are you serious? Do you even watch the channel? I do, daily, and they are dangerously close to becoming Fox News 2. It’s like they’re Tea Party fanbois gone wild!!! They slavishly cover the Republican debates to the point of nausea. As they have moved right and I have stood my ground, I do admittedly watch MSNBC more often, but I’m not exactly thrilled with them, either.
More people watch Fox News because their audience tends to be undereducated and less likely to rely on an evidence-based worldview, and they’re defensively angry and loud about it. Fox fans the flames of passion of people who are still upset about having a black president, or for some of them, even about losing the civil war in 1865. Chris Matthews on MSNBC has made some excellent points on this last eye-opener, and it’s not a joke.
As for criticism of Obama, I may have voted for him in 2008, but I haven’t exactly been pleased. He has frequently behaved like the great compromiser in chief, as if somehow bending over backwards to appease the Tea Party will ever make them like him. He needs to realize that the rightwing ideologues will never like him and that he needs to do the job that the people elected him to do. While I’m sick of the pandering of politicians in general, I’m especially disappointed in his overtly offensive religiosity. He’s actually worse than Bush in this regard. Again, he fails to comprehend that his pandering to a deaf crowd will have limited results, but in the process he sure as heck is alienating a lot of those who voted for him in the first place. Having said that, he is currently the only viable candidate in an unprecedented sea of Republican embarrassment, and I generally support his policies, as I otherwise think he’s a pretty smart guy.
It seems safe to say that you consider yourself a climate change denier. What else do you deny? The scientific truth of evolution, despite the crushing mountain of evidence? Women’s reproductive freedom rights? Gay rights? Where does the social conservative ideologically indoctrinated bigotry and anti-intellectualism end? The right surely isn’t winning the cultural and intellectual wars in America. They can cling to their fairy tales and bronze age mythologies all they want, it doesn’t make them true. So, when people with an evidence-based worldview get upset when the fantasy land camp is arrogantly loud, don’t be surprised when we finally react, strongly.
You’re out of your mind and indicative of the true “Darks Ages” we are in right now. First of all, climate change (which was conveniently altered from global warming) is a scam perpetuated by fanatical environmentalist groups killing business with their outrageous restrictions. There is no evidence humankind as had any effect on the climate, quite frankly the polar ice caps have melted off and on like this for thousands of years…read a book!
As for this rookie president, he’s a closet socialist playing class warfare, stomping on capitalism (but he knows where to find the fat cats when he needs their campaign dollars), ramming an unpopular health care package down our throats, flexing his executive muscles at the expense of the constitution, indifferent to soaring gas prices because HE
wants the nation to go green overnight (and go electric courtesy of his ties with GE), blaming everyone (including, my God, Bush after 3 years) for the ills of the nation because his ego won’t allow him to admit failure…need I go on!
As for Obama being “smart” that just scares the hell out of me. He’s a glorified classroom professor with no govt experience fumbling his way along thinking we can spend trillions in empty stimulus programs to boost our economy.
Right now, I’d take anyone in the GOP field over this sideline divider who couldn’t even run a hot dog stand and just wants more and more of our money inflating the deficit.
And yeah, I figured you would pass that smug, elitist remark about the education of FOX viewers. How pathetic are you liberal hypocrites! You advocate free speech as long as my opinion matches yours. If not. you ridicule, demonize and stigmatize your opponent hoping to bury them in a sea of biased hatred.
Little survey for you numbskull, there are more conservatives in this country than liberals with independents leading the majority. I know I just pissed you off with facts…sorry.
On evolution, yes I agree with it even though reading YOUR comments I’m now certain some baboons have not progressed.
On women’s rights to abortion, maybe your mother should have opted for this and saved the world from another brain-dead liberal.
On gay rights, there is nothing wrong with a civil union but this belligerent group still wants the term “marriage” for reasons unknown. I personally don’t care what people do in their bedrooms, just don’t shove it in my face and force me to accept you..I’ll tolerate you… let it go at that.
You, and everyone else, supporting this charismatic moron are going to lose this election. Why? People won’t drink the Kool-Aid again, and Obama can’t run and point fingers forever. He’ll have to fess up to his record of dismal promises unkept and his own inadequacies. I welcome taking back the White House (and maybe the Senate) in November and pushing true illiterates like you back under a rock.
[Reply to TA, below]
Wow, it’s just amazing how differently we view the metaphorical Dark Ages we are in. Simply, my reference to it involves the social regression, rejection of science, reliance on mythology, and anti-intellectualism currently practiced by American social conservatives and rightwing ideologues.
Actually, I’ve read a lot about climate change. I’ve attended many lectures over the past decade from well respected scientists who study the subject professionally. Apparently, you seem to get your information on the subject from the dangerous propaganda machines of the CATO Institute or the Heartland Institute. You have been utterly brainwashed into believing this is some sort of a left-leaning political issue, when it is truly one of science and economics. Cherry picking and distorting data to meet your ideological aims does not count as evidence.
I’m sorry, but your views of Obama are just bizarre. If ONLY he actually was more of a socialist. Instead, he takes money from Wall Street just like all the other pandering politicians who in return grease their palms to continue the legalized theft of regular Americans’ pocketbooks. He is so much of a capitalist (of which I include myself to be one, to be clear) that you would think the Republicans would be thrilled to have someone like him in charge, but no. Instead, they are the ones who are playing class warfare like we haven’t seen in a long time, and then accuse him of doing so, which is just patently absurd to anyone who pays attention to current events. If his healthcare plan is unpopular to some demographics, perhaps it is because it didn’t go far enough after he made too many concessions to those were paid off by the insurance companies, and ironically he ended up giving them MORE business as a result. Ummm… who “won”, exactly?
I do agree with you that we cannot go green overnight, but I don’t even see the Republicans trying to implement a gradual but reasonable timeline to do so. I seriously doubt they even care, as some of them actually think the pollution is GOOD for the environment. That is truly ignorance at its worst.
Okay, so you don’t like the federal stimulus, despite historical evidence that restricting government spending during bad economic times is not the answer. It wasn’t perfect, but do you ever think of how much worse we might have been without it? It may well have kept us out of another great depression. Bush & Co spent us into a great recession, at a minimum. Obama simply inherited the mess and had a mission impossible to fix it. You complain about him not being successful after only three years? This could take three DECADES to fix it is so bad. You have the right to be mad, but you’re directing your anger at the wrong guy on this and using him as a total scapegoat.
Taking anyone in the current GOP field just because they aren’t Obama is not logical. None of the remaining four candidates is even remotely qualified. If anything, they provide some terrific comedic fodder, but that’s not worth anyone’s vote when we have such serious problems. You know what? I wish someone else besides Obama was running, but that’s not the way our system works, and in the meantime, he is the far lesser of evils, and basically still a very good man for the job, comparatively speaking.
Wow, such strong defensive words regarding Fox, but not unexpected. Yes, you are entitled to free speech, but if you’re not working with the facts, which Fox is notorious for, then it’s just a bunch of angry ignorant people blowing hot air, and yes, when that is the majority (or plurality) of actual voters, our democracy is in great danger, as it is now, when ideology trumps truth. It’s presumably part of what got the Tea Party members of Congress elected, so it will indeed take time to clean up their mess once they’re finally replaced.
Not sure what survey of conservatives you’re referring to. Republicans make up about 21% of the electorate, and not all of those are die-hard rightwing fanatical social conservatives. I am actually shockingly tolerant of moderate Republicans as long as they’re talking fiscal conservatism or national defense. On this last point, I even… (wait for it) voted for Bush in 2004. Oooo, did your head just explode, LOL?! Here’s another one… I would take Bush back in a heartbeat over Romney, Santorum, Gingrich, or Paul any day. There, anyone and everyone still reading this probably puked, LOLLLL. Having said that, I NEVER actually liked Bush, I just liked Kerry a wee bit less, and the slate of Democrat presidential choices in 2004 was just pitiful, sorry. Yeah, I’ve come to regret the Bush vote over the years as I saw the harm his reign did, but I also blame the Democrats for not offering a better nominee, and no, I don’t hate Kerry, either. At least in 2008 it was crystal clear again, as the senile guy who chose the total whack job from Alaska couldn’t tag team for village dogcatcher. Thankfully, McCain has gotten a little bit saner again since the election loss and not having to still pander so much to the rightwing extremists (I actually moderately liked him before the election). Palin, uhh, not so much, still super, super crazy.
Hey, we agree on evolution! Air high five! ; -)
Ooo, such a nasty comment. It’s okay, I have never considered myself a brain-dead liberal, so you could have called me a racist Martian who hates Earthlings, as it would have stuck about as well. Looking forward in time and supporting human rights is actually a sign of learned intelligence. Liberal is not a word to be ashamed of, it’s a point of pride for many people, but it’s still not a word I usually use to describe myself, so I guess it comes down to semantics. If you equate liberal to progressive, so be it, I am a progressive independent, and proud of it.
C’mon, civil unions just indicate a lesser ranking in society than legalized marriages, so gay people just wanting equality is not for “reasons unknown”. I have never been and will never be gay myself, but my heart goes out to the LGBT community for demanding fair treatment in the eyes of the law. Nobody is suggesting that religious institutions be forced to perform gay marriages, but it does seem to be religious indoctrination that justifies opponents’ positions on promoting and maintaining inequality. You do show hope for progress by at least promoting basic tolerance. Our younger and future generations seem destined to harbor much less anti-LGBT prejudice overall, so it won’t be too much longer until the 10% are finally treated fairly, at least by the secular institution that is our government.
I find your confidence in retaking the White House fascinating, especially considering that Obama is riding high right now at over 50% approval in the most recent survey. That’s pretty damn good considering the pile of poo he had to shovel upon arrival. As for promises not kept, yeah, you’re right about that, and it bothers me a lot, but for different reasons than yours, obviously.
If anything, the country is at last coming to its senses and will vote out most of the Tea Partiers and allow the Democrats to regain the House. No, I do not like Nancy Pelosi, but I’ll take her any day of the year over John Boehner, blech.
Well, we got this far, so neither of us are really illiterates. It’s been “fun”. Have a nice day!
: -)
Sorry but I must have the last word.
Yes we are in the Dark Ages if by my definition it is the regression of social morality, the absence of civility, the heightening level of violence, the laziness of a generation that panders for a nanny mentality and a staggering level of illiteracy (both in grammar, history etc) in an age of technological wizardry.
Unfortunately, you have been victim of propaganda at the hands of zealot environmentalists with a political agenda to penalize certain countries of the world.
Remember that movement (that thankfully died) wherein these fanatics wanted the major powers (USA, China, Russia) to pay out millions of dollars to third world nations because they claim WE have poisoned the climate? The CATO Institute nailed it when they exposed the suspect findings of the so-called “climate change” agenda.
As for the field marshall in the White House winning again…guess again. When the GOP picks its nominee and they stop warring with each other and put Obama in the cross hairs, especially with the deficit still climbing, gas prices soaring & the economy lagging, your Imperial Socialist Leader will fall back on what he knows best…dirty mud-slinging finger pointing blame game corrupt Chicago politics…and he will lose.
It’s been said that people who don’t watch any news are better informed than those who watch Fox…
Tell me, did you come out from under your Occupy tent and stop puffing on that weed long enough to post this comment? It’s a miracle some liberals can be heard at all with their heads so far up their ass…it’s been said.
It’s been said by Left Wingers, yeah.
Watch the films and judge for yourself. He’s another old rich white guy telling people what to think. It isn’t working for most of America.
to rap things up, pointless.
Well, I am not a news junkie and what either party talks about to me are like wacky cartoon characters who you laugh at but don’t take seriously. As for cartoons themselves. I been watching them for over 50 years and as a child I really didn’t read deep hidden messages in them nor did a play them backwards. I just enjoyed them. Now 50 years later I am a married man of over 30 years to the same woman. Pay my taxes and still watch cartoons. I love them despite the fact that so called experts and leaders have over the years as a way to control children’s mind. Animators are turning them out like they have for over 100 years. And somehow the world keeps turning new generations are watching them and still marveling over how wonderful they are. So for me I will keep on watching and loving them. As for the rest of you all I can say if you just take the time to be a child again maybe you’ll see how wonderful having a mind that can be filled with wonder can be.
I know nothing about “Arriety,” but I agree that “The Lorax” is too preachy. I think Dobbs is over-reacting, blaming two movies he doesn’t agree with on the Obama administration or its friends. However, “The Lorax” is one of Dr. Seuss’ most mediocre books, which does exactly the opposite of what Dr. Seuss is famous for, making entertaining books that don’t beat kids over the head with moralisms.
can’t wait to see these movies!
So, pointing out that The Borrowers and Lorax are borrowed stories from older books somehow does away with Lou Dobb’s point? Because the interesting thing is, when I read these stories both as a kid and as a parent, I didn’t scream “Socialism”. But when I watched the movies, I saw exactly what Dobbs saw. A different kind of story.