One final comment. This is what I chiefly object to in this article. The author writes:
“ Rather than engage in the complexity and nuance required to discover what was being—and should be—fought for, the documentary decided to end by highlighting once again what—and who—should be fought against. The focus was on human evil rather than hum…
One final comment. This is what I chiefly object to in this article. The author writes:
“ Rather than engage in the complexity and nuance required to discover what was being—and should be—fought for, the documentary decided to end by highlighting once again what—and who—should be fought against. The focus was on human evil rather than humanity; vanquishing monsters rather than converting or preventing them; getting rid of problems instead of focusing on solutions.”
Yes. After three episodes of watching the horrors of the Holocaust, the proper response is to see Hitler and the Nazis as evil. This is not a matter of trying to talk to your neighbors who may have different philosophies or partisanships. This is a matter of dealing with humans who relinquished their humanity and became monsters. And such evil exists today.
There are times when FAIR’s philosophy of arguing peacefully is woefully naive and inappropriate to the situation. For the author of this article to come away with this criticism of an important film about the darkest days of history misses the mark and comes across as a petty and grasping attempt to champion and apply FAIR’s approach of nonconfrontational “argument” to situations that are beyond it. It is dangerous to be so caught up in any doctrine that so blinds or narrows one’s perspective.
I am frankly disheartened that FAIR should have chosen to publish this, but of course I defend its right to do so. I am disheartened because Ken Burns produced a powerful and moving documentary which I would hope would be met with gratitude from this organization. Instead, we find picayune harping. Burns is one of the good guys. Criticize artistic decisions that don’t work, but for god’s sake look at the bigger picture and give gratitude.
If this dismissal of Burns’ epic achievement and the dismissive and nasty comments that followed are shared by the leadership or greater membership of FAIR, I fear it is an organization to which I should not belong.
One final comment. This is what I chiefly object to in this article. The author writes:
“ Rather than engage in the complexity and nuance required to discover what was being—and should be—fought for, the documentary decided to end by highlighting once again what—and who—should be fought against. The focus was on human evil rather than humanity; vanquishing monsters rather than converting or preventing them; getting rid of problems instead of focusing on solutions.”
Yes. After three episodes of watching the horrors of the Holocaust, the proper response is to see Hitler and the Nazis as evil. This is not a matter of trying to talk to your neighbors who may have different philosophies or partisanships. This is a matter of dealing with humans who relinquished their humanity and became monsters. And such evil exists today.
There are times when FAIR’s philosophy of arguing peacefully is woefully naive and inappropriate to the situation. For the author of this article to come away with this criticism of an important film about the darkest days of history misses the mark and comes across as a petty and grasping attempt to champion and apply FAIR’s approach of nonconfrontational “argument” to situations that are beyond it. It is dangerous to be so caught up in any doctrine that so blinds or narrows one’s perspective.
I am frankly disheartened that FAIR should have chosen to publish this, but of course I defend its right to do so. I am disheartened because Ken Burns produced a powerful and moving documentary which I would hope would be met with gratitude from this organization. Instead, we find picayune harping. Burns is one of the good guys. Criticize artistic decisions that don’t work, but for god’s sake look at the bigger picture and give gratitude.
If this dismissal of Burns’ epic achievement and the dismissive and nasty comments that followed are shared by the leadership or greater membership of FAIR, I fear it is an organization to which I should not belong.