I admit, I get a lot of my news from the Internet. Particularly the international news. For one, we just don’t cover news the way they do in other countries; they give a different perspective. Also, I enjoy reading news coverage from the country the event(s) occur in, for a closer perspective.
And other times, its simply because often we cover completely different stories.
Thursday was case-in-point for me.
Whatever you think it means, I log on to Al-Jazeera at least weekly. They actually have a really unique way of covering the news. It’s at the very least a completely different perspective. I figure, if I can watch CNN, then to be fair I should read Al-Jazeera. (Actually I don’t even watch CNN any longer, because I don’t have cable…Does that mean I should log onto CNN now, to be fair?)
Anyhow, steering away from politics, I also read Al-Jazeera because they cover things many other news organizations do not. They also will show pictures where others will not.
Judge bans Holocaust carnival float
First of all, the title is misleading (but remember, it’s Al-Jazeera, so the way the words were played could arguably have been done to suit the audience), though the article lives up to the sensationalism the title emotes.
If you’re too lazy, time-pressed, or brain-dead to read the article (it opens into a new window) basically, the article is about a samba carnival float in Rio that was banned by a judge for being offensive.
The float is made up of a realistic-looking mass of bodies, topped by a Hitler fully swathed in swastikas, dancing the samba for the crowds. How do they possibly justify this? Well, the theme of the carnival was “SHOCKERS.”
First of all, with a name like “Shockers,” these floats could have looked A LOT worse (Shame on you, those of you who caught that reference! get your mind out of the gutter!)
The Hitler float was “The Shock of the Holocaust,” float, made to depict the horror and reality of that tragic period in time. Other floats in the parade include “The Shock of Birth,” “The Shock of Death,” and “The Shock of Cold.” The carnival directors say their float is out of respect for Jews, to show the brutality of the Halocaust, which they never want people to forget. Jewish groups complain it is an instrument for racism.
What do you think?
It reminds me a little of when Nirvana came out with “Rape Me.” I remember being upset that the album “In Utero” was banned from shelves over the song. It angered me because the song was in support of rape victims. The people banning it didn’t even bother to listen to the song it seemed.
This is different though. I can’t say why I think it is exactly, I just think it is. Who can say if either horror is worse than the other? No one. Myself included. Maybe I feel that way because I know that Kurt was100% singing in support of rape victims, and I don’t know much about the carnival, its directors, or even the about the samba.
On the other hand, I hate censorship. I know that doing nothing would be a major PR risk, and just plain stupid. At the same time, I wonder if there’s any way they could have toned down the float, compromising for both parties? If what the directors say is true, their hearts are in the right place. I don’t see why a compromise could not be found (if there were enough time to redo the float).
Maybe that’s the Canadian in me. Or the trouble-maker 
AMENDMENT:
I just found this msnbc article:
Float depicting Hitler, dead Jews banned
Apparently, they did compromise. It’s a much more informative article than the Al-Jazeera one.
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yikes!
This is more like a gallery not a float! Parades should be fun, family stuff. I would not want to this parade.
Just on bus now, going to stop soon for lunch.
Glad you could take the time to read my blog and post from your blackberry, Mr. Busy!
I agree, BUT the parade was supposed to shock…it did satisy that one objective. You’re right though, probably not a parade I’d go to, but definitely a gallery.
You’ve hit it on the head I think…it’s appropriate in the right context/venue…and in this case the right place is NOT a carnival parade.
Good observation.
Now, since you’re on your way back this way, will you pick up some Tori Kimuzu and Yasai Cha Han from Izakaya on your way back?
Regularly, I would support freedom of expression over censorship. However, I am sympathetic to the censors in this case. The artistic, political and social expression communicated through the float – depicting Hitler dancing atop a heap of Jewish bones – is not only shocking, but hugely offensive. My opinion may be unfounded, but I agree with their decision to pull the float from the parade.
I support the decision to pull the float – but I love that somebody tried to do this, and it got coverage. It is a hugely offensive float, and that’s the point of it. It’s completely inappropriate, which is also the point. The subject of the float is one of the most hugely inappropriate and offensive things to happen in the modern world.
So yeah, I love the concept and the fact that it got coverage (so people will know about it) but support the censorship of it.