Didn’t that Pearl Harbor thing have something to do with it? And we fought the Germans, too. Did they have yellow skin and slanted eyes?

Didn’t that Pearl Harbor thing have something to do with it? And we fought the Germans, too. Did they have yellow skin and slanted eyes?

—

This is why you can’t see racism about us. Yes, we fought the Germans, as well. But, a huge segment of we Norte Americanos are of German heritage. So, we demonized individual Germans during the war, but we did not demonize the German people. We did demonize the Japanese people, however, because they were different, in our view somehow inferior. That, my dear Writer, is the racism within you, within us. Thank you for providing such a clear example to use for teaching purposes.

As to Hanks, I think O’Reilly must have some sort of man crush on him, and Hanks has rejected him. There is no other explanation for such an obsession.

Absolutely Pearl Harbor had something to do with the interment camps and the American people having a general distrust for Japanese. I understand what Hanks point was, and I don’t think it has anything to do with denigrating America. I believe the point is that we need to be careful with the words we use and how we view other people. After 9/11, Greg Mortenson, the director of the CAI and author of Three Cups of Tea, received so much hate mail for simply building schools for girls to attend in Pakistan. He has stated the amount was overwhelming. For a man like that to receive death threats from fellow americans it is shameful.

I was not aware of that, Marcus. Thank you.

You should add that O’Reilly has invited Hanks to appear on his show, but the actor has refused. Seems that Tom is willing to make sarcastic and denunciatory comments about Fox on a regular basis, but only in settings where he doesn’t have to substantiate them or answer any questions. This is what is known in journalism as the “Olbermann School of Debating” (e.g. first insult, then run and hide).

Felix, Hank seems not only a talented man, but a man of substance and integrity. If he didn’t appear on FOX, I am sure it is because he would find the experience denigrating.

He’s not condemning the country, he’s condemning the acts of racism that happened then and is happening now. Leave it to O’Reilly to take a simple comment and blow it way out of proportion.

What’s with the need to act all tough and call Tom Hanks names? If this were an online game I’d be accusing him of epeen. What makes Bill think he’s so tough and intimidating? He’s not. People like Tom Hanks (and anyone with any sense) have better things to do then go get bashed by him for something they didn’t actually do.

Hey, Ted. If you drop by here, do you see how the left turns everything into a racial matter? Of course you don’t. But I digress. Royal, the Japanese were some of the most racist people on earth. They saw themselves as superior to all other Asians, and superior to anyone else for that matter. And there was indeed a difference. The average Japanese believed in Bushido, a code where they’d fight to the death. The Germans had no such code. So (gasp) sometimes there actually are differences in different races. You lefties are always celebrating diversity, while claiming we’re all exactly the same and there are no differences. Can’t have it both ways.

felix, by that logic are you gonna call out Liz Chenney for constantly saying no one on the left will debate her even though Maddow and others have done everything but get on their knees and beg her to appear on their shows to have that debate she claims to want? Why is it ok for one side to do something but not the other? Either it’s bad for all or it’s ok for all. Pick one.

I see. The response to racism is more racism. That seems rather like Gandhi’s proposition if we all practice “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth” the world will be filled with blind toothless people. Your logical escapes me, but it is consistent.

In fairness, Joshua, Liz is merely following in her father’s footsteps. He who could not appear in Vietnam because he had other priorities in life ….

writer, you denying that there’s racism involved in the portrayal of the Japanese during WWII and of Muslims now? If so I direct you to all the comics that were done by Dr Seuss http://orpheus.ucsd.edu/speccoll/dspolitic/Frame.htm . A lot of his editorial cartoons from the early 40′s didn’t have horrible messages per say, however you’ll notice that the Germans are all drawn as cartoony versions of white people where as all the Japanese are extreme distortions. That’s racist (and yes I know it wasn’t considered so back then).

There are many more worse examples by other people, however I chose Dr Seuss to prove a point. Racism was involved back then (not by everyone of course) just as it is a part of the war now and peoples feelings towards Obama or any other minority political figure. I bet there’s even some people that don’t like Christ (I think) because he’s a child of immigrants, or so I heard.

I personally think it was wrong to put Japanese Americans in camps. We didn’t do it with the German Americans. The rub is in the way Hanks was putting it….as if the main reason we were fighting the Japanese was because of their race. In events such as the Bataan death march and the rape of Nanking, the Japanese at that time exhibited unbelievable cruelty. To play up a racial angle seems petty in comparison. Apologies to Hanks if he didn’t mean it that way. But I saw him on the video, and that’s what it sounded like.

The Japanese attacked us. there is a difference and a stronger hatred towards them then the Germans at that time of history. there was not a a party like the Nazis in Japan either. Japan had spies here also who spotted the attacks in Hawaii.

Hanks can not compare what is going on today with the past. He is just another hollywood blowhard who thinks he is an smarter then everyone else because of his lame entourage that follow him around and feed his ego.

maybe he should do a movie on his “bosom buddies” days.

Bill’s point is correct. Tom is like so many libs, with their drive by slams. No one in the MSM will ask them to explain or challenge them and they won’t talk to anyone who will. If you believe something, be man enough to be challenged on it.

Another thing that really bothers me is you can’t say one bad thing about Islam, but everyday I read comments from people saying the most hurtful, untrue things about my church, the Mormons and that’s ok.

It’s one of the far left’s rules. Only Christianity can be made fun of. To make fun of others is politically incorrect.
Same with race. Only whites can be vilified. (Uh, oh. I mentioned race again. Is Ted going to ban me?)

You are correct writer. I was going to say that, but then I would hear the “mormons aren’t christians” accusation and I’m sick of that one.

Clown.

I told you STUPID FUCK.

I don’t care if it is the Pope, Moroni, Allah and Buddha sitting on a tree.

Shamans, priests, monks and elders should STFU when it comes to mixing religion with political policy. History is packed with examples of holy wars and ignorance disguised as messages from the divine.

And Morons are that, MORMONS.

With all due respect to Mr. O’Reilly and I don’t know Tom Hanks’ intent, but the line preceding the bit about us wanting to annihilate them, he said; “They were out to kill us because our way of living was different”.

Now for some reason, Bill grabbed ahold of the line which referred to us and assumed that’s what Hanks meant went he brought it to modern times, but haven’t we been told time and time again that al Qaeda opposes us because of our way of life, which is different?

Perhaps Hanks is right, that Al Qaeda today is like Japan in the war…

Japan vs. Al Qaeda:

– sneak attack on pearl harbor; sneak attack on WTC
– atrocities against prisoners in Nanking, Bataan; atrocities like beheading hostages
– internment camps; guantanamo ???

Well then, let’s get the rest of the lesson. We fought Japan into total submission, even nuking the place twice. They are now our “friends”–at least, they aren’t generally blowing us up.

Perhaps this is what Hanks is advocating? Attack Al Qaeda with the ferocity with which we fought Japan?

Michelle, as a Christian, I consider Mormonism a cult and therefor not Christian. I am entitled to that view, and it is wholly consistent with mainline Christian teaching. As an American, I recognize your right to worship in full accordance with your belief. While historical Mormon doctrine brought about a practice, an action, abhorrent with the law of the US, that in no way impacts upon the right to believe. During Prohibition, exceptions were created for certain mainline churches, particularly the Roman Catholic and the Episcopal, to continue the consumption of wine as part of sacramental rights, I think that it would have been proper Constitutionally to prohibit that (even if it would have been unwise to do so). Such is the tenuous relationship between Church and state in our nation. I, that spirit, I address to you, but not to Writer, since I profoundly disrespect his intolerance, that I think you are incorrect in you assessment that only Christianity can be made fun of (or, presumably, single out for discriminatory purposes). I think we Christians strive to be tolerant of the paths of others to God. And, when it comes to Jews and Moslems, we have to be always mindful that we share the same Abrahamic tradition. Our tolerance does not weaken us, even when it is met with the intolerance of others, because it is always correct to love others as God has loved us. This supposed discrimination against Christians in America. O’Reilly’s War on Christmas was a foolish myth. Our only enemy is ourselves. Christmas has done very well for itself in America, and is in no danger/ The same can be said of Christianity.

On a personal level, the great divisions in the Church Universal ought to sadden each and everyone of us, and we can and should all pray that even as we are not united in practice, we are united as the very People of God.

I have come to respect you a great deal.

Tolerance of others is Royal’s middle name. As long as you don’t disagree with him. Then all bets are off.

The faux royal king calling itself a “Christian” is rich…………..rich, I tell ya.’

“Back in World War II, we viewed the Japanese as ‘yellow, slant-eyed dogs’ that believed in different gods. They were out to kill us because our way of living was different. We, in turn, wanted to annihilate them because they were different. Does that sound familiar, by any chance, to what’s going on today?”

Events like World War II or the ongoing Muslim jihadist conflict with the West are enormously complex with many root causes. These may or may not include politics, religion, economics, culture, ideology, or military matters. That is why historians often spend years researching the origins of historical events and even then cannot come to a definite conclusion as to why an event happened the way it did.

For Tom Hanks to try to simplify or even make a connection between the Pacific War and Islamic/West conflict indicates to me that he is either a fool or a liberal with an agenda.

To paraphrase Georges Clemenceau: History is too serious a matter to be entrusted to Hollywood actors.

King, While I obviously disagree with you that we are a cult, I appreciate your post.

The merits aside, Bill is obligated to take on Hank’s shots on behalf of The Fox Machine. Tom Hanks has way too much broad respect from the public, both as one of the finest actors of our age and a great guy, for Fox to let his shots across the bow remain unanswered.

While perhaps inarticulate for the normally articulate Hanks, presenting historical fact compellingly with the hope that people draw lessons that impact their thinking going forward isn’t a goal worthy of derision.

Quite to the contrary, I’m sure even practitioners of presenting less than historical facts like Bill and the insufferable Randian Stossel can appreciate Mr. Hank’s effectiveness – almost as much as they fear it.

Where’s the video?

Anyone who thinks Tom Hanks presented “historical facts” has read little, if any, history.

Regarding the Pacific War, a great book is H.P. Willmott’s “Empires in the Balance; Japanese and Allied Pacific Strategies to April 1942″. BTW, for you leftists, he covers Japan’s attitude towards the racial discrimination exhibited by the US and the League of Nations.

Regarding the Muslim jihad, Lawrence Wrights “The Looming Tower; Al-Qaeda and the Road to 9/11″ is a good start.

Am I the only one who spit up his coffee when he read that Mark Levine is “left-of-center”? Am I missing something here?

>Am I the only one who spit up his coffee when he read that Mark Levine is “left-of-center”? Am I missing something here?

The Fox News-center.

TRRK, where would we be without you deciding which religions are “real” and which are “cults”? But branding a religion that has more than ten million members as a cult is a mis-use of language. And I won’t even get into the bigotry…..

Heaven help us when the thought police decide that our personal views are not acceptable.

I Like Hanks but that was a stupid comment.I hope he doesn’t actually believe that crap.my guess he is just getting free PR for his HBO show.

And since the moderators obviously don’t care how much Mr. Bovine swears on here, let me go ahead and speak for all of our conservative posters. Mr. Bovine, go fuck yourself, you left wing, America hating drooling idiot.
See where your atheism gets you when your so deservedly roasting in hell.

@ writer

You don’t go by the name of Danny on another site do you?

Why no, I don’t. Kind of you to ask, though.

Since Japan attacked us and the Germans didn’t, I think that explains the extra hatred for them, not the fact that they weren’t white. For the most part the average German soldier was pretty much like his American counterpart. It was the SS that carried out the atrocities. With the Japanese, however, much of the army was more like the SS when it came to cruelty, as witnessed by the atrocities carried out against the Chinese at Nanking and various other cities, and the treatment of POWs as little more than animals. To attribute any extra hatred of Japan to being racial is a gross oversimplification.

” We, in turn, wanted to annihilate them because they were different. Does that sound familiar, by any chance, to what’s going on today?”
——————————-

Yes it does sound familiar if you listen to some far right wing looney toon like Ann Coulter. She said that we should kill all the Islamic leaders and then convert the rest into Christians.

The real john t says:
March 11, 2010 at 11:45 pm

That has been my suspicion as well. Did you know that I once caught Danny using one of his sockpuppets over at TVNewser? Immediately after calling him out on it, he stopped using that account. He doesn’t want any record of his troll conduct getting back to Koldys over at the Dollar Dump.

P.S.
Danny if you are not able to watch Fox News this week due to the fact the illegal streams you mooch off of have been shut down this week, I don’t think you should be hanging out at cable news blogs.

same2u:

Sock alert.