Comments on: Tom Hanks Is At It Again, Says Overcoming Racism Is Taking US “An Awfully Long Time” and Calls WWII a War of “Racism and Terror” http://www.newsrealblog.com/2010/03/15/tom-hanks-is-at-it-again-says-overcoming-racism-is-taking-us-an-awfully-long-time-and-calls-wwii-a-war-of-racism-and-terror/ Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:34:39 +0000 hourly 1 By: Paul P http://www.newsrealblog.com/2010/03/15/tom-hanks-is-at-it-again-says-overcoming-racism-is-taking-us-an-awfully-long-time-and-calls-wwii-a-war-of-racism-and-terror/#comment-67728 Paul P Fri, 19 Mar 2010 00:34:40 +0000 http://www.newsrealblog.com/?p=41436#comment-67728 I'll say it has a ring of truth to it. I didn't think from that angle. I knew there was something wrong in the heart of those that seek the entire world's attention, but "guilt can be used as a tool or which can influence the child as well as the adult to move in very strange ways. I, however cannot imagine blaming heroes from the World War II era, to satisfy any form of my guilt. I'll say it has a ring of truth to it. I didn't think from that angle. I knew there was something wrong in the heart of those that seek the entire world's attention, but "guilt can be used as a tool or which can influence the child as well as the adult to move in very strange ways.

I, however cannot imagine blaming heroes from the World War II era, to satisfy any form of my guilt.

]]> By: Kevin http://www.newsrealblog.com/2010/03/15/tom-hanks-is-at-it-again-says-overcoming-racism-is-taking-us-an-awfully-long-time-and-calls-wwii-a-war-of-racism-and-terror/#comment-67584 Kevin Thu, 18 Mar 2010 16:38:48 +0000 http://www.newsrealblog.com/?p=41436#comment-67584 If I remember correctly the president at the time at the start of WWII was one of the most progressive democrats of all time, FDR. If I remember correctly the president at the time at the start of WWII was one of the most progressive democrats of all time, FDR.

]]> By: John M http://www.newsrealblog.com/2010/03/15/tom-hanks-is-at-it-again-says-overcoming-racism-is-taking-us-an-awfully-long-time-and-calls-wwii-a-war-of-racism-and-terror/#comment-66918 John M Wed, 17 Mar 2010 14:53:18 +0000 http://www.newsrealblog.com/?p=41436#comment-66918 Nate, that is very insightful and has a lot of the ring of truth to it. Nate, that is very insightful and has a lot of the ring of truth to it.

]]> By: USMC Vet http://www.newsrealblog.com/2010/03/15/tom-hanks-is-at-it-again-says-overcoming-racism-is-taking-us-an-awfully-long-time-and-calls-wwii-a-war-of-racism-and-terror/#comment-66803 USMC Vet Wed, 17 Mar 2010 09:53:47 +0000 http://www.newsrealblog.com/?p=41436#comment-66803 I can't help but feel that much of the noise made here and elsewhere about Mr. Hanks' comments seems to be over semantics and way over-politicized to the point it's basically become the usual partisan mud-slinging. I don't pretend to know what Mr. Hanks thinks nor do I care about his political beliefs, but I have to say that I don't find anything out of line in saying that WWII was a war of racism and terror. The terror part is a foregone conclusion, and racism was certainly not a minor part of the war, at least for each side's propaganda machine. One would be naive beyond belief to think that the US in the 1940s was above racism, something that remains with us still even today in varying degrees. There's no arguing that the Japanese were more dehumanized for the most part in WWII compared to the Nazis, and part of that is simply due to the fact that we just didn't know jack about them, there was no shared common cultural tie between the two nations. All that we needed to know was that they attacked us, and that was more than enough. There's nothing wrong here, that's just the way things were. Trust me, I have no love for the Japanese during that time, many of them managed to demonstrate the perfect example of man's inhumanity to man far better than anyone else did during those times. but I'm just calling it as I see it here, as I certainly didn't get the message that he implied that we fought the Japanese BECAUSE of racism. As far as I'm concerned, Band of Brothers was an excellent show, and The Pacific so far looks like there will finally be a piece that do justice to the memories of those who served in the pacific campaign, a brutal war that's often forgotten and ignored by the public. I wish people would just leave the politics out of it, as far as I'm concerned, putting a left or right wing bias on this is a disservice to those who served. I can't help but feel that much of the noise made here and elsewhere about Mr. Hanks' comments seems to be over semantics and way over-politicized to the point it's basically become the usual partisan mud-slinging.

I don't pretend to know what Mr. Hanks thinks nor do I care about his political beliefs, but I have to say that I don't find anything out of line in saying that WWII was a war of racism and terror. The terror part is a foregone conclusion, and racism was certainly not a minor part of the war, at least for each side's propaganda machine. One would be naive beyond belief to think that the US in the 1940s was above racism, something that remains with us still even today in varying degrees.

There's no arguing that the Japanese were more dehumanized for the most part in WWII compared to the Nazis, and part of that is simply due to the fact that we just didn't know jack about them, there was no shared common cultural tie between the two nations. All that we needed to know was that they attacked us, and that was more than enough. There's nothing wrong here, that's just the way things were. Trust me, I have no love for the Japanese during that time, many of them managed to demonstrate the perfect example of man's inhumanity to man far better than anyone else did during those times. but I'm just calling it as I see it here, as I certainly didn't get the message that he implied that we fought the Japanese BECAUSE of racism.

As far as I'm concerned, Band of Brothers was an excellent show, and The Pacific so far looks like there will finally be a piece that do justice to the memories of those who served in the pacific campaign, a brutal war that's often forgotten and ignored by the public. I wish people would just leave the politics out of it, as far as I'm concerned, putting a left or right wing bias on this is a disservice to those who served.

]]> By: Ron Livaudais http://www.newsrealblog.com/2010/03/15/tom-hanks-is-at-it-again-says-overcoming-racism-is-taking-us-an-awfully-long-time-and-calls-wwii-a-war-of-racism-and-terror/#comment-66620 Ron Livaudais Wed, 17 Mar 2010 02:19:22 +0000 http://www.newsrealblog.com/?p=41436#comment-66620 War is hell, Mr. Hanks. And if you're sqeamish about the realities of war, and call our righteous cause racist, then maybe you should stick to the subject of your profession, or talk about matters that carry less weight and have more subjectivity, like cooking or gardening. War is hell, Mr. Hanks. And if you're sqeamish about the realities of war, and call our righteous cause
racist, then maybe you should stick to the subject of your profession, or talk about matters that carry
less weight and have more subjectivity, like cooking or gardening.

]]> By: Er, sorry, you still read newspapers because why now? | NewsReal Blog http://www.newsrealblog.com/2010/03/15/tom-hanks-is-at-it-again-says-overcoming-racism-is-taking-us-an-awfully-long-time-and-calls-wwii-a-war-of-racism-and-terror/#comment-66306 Er, sorry, you still read newspapers because why now? | NewsReal Blog Tue, 16 Mar 2010 16:05:32 +0000 http://www.newsrealblog.com/?p=41436#comment-66306 [...] Or maybe they just consume media produced by the likes of Tom %$#&ing Hanks. [...] [...] Or maybe they just consume media produced by the likes of Tom %$#&ing Hanks. [...]

]]> By: Riverdog http://www.newsrealblog.com/2010/03/15/tom-hanks-is-at-it-again-says-overcoming-racism-is-taking-us-an-awfully-long-time-and-calls-wwii-a-war-of-racism-and-terror/#comment-66303 Riverdog Tue, 16 Mar 2010 16:00:32 +0000 http://www.newsrealblog.com/?p=41436#comment-66303 Let me ask a simple question to all this baloney ... Why in the world does the media or anyone in the world give a rip about what any of these Hollywood dead beats have to say? They live in a fantasy world all the time, and everything they say means absolutely nothing, zero, zilch. I have never been able to understand this countries fascination with, and hanging on to every word these clowns have to say. They are so out of touch with reality, that again, anything they say is pathetic. If your trying to get any cohesive understanding of there comments, you will be left with some harangue that borders on the edge of stupidity. I know they have a right to say what ever they want, and that's good in a free (and that's stretching it) country that we live in. What I can't understand is the credence the media gives to every word they say, as though it is gospel. if it were not form the media hanging on to and printing everything they say, they would just fade away, and I say good riddance................ Let me ask a simple question to all this baloney … Why in the world does the media or anyone in the world give a rip about what any of these Hollywood dead beats have to say? They live in a fantasy world all the time, and everything they say means absolutely nothing, zero, zilch. I have never been able to understand this countries fascination with, and hanging on to every word these clowns have to say. They are so out of touch with reality, that again, anything they say is pathetic. If your trying to get any cohesive understanding of there comments, you will be left with some harangue that borders on the edge of stupidity. I know they have a right to say what ever they want, and that's good in a free (and that's stretching it) country that we live in. What I can't understand is the credence the media gives to every word they say, as though it is gospel. if it were not form the media hanging on to and printing everything they say, they would just fade away, and I say good riddance…………….

]]> By: Paul P http://www.newsrealblog.com/2010/03/15/tom-hanks-is-at-it-again-says-overcoming-racism-is-taking-us-an-awfully-long-time-and-calls-wwii-a-war-of-racism-and-terror/#comment-66291 Paul P Tue, 16 Mar 2010 15:35:49 +0000 http://www.newsrealblog.com/?p=41436#comment-66291 I'm sorry guest. Were you talking about Tom Hanks or Nancy Pelosi? I'm sorry guest. Were you talking about Tom Hanks or Nancy Pelosi?

]]> By: old white guy http://www.newsrealblog.com/2010/03/15/tom-hanks-is-at-it-again-says-overcoming-racism-is-taking-us-an-awfully-long-time-and-calls-wwii-a-war-of-racism-and-terror/#comment-66272 old white guy Tue, 16 Mar 2010 14:58:58 +0000 http://www.newsrealblog.com/?p=41436#comment-66272 it would seem there is no cure for stupid it would seem there is no cure for stupid

]]> By: Gene Jewett http://www.newsrealblog.com/2010/03/15/tom-hanks-is-at-it-again-says-overcoming-racism-is-taking-us-an-awfully-long-time-and-calls-wwii-a-war-of-racism-and-terror/#comment-66269 Gene Jewett Tue, 16 Mar 2010 14:53:56 +0000 http://www.newsrealblog.com/?p=41436#comment-66269 "Soldiers of the Sun" by Harries outlines the Japanese movement to become a world-class military power dating from the time of Admiral Dewey sailing into Tokyo Bay in the early 1850's, thru the Meiji (?) Restoration in 1868, the subjugation of Formosa and Korea in 1895, the battle of Tsushima Straits in1905 with Russia, WWI, the invasion of Manchuria in 1931, the invasion of China including the Rape of Nanking in 1937 and WWII. Racism? The Hawks wrested control of their government from their Doves many years ago. I think Paul Johnson's "Modern Times" might be helpful to him as Hanks is seriously misinformed; quite naive too. "Soldiers of the Sun" by Harries outlines the Japanese movement to become a world-class military power dating from the time of Admiral Dewey sailing into Tokyo Bay in the early 1850's, thru the Meiji (?) Restoration in 1868, the subjugation of Formosa and Korea in 1895, the battle of Tsushima Straits in1905 with Russia, WWI, the invasion of Manchuria in 1931, the invasion of China including the Rape of Nanking in 1937 and WWII.

Racism?

The Hawks wrested control of their government from their Doves many years ago. I think Paul Johnson's "Modern Times" might be helpful to him as Hanks is seriously misinformed; quite naive too.

]]> By: Shimo http://www.newsrealblog.com/2010/03/15/tom-hanks-is-at-it-again-says-overcoming-racism-is-taking-us-an-awfully-long-time-and-calls-wwii-a-war-of-racism-and-terror/#comment-66262 Shimo Tue, 16 Mar 2010 14:41:13 +0000 http://www.newsrealblog.com/?p=41436#comment-66262 Tom Hanks...just another progressive Hollywood dirt ball professing a feigned intellect before the mirror of the evil witch. He would be better served standing before the minions of the White House in much the same manner as would Triboulet, the court fool of Francis I or Angely, the buffoon of LouisXIII. Tom Hanks…just another progressive Hollywood dirt ball professing a feigned intellect before the mirror of the evil witch. He would be better served standing before the minions of the White House in much the same manner as would Triboulet, the court fool of Francis I or Angely, the buffoon of LouisXIII.

]]> By: donnamarie http://www.newsrealblog.com/2010/03/15/tom-hanks-is-at-it-again-says-overcoming-racism-is-taking-us-an-awfully-long-time-and-calls-wwii-a-war-of-racism-and-terror/#comment-66246 donnamarie Tue, 16 Mar 2010 14:08:03 +0000 http://www.newsrealblog.com/?p=41436#comment-66246 Well, Tom Hanks would know. Didn't he pretend to be an army Captain in Saving Private Ryan? Actually, the really sad part was after the movie all those WWII vets made him some kind of hero. I wonder if they (WWII) are sorry about that decision now. WWII was a horrible war but the reason we fought with the Japanese had little or nothing to do with racism-I think it had more to do with their invasion of China and other countries-also, I remember reading something about how the Japanese soldiers were using Chinese babies for bayonet practice. Nice..... Well, Tom Hanks would know. Didn't he pretend to be an army Captain in Saving Private Ryan?

Actually, the really sad part was after the movie all those WWII vets made him some kind of hero. I wonder if they (WWII) are sorry about that decision now.

WWII was a horrible war but the reason we fought with the Japanese had little or nothing to do with racism-I think it had more to do with their invasion of China and other countries-also, I remember reading something about how the Japanese soldiers were using Chinese babies for bayonet practice. Nice…..

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