Christopher Hitchens interviews White Separatists
May 15, 2016 3:48 PM Subscribe
Filling as host on an episode of CNBC's Talk Live in 1991, Christopher Hitchens interviews white separatists Tom and John Metzger.
Having this in my viewing history is really going to screw up my youtube recommendations...
posted by paper chromatographologist at 4:26 PM on May 15, 2016 [10 favorites]
posted by paper chromatographologist at 4:26 PM on May 15, 2016 [10 favorites]
Mo Asumang interviews Tom Metzger, a couple of decades later. It's completely different from the verbal jousting match that Hitchens is gunning for, but no less effective.
posted by clawsoon at 4:43 PM on May 15, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by clawsoon at 4:43 PM on May 15, 2016 [2 favorites]
that seems like it could be part of this film / book.
posted by andrewcooke at 5:33 PM on May 15, 2016
posted by andrewcooke at 5:33 PM on May 15, 2016
Reminds me why Rock Against Racism (Nazis Are No Fun!) was so necessary.
posted by cleroy at 5:34 PM on May 15, 2016
posted by cleroy at 5:34 PM on May 15, 2016
Fuck that was awesome.
posted by Keith Talent at 5:35 PM on May 15, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by Keith Talent at 5:35 PM on May 15, 2016 [1 favorite]
The part that Hitchens enjoyed most seemed to be pointing out (multiple times, in multiple subtle and not-so-subtle ways) that the son wasn't as manly as the father. He seemed to like the father rather more, since the father made extreme statements without apology or equivocation. I'm not closely familiar with Hitchens; was that his preference in general?
posted by clawsoon at 6:03 PM on May 15, 2016
posted by clawsoon at 6:03 PM on May 15, 2016
I'm not closely familiar with Hitchens; was that his preference in general?
Hitchens was a fierce advocate of free speech who thought the best antidote to hate and idiocy was to have those who advocated those views air them publicly so, yeah, the father/son combo son here was, combined, a perfect foil for Hitchens: he got them to admit their disgusting views without equivocation, while calling the son a coward to his face.
posted by (Arsenio) Hall and (Warren) Oates at 6:07 PM on May 15, 2016 [3 favorites]
Hitchens was a fierce advocate of free speech who thought the best antidote to hate and idiocy was to have those who advocated those views air them publicly so, yeah, the father/son combo son here was, combined, a perfect foil for Hitchens: he got them to admit their disgusting views without equivocation, while calling the son a coward to his face.
posted by (Arsenio) Hall and (Warren) Oates at 6:07 PM on May 15, 2016 [3 favorites]
who thought the best antidote to hate and idiocy was to have those who advocated those views air them publicly
And it seemed to be working so well for so many years...
posted by clawsoon at 6:27 PM on May 15, 2016
And it seemed to be working so well for so many years...
posted by clawsoon at 6:27 PM on May 15, 2016
your argument would have more force, clawsoon, if hitchens wasn't the exception.
posted by andrewcooke at 6:33 PM on May 15, 2016
posted by andrewcooke at 6:33 PM on May 15, 2016
the best antidote to hate and idiocy was to have those who advocated those views air them publicly
it's only recently that the haters and idiots have gotten REALLY public (thank you internet), so the jury is still out on that concept (but honestly, it's not looking so good right now)
posted by oneswellfoop at 6:44 PM on May 15, 2016
it's only recently that the haters and idiots have gotten REALLY public (thank you internet), so the jury is still out on that concept (but honestly, it's not looking so good right now)
posted by oneswellfoop at 6:44 PM on May 15, 2016
Hitchens was a fierce advocate of free speech who thought the best antidote to hate and idiocy was to have those who advocated those views air them publicly so
which he practiced himself when it came to the subject of women!
posted by Kutsuwamushi at 7:02 PM on May 15, 2016 [6 favorites]
which he practiced himself when it came to the subject of women!
posted by Kutsuwamushi at 7:02 PM on May 15, 2016 [6 favorites]
Hitch is a reverse hangover vampire. He starts out with the deepest bags anyone has ever had under their eyes ever, and the floating-around quality of asking someone questions they're only vaguely aware they should be asking. By the ten minute mark, Hitch's eyelids are glossy and bright, and Metzger's are now dark and laden and he is positive he didn't have a drop to drink last night, yet here we are, now I have to answer a question that is much harder than it appears.
I wish Hitchens wasn't devoured by the brain-eater at the end, as while I did not agree with his politics at all, at the stage of his life in the linked vid, ultra-cons and ultra-libs could, at that time, come together and say, "Yesssssss! Unleash the Hitch!"
posted by Slap*Happy at 7:33 PM on May 15, 2016 [10 favorites]
I wish Hitchens wasn't devoured by the brain-eater at the end, as while I did not agree with his politics at all, at the stage of his life in the linked vid, ultra-cons and ultra-libs could, at that time, come together and say, "Yesssssss! Unleash the Hitch!"
posted by Slap*Happy at 7:33 PM on May 15, 2016 [10 favorites]
God I'd love if Hitch were around to do more of these long-form interviews... or anyone, for that matter... watching interviews on American news channels these days seems like an endless list of questions with zero follow-up.
Can you imagine what he'd do to Trump if given 45 minutes?
posted by modernnomad at 3:53 AM on May 16, 2016 [6 favorites]
Can you imagine what he'd do to Trump if given 45 minutes?
posted by modernnomad at 3:53 AM on May 16, 2016 [6 favorites]
I really wonder, given his antipathy for the Clintons.
posted by Mei's lost sandal at 8:01 AM on May 16, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by Mei's lost sandal at 8:01 AM on May 16, 2016 [1 favorite]
Somewhat apropos, "'Prophet' killed two on farm and said God made him do it": this weekend's New York Daily News piece about Michael Ryan, the white supremacist cult leader who died on death row last year.
(Somewhat less apropos, God is telling Jon Ritzheimer that He's going to open the prisons.)
Even less apropos, God is a plagiarist.
posted by octobersurprise at 8:40 AM on May 16, 2016
(Somewhat less apropos, God is telling Jon Ritzheimer that He's going to open the prisons.)
Even less apropos, God is a plagiarist.
posted by octobersurprise at 8:40 AM on May 16, 2016
Can you imagine what he'd do to Trump if given 45 minutes?
This would be the best thing evar.
I don't care much for his politics either, both pre- and post-"epiphany,' - I suspect I'm slightly more conservative than the median here, but don't care for irresponsible military excursions, and I'm certainly no Marxist - but that man had a fantastic talent for sniffing out and exposing bullshit, and it was glorious to watch. He also managed to be so elegantly discursive while looking like he just stumbled out of bed several hours earlier than usual. Miss him a lot.
posted by iffthen at 3:40 PM on May 16, 2016 [2 favorites]
This would be the best thing evar.
I don't care much for his politics either, both pre- and post-"epiphany,' - I suspect I'm slightly more conservative than the median here, but don't care for irresponsible military excursions, and I'm certainly no Marxist - but that man had a fantastic talent for sniffing out and exposing bullshit, and it was glorious to watch. He also managed to be so elegantly discursive while looking like he just stumbled out of bed several hours earlier than usual. Miss him a lot.
posted by iffthen at 3:40 PM on May 16, 2016 [2 favorites]
i just wish that being a women didn't mean that you so often found out that people you admire hold contempt for you :(
posted by Kutsuwamushi at 9:11 PM on May 16, 2016 [3 favorites]
posted by Kutsuwamushi at 9:11 PM on May 16, 2016 [3 favorites]
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