Received: by alpheratz.cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk id XAA20112 (8.6.9/5.3[ref pg@gmsl.co.uk] for cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk from fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk); Wed, 13 Feb 2002 23:52:58 GMT X-Originating-IP: [209.240.222.132] From: "Scott Chase" <ecphoric@hotmail.com> To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk Subject: Re: An odd addition to the axis of evil Date: Wed, 13 Feb 2002 18:47:26 -0500 Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed Message-ID: <F229MtxxQnIhpnMv3z900018568@hotmail.com> X-OriginalArrivalTime: 13 Feb 2002 23:47:26.0949 (UTC) FILETIME=[CAB70950:01C1B4E8] Sender: fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk Precedence: bulk Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
>From: <AaronLynch@aol.com>
>Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
>To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
>Subject: Re: An odd addition to the axis of evil
>Date: Wed, 13 Feb 2002 09:36:10 EST
>
>In a message dated 2/13/2002 6:38:29 AM Central Standard Time, Vincent
>Campbell <v.p.campbell@stir.ac.uk> writes:
>
> > Hi everyone,
> >
> > Saw this in 'The Times' last Friday, thought it was interesting:
> >
> > [From the Media Diary]
> >
> > 'The readers of the Weekly Standard, bible of American
>neo-conservatives
>and
> > a distant colonial cousin of this newspaper [owned by Murdoch then...],
>have
> > an unusual grasp of foreign affairs. In its Question of the Week
>section,
> > readers were asked to nominate a fourth member for George W.Bush's Evil
>Axis
> > of Iran, Iraq and North Korea. Syria was suggested by 32 per cent of
> > readers, Libya by 7 per cent, but the runaway winner was France which
>polled
> > 41 per cent.'
> >
> > I guess the memories of the French nearly bringing down GATT still
>rankles
> > with the readers of the Weekly Standard. Either that or the meaning of
> > 'axis of evil'- which went down incredibly badly in Europe,
>particularly
> > within the corridors of the EU- means something very different to right
>wing
> > Americans...
> >
> > Hence, and here's the memetics link, how could anyone argue that it's
>the
> > idea of an 'axis of evil' that's the meme, as I presume some would?
> >
> > Vincent
>
>Hi Vincent.
>
>I doubt that GATT had anything to do with this. Instead, many American
>neo-conservatives view the world in terms of Evangelical Christianity and
>religious morality. I haven't asked neo-conservatives about France, but
>they
>probably see that country as having loose morals, as favoring big
>government,
>and lacking Evangelical Christian faith. Their xenophobia probably
>resembles
>that expressed by Pat Robertson several years ago when he referred to
>Scotland as a "dark land filled with homosexuals" (or some such).
>
>The "axis of evil" phrase was not widely used until Bush's state of the
>union
>speach before Congress.
>
>
What connection, if any, exists between North Korea and Iraq? I'd have a
harder time believing a partnership between Iran and Iraq, because of
historic animosities (eq- that Iran/Iraq war during the 80's). Iran *may* be
problematic on its own, though there's probably multiple parties operating
from within, some more US- friendly than others.
Adding France to the axis is going overboard. It is odd, though, how
French-built jets have wound up gunning at US ships though. Weren't Mirage
fighters involved in the USS Liberty attack by Israel and the USS Stark
attack by Iraq?
Vive la resistance.
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