The NYT is very disappointed in us. We’re Not Afraid, a moblog dedicated to showing solidarity with Londoners, came off without the dour depression and self-righteous piety of Sorry Everybody. And, how sad that is.
No, really, that’s the lead:
Every momentous occasion seems to have a moblog (read: mob log). But not every moblog is created equal. In 2004, there was Sorry Everybody (sorryeverybody.com), a Web site where hundreds of people posted pictures of themselves apologizing for the re-election of George W. Bush. Now there’s We’re Not Afraid (werenotafraid.com), a mass pictorial response to the terrorist bombings in London. We’re Not Afraid has exactly the same form as Sorry Everybody, but a wholly different tone and effect.
We’re Not Afraid has exactly the same form as Sorry Everybody, but a wholly different tone and effect.
Among the terrible transgressions on We’re Not Afraid:
Today, if you manage to get on the site at all (it’s so popular that the server can’t quite keep up), you may see among the thousand or so postings a picture of Yoda from "Star Wars" with the words, "Not afraid I am." Or you may see Eric from the animated series "South Park" saying: "I’m not afraid – I’m big boned!!!!!!!" Or you may find a picture of a pink handbag with the words, "Hey, terrorists, have a bag of bothered." Yes, frivolity has arrived.
Imagine that. Rampant photshoppism and a sense of humor on the Web. You’ll not find that kind of rot in the New York Times, that’s for sure. Instead, you’ll find a critique of this worldwide outpouring of support with the same stuffy, humorless, self-righteousness you’ve grown to expect from the Times.
Memo to the Times: This is how people act when they are not afraid. They tell jokes, they ridicule their enemies, they even go to the beach and drive their cars, which the NYT also finds detestable:
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Obviously they are unfamiliar with the expression “to cock a snook.”
What really has their knickers in a twist (it’s support Britain with idioms day!) is that those on the web site are *not* afraid.
Support the WoT!! More cocking of snooks!!
Ah note, another vapid NYT type-monkey is pushing the Alfred E Neuman meme, equating anyone who stands up rather than sitting on the shrink’s couch, as a cartoonish moron.
I’ll take the photos on We Are Not Afraid any day over the maudlin tripe of eagles crying and such that events like this seem to inspire (or, worse, awful songs about Laci Peterson).
How dare we tell the terrorists that we are going to continue to enjoy our lives in the face of their threats! How dare we continue to love our friends and family, seek out good times and enjoyment, and remember that life is for the living! For shame!
Odd, the link didn’t work – I suppose I goofed something up. Oh well.
Anyway, here’s more on the awful Laci song:
http://www.worldwiderant.com/archives/001491.html
“Memo to the Times: This is how people act when they are not afraid.”
LMAO! Very nice.
I’m afraid of the NYT!
Particularly Paul Krugman and the mocking mockster of quips and puns, Maureen O’Dowd.
Saying “We’re Not afraid” is the equivalent to “Bring It On”.
Don’t you see, we’re only begging for them to attack us again! It’s arrogant!! It’s threatening!! It’s all our fault!!
(wow, that was fun trip into the mind of a leftist)
Her prior story On the Web, Photos Strain to Connect 7/7 and 9/11 is nearly as bad. She must be the arts critic/poltical pundit understudy for Frank Rich.
The only “white sports car” that is pictured is in gallery 31
http://www.werenotafraid.com/images/031/AntonioMItaly.jpg
Ms. Sarah Boxer either knows nothing about “sports cars” or else she has another agenda. Personally I vote for another agenda. Did she think that no one would take a look at the pictures? Oh I forgot, It doesn’t matter once it’s printed and serves her purpose.
If the terrorists had seen Shaun of the Dead, they’d know that Londoners just don’t scare easily.
Thyr is insoficient sinivlieng at that cite
Watch as the NYT slips into obscurity with the rest of mainstream media. See its brain-trust writers hob-nob with others of their ilk such as Dan Rather.
Oh well, off to flaunt my wealth.
I think the owners of the site are peaceniks. I downloaded all the photos and I only saw one gun among them, and I think they just didn’t see it. I saw a whole lot of happy smiling people, not to mention all the hippies, and very, very few angry people. Lots of people being defiant by ignoring the terrorists, or drinking beer, or going about the normal lives, but NOBODY mentioning anything pro-war, or “we’re going to get you”, or anything along those lines. Saw several mentions of “peace”. One photo I found particularly offensive, http://www.werenotafraid.com/images/003/markwestra.jpg. It says “we should feel sorry for people who commit such terrible crimes”. Uhhh, no. People who feel that way are the reason the terrorists think terrorism will work, and if those people have their way, then terrorism WILL work.
All in all, I’m very disappointed with the site, sad and disgusted actually, and I hope no terrorists look at it, because it will only encourage them.
I spent a couple hours perusing the photos. At first, I thought, “what a great idea!” And then I noticed it… It’s not really the message, “We’re not afraid” as much as “we’re ignoring you.” Being not afraid implies some sort of action. Maybe that action is just living normally. Perhaps as a Rabbit would live its life “normally” despite coyotes, wolves, and other preditors in the forest. Yet the rabbit really does nothing, does it?
Myriad calls for “peace” — I can’t see how we’re going to get anywhere closer to a better place, a place where we don’t HAVE to say “I’m not afraid” if we don’t get rid of the terrorists. Ignoring them only makes them see us as weak and as easy targets, IMHO.
In all fairness of the relatively few pages I viewed in the couple hours, I did find one grenade photo, one photo of helicopters, and one photo of a girl saying “Even if I have to stand alone and fight you, I’m not afraid.” That’s a little less rabbit-like, now isn’t it?
In my observation, the site is all talk and will be only dismissed as such by terrorists. We are no real threat — just everything terrorists would want to see. “We like peace so much we’re not going to hit you back.” A rather undependable kind of peace, it would seem. “I’m not afraid” — because terror has not touched my part of the world, be it Kansas or Denmark or Canada. During WWII, London was afraid — and had a right to be. At least the people were supporting those who were doing something about it.
My love goes out to the thousands of British, American, and Aussie troops, as well as to all the other brave troops from around the world. Thank you for being the real protectors of peace and making it possible for us to say, “we’re not afraid” and mean it.