Update 3/24-Amazing Race issued an apology for the insensitive Vietnam segment, which this piece was written about.
Last Sunday the prime time and popular CBS reality show “Amazing Race” found it’s contestants in Vietnam, racing through the streets of Hanoi in the shows hybridized, scavenger hunt, searching for landmarks and clues.
Last Sunday the prime time and popular CBS reality show “Amazing Race” found it’s contestants in Vietnam, racing through the streets of Hanoi in the shows hybridized, scavenger hunt, searching for landmarks and clues.
To many of the viewers, this was an opportunity to see an
everyday slice of life of a country that used to be our enemy. It was a time to
recognize a new era and a time to mend old wounds from a violent time in both
countries history.
But instead of a friendly view into a culture and country
that is trying to mend ways with America and establish trade relations, it was
an opportunity to assault America with communist
propaganda….Pure and simple, it was a thumb in the eye to America, aided and
abetted by one of the U.S. main stream media channels, CBS.
| US Aircraft wreckage |
Insulting to Americans was the enshrined twisted wreckage
of an American plane that resulted in the death Americans. This wreckage played a prominent part of the
show as each set of contestants had to find a waypoint at the corner of “B-52 Street.”
But to add insult to injury, contestants had to learn a song
performed for them by children in front of a portrait of North Vietnam communist leader Ho
Chi Minh. Lyrics included: “Vietnam
Communist Party is glorious. The light is guiding us to victory.”
This script for this show came straight out of a communist
propaganda film, the only thing missing was Jane Fond manning an anti aircraft
gun.
Outrage is mounting among Americans and veterans of the Vietnam
war over the insensitivity of this show.
There are growing calls of a boycott and demands for an apology from CBS as well as the producers.
| Even liberals are outraged |
It’s hard to believe the shows producers couldn’t see
they were being used by the Vietnamese to insult America…Even harder to believe CBS
didn’t realize what a slap in the face this would be for Americans who lost
family members and loved ones during this war.
But what about the contestants on the show? Didn’t it even
dawn on them that they were useful idiots in a choreographed propaganda piece
used to hurt their country? Why didn’t one of them stand up and refuse to be a
part of it?
A shame on CBS, Amazing Race, it’s producers and
contestants.
