Bill Maher interviews Mona Elthaway - Egyptian Journalist 'F*ck You, ok?'

[tomm2thumbs]

Run time: 08:42 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LpLe_LnfnBY   Posted on YouTube: February 05, 2011 By YouTube Member: BSDist Views on YouTube: 302   Posted on DU: February 05, 2011 By DU Member: tomm2thumbs Views on DU: 6685

 

Elthaway describes Mubarak as Egypt's 'Berlin Wall' - and that Freedom Fever will spread across the region, once his fall happens. Maher questions stats on Egyptian beliefs and whether the people shown on nightly news video truly represent the real population of Egypt. (82% support stoning for adultery, 84% support death penalty for Muslims who leave their religion..) Mona starts to describe Bill Maher's interview as becoming 'FoxNews' and he replies 'this is not FoxNews, this is reality'.

Maher notes his concern about those who would hijack the revolution, to put even harsher religious restrictions on its population instead of allowing more freedom. Elthaway does not believe this is the way things will happen and she notes it is the youth who are bringing about this change. She gets fired up about the old men, who have led Egypt for too long, who she says are strangling her country, repeating again to them... 'F*ck you'. It's time for them to go.

Interesting back and forth in this one.

[mr_liberal]

1. Im with Maher.

Sharia Law is already in their Constitution. It was added in 1980.

I think the majority over there probably would vote for a theocracy, which is why I think that should be taken out before the election.

[PaulRevere08]

5. Sorry, but if you looked at the polls in the USA

we should be teaching creationism in public schools.

[mr_liberal]

6. I doubt that,

but thats why you dont let majority rule.

[Leithan]

7. I'm not

Bill is the only liberal I can think of who would win an "Ugly American" contest against a neocon. His arrogance would infuriate a corpse, and his harping on the "religious dangers" inherent in Egypt was straight outta Fox.

He got pwned by her.

[joentokyo]

12. He almost never lets a guest talk without interrupting

with irrlevant BS. I think he is afraid one might get him fired again. He has been gutless since losing her earlier TV gig.

[demosincebirth]

29. But, he is usually right on many issues including this one, Definitely

[MrMickeysMom]

22. Wasn't that added about the same time our little dictator took over?

I think so.

[molly77]

27. Bill Maher was way out of line. Could not watch that interview.

Bill Maher thinks the Vietnam War was a good thing.

[lark]

30. This revolution isn't about religion

it's about freedom from fear, it's about economic opportunity. Quit hawking the Faux/Repug line.

[Name removed]

2. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[briteleaf]

3. Birth of a nation!

Please consider when establishing your new government to outlaw lobbyists and private campaign finance. You'll do much better than us.

[gtar100]

4. ++ !

[WhoIsNumberNone]

13. Give 'em 50 years

By then they'll have sucked every last drop of America's blood, and they'll be needing another country to attach their parasitic suckers to. In the meantime they'll have worked the lobbyists and private campaign finance into the new Egyptian government so gradually no one will notice until it's too late.

[Enthusiast]

18. Plus one!

[tavalon]

8. Something that I read between the lines that I don't think Bill Maher got

is that if this Revolution works the way the people putting on the Revolution want, the religious conservatism that he was so worried about would begin to melt away as the Egyptians free their minds from their dictator who only allowed them freedom within the context of the Muslim religion.

[eyewall]

10. I agree with Tavelon.

I posted my reply before reading that, I should have refreshed as I took a short phone call before hitting the post button. I also think you're right that Bill Mahr missed it.

[Capitalocracy]

14. That's because Bill's prejudiced against Muslims.

Bottom line. I agree with him on like just about everything else, but the guy's really swallowed the idea that Islam is somehow inherently worse than other religions. It's ugly when that happens to an atheist.

[Lars77]

17. Bill is concerned about Israel

And would, as many Americans do, like to see the continuing enslavement of 80 million Egyptians to keep Israel just a little bit safer.

A democratic Egypt may not go to war against Israel, but imagine a legitimate government actually criticising them over the Palestinian question. Better keep the people in the hands of their torturers so that don't happen.


It's fascinating that Bill almost never brings up the Is/Pal topic on his show. He's a total fundamentalist in that respect.

[molly77]

28. Good point.

[demosincebirth]

33. If you remember, this is the same thing us liberals were saying, when the

Shah was over thrown. And guess what happened? The same thing will happen here unless something drastic happens to change the way things are going, now.

[eyewall]

9. The enthusiasm of

the Egyptian youth is inspiring. This revolution truly appears to be a populist uprising against a corrupt govt, and it's obvious it's going to win (already has imo). If this catches on across the ME it may be an end of teh repressive theocratic regimes, contrary to the Fox News blather.

[Roci]

11. This is

the sort of voice that US Policy Makers (a majority of them being older, truth to tell) should be listening to when it comes to charting future Middle East Policy. She is 100% right about a new, better educated less secular generation of Egyptian youth who want something better. Remember this: The people who rule Egypt now Grew up when Radio and Telephones were coming of age. Mubarak is 83 years old. He wouldn't know what to do with a computer if you gave him one. The big difference in everything is the box we are all sitting in front of right now. Generations change, technology has, and along with them social attitudes must also change.

Mubarak and his generation of dictatorial "strongmen" are not only dinosaurs, they are already extinct. This is only the reality check that countries like the US have been helping them to duck, dodge, and hide from for almost twenty years now. This is because it's in US "Interests" to prop up these old mummies, and infuse them with our cash, which becomes their stolen cash, as life's blood. Change in Egypt isn't only good for Egypt. It signals that American "leadership" had better get on the right page of History (never mind the right side of it) and do it damned quick, or we also risk being left in the Egyptian dust, along with the relics of history.

[PoliticAverse]

15. I hope she's right about things. n/t.

[rasputin1952]

16. The enthusiasm of Elthaway is infectiuiouis...

if Maher didn't interrupt her as often as he did, her points would be stronger, but she finally got him to see that there are real people involved with this and it is a revolution.

I love seeing wonderfully intelligent people making their points, she did a good job, and Maher actually looked the fool for trying to drag religion in as the main talking point. While there is truth that there is possibility of hijacking this movement...from what I've seen of the raw videos of what's happening in Egypt, I don't think people will tolerate a harsh religious regime in power.

Time will tell how this all pans out...but I'm all in favor of the Egyptians tossing out the old and welcoming the new...they've done a remarkable job and I wish them well.

[Wibly]

19. interviewee is biased

Much as I agree with this woman's point of view, I fear she has lost her ability to be unbiased. She has clearly taken a stand and should be recognized as a proponent of a particular point of view. Its not correct to identify her as a journalist. She is an advocate. That said, I'm with her!

[bertman]

20. Wibly, since when is a journalist not allowed to express his/her opinion when

asked to do so? She was not writing for nor presenting information for a news outlet. She was speaking as an Egyptian.

I RECOMMEND this thread highly.

[Wibly]

21. journalism vs Public Relations

I'm not saying she has no right to express here opinion. I am saying she is a proponent of the demonstrators, and should be identified as such, not as a journalist. At no point in the last two weeks has she reported on events in Egypt in any capacity except as a proponent of the demonstrators. Identifying her as a journalist is incorrect. She's a spokesperson for the anti Mubarek side.
That said, I wholly agree with her position and perspective. But she's a PR agent, not a journalist at this point!

[tinrobot]

23. She was billed as a "public speaker", not a journalist.

In this particular TV program, at least, she's not assuming the role of "journalist"

[lark]

32. So What?

Do you think our government and reporting aren't totally biased? They want Mubarak to continue in power and Sullieman is Mubarak by anohter name, someone who tortured for us is the person that's good to lead Egypt to freedome. Come on now! Obama and the rest of the powerful elite aren't giving a damn about the Egyptian freedom movement, they just want the military to retain power to stop the flow of arms to Gaza. Obama seems to have been won over by the dark side on this and will doom America to continue to be seen as imperialist. He is throwing away a God given moment when he could stand tall and make a huge difference to the world and especially the Middle East - but no, instead he capitulates, AS ALWAYS, and now wants Mubarak/Sullieman to remain in power while talking about freedom down the road. Freedom is either now or never - it never comes about by strongman plotting over time to maintain their economic stranglehold.

[bertman]

43. If what you're saying is correct, Wibly, then I'd call her a revolutionary journalist.

[demosincebirth]

31. She never, even, took a breath to allow Bill to ask any follow up questions.

[Scruffy1]

24. Bill Maher is just an rich entertainer.

I don't give a shit about him or any other MSM character. Rich, spoiled and out of touch.

[Kurovski]

26. Who do you give a shit about? Who will you listen to? Who do you trust?

Where do you get your info? If a person has money, do you automatically dismiss what they say? If you accept what someone says and find out later that they are rich, do you dismiss that info even if other people without money, or who are not entertaining also have that same info/point of view? Thank you.

[thelordofhell]

25. Bill Maher the lech in full view on this one

This tool probably saw a pic of Mona Elthaway and thought, "Damn, what a piece of ass!" and was totally blindsided by her enthusiasm for the revolution and not giving a shit about him as he asked his chauvanistic and jingoist "you're hot" "Muslim's are evil" crap that we get enough of with conservative "journalists". Maher totally dropped the ball on this. Good thing Elthaway was having none of it. BRAVO!! VIVA LA REVOLUTION!!

[sulphurdunn]

34. It is not now

nor ever has been the business of the United States to determine what is best for another people or what type of government they have. It should be our business to be on the side of people who elect to govern themselves whether we like the form of government they choose or not.

[susu369]

35. Maher just said Egypt is in the Middle East!!!!!!!

Hello.....

[MattNC]

36. Ummm it is n/t

[susu369]

37. Egypt is not in the Middle East

check your geography.
She did not correct him either - that surprised me.

[formercia]

38. We could use more like her here in the US

I think she's great.

[swilton]

39. I think Maher is biased against Muslims

I watched his video obtained through Netflix - "But I'm Not Wrong"....It was over an hour of stand-up comedy broadcast from one of the Carolinas....The last five minutes of his show he had a 'fashion show' in which he mocked and ridiculed the dress of Muslim women - I thought it was very offensive....I will not watch him again.

[Uncle Joe]

40. Mona adeptly presented her counter argument, when the U.S, supports autocratic, corrupted,

dictatorial and torturous regimes regardless of their domestic policies just because it suits U.S. international interests, the opposition with the greatest advantage is based on religion. The oppressed citizens are literally driven to fundamentalist religion for relief, that's why we must first overcome our own fear, short term, selfish, narrow view of thinking and change ourselves.

The Egyptian People have an inherent right of self-determination without our interference, should we support them and stop supporting dictators they're spectrum of political options will greatly broaden, in the long run, that will be good for them, the U.S. and the world.

Thanks for the thread, tomm2thumbs.

[barbtries]

41. well put uncle joe

i think you should send it to congress and the president.

[pam4water]

42. Was that Bill or did Beck get liposuction and a face lift?