Shoot first, ask questions later

Big Picture: Root of All EvilNow here’s a feisty discussion!

Wednesday’s episode of The Big Picture with Avi Lewis has, perhaps predictably, caused quite an uproar.

The Root of All Evil? was billed as “a scathing indictment of religion’s growing power in the post 9-11 world.” It featured a documentary by UK scientist and famed atheist Richard Dawkins (nickname: “Darwin’s rottweiler”), who traveled the world to take on fundamentalist religious leaders of all stripes.

The debate didn’t end with the televised one following the documentary. It lives on at the show’s discussion board - where the conversation has reached 23,000 words since Wednesday alone!

There’s another debate going on at the Teamakers Forum where it was pointed out that protest began before the show even went to air. The “politically conservative” Proud to be Canadian site advised people to complain to the CBC Ombudsman ahead of time (and boycott our sponsors, and constitutionally ban the CBC), because

“The liberals’ Godless liberal-left fundamentalist channel, the state-run CBC, is being used again tonight to promote their religion and their hate, on your dime.”

(This despite the fact that one of the site’s own columnists, Joseph Ben-Ami, was to appear on the show.)

This week’s The Big Picture, Can We Save Planet Earth? features a doc by Sir David Attenborough – the voice beneath those chomping sharks and pouncing leopards on Planet Earth.


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  CBC Television, Shows

3 Responses to “Shoot first, ask questions later”

    Dave says:

    The conservatives’ MO is always seek and destroy all opposition. Wether through character assasination or through lobbying or through other more nefarious methods.

    If I can toot my own horn I wrote a little review on blog : http://theendofdave.com/?p=677

    I give this masterfull show a 5 outta 5
    Geoff Wozniak says:

    The Root Of All Evil? is worth showing and discussing, but I’m not a fan of Avi Lewis. I didn’t find him to be an engaging host on Counter-Spin and he’s always got a smirk on his face that doesn’t play well in serious discussion.

    An to respond to the “proud Canadians” ombudsman drive, I’m going to write the ombudsman and congratulate the CBC for its work.
    kempton says:

    I love the show format of The Big Picture. And contrary to Geoff’s view, I don’t see the smirkness on Avi Lewis’ face. And I am glad to see Avi “coming out of retirement” to do the show. In some sense, may be we need a host that is not 100% dead serious or the show can be to up-tight to be open to different views. Not right or wrong views, just different views.

    Cheers,
    Kempton