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FBI Memo: "It's a Wonderful Life" is communist propaganda

wisebread.com — In 1947, the FBI considered this anti-cosummerist message as subsersive Communist propaganda. The FBI thought the movie smeared American values such as wealth and free enterprise while glorifying anti-American values such as the triumph of the common man.

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d2002 1 year 287 days ago, made popular 1 year 287 days ago

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adoto, on 10/12/2007, -11/+80Yes, triumph of the common man is hardly an American value, at least under conservative rule.
- sockpuppets, on 10/12/2007, -4/+23Every time a bell rings an angel gets rendered.
- ardenr, on 10/12/2007, -10/+23If anyone wants to read a fantastic article about the inherent problems with unchecked capitalism, I found this article today and think it's the best I've ever read.. http://www.personal.psu.edu/users/w/x/wxk116/antic/ It also provides practical solutions, and gives you talking points that will make trolls weep (cold black tears).
  
  Also, remember that the FBI and those who keep them working have hade 60 years since then to diminish the "common man", while interestingly the rich-poor gap has increased steadily.
- voteforblank, on 10/12/2007, -2/+19When the Hell is the Government going to realize that it should FEAR the Citizens of this Country... WHEN?
- ardenr, on 10/12/2007, -1/+44@voteforblank: When we stop being afraid of smoke and mirrors, and look behind the... ooh look the new Hummer is out!
- Agilio, on 10/12/2007, -1/+9It's funny how we can communicate anonymously like this now, where in the past this kind of discussion couldn't take place... Wonder how long we'll be able to do this. At one time it was against the law (for 3 years) to speak against the USA or the govnerment personal: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sedition_Act_of_1918
- Ramtech, on 10/12/2007, -7/+2@Agilio
  
  until taxes go away....
- MadEnvoy, on 10/12/2007, -3/+7@voteforblank
  
  It already does. That's why we have the Patriot Act, spying on US citizens, wiretapping act, national ID, wish to change the US Constitution... (to many to list) things going on to help the government suppress our rights and freedoms.
- jsg7, on 10/12/2007, -2/+13"When the Hell is the Government going to realize that it should FEAR the Citizens of this Country... WHEN?"
  
  Not until the citizens do...
- Software2, on 10/12/2007, -4/+7In Soviet Russia social-economic programs help you!
- EntropyFan, on 10/12/2007, -5/+0@Agilio
  
  communicate anonymously like this? What are you talking about. Any information you have given Digg the gov. can obtain. You IP address is logged, you ISP can trace your every on line movement. Tax records, employment records, credit card records, all obtainable with a courtesy warrant.
  
  Being anonymous is remaining a sheep. Should you appear as a wolf hiding in fold, lets hope you have some skills at espionage. You opponent will.
- maiku00, on 10/12/2007, -5/+4communist propaganda? what the *****? i feel ashamed that tax dollars actually go towards things like this
- JimNtexas, on 10/12/2007, -4/+3"Yes, triumph of the common man is hardly an American value, at least under conservative rule."
  
  And just who was the conservative 'ruler' in 1947?
- hobgobbler, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3here you go, one of the best movies ever: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4867975537967299162&q=it%27s+a+wonderful+life merry christmas everybody
smokeygo, on 10/12/2007, -2/+9Is the "triumph of the common man" anti-American? I don't think "American values" means pure, unadulterated capitalism with no regard for the society's less fortunate. Heck, FDR's New Deal is very American and very socialistic.

Like everything else in life, the right tone is somewhere in the middle.
- thecmgeek, on 10/12/2007, -1/+7Even FDR said of the New Deal, "[T]hose who have property [fail] to realize that I am the best friend the profit system ever had..."
AmishRefugee, on 10/12/2007, -2/+16hahahaha Steven Colbert said this a few says ago on his show
- Horseboiler, on 10/12/2007, -2/+12He called it.
- maiku00, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4I love when blatant satire reflects real life so accurately. Its hilariously sad.
dgh1973, on 10/12/2007, -4/+11Please keep in mind that this was during the time when the director of the FBI was non other than J. Edgar Hoover, who spied on everyone and was completely paranoid about anything or anyone that could possibly be deemed "subversive".

Rather funny how far we've come and yet how little we've changed. Islam and terrorism are now the subject of our paranoid delusions rather than communism.
- ardenr, on 10/12/2007, -3/+12Wait... I know there's a parallel to today's time somewhere there... Nope, lost it.
- Groovemaster, on 10/12/2007, -4/+11"Rather funny how far we've come and yet how little we've changed. Islam and terrorism are now the subject of our paranoid delusions rather than communism."
  
  Yep, the communist threat was blown wildly out of proportion to create a fearful, easy to control population and the same thing is happening now with The War On Terror (TWOT).
- Ark7, on 10/12/2007, -20/+14"Yep, the communist threat was blown wildly out of proportion"
  
  Tell it to the hundreds of millions dead from Communist expansion. Maybe you could start with the millions starving to death in North Korea while Kim Jong Il steals aid shipments to feed his army and spends his entire country's wealth on nuclear weapons.
  
  You arrogant little prick. You've never had to deal with anything more troublesome in your life than a flat tire, and you sneer at the death of millions like you actually know something.
- Groovemaster, on 10/12/2007, -3/+12"You arrogant little prick."
  
  Ad hominem attacks weaken arguments, especially on teh intrarnets.
  
  "you sneer at the death of millions"
  
  Interesting, but incorrect strawman.
  
  "Tell it to the hundreds of millions dead from Communist expansion. Maybe you could start with the millions starving to death in North Korea while Kim Jong Il steals aid shipments to feed his army and spends his entire country's wealth on nuclear weapons."
  
  Look up the word "threat".
- Twango, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5>>"Yep, the communist threat was blown wildly out of proportion"
  >Tell it to the hundreds of millions dead from Communist expansion.
  
  Uh, I believe he was talking about the communist threat *in this country*. An example or two of out-of-proportion: 1. the treatment of Oppenheimer, 2. the Hollywood blacklistings
  
  As for the "100s of millions" dead from "Communist expansion", I'd need to see the docs, please.
Ajajadude, on 10/12/2007, -3/+3Kinda makes sense: people always need a bogeyman, and, apparently, "It's a Wonderful Life" was scary enough to enough people...which is scary.
hattriq27, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4Did anyone actually read the documents attached to the mistitled blog entry? It wasn't the FBI, it was "informants" stating this to the FBI. A witness statement.
ardenr, on 10/12/2007, -3/+5I love it when I reload a comment page two minutes later, and every comment has been dugg -1 with no reason given. Come on trolls, it's Christmas (in Ireland)
- sockpuppets, on 10/12/2007, -1/+14+1 for all. Merry Christmas. :)
- ardenr, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4Cool, I think Digg should make all comments green gradient by default! Merry Christmas my one-line 'friend', and to all.
- Zaxcomp, on 10/12/2007, -0/+7+1'd everyone in a Christmas spirit =D
  
  -cheers-
chi1thook, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3makes sense
SteveJobz, on 10/12/2007, -7/+13digg me down
- forgiste, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4I would've, but i +1'd you out of Christmas Spirit
  
  Happy Xmas!
DRTED, on 10/12/2007, -4/+16A WONDERFUL LIFE is such red coat, commi propraganda, that it is almost sickening. This is America for christs sake, go out and buy a nintendo wii, you communists.
- aristotle0dude, on 10/12/2007, -4/+5Funny that you should use Jesus' title in vain. Jesus was for the common man too. I suppose that means people who seriously follow Jesus are anti-american too then. That movie was espousing wholesome Christian values of mercy, charity and love.
  
  Merry Christmas.
- sockpuppets, on 10/12/2007, -1/+14You might want to have your sarcasm detector repaired.
- DRTED, on 10/12/2007, -7/+2you got some pair of balls responding to one of my awesome comments, you should respect my comments
- aristotle0dude, on 10/12/2007, -6/+3@sockpuppets: You might want to stop pointing out the obvious. I thought it might be a sarcastic comment but I saw it as a perfect opportunity to remind people what "christ"-mas is all about.
- orientis, on 10/12/2007, -3/+3Christmas is all about buying your loved ones cool presents, eating a bunch of good food until you're stupid, and getting drunk. If you believe otherwise you take ***** far too seriously.
  
  It wasn't Christ's birthday! No-one cares about Christ's real birthday! You bastards stole it from the pagans!
  
  Merry Christmas!
- aristotle0dude, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2@orientis: I did not realize that the pagans celebrated Jesus' birthday. Who give a ***** if a bunch of long dead pagans celebrated something? Their civilization is long dead. Neo-pagans are not the same thing at all.
  
  http://www.christmas-tree.com/where.html
  
  It is not a black and white issue. The tree represents whatever you wish it to represent. It is a perfect example of parallel development where similar cultural patterns develop independently.
- orientis, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1"I did not realize that the pagans celebrated Jesus' birthday."
  
  They didn't. No-one does now either.
mostlybadfly, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1weird, im watching this right now.
Ark7, on 10/12/2007, -5/+5Somehow, somewhere, this will be blamed on George Bush.
- Phssthpok, on 10/12/2007, -2/+11[[Somehow, somewhere, this will be blamed on George Bush.]]
  
  Then you'll reply: But Clinton...
iEnigma, on 10/12/2007, -1/+18It's nice to know that our government was ***** crazy before Bush, too.
- Ark7, on 10/12/2007, -4/+2Called it.
- baxtermaddux, on 10/12/2007, -1/+9governments and *****-crazy kinda go hand in hand.
- FlaG8r, on 10/12/2007, -5/+3Oh yeah, there'd be no *****-crazy at all with Anarchy
khag7, on 10/12/2007, -0/+14oops commented twice. digg me down. wait, no, scratch that. digg me up :)
baxtermaddux, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1holy crap! just as i noticed this headline, this movie started playing on NBC at the exact same moment. check it out, its on NBC right now. Oh My Sweet Baby Science!
- FlaG8r, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Communist plot
acex23, on 10/12/2007, -4/+0"In 1947, however, the FBI considered this anti-cosummerist message as subsersive Communist propaganda..."

I believe the word would be "anti-consumerist."
- forgiste, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4I believe the word is let it go man...
s000t, on 10/12/2007, -3/+2"check it out, its on NBC right now."

//sarcasm.begin();
I always knew those bastards were Commies, might as well call it National Broadcasting Communism.
//sarcasm.end();

Merry Christmas all.
aristotle0dude, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I hope you people did not spend more than you could afford and instead spent time with the ones you love.
Xeth, on 10/12/2007, -2/+8Screw that *****, I'm getting my wife a Lexus with a bow on top, and when I show it to her on the driveway the neighbors will clap.
- aristotle0dude, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4But will it make your little solider any bigger?
- BadassCheese, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2+4 for you
SteelChicken, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3wow this is news
Shinta, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2It's that god damn Iron Giant you need to watch out for. Communist propoganda from our own stinkin country.
skeeto, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3In a film related story, if you liked it, check out http://www.therealbedfordfalls.com

Cool site and town. Not too far from me. Interesting story, eerie coincidences, etc. I think they have the claim for being the inspiration for the film. They even have a shop called ZuZu's which she shows up to sign autographs at every year.
subscribtion, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5I knew it! I've had about enough of that pinko trash. I can no longer sit back and allow Communist infiltration, Communist indoctrination, Communist subversion and the international Communist conspiracy to sap and impurify all of our precious bodily fluids.
daxsymbiont, on 10/12/2007, -3/+3paranoid idiots with tin foil hats.
jeff94, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1I knew it!!
smartass007, on 10/12/2007, -2/+0i hope the 'long tail economy' brings back small capitalism...distributes the wealth more widely...
thaimouse, on 10/12/2007, -4/+0Hi, I am one of many, that is instrumental in posting the weekly web blog for www.ArgentinaBrunetti.com that she started as the "Worlds Oldest Blogger", a few years ago. Argy, as she was affectionately known by many of her friends, was one of the many actors that allowed this Christmas classic to become so close and dear to all of our hearts by portraying Mrs. Martini in the film "It's a Wonderful Life". This film is only now getting the acclaim that it has deserved all along. How dare they try to vilify that. Visit http://www.argentinabrunetti.com/videoItsawonderfullife.html to see the trailer and do not let the FBI Grinch of Christmas' past steal this or any other Christmas from us.

It should be noted that before her death at the age of 98, on 20 Dec 2005, Argy managed to complete her novel "In Sicilian Company" which is now being prepared to become a major Motion Picture. See http://www.argentinabrunetti.com/ISCPresskit.html for many photos of her and with many Hollywood personalities and other information.
everamzah, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0good thing the triumph of man is inherit within each of us, man and woman. we'll stop fearing this *****, when people stop fearing themselves. chia bitches.
JesusIsSatan, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0Why were the FBI spending taxpayer dollars to watch American cinema films and report on them? Why were the FBI spending countless hours examining Presidential semen stains on dresses instead of monitoring Arabs taking flight training in Florida and Arizona? And after a decade of Mulder and Sculley running around trying to find irrefutable proof of extraterrestial life, what has it produced?
freff, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1Ahhh...the 40's. A time when you could send someone to jail for being a Communist sympathizer, and a family classic like It's a Wonderful Life comes under suspicion by the FBI. It kinda brings into perspective some of the current political rhetoric that going on right now, doesn't it.

Nah. That was so long ago. It's the year 2000. That could never happen again. History is just something that happened to someone else....
mariopb, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0I am the only son of one of the last surviving adult members (if not the last) of the Christmas classic film 'It's a Wonderful Life'. Argentina Brunetti, portrayed Mrs. Martini in the film and passed away at 98. After reading Mr.Chen's article, I can only point out how dangerous misinformation and personal opinion can be, if it is used maliciously by those in political power. This should be a lesson to all about the potency of the written word and to think twice before following blindly down a certain path just because something is written in a certain newspaper in bold print. But at least here in American we can thank God, (instead of trying to get rid of Him) that we can discuss such matters openly. We must also count one other major blessing during this period: in spite of all the missteps that our nation takes, we continue to be that 'Shining City on the Hill', because, as my mother, at 98 years of age, so aptly wrote in her bio-novel, 'In Sicilian Company', "God takes care of fools, drunks and the United States of America!"As for 'IAWL' being communist propaganda, why doesn't the writer take a valid poll and find out what America really thinks about this theory and publish the results? We will gladly publish the results on our web site, "Argentina Brunetti's Hollywood Stories" as a lead item!
MacLiberal, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1The FBI really was paranoid, afterall it has to be the most stupid movie since Santa Claus conquers the Martians. It's a Wonderful Life really is the worst soppy piece of ***** that only dumb hillbillies in america could appreciate.
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FBI Memo: "It's a Wonderful Life" is communist propaganda

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