[speechlesstx]

Say it ain't so...

Concerned about the current negative image of the American military in many countries, Paramount Pictures and Hasbro, the toy manufacturer, have decided that in their forthcoming film featuring comic-book patriot G.I. Joe, the character will become part of a multinational force, the London Daily Telegraph reported today (Tuesday). Even the character's name has become an acronym for Global Integrated Joint Operating Entity, the newspaper said. Word of the makeover is likely to anger U.S. conservatives, the Telegraph noted. The film is due to open in 2009.

And to add insult to injury, rumor has it that George Clooney has been offered the lead role. Any idea why the makeover might anger U.S. conservatives??

[Emland]

Who knows? Both sides strain at what they will get offended over. What does ones political affiliation have to do with their acting ability?

[Dark_crow]

Say it ain't so...



And to add insult to injury, rumor has it that George Clooney has been offered the lead role. Any idea why the makeover might anger U.S. conservatives???

Speaking about the Iraq war: "You can't beat your enemy anymore through wars; instead you create an entire generation of people seeking revenge. These days it only matters who's in charge. Right now that's us — for a while at least. Our opponents are going to resort to car bombs and suicide attacks because they have no other way to win.... I believe (Rumsfeld) thinks this is a war that can be won, but there is no such thing anymore. We can't beat anyone anymore."

Hell- of -a philosophy for a GI Joe:D

[Choux]

**FASCISTS** might be concerned about what uniforms a TOY SOLDIER wears, but not a conservative.

Here is point *one* of fourteen on how to find out if one is dealing with a person who supports a fascist regime or fascism::


1.) Powerful and Continuing Nationalism: Fascist regimes tend to make constant use of patriotic mottos, slogans, symbols, songs, uniforms and other paraphernalia. Flags are seen everywhere, as are flag symbols on clothing and in public displays.

[speechlesstx]

Who knows? Both sides strain at what they will get offended over. What does ones political affiliation have to do with their acting ability?

Who said anything about ability? What they're doing with GI Joe and the possibility of putting Clooney in the lead role are just a couple more sticks in the eye of conservative Americans by the Hollywood left. If they want to continue offending their customers they will only have themselves to blame when they fail.

[excon]

Hello Steve:

They're changing GI Joe?? Things are a changing... I don't like it much. I don't know. The world passed me by when getting beat up turned into getting beat down.

excon

[tomder55]

GI Joe a blue helmet ? Now there is a genuine reason for Feminist outrage !

PEACEKEEPERS IN AFRICA AND GENDER VIOLENCE

April 21, 2005 - (The Economist) THE UNECO children's centre looks like any other Liberian school. Its pupils wear smartish uniforms and are eager, after 14 years of civil war and not much schooling, to learn. What is unusual is that every child at UNECO has been fathered by a foreign peacekeeper and then abandoned. The centre was founded by Dr Abraham Cole, a local teacher, "to show our gratitude to peacekeepers by taking care of their children."

Despite its name, the school receives no UN support besides food from the World Food Programme. Most of the 136 children at UNECO and a similar centre further north were conceived during the 1990s, when both the UN and Liberia's West African neighbours sent troops to Liberia. The number of abandoned babies is now set to surge, however. For the past 18 months, Liberia has hosted one of the largest and most successful UN peacekeeping missions, whose 15,000 blue helmets have now been around long enough to make more babies. A UN staffer said he expected 1,500 UN babies by the end of next year.

These children are not orphans. Their fathers are mostly alive, but have finished their tour of duty and gone home, often to waiting wives. Their
Liberian mothers abandon them either because they are poor, or because they have married a Liberian man who does not want a half-Nigerian child in his home.

In a broken state like Liberia, where 80% of the population live on less than 50 cents a day and women can be seduced by the promise of a
Mobile-phone scratch card, it is not easy to keep well-paid soldiers chaste. But it would be nice if the UN tried a bit harder. After a scandal in Congo last year, when Moroccan UN peacekeepers were charged with raping 13-year-olds, Kofi Annan, the UN secretary-general, proclaimed a policy of "zero tolerance" for sexual exploitation. A report by Jordan's UN ambassador called for deductions from absentee fathers' salaries and
Courts martial in the country where any sexual offence takes place. But in practice, erring peacekeepers are rarely punished. Absentee fathers,
Rapists and even murderers simply disappear back home.

Some UN contingents in Liberia ban their members from bars. Some offer distractions such as gyms and movies, but the monthly budget for fun is only $8 per peacekeeper, and the thrills of table-tennis must eventually pall.

About 8% of Liberian adults are estimated to be infected with HIV, though the true figure may be higher—the recent civil war brought an epidemic of rape. Dr Cole visits barracks to persuade peacekeepers and their "camp girlfriends" to use condoms (the UN issues five per man per week), but it is not an easy task. Soldiers are inured to risk. And though Dr Cole has written to the UN asking for help with his school, he has yet to receive a reply.

From: Liberia | Daddy wore a blue helmet | Economist.com

[speechlesstx]

GI Joe a blue helmet ? Now there is a genuine reason for Feminist outrage !

PEACEKEEPERS IN AFRICA AND GENDER VIOLENCE

From: Liberia | Daddy wore a blue helmet | Economist.com

Hadn't thought about that tom, Hollywood and Hasbro placing ol' Joe in the realm of rapists and other perverts.

[N0help4u]

I say send Barbie with a PINK helmet THAT should get ALL sides of everything going!
Politically correct feminists LOOK OUT!

[CaptainRich]

Hehe, keep your helmet's camo and your shirt's on...
I heard Clooney get's airsick!

B-52, I see you... too late!

[Choux]

GI JOE IS A ******TOY******.

Only a **fascist** would be insulting me and calling me a wacko over the uniform a toy wears.

Only a **fascist** would know what a toy soldier wears! ROFLMAO!!

[Choux]

Second sign that you may be dealing with a supporter of fascism:

2. Supremacy of the Military: Even when there are widespread domestic problems, the military is given a disproportionate amount of government funding, and the domestic agenda is neglected. Soldiers and military service are glamorized.

Yeah, fascist boys, make sure your **toys** have the uniform you really, really like!! Dem toys have to be glamorous!!

ROFLMAF!!

[BABRAM]

First off their concept is all wrong. We, US male citizens (Americans), when traveling are still "Joe" to the Asians, especially in the Philippines, Vietnam and Thailand. I have a second home in the Mindanao and every time I go back for vacations, business, etc... I'm still singled out as "Joe." Secondly, although often mistaken for Europeans or from Australian or New Zealand, when an Asian person sees a non-Asian, usually Caucasian male in their country, they automatically assume he is American "Joe." Lastly, when Hendrix sung the line "Hey Joe! where you going with that gun in your hand," he wasn't identifying the United Nations, nor was he appealing to the Geneva convention.:)


Bobby

[inthebox]

I say send Barbie with a PINK helmet THAT should get ALL sides of everything going!
Politically correct feminists LOOK OUT!

After they change GI Joe we can look forward to

"code pink" Barbie, then

Transgender Ted, then

Pacifist Pete, then

Appeasement Al, then

Conspiracy Carla, then

Liberal Larry,

The possibilities are endless... ;)







Grace and Peace

[BABRAM]

"Skell agrees: Ive been to Asia countless times and never once been called Joe! Im Australian by the way!"

Skell- I've seen it on numerous occasions when your fellow country men were temporary confused for Americans, my wife vouches for this as fact. She, herself, has been guilty of such misidentification. I had this conversation with her and when she started seeing more Caucasians in American society she was able to identify better when going back the Philippines. Technically speaking you're correct though, in that you should never be called "Joe," simply because you are not American. However many of your cohorts pleasure the islands for diving and snorkeling, and many of your fellow country men have Scotch-Irish roots just like one out of six Americans do, but of course, the Aussie accent is a give away and different from an Irish brogue and obviously different then the American accent. I'm not talking necessarily metro Manila or often advertised Cebu, although misidentification happens there as well. Where I go you're one speck of touristy white under cross examination and from a distant rice field to them, until they know you, you are assumed "Joe."

BTW my father-in-law owns a rice farm so we are never short on rice. Personally, myself on the other hand, usually I can point you guys out on sight. I've seen a few Australians in Davao City, however just two hours away and even deeper south, very few in Mawab or Tagum (small communities). For those that don't know, it's southern and western Mindanao where many of the kidnappings, rebels confrontations with the govt occur, and heavier Muslims populations reside; go trekking alone into the mountains, if you dare. I get the benefit of personal protection. Besides my wife's family having been involved in politics in the Philippines, my brother-in-law is one of Davao City's "Mayor Duarte's" body guards. I've ate at some the best restaurants in Davao City, population two million with only eight red lights! As an American with partial Jewish heritage I'm fortunate enough to be confused with the German businessmen. In fact, I've had the Germans themselves came up to me and start speaking their native language thinking I was one of them. But I'm still "Joe," and ironically never confused for Australian.



Bobby

[speechlesstx]

GI JOE IS A ******TOY******.

Only a **fascist** would be insulting me and calling me a wacko over the uniform a toy wears.

Only a **fascist** would know what a toy soldier wears!! ROFLMAO!!!!!

I didn't call you a wacko, just gave a clue as to how to recognize one. I guess there must be a lot of little 8 year old **fascists** running around out there, and I'm sorry, but I don't recall being a fascist myself when I was a 3rd grader - but I do remember my G.I. Joe wore green US fatigues. But leave it to you to put kids in the category of fascists.

[speechlesstx]

Second sign that you may be dealing with a supporter of fascism:

2. Supremacy of the Military: Even when there are widespread domestic problems, the military is given a disproportionate amount of government funding, and the domestic agenda is neglected. Soldiers and military service are glamorized.

Yeah, fascist boys, make sure your **toys** have the uniform you really, really like!!! Dem toys have to be glamorous!!!

ROFLMAF!!!!!

Second sign you may be a liberal wacko, you refer to fascism 4 or more times a day.

[kindj]

OK, I got it now:

If Clooney is going to be GI Joe, then we need:

Martin Sheen as the Commanding Officer

Michael Moore as the head of the UN Security Council

Alec Baldwin can be the Director of Central Intelligence

Barbara Streisand, Rosie O'Donnell, Sheryl Crow, and "San Fran Nan" as the JCS.



As long as we're going this way, why don't we just resurrect John Wayne and cast him as Sister Maria in a remake of "The Sound of Music?"

[speechlesstx]

Hehe, keep your helmet's camo and your shirt's on...
I heard Clooney get's airsick!

B-52, I see you... too late!!

Here's my favorite on that theme...

[speechlesstx]

OK, I got it now:

If Clooney is going to be GI Joe, then we need:

Martin Sheen as the Commanding Officer

Michael Moore as the head of the UN Security Council

Alec Baldwin can be the Director of Central Intelligence

Barbara Streisand, Rosie O'Donnell, Sheryl Crow, and "San Fran Nan" as the JCS.

Ex, Sean Penn would be better suited for UN Sec-Gen. I say Tim Robbins and Susan Sarandon as the first couple.

As long as we're going this way, why don't we just resurrect John Wayne and cast him as Sister Maria in a remake of "The Sound of Music?"

Now that's blasphemy, lol.