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Stupid White Men ● 看大選
2016/11/04 16:12:42瀏覽2230｜回應17｜推薦4

舉世觸目之選舉還有幾天,與數以千萬計的人一起關注之餘, 想起了10多年前看過的一本書。在書櫃找出來,花了兩天時間重讀一遍。
2003年隨小女到其當時就讀初中之SMCC開放日,在附設之小型書展買了這本“Stupid White Men & other Sorry Excuses for the state of the Nation”。好看的文章不外乎內容與文筆, What to say & How to say it。這書完全符合這兩個條件,作者Michael Moore 筆鋒諷刺抵死, 自此成為他的擁躉,讀過他3本書及在Amazon買了他拍制的幾套紀錄片。
近年來很多人說香港言論自由減少,自我審查增多。Stupid White Men 成書於2001年911事件之前, 因內容嚴厲批評布什二世2000年『贏』了選舉之過程及其政權首半年之所為,出版商認為911事件所觸發美國人團結愛國之情緒不可能接受作者的論點,臨時要求作者大幅改寫內容及要他支付書本更改後重印之費用10萬美元否則不把書發行並將已印好第一批5萬本作廢紙處理。雖被出版商封殺幾個月, 惟Michael Moore堅持己見,在他一次介紹其作品的演講中有一名聽眾是圖書館長, 經其專業圈子的壓力, 出版商在2002年初屈服--把Stupid White Men在沒有宣傳下發行。完全出乎意外, Stupid White Men 竟然立刻成為暢銷書, 迄今已重印43次, 且在2003年擊敗後來由李安大導拍成電影的The Life of Pi(少年派的奇幻漂流)奪得“英國書獎”The British Book Awards。
大家可能知道或者讀過柏楊先生的名著『醜陋的中國人』, Michael Moore正是美國的柏楊。Stupid White Men 這書名就是說美國是由蠢人、白人、男人組成的國度, 亦是其中3課的主題。
除了絕大多數的美國人外, 世界其他國家都知道美國人蠢。在發達國家(地區)中, 美國人懂得第二語言的比例最低, 這或許可說是自滿。但有一國際認可的客觀測試Programme for International Student Assessment(PISA), 3年一度比較15歲學生的數學、科學及閱讀程度, 近數屆3個科目3甲位置長期由上海、香港及新加坡佔據。發達國家(OECD)中, 日本、南韓、芬蘭、加拿大, 多能排在10名內, 美國則20名也進不了亦低過澳門、越南。Stupid White Men 書裡解釋美國教育失敗是政府投放資源嚴重不足, 校舍不夠、設備殘舊甚至廁紙也沒有。因為美國投放於在世界各地打仗、製造武器核彈等等是教育經費的10多倍。

現在談談書的第二及第三主題: 白人與男人。在拙文春風化雨裡已說過美國獨立宣言裡政治正確但其實是欺世盜名的一句『人人生而平等 All men are created equal』。下面兩張相片(請點擊放大細讀)是余今年7月到Philadelphia的UNESCO World Heritage世遺Independence Hall 所拍, 清楚說明獨立宣言裡的人人只是包括Michael Moore所指的白人男人, 白女人不是與男人平等的更遑論為奴隸的黑人。美國的白人女人到1920年才有投票權, 比獨立宣言賦予男人的所謂平等遲了逾一個半世紀。黑人更要到1965年才有投票權。固然世遺展示的是美國獨立後至女人及黑人取得平權之間的歷史, Stupid White Men 裡舉出例子說直到21世紀初情況仍是這樣。


書裡其他各課談到美國的刑法、貧富不均、環保各方面。香港太多人盲目崇美, 余深信這些人對美國政治生態與制度幾近全無認識。作者用了不少篇幅來說官商勾結, 美國有一個牽涉巨額資金而影響力無遠弗屆的行業叫Lobbyists ~『說客』。美國各級選舉都是金錢的比拼, 而利益集團則通過說客同時資助兩黨的候選人, 不論哪個贏了也同樣虧欠人情。
書的第一課及最後一課都是說2000年大選的細節。作者把布什二世稱為Thief-in-Chief, 竊國者『皇』。當年的選舉最後是取決於Florida的點票, 作者詳細列舉當時由布什二世弟弟作州長的Florida選舉過程中多處不尋常。但在重新點票時卻遭美國聯邦最高法院緊急煞停。作者指出了另一個很多香港人喜歡掛在咀邊的謬誤: 司法獨立或三權分立。余不知道世界有沒有國家實行司法獨立, 但美國則絕無其事。看官如果有留意世事, 今年2月美國聯邦最高法院法官Antonin Scalia猝死及之後Obama提名繼任法官一直遭到共和黨參議員阻延都有廣為報導。香港人所認知的政治制度由開埠到2002年, 所有官員都是鐵飯碗的公務員, 做錯任何事、錯到什麼程度都不會炒魷魚的, 直至董伯伯在司局長階層引入西方的政治問責制。政治委任制有兩大特點: 第一是棄車保帥/替死鬼, 政府施政出了問題, 有關的部長/大臣下台換掉, 明天又是晴朗的一天。可惜香港歷任特首均不曉得利用這制度的優點, 往往護短把情況弄僵。第二則是親疏有別/用人唯親, 當大位者上台分封打江山(競選上位)的功臣, 這一點狼英發揮得瀟灑自如、淋漓盡致。在美國的司法制度, 檢控官(DA)是選舉出來的(即是政客), 而法官則是政治任命。聯邦最高法院法官由總統提名給參議院投票通過。更要命的是委任是終身制, 只有法官本身可自己退休, 否則做到鞠躬盡瘁死而後已, 就像享壽79歲的Antonin Scalia一樣, 他是1986年由Reagan委任。當然法官本身一般沒有為爭大位的人抬轎, 但往往一做三幾十年的委任, 總統一定會找價值觀/理念相近的人來提名。昨晚Now TV新聞專題談到像今年因Scalia猝死而引致關鍵的第九名法官位置懸空, 最長竟然試過800多天, 可見美國兩黨政治爭拗數十年來都把國家利益置諸道外！話說回來, Michael Moore 謂在2000年大選時聯邦最高法院之9位法官中之5位是由之前共和黨總統委任的, 所以這五人在最關鍵時刻以迅雷不及掩耳的速度以5:4終止Florida重新點票, 把總統寶座裁定給予布什二世以報之前共和黨總統知遇之恩。終身制中的9個有一個壽終, 而『民主制衡』(實則政黨爭拗)下不能委出繼承者, 變成8個, 4:4就沒有有效裁決。

有成語曰『選賢與能』,可惜與堯舜禹湯(即是韋小寶說的鳥生魚湯)一樣俱往矣不復返矣。在所謂民主選舉制度下, 梁耀忠議員於1996年在垃圾局的金句: 『臭坑出臭草』才是今後的真理。香港選出游蕙禎、梁頌恒、劉小麗這些議員不是因為有3個喪心病狂的人而是有數以十萬計這種人。今天的選民不是選賢能而是『物以類聚、人以群分』。
余曾於70及80年代合共在美國工作居住過一年多, 完全認同Stupid White Men。Donald Trump作為一個成功高調的商人當然不是Stupid White Man, 但他深諳我們梁耀忠議員的真理, 競選時盡說Stupid White Men啱聽的話, 所以他能在共和黨初選輕易脫穎而出。美國今天著實需要一個像Trump這樣的總統。Trump說日本、歐洲(NATO北約)、沙地如果要美國駐軍保護, 必須負擔美國軍費。言下之意是否代表若不付款, 美國便會撤軍裁軍？豈不是世界的大喜訊？又說要把製造業搬回美國以解決貿易赤字, 重回門羅主義更是好！
2008年Obama當選總統至今8年, 余一直都難以置信。可惜美國人大多數是基督教而非天主教徒, 而余又不是教宗, 否則Obama及投票給他的人都應該因這個神蹟的發生而被封為聖人(Canonized)。

後記： 本文得到眾多同學及朋友, 尤以旅居美國者, 熱烈發表高見(幾天已達16篇), 非常值得看官一讀回應欄, 請點擊
http://classic-blog.udn.com/xingwanlilu/80534529?f_ORDER_BY=DESC&pno=1&#reply_list
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DN
you don't really need ID to vote
2016/11/07 21:26
I stand corrected.  The Chee-Na kids are not "new born Babies not fearing tiger". They are like one Chinese hair salon name here, "No hair no sky".
Trump should be done. In addition to FBI, the ethnic group where most illegal alien/undocumented immigrants came from are coming out in huge numbers to vote (like I said, you don't really need ID to vote and illegal aliens in California can get driver license here courtesy of that ethnic group lawmakers and our governor).  The crazy/mad person in politics is really the governor of California. 
The governor pushed proposition #47 several years ago to release a lot of prison inmates (supposedly non-violent) and the crime rate in California has gone up substantially. I've been victimized several times this year and one police officer told me was because of that.  Now, the governor is at it again pushing prop #57 (most likely to pass) to release more so-called non-violent inmates.  These include rape criminals and drive-by shooting gangs plus a long list of other criminals.  This is the ultimate insult to woman as it's hard to prosecute rape criminals to begin with and the governor now want to release them.  "No hair no sky".  So when you guys visit California, watch out.

CWD
news like this never got reported by the US media -- Part 1
2016/11/07 01:28
I forwarded this South China Morning Post article to some people as news like this never got reported by the US media.  There is essentially only one voice in the US now (just like the Communist and Nazi) and they are all against Trump. Even the local Cantonese radio station and TVB USA are against Trump.  They hardly covered Hilary scandal/corruption unless it's too big to ignore. As a result, I'm in the minority regarding the Chinese American group.
Like one of my college room-mates was saying, there are a lot of dump people in the US and every four year, the Democratic party played the race and gender cards and they worked every time.  In addition, you have the corrupt (i.e. the so-called establishment; Wall St., Corporation and Unions) or radical people that voting for Hilary.  A lot of people (ordinary people) that are supporting Trump are just sick and tired of the Washington corruption (lobbyist) even though the US media keeping brainwashing them.  The brainwashing worked to a certain extent but a lot of people realized that's not the truth anymore due to their own experience.

CWD
News like this never get reported in US media part 2
2016/11/07 01:20

Another example of the brainwashing is that all US media is anti-China whether they are right or wrong.  Most people in the US hate China and they think PRC is looking to take over the world and Japan and other Southeast Asian countries are being bullied by PRC.  They think 釣魚台 belong to Japan and they now use Senkaku Island instead of Diaoyu.  If I have a chance, I would tell them that US should celebrate December 7th. Hilary is still expected to win despite the FBI probe(FBI was prevented to investigate earlier due to orders from WH and DoJ).  This investigation might be too late and the way that US media is covering is that it's no big deal.  http://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy-defence/article/2041951/theres-nothing-be-ashamed-why-chinese-americans-are

DN
Corruption Rule - part 1
2016/11/06 18:30
That's the perception being painted by the US media (global media for that matter) which takes orders from the DNC (check that; it should be under the guidance for political correctness) and the WH not that I'm a fan of Trump. In addition, people overseas were surprised when I informed them that to vote or to register to vote in US, you don't really need to show your ID (DNC always used the race card to block voter ID law). You need an ID at the airport to board a plane, don't you?
To all the Chee-Na fans, these kids are just being brainwashed by the media, professors and teachers. What's the relation to US? "Pivot to Asia".  The rewards: money, green card and Ivy league university admissions for their kids. Like someone in HK commented, how the hell did the 4-eyed creature got accepted to Harvard? In the US, if an elected official says the N word for certain race group and pronounced say California (California might not be part of US in 30 years anyway) is not part of the US during an oath, what would happened to the elected official?? The person would be screwed and there would be no way in taking office. By the way, look what happened to Syria and Ukraine! The kids are just new born babies and not afraid of tigers.  
For those that say if Trump got elected (I don't think so) and would move to Canada or Australia, they really should move to Greece (a good example of socialist). Better yet, they should reside in the migrant camp in Greece.  With all the migrants (whether they are real migrants or not), US did a great job to the Europeans.

DN
Corruption Rule
2016/11/06 17:45
If you believe that Trump is going to win, you should sell everything (stocks, bonds, real estate) and keep 100% cash or some gold (commented by someone in the financial media In HK).
By the way, people that support Trump are not morons.  They are just deplorables as described by HRC. That's how the media like to portray to brainwash (oh wait, to be politically correct, I should say indoctrinate) people.  They are not only the cowboys, KKK/red necks and the blue collar uneducated whites.  Have you heard of the silence majority? The college and high school kids here also got brainwashed by the so-called progressive professors and teachers (sound familiar?) and that's why they are leaning towards the DNC.
In any case, this is a revolt against the so-called elite corrupt establishment but the establishment is too strong/powerful for the people to succeed (no possible way for Trump). Corruption is legal in the US. That's what lobbyists are for.  Corruption rule! Check that it should be lobbyist law prevail for political correctness.

Gulliver
New world order now
2016/11/05 00:20
New world order now , whoever backed by the Generals, cia , fbi etc hardliners nationalist will rule now ,
Media , union , multicultural , globalisation etc is out,
U.K. Vote for brexit n now the court said its up to parliament , hk elect some kids n now Beijing will say it's doesn't mean a thing if they bad mouth china , trump anti establishment , said election is rigged , his movement might not recognise it, Seoul a scandal , she is leaving soon , phillipine president put up a wanted list , anyone can shot them n get a reward , cowboy in the Wild West now , rule of jungle ,
Whoever can bring peace n prosperity to their population, white or black cat , it's ok
I bet a coffee that trump will win , he against Democrat n republican n came such a long way , his backers are those Cowboys , brace for more surprise

DN
FBI news is too late and is brushed aside by most media
2016/11/04 23:38
With all the media within the US and the whole world against Trump, Hilary is expected to win.  Besides US is not exactly a democratic country (it's the electoral vote that counts).  The fix is in.  Even the TVB (a puppet of NY Times) and LA local Cantonese is anti-Trump.  There is only one voice in the US (just like the Communist and the Nazi).  Trump is painted as racist, sexist, crazy and mad person.  There is zero chance for Trump. Every four year, the DNC used the race and gender cards and it always worked.
The US media/elite always use the word patriot (positive) for US and nationalist (negative) for other countries such as China that the US media don't like.  And of course the term populist (negative) is used on Brexit and the ordinary people in the US.
US is and continues to be be a banana republic.  Hilary can be bought (during the 90's WH was a hotel and of course the Clinton Foundation) and FBI (i.e. ICAC for HK) can't do anything about it.  The FBI news is too late and is brushed aside by most media anything. Hilary learned the lesson from Nixon.  Destroy all the evidence (i.e. emails) instead of keeping them on tape. Stupid Nixon.  The richest guy in LA (a Chinese American from S. Africa with net worth over US$12 billion) is a big donor to Clinton and he would probably get richer offset somewhat by higher tax rate. California along with several other states will legalize the use of pot for recreational use (4 other states legalized pot already).  Gay marriage is legal in most states now.  Great!!
All Chinese/Asian Americans will be discriminated more in the name of diversity.  Illegal aliens/undocumented immigrants (to be PC) will become legal and get more benefits.  Viva Mexico, make Mexico great!!
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