Charles Ferguson's Oscar Speech Rips Wall Street: 'Inside Job' Director Levels Criticism

[onehandle]

Source: Huffington Post

But it was the topic on most people's minds the last two years, the economy, that resonated among Oscar voters.

"Inside Job" director Charles Ferguson subjected Wall Street players, economists and bureaucrats to a fierce cross-examination to depict the economic crisis as a colossal crime perpetrated on the working-class masses by a greedy few.

His film examined the financial crisis of 2008. His speech lamented the lack of accountability three years later.

"Forgive me, I must start by pointing out that three years after our horrific financial crisis caused by financial fraud, not a single financial executive has gone to jail, and that's wrong," Ferguson said.

Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/28/charles-ferguson-oscar-speech-inside-job_n_828963.html

[OwnedByFerrets]

1. Do they give Oscars for GUTS?

[mascarax]

2. Glad he said it

Maybe he read Taibbi's article too:
http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/why-isnt-wall-street-in-jail-20110216

Why isn't Wall Street in jail?!

[vi5]

3. Doesn't he realize we need to look forward?

Not behind us? I mean accountability is only for the poor and middle class. And liberals.

[no_hypocrisy]

4. Michael Moore was the last winner to speak Truth To Power.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yoYayv7ZEww

[mopinko]

5. just like the whole s&l debacle. same crooks and liars.

loot the kitty, pretend that s&l's are just a bad business model for these modern days, sell all the assets back to your buddies at bargain basement prices, mortgages expunged. lather rinse repeat, i guess.

[snappyturtle]

16. Often thought that the s&l scandal was the beginning of the present

day practice of letting tptb get away with their crimes....like a financial industry benchmark of public 'tolerance'.

[mntleo2]

29. And if they'd been held accountable then ...

...perhaps we would not have the problem now.

But then many of us in the Sanctuary Movement in the '80s also said there should have been accountability held about needless brutal proxy wars that were about resources and keeping the rich in power for Nicaragua and El Salvador. Then Negroponte who was Ambassador then became ambassador to Iraq and the Death Squads began all over again in Iraq a week later. Nobody except us "kooks" said a word ...

Cat in Seattle

[snappyturtle]

38. It's just one big loop of greed and no responsibility. nt

[ladjf]

6. That's good to see. Hollywood folk are in a perfect position to

add some clarity, guidance and financial support in our cause to do something about the massive heist that has been and continues to be present today.

Either we stop the rich from their thievery or life on Earth is doomed to scrapping out a meager unhealthy, unrewarding and slave existence. We can do better than that.

[xchrom]

7. recommend

[Mosaic]

8. We need a new form of government

The ancient concept of a republic is not good enough for modern, interconnected, enlightened humans. Accountability for thieves like this would be easy in a proper government like I envision.

[TxVietVet]

9. We've got the best democracy money can buy.

The system sucks and those that are very wealthy are going to kill the rest of us.

[handmade34]

11. rec

"...we can have democracy in this country, or we can have great wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, but we can't have both."

[grahamhgreen]

10. K/R

[dotymed]

12. Still, many knuckle dragging, mouth breathers

were in their comfy(?) homes railing against the "Hollywood elite liberals", daring to speak against TPTB.
Only when we can get enough people, across America, to take to the streets and demand a NEW PARADIGM, will any change happen. Ironically, the wealthy Hollywood elite are speaking up for regular Americans. My God, how can any American not speak out against the tyranny that has taken over our country? Unless the rest of the people start demonstrating, I fear blacklists are in their (HW) future.
What is happening in WI and a couple of other states is a good start. Now, we have to go nation wide in huge numbers.

[Jackpine Radical]

15. A New Paradigm, exactly.

A "paradigm shift" (to use the often-abused Kuhnian term) that reaches down into how people of the world relate to each other and how we communicate with each other. The technology shift to social media as the main news vehicle is part of it, but ultimately it has to do with the empathy and compassion we extend to each other, rejoicing in each other's good fortune and seeking to bring the level of all people up to minimally decent standards rather than allowing the plutocrats to turn us against each other while they loot us and the futures of our children.

[Enthusiast]

31. Gee, I think you are right.

What an ugly mess the corporations and the far right have made of our nation. And why in the hell would they want a country to be like this?

[zalinda]

41. How many pics did you see on TV

about the Wisconsin sit in? Never mind the pics, just how about the story? Where were the politicians? Unless someone is on the Internet and keeps up with politics, the country at large, will never know about it.

Unfortunately, the media will not notice until a pretty blond white girl goes missing from there, or there is violence.

zalinda

[Maineman]

13. A truth teller!

[Kingofalldems]

14. K and R

[Bardley]

17. good for the oscar committee

i try not to dwell on it, but the wall street bailout was the largest naked robbery in American history, and i blame BOTH parties for it

[midnight]

18. I'm sure once our lawmakers in Washinton watch the investigation on the movie screen they will

move quickly and start prosecutions.....

[russspeakeasy]

23. Shirley, you jest.

[howmad1]

42. Don't call me Shirly.

Maybe they should start with the Obama administration including our DOJ.

[texastoast]

19. The lack of accountability is disgusting

So many greedy heads should have rolled. They should have to give up those Mercedes, second, third and fourth homes.

A Lot to Drink About
Written by: Jimmy Buffett, Mac McAnally, Will Kimbrough
Performed by: Jimmy Buffett

Originally from the Album: Buffet Hotel (2009)

Hey, have you noticed that the world has changed
That world is all bad
I think it’s time for a song about that.

Up on the East side of Manhattan,
They’re still dancing with the stars.
While over in sub prime city,
It’s getting ugly in the local bars
Watching the news only gives me the blues
There’s too much going wrong.
It takes the likes of me to hit the reboot key
and write a high speed drinking song.

Millionaires losin’ everything.
Hey, welcome to the other side of life!
There goes the yacht, there goes the Rolls,
But, you get to keep your wife!
And don’t forget the automakers
swimming up stream like a trout.
They let the shi* hit the fan
and then they made a plan
We’ve got a- a lot to drink about.

It’s the price of oil,
the war of the spoils.
Where’s your bucket for the big bailout?
Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan,
We’ve got a lot to drink about.

Now, Madoff made off with all the money.
And his clients are down to skunk weed.
Repeat after me, it’s so easy to see
We’re only talking simple greed.
And those Somalian pirates are counting all their gold.
While Bush and Cheney ain’t around
and all the good lookers seem to be Russian hookers
from Key West to London town.

It’s the price of oil,
war of the spoils.
Here’s your bucket for the big bailout?
Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan,
We’ve got a lot to drink about.

So pour me some Tennessee whiskey,
pour me a fine Jamaican rum.
That loud mouth soup
can get ya kind of looped
Tequila, of course I’ll have some!

Well the family devalues
and little children count their net worth
and the truth wherever it’s hiding,
can’t be found on Google Earth.
Citibank’s buying jets with our money.
I wanna flog ‘em with a buggy whip.
Let’s hope Barack and Joe won’t let the volcano blow
and patch the hole in our sinking ship.

There’s the price of oil,
the war of the spoils.
Here’s your bucket for the big bailout?
Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan,
We’ve got a lot to drink about.

Recession, Oppression, Depression good God
CNN keeps bummin’ me out.
I can’t take another doomsday minute.
Got a lot to drink, a lot to think,
a lot to drink about.



K&R

[femrap]

20. Best moment of the entire Oscar night. nt

[Jefferson23]

21. Ferguson received a huge applause for his statement b/c anyone with

half a brain knows that fact truly is WRONG on every level. The best moment of the entire evening imo.."Inside Job" wins and
his commentary...perfect!

[Safetykitten]

22. That will be on the 2012 agenda. One thing at a time please.

[OnyxCollie]

27. LOL!

"But it's an election year."
"He doesn't have the votes."
"What do you want him to do, wave a magic wand?"
"Do you want him to be a dictator, like Bush?"
"Mistakes have been made in the past, but we need to look forward."
"You never loved him!"

Corporate criminals run free and continue to rob us; "enemy combatants" rot in Gitmo, waiting to be set free, or at the very least, to receive a fair trial.

Of course, nothing can be done about those things now. They have to wait until Obama can be reelected and then maybe, perhaps...

[Enthusiast]

33. I'm with you! nt

[Lorien]

43. +1,000. Lather, rinse, repeat

There's no "change" when the wealthy elite who benefit from the status quo choose our candidates for us.

[jimlup]

24. I think his statement will be taken at face value

and I am very glad that "Inside Job" won. Great film which tells the truth!

[Johnny Harpo]

25. Ferguson's One Line Statement Was Absolutely True and Needed...but...

i would hardly call one line a ripping speech.

But far better then the feeble attempts at union support in the thanks given, by some, to 'union crews'.

[The Nexus]

26. And the right's most possible response?

"It's a publicity stunt. He probably wants to do another movie and lacks the funding so he gives a contraversial acceptance speech so it would be a highlight of the show to sell tickets and then DVDs." :tinfoilhat:

[girl gone mad]

30. He's already a millionaire many times over..

and documentaries generally don't cost very much to produce.

[The Nexus]

48. Careful

they'll be called the Hollywood rich :rofl:

[dotymed]

28. Please, look at this link

supplied to me by DeSwiss. This is how TPTB will survive no-matter what.

on edit; http://www.archbunkers.com//FAQ.html

[BanTheGOP]

32. ONCE AGAIN...Ban the republican party, and this will be eliminated

[OnyxCollie]

34. Yes, the Democratic party is impervious to such influence.

:eyes:

[Enthusiast]

37. Don't we wish.......nt

[defendandprotect]

40. +1 --

[Myshadow]

35. Oh really....

The President, his Chief of Staff and his Atty Gen. have some splainin to do.

[Enthusiast]

36. K&R!

If we could hold the criminals accountable the economy could turn around. 'Looking forward' is dereliction of duty.

[defendandprotect]

39. Thanks to Ferguson -- have yet to see "Inside Job" -- where is it???

Meanwhile, how did GASLAND do?

[Michigan-Arizona]

44. defendandprotect

http://www.sonyclassics.com/insidejob/site/#/events------click on Showtimes----Click on Fandango where you can type in your city or zip code to see where it is playing-----not sure what the other 2 choices will give you so I just used the Fandango option. It was showing here in Tucson at one place only & that was the Loft Cinema where hubby & I seen it at. Not sure if this will help but it's all I could find other than where you can purchase the movie such as Amazon, etc.......

[defendandprotect]

47. Meanwhile there is Catherine Austin Fitts -- !!! Thank you !! :)

[tilsammans]

45. This is why they're not in jail

They're not "criminal."

http://moneywatch.bnet.com/retirement-planning/blog/financial-independence/why-are-no-wall-street-executives-in-jail/1223/

[Uncle Joe]

46. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, onehandle.

[yurbud]

49. I'd like to give you a second rec just for your sig pic

[Imagevision]

50. Viewing 'Inside Job' was depressing because Wall St./ got away with everything and

Obama ended up hiring many of the players to his crew which are still employed to this day. Bernake? you gotta be kidding!

[Hotler]

51. kicking n/t