´óÏó´«Ã½

« Previous | Main | Next »

John Pilger - what do you want to ask?

Paul Coletti | 16:55 UK time, Wednesday, 9 May 2007

One thing nobody could deny is that the journalist is controversial. Whenever he puts pen to paper you can bet there will be opprobrium and praise in . JohnPilger.jpg

John Pilger will be appearing on World Have Your Say tomorrow, Wednesday 9th May. He'll be talking about his new film: which comes out on June 15th and takes a look at Latin America. The man himself says: "I’ve long regarded Latin America as the source of hopes of freedom from poverty for the very poor, and the current, extraordinary rising of millions against the old order is defying all the stereotypes."

If you have a question you'd like Mr Pilger to answer then please let us know by posting on this site, joining the debate over on bbcnews' main debating arena , sending us an e-Mail or texting us on +44 77 86 20 60 80.

Mr Pilger has never been shy of controversy . . . .

Comments on Pilger
Here's a small selection of Pilger comments from around the net:

"Pilger may be quite rabid at times but he's not stupid."

"John Pilger's article contains the expected quota of howlers and self-justifications."


"Reflexive anti-Americanism has infected so many on the left of politics. Amongst this crowd, Pilger's nonsense is considered heroic."

"Pilger's strength is his gift for finding the image, the instant that reveals all: he is a photographer using words instead of a camera"

"John Pilger is no doubt a prodigy of his profession who with conscience, honesty and vividness takes the reader through the reality behind the façade of present day globalisation and democracy."

_40882647_chavez2.jpg

Pilger Quotes
Here are just a few of his most memorable quotes:

"While we abhor and condemn the continuing loss of innocent life in Iraq, we have no choice now but to support the resistance."

"The only war dead whom Australians had never mourned were found right under their noses: those of a remarkable indigenous people who had owned and cared for this ancient land for thousands of years."

"Until recently, the British were unaware that their government was one of the world’s most consistent abusers of human rights and backers of state terrorism."
.

"Under Hugo Chávez, Venezuela is the first major oil producer to use its oil revenue to liberate the poor."

"Were it not for Blair's epic irresponsibility, the Londoners who died in the Tube and on the No 30 bus almost certainly would be alive today."

The Film
The scribe from 'Down Unda' has covered everything from South America to the USA to East Timor to the Middle East to his home country of Australia to feminisim and even the joys of swimming.

In his new film, The War on Democracy, he turns his steely eye on Latin America's socialist revolution which he sees as a beacon of hope for the rest of the world.

The rise of Hugo Chavez and of the social movements that produced him and Evo Morales in Bolivia, and their equivalents throughout the continent, have demanded our attention. It’s such a positive story, contrasting with the bleak view of the world presented in the ‘mainstream’,

Do you think what's happening in Latin America is a paragon for the rest of us? Is Hugo Chavez's Venezuela a beacon of democracy? Do you share John's mistrust of 'mainstream' media?

Let us know. We look forward to hearing the debate.

Comments

  • No comments to display yet.
Ìý

´óÏó´«Ã½ iD

´óÏó´«Ã½ navigation

´óÏó´«Ã½ © 2014 The ´óÏó´«Ã½ is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read more.

This page is best viewed in an up-to-date web browser with style sheets (CSS) enabled. While you will be able to view the content of this page in your current browser, you will not be able to get the full visual experience. Please consider upgrading your browser software or enabling style sheets (CSS) if you are able to do so.