Conservative Backlash

[dougiezerts]

MASH was known for its liberal anti-war stance. Did the show receive much conservative backlash, as far as any of you know?

[Mr. Television]

I don't really know. My family was conservative and we watched every week. The show never bothered me any. I still watch reruns sometimes.

[Vahan]

Isn't it stereotypical to assume that all Liberals are against war, and all Conservatives aren't?

[Retro4Life]

Originally Posted by Vahan

Isn't it stereotypical to assume that all Liberals are against war, and all Conservatives aren't?

I'd say any sane person is 'against war'...the only dividing point seems to come in regard to 'was the war justified'?

This is where I got so angry at my 'fellow' liberals during the Gulf and Iraq (and somewhat the Afghan) wars. I heard a lot of them say that Republicans were 'warmongers' and they that (the liberals) were 'against war'. Well, duh. Of course you are against it...my guess is the vast majority of Republicans don't relish the thought of sending hundreds of thousands of our young men overseas to risk their own lives and kill other human beings. No thinking person craves such a thing. It's just that those who supported various wars thought there was moral justification for them, and in fact, a moral imperative.

I am "against war". It makes me physically sick to think about it. I remember on the eves of the various wars that have occurred in my lifetime, being just petrified. However, I've supported different military actions because I thought there was, regrettably, no other real alternative open, unless leaving your fellow countrymen vulnerable to attack is something that one considers 'viable'. And I don't.

[Miss Lisa]

I don't think that anyone would be against the show because it was anti-war. I could see people being annoyed with the manner that they chose to display it with, having one central character get up on his soap box and claim to be holier than thou, but being anti-war? No.

I'm one of the people that got annoyed with Alan Alda after a while, but I truly think that the first seasons had a stronger message against the war. Hawkeye's friend got killed, they showed Trapper lose it and almost kill the North Korean, and then Henry was killed. They went from complete comedy and snuck those moments in there and they had more of an impact at those times as compared to later on. Later on, you were used to hearing about how bad this was and how bad that was.

[dougiezerts]

Originally Posted by Vahan

Isn't it stereotypical to assume that all Liberals are against war, and all Conservatives aren't?

Liberals--"I don't like war. There was no need for is to go into Korea, or in Vietnam. The only time we should fight is when we're DIRECTLY attacked by an enemy country."
Conservatives--"I don't like war. But we've got a huge enemy out there--communism. And if we don't kick them out of Korea and Vietnam, they will fall victom to the commie threat. And the more countries that fall, the better chance of us waking up with commies in our beds!"

[Retro4Life]

Originally Posted by dougiezerts

Liberals--"I don't like war. There was no need for is to go into Korea, or in Vietnam. The only time we should fight is when we're DIRECTLY attacked by an enemy country."
Conservatives--"I don't like war. But we've got a huge enemy out there--communism. And if we don't kick them out of Korea and Vietnam, they will fall victom to the commie threat. And the more countries that fall, the better chance of us waking up with commies in our beds!"

May I guess on which side of this spectrum you fall?

[Vahan]

Originally Posted by dougiezerts

Liberals--"I don't like war. There was no need for is to go into Korea, or in Vietnam. The only time we should fight is when we're DIRECTLY attacked by an enemy country."
Conservatives--"I don't like war. But we've got a huge enemy out there--communism. And if we don't kick them out of Korea and Vietnam, they will fall victom to the commie threat. And the more countries that fall, the better chance of us waking up with commies in our beds!"

Sorry, but I agree with what retro4life said.

[Yooch]

M*A*S*H was such an excellent show, enjoyed by liberals and conservatives alike, that political views were not in the forefront; it reflected the times, though not perfect, showed that people could still find common ground, and appreciate a great show. M*A*S*H could not work now, IMO, also reflective of our current time where politics is absolutely nasty, vicious and no one has a sense of humor. The current contention just breeds ill will; we are not adult enough today to even enjoy or appreciate a show like M*A*S*H. Instead, today we are treated to an array of silly, mindless, sitcoms with idiot characters who have no character, but are self-indulgent, whining, sarcastic jerks. All right that is a generalization, not always true, and I still watch sitcoms but they don't have the impact they once had. (This is all obviously my opinion--some of you will disagree, but that's how I feel)

[Yong Fang]

I have always wanted to ask Alan Alda what he personally thought of the Korean War, and why did he say that the Korean War was "stupid" and not worth fighting?

Personally, I am basically a non interventionalist and that a nation should stay out of another nation's affairs and not fight anyone unless they carry the fight to my nation first (like Pearl Harbor for example).

The USA was allied with South Korea. North Korea invaded and started the war. Now Mr. Alda, was the war stupid because...

A. There should have never been a defense agreement with South Korea? Without the USA, there would be no South Korea, just a united Korea, based in Pyongyang.

B. That the war itself was stupid because American soldiers died in it? Personally, I feel in 2012, the Americans should leave Korea and leave it up to the South Koreans.

C. Or that at least, the USA liberated millions of South Koreans from the horrors of being under the most repressive government on Earth in Pyongyang?

Sure, Alda is an actor and not a politician. But he is very intelligent, actually lived through that era of time, and he penned several years worth of basically anti-war sentiment without explaining why this war was stupid, than the generalization that humans are stupid for killing each other over anything we kill each other over.

[Astaldo711]

I consider myself a conservative and love the series. It never felt too preachy to me. I didn't always agree with the lengths they went to saving enemy prisoners but I realize that as doctors, their first priority is saving lives, ANY life.