The Crying Indian and the BP Disaster

[dynasaw]

Probably you youngsters out there don't remember "The Crying Indian." This commercial came out way back in 1972!!

We haven't learnt anything have we?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7OHG7tHrNM

[Lasher]

1. I remember it well.

It is still relevant, maybe even more so now than then.

[lamp_shade]

2. I remember it well. Thanks for thinking of this and finding it.

[quinnox]

3. It's a classic and should be

re-aired with images of the oil spill at the end of it.

[bananas]

k&r nt

[Blue-Jay]

4. "Iron Eyes Cody" was an actor of Italian heritage.

He was born Espera Oscar de Corti.


EDIT: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_Eyes_Cody

[JoeyT]

11. Yeah, but the

"Not actually crying Italian-American actor" doesn't quite send the right message.
You'd think they'd have at least gotten a real Indian to do it. We ain't that scarce.

[Urban Prairie]

5. The late 60s-early 70s

Was often an exciting (and sometimes dangerous) era to be alive as a teen. I remember this commercial as well. Kudos to the OP!!

[jus_the_facts]

6. I would cry every time this aired when I was a wee lass....

....thanks for reminding me that I realized pollution was wrong at a very young age. :cry:

[AnArmyVeteran]

7. Such a powerful ad, one of the all time best. It always drew a tear to my eye...

But anyone remember how toxic wastes were being dumped all across the United States by soulless businesses? It was a conservative utopia. If conservatives were in control of government our entire country would be one huge toxic waste dump, but conservatives would cheer when their babies were born with three arms and two heads because they worship corporations and believe they are infallible.

How is it possible to become as stupid as a conservative? Is the absence of a brain, a heart or a soul? Just how can they believe corporations and free enterprise capitalism are the answers to all problems?

[NNN0LHI]

8. That video and others like it were created by the worst polluters to deflect scrutiny off themselves

The plan in a nutshell was to get everyone busy watching out for someone flicking a cigarette butt out the car window while the big industrial polluters were busy pouring tons of poison into their drinking water. And the propaganda worked too. Like a charm.

Don

--------------------------------------------

http://griid.org/2010/03/29/re-framing-earth-day-from-corporate-polluters-to-individual-consumers/

Re-framing Earth Day: From Corporate Polluters to Individual Consumers

March 29, 2010

Origins of Earth Day

What Carson was advocating and what the first Earth Day organizers emphasized was the need to directly confront polluters and force the federal government to adopt some regulations. After all, it was the first Earth Day that forced the Nixon administration to create the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Of course there was also the message of personal responsibility that came with the first Earth Day celebrations, but this was not the focus.

The advocates of capitalism were quite concerned about this light being shinned on the environmental damage they were doing so they began their own campaign to counter what environmentalists of the 1960 – 70s were advocating for.

The business community created the Keep America Beautiful Campaign, which could be considered one of the first corporate Greenwashing campaigns in the country. Some of the most notable companies were Coca Cola, the American Can Company and the National Association of Manufacturers. Their campaign was designed to take the focus off of corporate capitalism’s destructive environmental practices and get people to think about their own personal behavior.

The centerpiece of this campaign became moving attention away from industrial waste and pollution to personalized trash known as litter. The Keep America Campaign even came up with the label “litterbug,” a term which is used even today to describe individuals we all should look down upon. The campaign worked beautifully and by the second Earth Day celebration these corporate entities financed the creation of a powerful TV ad using a Native America actor Iron Eyes Cody. The Native man is seen at numerous places – in the woods, along the beach – and everywhere he goes there is trash. Again the emphasis was on individual behavior and not so much on industry.

[femrap]

9. I remember it well.

And remember all the PSA (public service ads) about NOT LITTERING!!!

Guess MSM doesn't want to waste air time on anything that is public service oriented.

[Omaha Steve]

10. K&R!