Over Netanyahu’s Shoulder: A (Telephoto) Analysis of the Prime Minister’s U.N. Speech Edits

September 29, 2011 3:06 PM

Photographer Mario Tama positioned himself over Netanyahu's shoulder at the UN General Assembly, and photographed hand-written edits he made to his speech. Here's what he saw. (via The Browser)
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane (18 comments total)

.speech {font:60px arial, sans-serif;}
posted by Foci for Analysis at 3:11 PM on September 29, 2011 [3 favorites]

The revisions are solid, and are more aimed at improving the rhetoric and the impact of the speech than anything else. Or am I missing something?

It's kind of a given that Netanyahu is an asshole anyway, right? Does this analysis somehow make him more of an asshole?
posted by KokuRyu at 3:17 PM on September 29, 2011

Pretty standard Toastmasters stuff here. Overall, I think the speech needed the changes.

The "dwell" vs. "share" was interesting to me because share by origin means there is an original owner of something who gives a piece to someone else. Dwell means to linger somewhere, as if it is not permanent. Share begs the question of who is allowing whom to live in Israel, whereas dwell suggests both parties might ultimately turn out to be transients. I'm not really sure which word is better.
posted by michaelh at 3:19 PM on September 29, 2011

.speech {font:60px arial, sans-serif;}

Mods, please make the changes appropriate adjustments to this page.
posted by Mister Fabulous at 3:24 PM on September 29, 2011 [1 favorite]

These are ripe for some primo Photoshop fun.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 3:42 PM on September 29, 2011 [1 favorite]

The best over-the-shoulder note photo at the UN was when Bush asked Condi for permission to go to the bathroom.
posted by Flunkie at 3:54 PM on September 29, 2011 [3 favorites]

Either he wanted the edits to be seen or he has really, really bad eyes.
posted by double block and bleed at 3:54 PM on September 29, 2011 [1 favorite]

Either he wanted the edits to be seen or he has really, really bad eyes.

I used to write for my boss and she wanted everything in a huge font so she could read it easily with a quick glance. Of course, she was not a public figure and didn't have a photographer behind her, and I only sent her off with the final version.
posted by michaelh at 4:06 PM on September 29, 2011

I praise the prime minister for his elimination of the passive voice (Re: I extend my hand). Though perhaps passive voice is better when proposing peace talks.
posted by humanfont at 4:15 PM on September 29, 2011

elimination of the passive voice (Re: I extend my hand)

"I am extending my hand" is not written in the passive voice. That would be "my hand is extended".
posted by Wolof at 4:53 PM on September 29, 2011

"A hand is extended from a body that was given the birth-name of Benjamin Netanyahu"

OUTPASSIFY THAT BITCHES!
posted by symbioid at 5:14 PM on September 29, 2011 [4 favorites]

So now Israel is anti-gerund.
posted by KokuRyu at 5:20 PM on September 29, 2011

I was surprised the scribblings were not in Hebrew... but reading through his bio I guess that's the influence of being raised in the US.
posted by crapmatic at 5:30 PM on September 29, 2011

Mod note: shut up with your griefing overgeneralizations about Israel and act like you like it here please, thank you.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 7:09 PM on September 29, 2011 [2 favorites]

I actually though most of the revisions were pretty solid, technically. Still think he's hell bent on destroying any chance of peace, though.
posted by empath at 8:14 PM on September 29, 2011

Isn't that an old pro-wrestling heel trick? You extend your hand for your opponent to shake in a gesture of goodwill...
posted by not_on_display at 9:50 PM on September 29, 2011

I was surprised the scribblings were not in Hebrew...

The speech was in English, right? And he's fluent in English, so there'd be absolutely no reason to throw Hebrew notes into that mix. Trying to mix languages like that can be tricky even for people very fluent in two languages and, at best, it could make his speech have a stilted and awkward cadence as his brain switches back and forth between English and Hebrew.
posted by 6550 at 1:49 AM on September 30, 2011 [2 favorites]

For those just catching up, like me, here is the Abbas speech.
posted by Meatbomb at 2:00 AM on September 30, 2011