When I started to write this, my intention was to have a thought experiment where we pretended slavery didn't exist in America in the 1860s and I would ask "ok then, why did we go to war?"
I realized that was a fool's errand.
The South had an economic and political strangehold on America, and they wanted to expand that into the new territories. Furthermore, they believed the central government had no right to impede them.
How did they get control?
Through slavery.
The wealthiest agricultural magnates in the South--the 1%-ers of the Antebellum days--used forced labor to make ridiculous profits. They effectively lobbied to get disproportionate congressional representation based upon the slaves who were not free to leave the south. And finally, they successfully lobbied to have any escaped slaves returned. It was the perfect business model, protected by the authority of the central government--an authority they would later rebuke.
Forget about morality and essential liberty. Forget about the suffering of black people. Just put it out your mind. The only way to make government fair and representative and to make the market free--duties of the government enshrined in the constitution--was to abolish slavery.
The South needed to preserve and extend slavery to maintain economic supremacy. Abolitionists wanted to end slavery because it was immoral. Blacks wanted to end slavery because they had been languishing under the lash for 400 years. Poor white southerners wanted to end slavery so they could compete fairly. The North wanted to end slavery to break the back of the South. And, the government had a duty to end slavery because it was unconstitutional.
It was ALL about slavery.
Lincoln had a plan to preserve the Union and end the abomination of slavery. He wanted to gradually wean the south off the slavery tit through compensated voluntary manumission. It was not ideal, but it fulfilled the constitutional and moral obligation of the States in the most painless way possible.
How did the south react? They refused. They turned their back on the Union and attacked their former compatriots on the the grounds of states' right and the financial well-being of 1%-ers. They did not care about the constitutional need to end slavery. They did not care about loyalty to their country. They did not care about a free, competitive economy. They didn't care about the inalienable rights of slaves. They didn't even want to coexist in peace as two separate nations.
If this was anyone else except our great great grandparents, we would say the "Rebels" were selfish, disloyal, stubborn, immoral and foolhardy. But, because we idolize that prideful rebel spirit, we whitewash what they really did and what it meant.
At the point they seceded, raised a new flag and called themselves the Confederate States they were no longer American. They're history is NOT our history. Furthermore, when they attacked the United States, they became no different than Imperial Japan, Communist Russia, Nazi Germany or ISIS.
What loyal American patriot flies the black flag of ISIS? Who dons a swastika and gives the Roman salute? Who reveres the crescent and the hammer of communism? If any American of Islamic faith, Russian or German heritage did, they would be reviled. Japanese Americans won't even talk about old Imperial Japan. British expats never speak of the "good ol' days" when America was still British. Mexican Americans don't erect statues to the Spaniards who died in the Mexican-American War. Confederate symbols and "heroes," however... they are special. They have been (white)washed clean and, somehow, made holy.
We born in this country, we have a common history ALL can remember with pride--American history. Americans are pioneers, freedom fighters, liberators, innovators, discoverers, philosophers, makers of exquisite art and soulful music. We conquered the wild and reached for the stars. We harnessed the power of nature by splitting the atom and connected the world with the internet. We have fought genocide, famine and plagued. We destroyed fascism, totalitarianism and communism. We have spread freedom and democracy the world over. We were the original Rebels of modernity; all free, democratic republics are the progeny of America. It means something to be American. Despite all this deep American history, some Americans want to glorify the 4 years when we couldn't get our shit together.
And that... is truly sad.
Showing posts with label freedom. Show all posts
Showing posts with label freedom. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 16, 2017
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
#LaRevolucion: Eyes Not Wide Shut
Reading about the documentary, “Assaulted: Civil Rights Under Fire,” hosted by rapper and actor Ice-T, I had an epiphany. I finally realized what the problem is: guns are not sexy. Not guns themselves, but the idea and those who represent that idea. I'm not saying Ice-T is not an attractive man. However, there is a certain segment of society who considers anything he has to say, no matter how right it is, to be fruit of the poisoned tree – especially if it is something they do not like or care about. They are prejudiced, and rightfully so if those prejudices are based solely upon his works as a younger man. The real problem is the Wayne LaPierres, the Larry Pratts, and the bow-tie-wearing Alan Gottliebs. They scream rich, white, stodgy, out-of-touch, aloof, abrasive, and corporate. And in Gottlieb's case, dorky and a little creepy. Frankly, the only thing unapologetic about being rich and white that remains popular right now is cheesecake, and even that could be burned upon the low-carb/no-carb cross at any moment. Moreover, when the CEO of Bushmaster breaks a six-month silence to comment on the tragedy of Newtown and what he has to say is about as deep as a kiddy-pool, you really begin to not want to invite Second Amendment Advocates over for dinner. They are desperately in need of some "regular guy" in black-face to shuck-and-jive and show Americans that guns are OK, cool, and sexy.
In contrast, who doesn't want to have dinner with Matt Damon, Morgan Freeman, Beyonce, Will Ferrell, or even Barack Obama? They are sexy, talented, smart, funny, and charming; but most important they are famous and adored by millions. They are in the business of being likable, and have cadres of lawyers, accountants, and bodyguards to see to the liberties they encourage you to disregard as they sit isolated in in their gated communities on hill-top mansion estates. In a world where Justin Beiber, Nicki Minaj, Lil Wayne can not only be considered musicians, but also be wildly successful or where Jersey Shore is entertainment is it any wonder nobody cares about serious things like Constitutional Rights or government corruption?
To all the flannel shirt-clad, Pabst Blue Ribbon hipsters born after 1989, they think revolutionaries are convicted felons or the likes of Che Guevara because their formerly anti-American, ex-convict professors or some ex-convict musician told them so. At the other end of the spectrum are the battered, betrayed, and frightened individuals, from boomers to 70s babies, whose economic trains ran out of fuel long ago and who are now merely hoping they can pay for that hipster's education and coast into retirement in one piece. America is choking to death on the Left/Right Paradigm, and those vacuous celebrities are so well-liked because they are the icing and cherries on a crap cake. Celebrities make the common people feel good about how bad things are, ignore how bad things will become, and feel happy or righteous doing doing absolutely nothing of meaning about it.
I get it: you have a lot on your plates; you have been lied to, used, and abused; and, you are just plain old sick and tired. I get it, I honestly do. However, it is not our piece of icing and sprinkle-covered excrement cake passed off as The American Dream that is at stake here. We are fighting for so much more than that. The decisions we make, the causes we support, and the stands we take are all for the future of America and the future of the world. We can not allow a mindless face-for-hire to dictate to us what is beneficial or detrimental for us and our families. We must dig deep into our hearts and souls for personal truth, use our own minds to think logically, and use our own voice to speak our will into existence. The time is now to do away with superficial values or distractions. Refuse to prostrate yourself before the false idols set before you on your TV screens by the media, corporations, and government – and cast them down. A revolution is coming. The world as we know it is ending. You have to decide for yourself whether it will be a good change or a bad change – whether it will be a world in which you wish to live.
 |
| "I would like to talk to you about protecting your civil liberties from encroachment by your corrupt government officials" Did you say it in Snape's voice? |
In contrast, who doesn't want to have dinner with Matt Damon, Morgan Freeman, Beyonce, Will Ferrell, or even Barack Obama? They are sexy, talented, smart, funny, and charming; but most important they are famous and adored by millions. They are in the business of being likable, and have cadres of lawyers, accountants, and bodyguards to see to the liberties they encourage you to disregard as they sit isolated in in their gated communities on hill-top mansion estates. In a world where Justin Beiber, Nicki Minaj, Lil Wayne can not only be considered musicians, but also be wildly successful or where Jersey Shore is entertainment is it any wonder nobody cares about serious things like Constitutional Rights or government corruption?
 |
| "I'm Morgan Freeman, and this is Matt Damon. I think you should let Matt Damon have his way with your daughters. And don't go listening to those cookey conspiracy theorists either. Your government loves you and is here to protect and serve. Morgan Freeman, Morgan Freeman ...Morgan Freeman." |
To all the flannel shirt-clad, Pabst Blue Ribbon hipsters born after 1989, they think revolutionaries are convicted felons or the likes of Che Guevara because their formerly anti-American, ex-convict professors or some ex-convict musician told them so. At the other end of the spectrum are the battered, betrayed, and frightened individuals, from boomers to 70s babies, whose economic trains ran out of fuel long ago and who are now merely hoping they can pay for that hipster's education and coast into retirement in one piece. America is choking to death on the Left/Right Paradigm, and those vacuous celebrities are so well-liked because they are the icing and cherries on a crap cake. Celebrities make the common people feel good about how bad things are, ignore how bad things will become, and feel happy or righteous doing doing absolutely nothing of meaning about it.
I get it: you have a lot on your plates; you have been lied to, used, and abused; and, you are just plain old sick and tired. I get it, I honestly do. However, it is not our piece of icing and sprinkle-covered excrement cake passed off as The American Dream that is at stake here. We are fighting for so much more than that. The decisions we make, the causes we support, and the stands we take are all for the future of America and the future of the world. We can not allow a mindless face-for-hire to dictate to us what is beneficial or detrimental for us and our families. We must dig deep into our hearts and souls for personal truth, use our own minds to think logically, and use our own voice to speak our will into existence. The time is now to do away with superficial values or distractions. Refuse to prostrate yourself before the false idols set before you on your TV screens by the media, corporations, and government – and cast them down. A revolution is coming. The world as we know it is ending. You have to decide for yourself whether it will be a good change or a bad change – whether it will be a world in which you wish to live.
"Arrival to Earth" by Steve Jablonsky from Transformers: The Score released 2007 on Warner Bros.
Friday, January 18, 2013
The Soundtrack of Innocence
My All-Time Most Memorable Family Movie Songs
File Under: Hearing is Believing
Every human being that has ever walked this Earth has had an opportunity to serve a purpose in the grand, Gordian scheme either to further or hinder what we, in our limited at best vision, understand to be Good and Evil. We take many paths in fulfilling this purpose: some build nations, some invent and innovate, some teach, some philosophize, some protect, some judge, some punish, some administrate, some sanitize, some heal - the paths are endless. No one path is more or less noble or ignoble than another. Others, like Walt Disney, they chose to provide an outlet for the imagination of Children and a place for parents to bond with their children. For the contributions of him and those who both preceded and followed him, we are grateful for the enrichment their artwork has provided our lives. Here is a look at some of the most indelible 20th century family movies through the music that helped to make the stories, characters, and moments memorable.
The Academy Award-winning song "Somewhere Out There" from one of the first movies I can remember watching, 1986's "An American Tail," tells us that the inspiring power of love cannot be thwarted by distance - or the fact that you are a mouse.
While Anne Bancroft as Mrs. Robinson in 1967's "The Graduate" made Cougars cool, for anyone who hearts: proper posture, immaculate elocution, and pristine poise - Julie Andrews as nanny "Mary Poppins" 1964, was your boyhood crush. I won't comment on the chemical co-dependency I learned by misinterpreting the meaning behind "A Spoonful of Sugar," instead I'll share "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious," which further inspired my love of word-craft and the English language.
"Under the Sea" from 1989's Disney classic "The Little Mermaid," endeavors to teach us to be happy with the blessings in the world around us because the grass is not always greener on the other side. Ironically, the song just made me want to go live in the ocean. Imagine my chagrin when I did manage to go "under the sea" and found it to be a dark, scary place where I could not swim or breath and no one was playing music. Disney, you and your lies. *sad face*
After decades of supremacy culminating in "The Lion King," it seems Disney lost the magic. From the final great animated feature they would ever release solely under the Disney banner, 1995's "Pocahontas" comes one of its most powerful, poignant, and inspirational songs ever. "Colors of the Wind" explores the concept that this Earth and the Universe of which we are all a part and is a part of all of us is a living thing. Pocahontas helps John Smith correct his Imperialist views explaining that humans do not own the Earth, we merely have the privilege to live upon it, our actions towards it matter, and it deserves our respect. Moreover, the criteria those who seek to conquer and subjugate use to to label, categorize, judge, discriminate, separate, oppress, control, and exploit is stupid when you stop and realize we all came from the same space dust.
"Hakuna Matata" from Disney's 1994 epic classic "The Lion King" speaks for itself: it means no worries. This is probably a large number of people's favorite song from their favorite Disney movie, and it is not hard to understand why.
If "Wizard of Oz" can be said to have contributed to my affinity for short people then "Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory" from 1971 definitely spawned my conflicting fear and distrust of them. Also, something about watching the zany Gene Wilder torment a group of parents and their horrid children also appealed to my latent Tim Burton fan waiting to bloom. The song "The Candy Man Can" is awesome for a number of reasons. First, it is simple an awesome song, which becomes even more apparent in the Sammy Davis Jr. cover of 1972 that spawns the consummate entertainer's first #1 hit. Second, I love how absolutely inappropriate and creepy the candy store owner is - no wonder he gives his candy away for free. And Finally this scene hearkens back to a time when I remember there being a candy store in my neighborhood and it was a thriving business - in the before times when selling candy was not politically incorrect. Most of what you learn comes through the short Oompa Loompa Choruses so pay attention! And, yes, yes - I was wise. I listened to all the lessons of the movie, and did like the Ooompa Loompa doopa dee do ...mostly.
"Please Don't Eat the Daisies" is a song from the feel-good Metro-Goldwyn Mayer release of 1960, "Please Don't Eat the Daisies," featuring the vocal and comedic talents of the lovely Doris Day. The song was also released as a single by Day. What did I learn here? Spring (marked by rain) comes in April, it is important to interject a little a absurdity into your life every now and then, and if you tell a woman that you love her she is going to make ridiculous requests. Too bad I did not remember that last part when I got older.
For all the bad things we have learned from cartoons throughout the years - like violence, bigotry and sexism - my have we also learned some righteous things as well. In Disney's 1967 classic "The Jungle Book," we learn protecting the innocent is the right thing to do no matter who they are, home is where the heart is, family are those who share spirit not just blood, and true friends are willing to lay down their life on the line for you. Many a seed of inspiration were sewn in the hearts of future Preppers and Survivalists with the simple wisdom of the tune, "The Bear Necessities." We do not have to depend on industrialized societies or because, because Mother Nature provides a bear - and humankind too - with everything it needs.
We have already discussed my boyhood (and manhood) obsession for Julie Andrews so it is not a super shock that she appears on this list twice. "My Favorite Things" is great for a myriad of reasons: I do not even like Christmas and it is my favorite "Christmas" song, it is absolutely responsible for my love of the word schnitzel, and whenever I think of Julie Andrews "I don't feeeel sooo baaaaad!" But seriously, 20th Century Fox's historic, award-winning 1965 screen adaptation of the musical, "The Sound of Music," is based upon a very true, very inspirational story and they could not have picked a more quintessential actress to portray such a heroic woman. She fought oppression with just "The Sound of Music," that's the definition of badass.
A lot of things in life probably can be traced back to a Disney movie. At this point you're probably thinking: "maybe you should stop taking advice from Disney." Hey, "The Little Mermaid" was only released in 1989 I was still very naive and impressionable. You can debate whether "Kiss the Girl" is Disney's greatest love song or not, but you do learn two critical points. First, if you wanna get the girl you have to "create the mood." Second, haters gonna hate - beware of cock-blockers. "The Little Mermaid" also teaches us other valuable lessons: when negotiating a contract have a lawyer present, avoided crappy one-sided deals, and don't make stupid decisions to bail your children out of their mistakes - they learn nothing in the end and the rest of your family suffers.
Either Disney is hit and miss with positive messages or I was hit and miss with interpreting them but all I got out of 1992's "Aladdin" is that it pays to have powerful allies and chicks dig guys who can take them on magic carpet rides. *shrug* To this day the lack of personal flying conveyances irks me. We got Segways, but no hover-cars Bogus! Anyway, the second contender for greatest love song has to be "A Whole New World," immortalized by the incomparable Peabo Bryson and Regina Belle.
To my credit I have never tried winning anyone over by first imprisoning her father, then ransoming him in exchange for her, holding her hostage isolated from all human contact, and subjecting her to systematic psychological torture for an indefinite amount of time until she develops Stockholm Syndrome. All I can say is that in 1756, when La Belle et la Bête was written, no did not mean no and courting rituals were obviously much different than today. I am guessing we were not suppose to notice all that but rather we were suppose to witness how the power of compassion and forgiveness can allow anyone, even the most hideous monster, to change. Released in 1991 "Beauty and the Beast" is probably one of, if not Disney's greatest love stories. In turn the movie's namesake, "Beauty and the Beast," that marks the moment when Belle goes from somewhat-unwilling-hostage to desirous-and-wanting-it hostage is a masterpiece of the movie and possibly the greatest love song in Disney movie history.
From the first notes of music, the first frames, of "The Lion King" you knew this was going to be an amazing movie. "Circle of Life" (Sir Elton John Cover) was the the perfect way to begin a story about the ups and downs of life, facing that which frightens us the most, coming to terms with our past, personal redemption, self forgiveness, and boldly moving on into the future as life comes full circle.
"Can you Feel the Love Tonight" from "The Lion King," is where we really start learning stuff. If you are giving a girl the creepy guy vibe because you are acting insecure about something you do not really need to be hiding in the first place, ease the tension by trying to drown her - chicks really like getting their hair, makeup and outfits wet anyway. If you have executed the first part right, she's going to pretend to try to "escape," but that's O.K., this will lead right into some very frisky foreplay. The admonition to ask your doctor if you are healthy enough for sexual activity is no joke as foreplay should include a long chase ending with UFC MMA-style striking and grappling - better hope she does not Tazer you bro. If a girl licks your face it means you won and she definitely likes you. If she looks at you like she wants to eat you, she probably wants to do it (rub cheeks and necks with you) or it could mean she is going to knee you in the junk when you let her up - be careful, been fooled here many a times before. Painful. Finally, as we learned in "The Little Mermaid" someone is always trying to stop you from rubbing cheeks and necks with the girl. Therefore, when you are ready for a committed long-term relationship you might want to consider trading your single friends for married friends. Your old friends could either get you into trouble or save you from a pack of ravenous, wild hyenas - it is a toss up. If you have managed to win your girl's heart, avoid prison, keep your friends, not get eaten by hyena's, and avenge the death of your father - hurrah! Thank Sir Elton John, Tim Rice, and the writers and directors of "The Lion King" for providing you with the blueprint. If you failed, hopefully you can watch the movie again in prison to figure out where you went wrong.
I cannot believe I almost forgot this one. By this time, my cynicism and skepticism had already begun to set, but in 1996-1997 there was not a man, woman, or child who did not believe he or she could fly. As uninspiring as Warner Bros. 1996 Live-action/Animated release "Space Jam" was it did inspire singer/songwriter R. Kelly to produce "I Believe I Can Fly," one of the most inspirational songs of his career. That is saying something for a man whose anthology has no shortage of inspiring ditties.
I felt it fitting to end this journey where it began for me, with "When You Wish Upon A Star" from Walt Disney's 1940 "Pinocchio." It is not the chronological beginning but the ideological and spiritual beginning. If you do not understand what I mean then you have never seen "Pinocchio," you have never heard the song, you are not a human being, or you missed out on a wonderful childhood.
When I started putting together together the music for this post, I just wanted a happy, free-spirited, nostalgic break from all the strife and animosity of the last several weeks. As I got to the end, thinking about all those wonderful pieces of artwork I watched as a child I started reflecting on all the life lessons I picked up through them. I learned that character meant something. I learned to believe in myself, to be honest, to care about my fellow others, and to aspire to achieve my dreams. These films showed me the world could be a good place if we do not allow our passions to overrule our reason. I thought how wonderful it would be if all children could have this experience in their formative years; and then an immense feeling of sadness came over me. I realized there are little children who will never have their imaginations stoked and young adults cut off in their prime who will never build on their dreams. Somewhere out there are families for whom my fond memories are just bitter reminders of how one day, someone tore their world apart.
The Journey is not over. I forgot one song. The song for the lost, but the not forgotten. The one for those who never got to be what they wanted to be when they grew up, because they never grew up. The one for those who finished walking the path too soon, but still inspired us nevertheless:
File Under: Hearing is Believing
Every human being that has ever walked this Earth has had an opportunity to serve a purpose in the grand, Gordian scheme either to further or hinder what we, in our limited at best vision, understand to be Good and Evil. We take many paths in fulfilling this purpose: some build nations, some invent and innovate, some teach, some philosophize, some protect, some judge, some punish, some administrate, some sanitize, some heal - the paths are endless. No one path is more or less noble or ignoble than another. Others, like Walt Disney, they chose to provide an outlet for the imagination of Children and a place for parents to bond with their children. For the contributions of him and those who both preceded and followed him, we are grateful for the enrichment their artwork has provided our lives. Here is a look at some of the most indelible 20th century family movies through the music that helped to make the stories, characters, and moments memorable.
The Academy Award-winning song "Somewhere Out There" from one of the first movies I can remember watching, 1986's "An American Tail," tells us that the inspiring power of love cannot be thwarted by distance - or the fact that you are a mouse.
While Anne Bancroft as Mrs. Robinson in 1967's "The Graduate" made Cougars cool, for anyone who hearts: proper posture, immaculate elocution, and pristine poise - Julie Andrews as nanny "Mary Poppins" 1964, was your boyhood crush. I won't comment on the chemical co-dependency I learned by misinterpreting the meaning behind "A Spoonful of Sugar," instead I'll share "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious," which further inspired my love of word-craft and the English language.
"Under the Sea" from 1989's Disney classic "The Little Mermaid," endeavors to teach us to be happy with the blessings in the world around us because the grass is not always greener on the other side. Ironically, the song just made me want to go live in the ocean. Imagine my chagrin when I did manage to go "under the sea" and found it to be a dark, scary place where I could not swim or breath and no one was playing music. Disney, you and your lies. *sad face*
After decades of supremacy culminating in "The Lion King," it seems Disney lost the magic. From the final great animated feature they would ever release solely under the Disney banner, 1995's "Pocahontas" comes one of its most powerful, poignant, and inspirational songs ever. "Colors of the Wind" explores the concept that this Earth and the Universe of which we are all a part and is a part of all of us is a living thing. Pocahontas helps John Smith correct his Imperialist views explaining that humans do not own the Earth, we merely have the privilege to live upon it, our actions towards it matter, and it deserves our respect. Moreover, the criteria those who seek to conquer and subjugate use to to label, categorize, judge, discriminate, separate, oppress, control, and exploit is stupid when you stop and realize we all came from the same space dust.
"Hakuna Matata" from Disney's 1994 epic classic "The Lion King" speaks for itself: it means no worries. This is probably a large number of people's favorite song from their favorite Disney movie, and it is not hard to understand why.
If "Wizard of Oz" can be said to have contributed to my affinity for short people then "Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory" from 1971 definitely spawned my conflicting fear and distrust of them. Also, something about watching the zany Gene Wilder torment a group of parents and their horrid children also appealed to my latent Tim Burton fan waiting to bloom. The song "The Candy Man Can" is awesome for a number of reasons. First, it is simple an awesome song, which becomes even more apparent in the Sammy Davis Jr. cover of 1972 that spawns the consummate entertainer's first #1 hit. Second, I love how absolutely inappropriate and creepy the candy store owner is - no wonder he gives his candy away for free. And Finally this scene hearkens back to a time when I remember there being a candy store in my neighborhood and it was a thriving business - in the before times when selling candy was not politically incorrect. Most of what you learn comes through the short Oompa Loompa Choruses so pay attention! And, yes, yes - I was wise. I listened to all the lessons of the movie, and did like the Ooompa Loompa doopa dee do ...mostly.
"Please Don't Eat the Daisies" is a song from the feel-good Metro-Goldwyn Mayer release of 1960, "Please Don't Eat the Daisies," featuring the vocal and comedic talents of the lovely Doris Day. The song was also released as a single by Day. What did I learn here? Spring (marked by rain) comes in April, it is important to interject a little a absurdity into your life every now and then, and if you tell a woman that you love her she is going to make ridiculous requests. Too bad I did not remember that last part when I got older.
For all the bad things we have learned from cartoons throughout the years - like violence, bigotry and sexism - my have we also learned some righteous things as well. In Disney's 1967 classic "The Jungle Book," we learn protecting the innocent is the right thing to do no matter who they are, home is where the heart is, family are those who share spirit not just blood, and true friends are willing to lay down their life on the line for you. Many a seed of inspiration were sewn in the hearts of future Preppers and Survivalists with the simple wisdom of the tune, "The Bear Necessities." We do not have to depend on industrialized societies or because, because Mother Nature provides a bear - and humankind too - with everything it needs.
We have already discussed my boyhood (and manhood) obsession for Julie Andrews so it is not a super shock that she appears on this list twice. "My Favorite Things" is great for a myriad of reasons: I do not even like Christmas and it is my favorite "Christmas" song, it is absolutely responsible for my love of the word schnitzel, and whenever I think of Julie Andrews "I don't feeeel sooo baaaaad!" But seriously, 20th Century Fox's historic, award-winning 1965 screen adaptation of the musical, "The Sound of Music," is based upon a very true, very inspirational story and they could not have picked a more quintessential actress to portray such a heroic woman. She fought oppression with just "The Sound of Music," that's the definition of badass.
A lot of things in life probably can be traced back to a Disney movie. At this point you're probably thinking: "maybe you should stop taking advice from Disney." Hey, "The Little Mermaid" was only released in 1989 I was still very naive and impressionable. You can debate whether "Kiss the Girl" is Disney's greatest love song or not, but you do learn two critical points. First, if you wanna get the girl you have to "create the mood." Second, haters gonna hate - beware of cock-blockers. "The Little Mermaid" also teaches us other valuable lessons: when negotiating a contract have a lawyer present, avoided crappy one-sided deals, and don't make stupid decisions to bail your children out of their mistakes - they learn nothing in the end and the rest of your family suffers.
Either Disney is hit and miss with positive messages or I was hit and miss with interpreting them but all I got out of 1992's "Aladdin" is that it pays to have powerful allies and chicks dig guys who can take them on magic carpet rides. *shrug* To this day the lack of personal flying conveyances irks me. We got Segways, but no hover-cars Bogus! Anyway, the second contender for greatest love song has to be "A Whole New World," immortalized by the incomparable Peabo Bryson and Regina Belle.
To my credit I have never tried winning anyone over by first imprisoning her father, then ransoming him in exchange for her, holding her hostage isolated from all human contact, and subjecting her to systematic psychological torture for an indefinite amount of time until she develops Stockholm Syndrome. All I can say is that in 1756, when La Belle et la Bête was written, no did not mean no and courting rituals were obviously much different than today. I am guessing we were not suppose to notice all that but rather we were suppose to witness how the power of compassion and forgiveness can allow anyone, even the most hideous monster, to change. Released in 1991 "Beauty and the Beast" is probably one of, if not Disney's greatest love stories. In turn the movie's namesake, "Beauty and the Beast," that marks the moment when Belle goes from somewhat-unwilling-hostage to desirous-and-wanting-it hostage is a masterpiece of the movie and possibly the greatest love song in Disney movie history.
From the first notes of music, the first frames, of "The Lion King" you knew this was going to be an amazing movie. "Circle of Life" (Sir Elton John Cover) was the the perfect way to begin a story about the ups and downs of life, facing that which frightens us the most, coming to terms with our past, personal redemption, self forgiveness, and boldly moving on into the future as life comes full circle.
"Can you Feel the Love Tonight" from "The Lion King," is where we really start learning stuff. If you are giving a girl the creepy guy vibe because you are acting insecure about something you do not really need to be hiding in the first place, ease the tension by trying to drown her - chicks really like getting their hair, makeup and outfits wet anyway. If you have executed the first part right, she's going to pretend to try to "escape," but that's O.K., this will lead right into some very frisky foreplay. The admonition to ask your doctor if you are healthy enough for sexual activity is no joke as foreplay should include a long chase ending with UFC MMA-style striking and grappling - better hope she does not Tazer you bro. If a girl licks your face it means you won and she definitely likes you. If she looks at you like she wants to eat you, she probably wants to do it (rub cheeks and necks with you) or it could mean she is going to knee you in the junk when you let her up - be careful, been fooled here many a times before. Painful. Finally, as we learned in "The Little Mermaid" someone is always trying to stop you from rubbing cheeks and necks with the girl. Therefore, when you are ready for a committed long-term relationship you might want to consider trading your single friends for married friends. Your old friends could either get you into trouble or save you from a pack of ravenous, wild hyenas - it is a toss up. If you have managed to win your girl's heart, avoid prison, keep your friends, not get eaten by hyena's, and avenge the death of your father - hurrah! Thank Sir Elton John, Tim Rice, and the writers and directors of "The Lion King" for providing you with the blueprint. If you failed, hopefully you can watch the movie again in prison to figure out where you went wrong.
I cannot believe I almost forgot this one. By this time, my cynicism and skepticism had already begun to set, but in 1996-1997 there was not a man, woman, or child who did not believe he or she could fly. As uninspiring as Warner Bros. 1996 Live-action/Animated release "Space Jam" was it did inspire singer/songwriter R. Kelly to produce "I Believe I Can Fly," one of the most inspirational songs of his career. That is saying something for a man whose anthology has no shortage of inspiring ditties.
I felt it fitting to end this journey where it began for me, with "When You Wish Upon A Star" from Walt Disney's 1940 "Pinocchio." It is not the chronological beginning but the ideological and spiritual beginning. If you do not understand what I mean then you have never seen "Pinocchio," you have never heard the song, you are not a human being, or you missed out on a wonderful childhood.
When I started putting together together the music for this post, I just wanted a happy, free-spirited, nostalgic break from all the strife and animosity of the last several weeks. As I got to the end, thinking about all those wonderful pieces of artwork I watched as a child I started reflecting on all the life lessons I picked up through them. I learned that character meant something. I learned to believe in myself, to be honest, to care about my fellow others, and to aspire to achieve my dreams. These films showed me the world could be a good place if we do not allow our passions to overrule our reason. I thought how wonderful it would be if all children could have this experience in their formative years; and then an immense feeling of sadness came over me. I realized there are little children who will never have their imaginations stoked and young adults cut off in their prime who will never build on their dreams. Somewhere out there are families for whom my fond memories are just bitter reminders of how one day, someone tore their world apart.
The Journey is not over. I forgot one song. The song for the lost, but the not forgotten. The one for those who never got to be what they wanted to be when they grew up, because they never grew up. The one for those who finished walking the path too soon, but still inspired us nevertheless:
To the 19 murdered and 32 harmed August 1, 1966 at or near The University of Texas
To the 4 killed and 28 injured by police in Orangeburg, SC on February 8, 1968
To the 4 slain and 9 wounded by soldiers at the Kent State Massacre on May 4, 1970
To the 2 killed and the 12 injured by police at Jackson State on May 15, 1970
To the 6 adults and 5 children of MOVE who perished in a fire that consumed 65 nearby homes when police dropped a bomb on their home from a helicopter and fired upon them as they tried to escape on May 13, 1985
To Randy Weaver who lost his wife, teenage son, and nearly his infant daughter when in defiance of tyranny while exercising his freedom of religion, freedom of speech, right to bear arms, freedom against unlawful search and seizure, and right to due process under the law, federal agents violated all these by ambushing and slaughtering his family at their retreat on Ruby Ridge in August of 1992 - bringing about the very apocalypse his wife feared
To the 54 adults and 28 children sacrificed on the alter of government oppression during the horrendous Waco siege, which ended on April 19, 1993
To the 4 young girls and the teacher murdered March 24, 1998 at Westside Middle School
To the 13 youths and administrators murdered and the 21 others harmed April 20, 1999 at Columbine High School
To Norman Wallace, who lost his life, and the two others harmed May 9, 2003 at Case Western Reserve University when an alumnus engaged police in a 7-hour long battle
To the 5 Amish schoolgirls murdered and 5 maimed October 2, 2006 in Bart Township, PA
To the 32 murdered and the 17 harmed April 16, 2007 at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, VA
To the 5 murdered and 17 harmed February 14, 2008 at Northern Illinois University
To the 14 murdered and 29 harmed November 2, 2009 at Fort Hood, Texas
To the 13 murdered and 58 harmed July 20, 2012 in Aurora, Colorado
To the 27 murdered and 2 harmed December 14, 2012 at or near Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, ConnecticutI know that one day we as a united people we will say "never again will a young life be cut short when it is just beginning." I know we can accomplish this without sacrificing our liberty by working together in a spirit of love and brotherhood, this is a lesson from my childhood I know to to be truth. I now bear the fruit of seeds planted in my childhood, watered in my youth, pruned in my young adulthood, and now being tested as a man. To all you lost souls, I swear to finish the journey for you. I ask that you guide my pen from wherever you may be and know that my crusade is not merely for the freedoms of the living, but also for the memory of the passed. From wherever you are look down and know that: yes, I will be there.
"Will You Be There" by Michael Jackson, inspired by "Free Willy," Warner Bros. 1993
Please feel free to share your comments. Let me know what moved you as a child or adult! You can comment here or at The Office of R. Conrad Bane on Facebook. If you would like to support the cause of liberty and the spread of truth, click on any of the above links and bring those timeless family classics into your home. You will not regret it!
Friday, January 11, 2013
Don't Confuse Me With Facts, I've Already Made Up My Mind!
File Under: With Both Barrels
The first major "gun control" law (since the Second Amendment) was enacted in 1934, with the idea to curtail the activities of criminals like George "Machine Gun Kelly” Barnes who had run amok (and ironically didn't obey laws) during the economic downturn of the depression and the reign of the equally bad Prohibition laws. However, until that time, with certain exceptions, anyone who could afford them could legally procure with limited difficulty what anti-Second Amendment legislators now call "assault weapons" (i.e. the Thompson Submachine Gun or "Tommy Gun"). In fact, there was a time you could order a shotgun, likely comparable to the one Bowe Cleveland used to wound his fellow student, from a Sears & Roebuck catalog – no I.D., no background check, no wait, no FFL ...right to your front door. Using the data aggregated by the author of this Wikipedia entry I estimate that between 1776 and 1934 at least 5 recorded instances of students bringing guns to school with the intent of committing a crime or killing someone (other than his or herself) occurred. That is 5 surviving reports in a span of 158 years with just one gun control law, just a smidgeon of common sense and a modicum of moral decency. In the just 79 years since 1934, some additional 6 Federal level gun-control laws (not counting the State laws) have been passed by Congress. What has been the sum total effect of these 7 Congressional acts, which endeavored to supersede the wisdom of the Second Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America? Between 1934 and 2013 (almost half the time), over 85 additional incidences of violent attacks and murders perpetrated by students in or near institutions of learning – 17 times as much death with 7 times as many regulations as caused in the entire preceding 158 years when all we had was just the Second Amendment as our guide.
Clearly, we have legislated our way to a safer, more secure country where we have stronger values, a deeper appreciation for life, more involvement with the lives of our children, and better ability to intervene before a crisis as evidenced by the hundreds more tales of jilted lovers, disgruntled ex-employees, deranged mental health patients, jealous colleagues, who willfully decide to become criminals and commit the vast majority of these crimes – using students and teachers as targets. I find it personally shocking to note that some of the most tragic school killings, and indeed the actual most deadly school killing in United States history, were not only perpetrated by those sworn to protect students (school administrators, police, military) but also were not carried out with firearms at all. Furthermore, the assault on “assault weapons” is ludicrous. In all these stories unless the “student” had either A) actually served in the military and had access to a military variant firearm or B) had circumvented the law in a criminal fashion to illegally acquire a firearm they could not otherwise legally own, the vast majority of these attacks or deaths occurred by common arms designed for hunting, sport, and personal defense.
A firearm is a tool, just like a hammer is a tool. A carpenter would not use a sledgehammer to drive a nail nor would a homesteader use a framing hammer to drive a wedge through logs. Moreover, simply possessing a framing hammer does not make one a carpenter nor does having a volt meter make you an electrician. Military firearms do not turn civilians into killing machines, they are tools to help highly-trained soldiers protect themselves while they efficiently perform their duties and complete mission objectives. As we have become less agrarian, hunting has become less of a luxury, personal defense more of a concern, material science has changed, and aesthetics has changed – so too has the design of civilian firearms changed. Many of the firearms in highly-publicized shootings for aesthetic or ergonomic purposes had been made to look externally similar to military variants, but in no way functioned internally like military style arms. The firearms that most law-abiding citizens can easily acquire are in actuality comparatively very inefficient for the purpose they are sold – protecting you by wounding someone else. They require an IMMENSE amount of time, training, and money to become proficient at mastering the mechanics of their safe use so that you can instinctively call upon those skills in a crisis. This begs many questions. If firearms do not make it easier to kill people, why do so many people die in these school shootings? These criminals didn't knife their victims, they used firearms – certainly that means firearms need more control, right?
No firearm is a fully self-aware, autonomous walking death-ray with mind-control abilities. Until someone loads it, points it at someone else, and pulls the trigger that firearm is an inert device of no harm to anyone. It is the individual who is lethal, the human brain that is dangerous. Why are school shootings so tragic, why is there so much loss of life? The handgun may have limitations but the criminal has several advantages working in his or her favor – the biggest is that you are following the law while he or she is not. Despite the first “school shooting” in America occurring in 1764 and hundreds having occurred since, the notion that we are safe and secure anywhere persists. Teachers come to school to teach and students come to school to learn, armed with nothing but their experience and imaginations respectively. That puts them at a disadvantage when a criminal comes to school to hurt them if no one is prepared to protect them and no one has developed a plan of what to do when someone starts shooting. Even when you examine tragedies like the Fort Hood shootings where you had a psychiatrist (not exactly a full-time soldier) pitted against politically unarmed individuals he was able to create significant loss of life before someone with a firearm stopped him. That was a United States military base (the largest in the world), how much more poorly would college students and children fair against a deranged, homicidal lunatic intent on causing as much death and destruction as they possibly can? In these shootings, did a lot of innocent people die because the shooter used a scary military look-alike firearm or because the shooter carefully planned the attack and was using the untrained/unprepared children of suburbanite yuppies as targets? Common sense obviously says it is the latter. Finally, humans are easily damaged and without fast, appropriate medical care can succumb to their injuries relatively quickly in the aftermath of a shooting while emergency medical teams wait for law enforcement to secure the crime scene – this is true if the victims are shot, stabbed, or harmed in any other way.
Anyone with criminal intent, the impetus to commit violence, and the means to act it out is a danger to someone unwilling or unable to defend themselves: children, the elderly, or the mentally-impaired. A machete wielding obese, asthmatic with arthritic knees could commit a mass murder if his victims are weak and unarmed. However, they are of limited threat to an educated, prepared, and well-armed individual. A military style firearm is just for shock value. If one wanted to cause a massive loss of human life you could in today's economy: walk into a car dealership and with no money down walk out with a new car, buy a few items you found searching the internet, turn your new car into a bomb, plow into a crowd of people at a public place, and detonate the bomb – having spent far less money than you would have for a military look-alike firearm and hundreds of rounds of ammunition, and killing more people than in any shooting spree. Moreover, no one would call for increased regulation on automobiles.
In the wake of tragedy, especially one that we have allowed to happen over and over for more than 200 years it is easy to feel angry. It is easy to feel angry because anger is a lot easier to deal with than guilt. You want to point that anger at someone or something other than yourself, and an easy target is one that cannot fight back on its own. Do not however allow your guilt or your anger to cloud your reason: you are willfully participating in the discourse of your disarmament and IT WILL BE TO YOUR PERIL. Gun-control and the assault on so-called “assault weapons” is really simple. Innocent people have been dying for a very long time. The legislature is unconcerned about public safety, they do not care about you. They are only concerned with stripping you of your ability to defend yourself and not from criminals – from them. Why? Our government is seeking to strip us of our last line of defense against tyranny enshrined into our Constitution guaranteed by the Second Amendment, so that one day when they turn their guns on us we will be as defenseless as those 20 doe-eyed children at Sandy Hook Elementary School.
“I don't really understand myself these days. I am supposed to be
an average reasonable and intelligent young man. However, lately (I
can't recall when it started) I have been a victim of many unusual
and irrational thoughts. […] Maybe [mental health] research can
prevent further tragedies of this type.”
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
I Think, Therefore I Am Better than You
File under: Check Your Integrity at the Door
When I saw the link to the above video, I thought it would lead to a serious organization convincing people to sign a real petition. I put my prejudice cap on and prepared to laugh at some woefully misguided, overfunded interest group waiting to fail. I would listen to their points and summarily reject them as rubbish, feeling good about myself for being a conscientious and fair-minded proponent of democracy. You see, a great many statutes and amendments have come, gone, come back, and left again in 200 plus years. The First Amendment has not been and will not be among that number. Therefore, I was not really shocked, appalled, or even worried about such an initiative. That said this video is much worse than what I thought.
When I saw the link to the above video, I thought it would lead to a serious organization convincing people to sign a real petition. I put my prejudice cap on and prepared to laugh at some woefully misguided, overfunded interest group waiting to fail. I would listen to their points and summarily reject them as rubbish, feeling good about myself for being a conscientious and fair-minded proponent of democracy. You see, a great many statutes and amendments have come, gone, come back, and left again in 200 plus years. The First Amendment has not been and will not be among that number. Therefore, I was not really shocked, appalled, or even worried about such an initiative. That said this video is much worse than what I thought.
I am not certain if this video intends to be humorous or informative – it fails in both regards. Let us secretly video tape the unintelligent, ignorant, or indisposed attempting to reason and then snicker at them for failing. Why not place Christians
in an arena and watch them fight lions while we are at it? We have surpassed the need for reality entertainment that fuels itself with the inabilities and inadequacies of others. No, wait...that is not true. At any rate, if this is supposed to be some sort of empirical social experiment, again, it is lacking. It goes without saying that more Americans than we would like to admit have a limited at best grasp of sociopolitical awareness or civic concepts. Further, not everyone with the right to vote is of near-genius intellect or has the synaptic acuity of a fresh, young mind.
in an arena and watch them fight lions while we are at it? We have surpassed the need for reality entertainment that fuels itself with the inabilities and inadequacies of others. No, wait...that is not true. At any rate, if this is supposed to be some sort of empirical social experiment, again, it is lacking. It goes without saying that more Americans than we would like to admit have a limited at best grasp of sociopolitical awareness or civic concepts. Further, not everyone with the right to vote is of near-genius intellect or has the synaptic acuity of a fresh, young mind.Should we consider this situation humorous? No. Ignorance AND Intellectual snobbery are fruit of the same poison tree you so wholeheartedly lambast. As a member of the intellectual elite, one should work that much harder to inform the masses and uncover the truths
the author claims to represent. I can only assume the author feels this is the best use of the First Amendment he lampoons the people for not knowing or supporting. This is not activism, this is not patriotism, and it is not journalism. This is a sensational ploy to promote oneself at the expense of others. Is this what it really takes to get the word out there? I certainly hope not, because I have a hard time committing gross acts of public hackery. Now everyone please sing along with me...
the author claims to represent. I can only assume the author feels this is the best use of the First Amendment he lampoons the people for not knowing or supporting. This is not activism, this is not patriotism, and it is not journalism. This is a sensational ploy to promote oneself at the expense of others. Is this what it really takes to get the word out there? I certainly hope not, because I have a hard time committing gross acts of public hackery. Now everyone please sing along with me...
Saturday, January 23, 2010
China to U.S.: “Bite Me!” and Jesus Wants to Be Your Friend on MySpace
File under: My Country is Better Than Yours
File under: Oh Lord!
Min Dahong (Reuters article) wants everyone to know that despite evidence and proof to the contrary China is the most democratic, liberal, free, and human rights friendly state in the world. The Internet, TV, radio, and print media for decades have all conspired to present China as a totalitarian bully. What does Chairman Dahong say of Google, Inc. and Hillary Clinton
’s allegations of cyber espionage and censorship? LIES! Why do these people seriously make these statements? Just admit you oppress your people and let the world move on. Well, Min Dahong, you can relax. No, the world does not believe China is a shining example of liberty and freedom of information over the overwhelming evidence to the contrary. However, the West will be outraged for a brief moment and it will ultimately not levy any serious economic or political sanctions at the world’s largest economy. I will say though, if a butterfly flapping its wings in Borneo sets off a chain of random and stupid events that allow this to conflagrate into WW3, consider me pissed in advanced.
In addition, on other uses of the Internet, Pope Benedict has a simple message (Reuters article) for Catholic priests – Get them while they are young (no snickering!). The formerly technophobic Pontiff agrees the church has majorly failed to capitalize on the “rich menu of options” available through the Internet. So the Catholic Church wants to get in on Social Networking does it? It is a logical move, after all Jesus did love the kids. This could be an excellent opportunity at minimum to provide access to spiritual structure and dialogue, which might have previously seemed far too intimidating, restrictive, or staid for a youth population woefully lacking in direction. Wait, not so fast my Papal pal! John 6:44 (NIV Bible
) states: “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him.” So does this mean Jesus
’ profile is private? I hope we do not have to decipher his Captcha in Hebrew – “Hey dude, is this a Yodh or an Aleph?” That would just be annoying.
File under: Oh Lord!
Min Dahong (Reuters article) wants everyone to know that despite evidence and proof to the contrary China is the most democratic, liberal, free, and human rights friendly state in the world. The Internet, TV, radio, and print media for decades have all conspired to present China as a totalitarian bully. What does Chairman Dahong say of Google, Inc. and Hillary Clinton
’s allegations of cyber espionage and censorship? LIES! Why do these people seriously make these statements? Just admit you oppress your people and let the world move on. Well, Min Dahong, you can relax. No, the world does not believe China is a shining example of liberty and freedom of information over the overwhelming evidence to the contrary. However, the West will be outraged for a brief moment and it will ultimately not levy any serious economic or political sanctions at the world’s largest economy. I will say though, if a butterfly flapping its wings in Borneo sets off a chain of random and stupid events that allow this to conflagrate into WW3, consider me pissed in advanced.In addition, on other uses of the Internet, Pope Benedict has a simple message (Reuters article) for Catholic priests – Get them while they are young (no snickering!). The formerly technophobic Pontiff agrees the church has majorly failed to capitalize on the “rich menu of options” available through the Internet. So the Catholic Church wants to get in on Social Networking does it? It is a logical move, after all Jesus did love the kids. This could be an excellent opportunity at minimum to provide access to spiritual structure and dialogue, which might have previously seemed far too intimidating, restrictive, or staid for a youth population woefully lacking in direction. Wait, not so fast my Papal pal! John 6:44 (NIV Bible
) states: “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him.” So does this mean Jesus’ profile is private? I hope we do not have to decipher his Captcha in Hebrew – “Hey dude, is this a Yodh or an Aleph?” That would just be annoying.
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