Too Soon To See 9/11? It's Been Too Long (El Rushbo On The Forthcoming United 93 Movie Alert)

They showed a trailer of the upcoming movie about United 93, about 9/11. The AMC Loews theater in Manhattan's Upper West Side took the rare step of pulling the trailer for the upcoming movie "United 93" about 9/11 from its screens after several complaints, reports senior writer Sean Smith and reporter Jac Chebatoris in the April 10th issue of Newsweek, which is on the stands today. "'One lady was crying,' says one of the theater's managers, Kevin Adjodha. 'She was saying we shouldn't have [played the trailer]. That this was wrong ... I don't think people are ready for this.'" Viewers in other cities are reacting as well. "When the trailer played before 'Inside Man' last week at the famed Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, audience members began calling out, 'Too soon!' Audiences seem to be split on the issue. 'I don't think that's a movie I really want to see,' says Jackie Alvarez, 73, of San Ramon, Calif., after seeing the trailer. 'It gave me the creeps. It's way too soon.'" We've got another mantra here that's sprung up, folks, "It's too soon."

"But 17-year-old Antoine Richardson of Memphis, Tenn., is looking forward to it. 'I don't think it's exploitative or too soon,' he says. 'It helps us remember.'" Carole O'Hare, whose 79-year-old mother, Hilda Marcin, died on the flight, says she feels the criticism that universal studio is exploiting a national tragedy is unfair. "This story has to be told to honor the passengers and crew for what they did. But more than that, it raises awareness. Our ports aren't secure. Our borders aren't secure. Our airlines still aren't secure, and this is what happens when you're not secure. That's the message I want people to hear." Can you believe this? The networks will not show pictures of that day, 9/11, we're in the midst of an argument in this country over whether it is worthwhile to prevent another such attack. The Democrats in this country doing everything they can to stop the president from finding out via the NSA spy program. Censure and future impeachment movement if they win back the House, is one thing they're targeting.

We've got the whole Democratic Party up until last week when they said they're going to take back the security issue, we will have more on that today, too. The Democratic Party says we're going to take back the security issue. They have spent four and a half years deriding, criticizing, ridiculing the entire war on terror and the war in Iraqi, which are linked. I mean, we're fighting the terrorists and their agents who would do more 9/11s in Iraq. The Democrats want to pull out of there and go get bin Laden. What do you have to do, invade Pakistan to do that? That's where he's said to be hiding. At any rate, folks, I think this is illustrative of a problem we've got because I will guarantee you that the vast majority of the residents on the Upper West Side are the same people who think it's silly that we're doing what we're doing in Iraq and that it's silly that the war on terror is being fought the way it is. And yet Bush lied about all this, Bush knew about it, he was going to let it happen, Bush lied about Iraq, he lied about weapons of mass destruction. And yet the very event that has made this a reality for us and our lives today, they don't have the guts to look at, they don't have the courage to look at it, too soon, too soon.

Too soon? It's been too long! People have forgotten what it's all about. This movie would serve the purpose of reminding everybody why we are in the posture that we're in, why we have to assume the responsibilities, and why it's crucial who leads the nation in future years in this effort. You know, I just think this is just typical of many in the American left. Oh, they can huff and puff, go out and show Fahrenheit 9/11 all day long, they can go watch that. They can go watch garbage and lies that their documentarians and so-called comedians make and it's never too soon to watch any of that. We can go watch all these movies that try to prove Bush lied and that Bush was in this for oil and that all this is trumped up and fake and phony and unnecessary. Let reality rear its head, "Oh, no, I can't be confronted with reality, why, that is too soon, too painful." It's not just a New York mentality.

This is happening in cities around the country, "It's too soon." So theater owners are not even showing trailers. What's going to happen, mark my words, what's going to happen because of this, when this movie does hit the screen -- I don't even know when it's scheduled to be released -- when it hits the screen, this kind of controversy, and who knows it may even be Hollywood-stoked, is going to cause people to go see this movie in droves. Any time you have people saying, "No, I can't bear to watch it, it's too soon." "Ooh! What is it? They know from a trailer it's... oh, gosh, I can't wait to see this." You watch and see if it just doesn't manifest itself that way.

RUSH: Let's go the phones, Elk Grove, California. Amy, you're up first and it's wonderful to have you with us. Hi.

CALLER: I was actually calling to let you know that I've seen the first trailers and it was hard to watch, and I didn't want to go thinking it would be exploitative, but they have a new trailer out there that interviews the families, and it completely changed my mind. I will definitely go see it.

RUSH: All right, tell me, what was in the first trailer -- you can do it -- tell me what was in the first trailer that so upset you.

CALLER: Well, it opens with just radio talk, controller talk, and you immediately feel this kind of foreboding sense that you know what's coming, even if they haven't told you it's about 9/11, you can tell.

CALLER: Then it shows clips of cockpit scenes and the coach and then it lets you know what's happening, and it's very quickly shot, and then they show a quick shot of them storming the cockpit. They show families calling and that kind of thing, and it's just so sad that anyone that knows about it, it's difficult to watch, but the second trailer--

RUSH: It ought to be difficult to watch. That's what happened. It ought to be difficult to watch.

CALLER: It is, and I agree. It's just sad and I think people don't like to feel that kind of emotion, whether or not it's the second time or third time or it's the first time.

RUSH: I know they don't like to feel that kind of emotion, but it's time to grow up and understand that you did feel it once, and we're in a precarious circumstance in this country where more and more people don't think it's necessary to defend against this and to see to it that it doesn't happen anymore. There are people out there trying to convince as many Americans as possible this is just a random act, that there's no reason to go to war over it, to defend it. You've got others who are saying, like Michael Moore in his documentary, that Bush made all this up, lied about it. I mean, I think people need to be shocked back to reality here.

CALLER: Yeah, I agree, I agree. I think it will be a good thing for people to put the human experience behind it because I think people have detracted and pulled back and said, "Oh, it's a terrible thing, and let's hope it doesn't happen again," but when we go back and live through it as humans --

RUSH: I think we got too many people that want to pretend it didn't happen. They want to go through life and forget it. Democrats have been playing on that, trying to create this pre-9/11 world and mentality that we're going to have if they're simply elected to power again. I think there's some people that don't want to face the reality of it. It is painful and so forth, but it happened. It was a seminal, defining moment, and the more people that forget it and try to tune it out -- we're going to need the people of this country on board, is my point in order to ultimately win this. Make no mistake, there are people actively trying to convince as many Americans as possible it's not worth it. Here's Ralph in Houston. Ralph, you're next on the EIB Network. Hi.

CALLER: To me, Flight 93 was a defining moment in the sense that the hijack victims of Flight 93, when they understood what was going on, changed themselves into the Flight 93 militia and fired the shot heard around the world, the beginning of the war against Al-Qaeda, followed by Congress and Bush officially declaring that same war. To me, this is something that I think is probably -- since 1776 we haven't had a moment like this. These victims said "We will be victims no more," they became soldiers, men and women alike, shoulder to shoulder, and took on Al-Qaeda and said, "You will not succeed," and they took down that plane, and I think it's marvelous.

RUSH: I can't add anything to that. I mean, that's right on the money. Great point. Kevin in Sacramento, California, my adopted hometown. You're next.

RUSH: Well, I float really well, sir. Thanks for saying that, that's very nice of you.

CALLER: I just wanted to say that I think the people on Flight 93 accomplished more in a few minutes than the Democrats have accomplished in four or five years --

CALLER: I have a slightly different take on Flight 93 than Amy. I can appreciate her view, as I think a lot of people feel that way, and it's tragic the loss of life, but for the people to know what the probable consequences were and to get up out of their seats, I mean that's the true definition of courage. And that is what has fueled this country, whether you're talking about, you know, the Marines on Iwo Jima or soldiers, sailors, airmen over in Iraq right now, that even though they're scared and even they know that the end is coming, they still were able to fight through. That just motivates the heck out of me. I appreciate the loss of life. But, you know, the Vikings had a saying that, "My days are already written out on the skins of time, and all that is left to me is to die bravely." And that's what those people did.

RUSH: They did. It's interesting that -- I haven't seen the movie. I hope that the people on board this plane are going to be portrayed as heroic and as heroes. Why that should frighten anybody -- you're right, it's inspirational. That's what it ought to be. We don't know where that plane was going, but everybody guesses it was headed back to Washington to either hit the Capital or the White House. By the way, that is a fabulous point about the passengers on Flight 93 having done more to fight terrorism than the Democratic Party has since 9/11 of 2001. But I had a conversation on Saturday with a man who lost a son in the World Trade Center, and it was a most fascinating discussion, because he opened it up, agreed to talk about it. We were driving back from playing golf, in which he and I remain undefeated in team play, taking on all the comers, and we had won the match on the last hole, went to the last hole, and we were dead even, all square, and he birdied that hole. So he had the most interesting point about that plane, Flight 93.

One of them was supposed to come back to Washington and hit something. Now, he's emotionally involved here. He said this plane that was supposed to hit either the White House or the Capitol, he said there have been times -- and he doesn't hold the view now -- but he said, "There were times I wish it had hit the Capitol, to wake this place up." He feels betrayed by his government for years prior to 9/11, for not doing anything to stop this, for being hamstrung and tongue-tied. He was very much, "Where's the Air Force? Where's our defense system? We got all these airplanes flying around and nobody knows where they're going because they've shut off the transponders, and nothing was done to stop 'em, to figure out what was going on, and it's just a bunch of people who care more about being reelected every year than actually doing things. So it would have been a nice shakeup." He didn't really mean it, that was what he was telling me to illustrate his frustration and make the point. You talk to the 9/11 families about this, and I don't know that many of them, but their lives are never going to be the same. I mean, in countless ways that you can't even imagine.

"...I don't think people are ready for this." The people on the plane weren't ready either, and they didn't have five years to sort out their feelings.

How did we get to the point where people are ready for "Brokeback Mountain" but not "Flight 93"?

2 posted on 04/03/2006 3:45:53 PM PDT by thoughtomator (Since all politicians understand is money, I donate ONLY to those who oppose illegal immigration)

I feel the same way with one major caveat - Hollywood MUST get it right. No playing a bunch of games with it, no injecting additional little political agendas, no bowdlerization or PC cleansing. I do NOT want to see the hijackers portrayed as white-supremacist nazis! I do NOT want to see Alec Baldwin or George Clooney muttering "this is all Bush's fault" as they go off to a brave death. We've had altogether too much of that kind of crap and nothing I've seen lately leads me to suspect that anyone in Hollywood is listening. This one they better not screw around with.

CALLER: I just wanted to say that I think the people on Flight 93 accomplished more in a few minutes than the Democrats have accomplished in four or five years --
RUSH: Ooh!
CALLER: -- to fight terrorism.

RUSH: I like it! I like it!

Even the master may sometimes be excelled in a sharp insight.

But when it happens, Rush is most appreciative.

You have learned well, grasshopper.

Liberals don't want to remind people why we went to war in Iraq. Its hard to make the case it was unnecessary and pointless if the American people can be made to forget 9/11 ever happened. No wonder we're told "its too soon" to remember it. Ten years from now they'll still be telling us its "too painful" in any sort of way to commemorate 9/11.

(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie. Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")

I wanted to start a movement to get Foxnews to play the actual footage of September 11, 2001 from when they received word the first plane hit the tower on this year's 5th anniversary. Take people back to that day, the terror, confusion, anger, sorrow all of it. They could keep a box in the corner of them talking through it, but really focus the day on the actual footage. People need to see the actual footage, unedited. Then they need to tighten their bootstraps and screw their courage to the sticking place again.

7 posted on 04/03/2006 3:54:20 PM PDT by WV Mountain Mama (Whoever says prayers don't work after surgery never had the Prayer Warriors praying for them!)

The call Rush took from the sister of one of the pilots on another flight was excellent too. I think she was from NYC and she was very articulate and to the point. She said it was too soon for her because of the scene where the cockpit is stormed and the pilots are murdered. But she urged the rest of us to go see it so we can remember why we are in this war. It was a fantastic call.

That movie poster is inaccurate.

Both towers are already in flames, and 93 was never over NYC. Petty, I know... but still inaccurate.

13 posted on 04/03/2006 4:05:33 PM PDT by WV Mountain Mama (Whoever says prayers don't work after surgery never had the Prayer Warriors praying for them!)

I had a blank tape in my VCR that morning and I hit the record button just after the second plane hit the Trade Center.

Every few months, I pull out this tape and watch it, just to remind myself why we are fighting this war. I always cry and I pray that I always do.

I probably won't see this movie. It doesn't mean I remember. I read the Reader's Digest article about Flight 93. That was very powerful and overwhelming. Even though it was just an article.

18 posted on 04/03/2006 4:15:48 PM PDT by HungarianGypsy (I'm writing a post to a message board. I don't care if it's not grammatically perfect.)

How long after Pearl Harbor did it take Hollyweird to start making movies about Pearl Harbor?

Already, more time has gone by since 9/11 until now than from Pearl Harbor to VJ Day!

This is just an excuse by Liberals to never show anything "inflammatory" about 9/11!

19 posted on 04/03/2006 4:17:40 PM PDT by Gritty (If this is a ‘long war’,it needs rhetoric that can go the distance. Today it fails that test-M Steyn)

How did we get to the point where people are ready for "Brokeback Mountain" but not "Flight 93"?

Brokeback Mountain is a work of fiction. Flight 93 is the portrayal of an event that affected everyone in the city.

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