Here’s Why - Responding to United 93 critics.

NRO ^ | May 02, 2006 | Peter Suderman

[neverdem]

Here’s Why if the GOP is unable to secure our borders, then it deserves the dustbin of history. If the Chamber of Commerce has as much contempt for the people of the United States as the rest of the world apparently has, then there's no reason to vote for their puppets in the GOP.

[Guenevere]

Just saw it yesterday.

What a powerful movie!!!!!!

[Patrick1]

It was made as a reminder of why we fight. The politics of the film is clear. We were asleep to the threat of Islamo Fascism prior to that day. Treating it like a liquor store holdup instead of a world war. This after four prior attacks on the United States.

The film is political. The left simply doesn't like the politics they prefer the rants and twisted view of Michael Moore to the reality of United 93.

[Patrick1]

But I wonder if there might be something else at work, a frustration that many left-leaning critics rarely face: how to deal with a well-made film that is also deeply conservative in its values. United 93 doesn’t follow the rules of the politically correct playbook: The heroes are ordinary Americans, mostly white, who say prayers and love their families. They are lead by strong, quick-thinking males who understand that it is their duty as men to take violent, physical action against foreign attackers. The villains are religiously motivated Islamic terrorists who unabashedly celebrate news of the World Trade Center’s destruction and cry “In the name of God!” while slitting a flight attendant’s throat. A European-accented passenger who insists on negotiating is tackled when he tries to warn the terrorists of the other passengers’ plan to storm the cabin.

BINGO!

[Blake#1]

Then don't vote for the GOP! Stay home, vote Democrat, vote Libertarian, whatever, just make sure the World Socialist win. Are you that stupid?

[forYourChildrenVote4Bush]

I hope to and will try to go see this with my wife...

But I know it will be a hard experience....


"...A European-accented passenger who insists on negotiating is tackled when he tries to warn the terrorists of the other passengers’ plan to storm the cabin. ..."

You know, these people are going to get us killed...

[Semper Paratus]

I can imagine the opening scene in Oliver Stone's 9-11 starts the night before when a security guard at the WTC catches a government agent planting explosives in an elevator shaft beore he is murdered.

[DJ MacWoW]

From a host of mediocre novels to TV shows like 24

Just a small nitpick with the article. 24's TV premier was postponed because of 9/11. It was debated if it would ever be aired because it was so "precognitive".

[Enchante]

YUP, the leftists are seething because the FACTS portrayed in the film are: depraved Islamist terrorists take over airplane, slitting throats of innocent people and preparing to crash all into DC landmark; courageous AMERICANS, take the initiative, fight back to re-take the plane or die trying; the heroes of the story are ..... gasp ...... white bourgeois males from imperialist AmeriKa, and the villains are..... psychotic Islamists from the Middle East.

NO NO, the left does not want this story to be told, and they are bothered even more when it is told in a very factual, non-political way since then it is harder for them to dismiss it..... so they have to whine about "where is its political viewpoint?" and "why can't I find something in it I can get away with attacking so I can dismiss the whole thing as propaganda?" The leftists are sweating this out, hoping the film does not have too much of an impact against the constant stream of b.s. propaganda they have put out for so long.

[JmyBryan]

Saw the film on Sunday.

This review nails it. The reality of the movie is what is disturbing to the agenda-driven. No idealized, politically correct characters, just Americans like you would see them.

First movie I remember leaving to the sound of adults crying.

[tigtog]

My thought concerning the critiques is the critisim if from those who make their living talking about things. The film adequately demonstrates that the passengers (read us) had nothing left to talk about once the aim of the hijackers was known. The problem for the left, is like the doomed passengers, there is no room for discussion any more only action is required. This is why the left has swung wildly with their anti-Bush nonsense, they know, as we all do, that action was required. Now they preach that they had better ideas following 9/11. I have yet to hear any leftest with any plausible plan to make us safer. The only lesson to learn from 9/11 is to hit harder and faster next time. Don't worry about hearts and minds, just unleash the full fury of America on the ragheads. Maybe once the mugwumps understand the full force of our wrath (read Dresden) maybe then they might begin to think twice about screwing with us. Its nice to be liked, but it is better to be feared.

[Sans-Culotte]

Then don't vote for the GOP! Stay home, vote Democrat, vote Libertarian, whatever, just make sure the World Socialist win. Are you that stupid?

I used to say the same things you are saying. Now, I guess I really am that stoopid. The twin issues of Border Security/Illegal Immigration Refom are slam-dunks for the Republicans, yet they waver because they want to appear to be compassionate. If they cannot accomplish anything with the support of most of the American people, you cannot expect anything from them if it is an unpopular issue.

And, speaking of the horrors of 9-11 mentioned in the article: with Norm Mineta in charge of the Dept. of Transportation, those islamofascists who perpetrated the acts on Flight 93 would probably be allowed to board peacefully while the TSA's frisk some old lady with an artificial hip.

Hell, yes I'm staying home on election day.

[JmyBryan]

I'm voting for the (electable) candidate that most effectively demonstrates an understanding of the enemy we face.

For the first time in my life, I am a single issue voter.

[neverdem]

Then don't vote for the GOP! Stay home, vote Democrat, vote Libertarian, whatever, just make sure the World Socialist win. Are you that stupid?

I'm not that stupid. I'm just stating that if the GOP is unable to secure our borders, it is as surely demonstrating that it cares more about business than our physical security and survival. IMHO, that shows as much concern for our welfare as any dem who declares it illegal to bear arms during a state of emergency.

I can hold my nose to vote for the GOP in national elections as long as the next guy, but the old line of "What's good for General Motors, is good for the U.S.A.," does not seem to apply any more. IMHO, it's not a winning strategy to motivate the base, much less to appeal to new voters or disaffected dems.

[GSWarrior]

Some on the left (not all of them conspiracy nuts) have come out saying that we don't know for sure what transpired on Flight 93. That how can we know the film is factual?

This is from the same people who will use any scrap of unproven information to reinforce their mantra that Bush is evil.

[EQAndyBuzz]

"But the prevailing cry has shifted to “why was this made?”"

It was made to show the human spirit, how we as a people refuse to be enslaved.

Libs just don't get it.

[Taliesan]

The heroes are ordinary Americans, mostly white, who say prayers and love their families. They are lead by strong, quick-thinking males who understand that it is their duty as men to take violent, physical action against foreign attackers. The villains are religiously motivated Islamic terrorists who unabashedly celebrate news of the World Trade Center’s destruction and cry “In the name of God!” while slitting a flight attendant’s throat. A European-accented passenger who insists on negotiating is tackled when he tries to warn the terrorists of the other passengers’ plan to storm the cabin.

Nobody will struggle with this set of characters except those who never set foot outside NY or Hollywood.

[MEGoody]

Hell, yes I'm staying home on election day.

Go for it. Most Americans do.

But I won't be joining you.

[Revolting cat!]

Asking why this film was made is like asking why we go to funerals, why we visit gravesites, why we build monuments. We do it because we need to remember. We do it as a public expression of grief. We do it to honor the dead. We do it because we must.

We must relate to reality, history, whatever, through Hollywood melodramas? That seems to be the unspoken and unconscious consensus here (and elsewhere in this culture today.) No, I won't see it, for the same reasons I don't go see biopics and docudramas. I like my fiction fictional, not a clever fantasy "based on a true story". A noted film director once told me, "You're interested in truth? Make drama. Interested in fiction? Make documentaries."