Truth of `300' is tale worth telling today (Libs Around The World Whine)

Chicago Tribune ^ | March 11, 2007 | John Kass

[Red Steel]

Only after watching the epic movie "300"--about free men of the West willing to die at Thermopylae rather than kneel to an Eastern king--did I read the reviews.

I'm conflicted about the film, but the reviews were quite entertaining.

Especially the reviews that were so turgid with praise, focusing on the rippling chests and rippling abdomens of the near-naked Spartan warriors, the slo-mo blood globules and the thrusting, thrusting, thrusting of the spears. OK, OK, I get it. Warnography is hard to define, but you know it when you see it.

Some ripped the movie, including one East Coast reviewer upset there were no African Spartans in the film. But surely this outrage can be remedied with a few federal judges and a time machine.

Others examined "300" in the current U.S.-Iraq-Iran context. They ask if America is anything like Sparta, or are we now more like decadent Persia, with our celebrity culture and people rendered almost numb by narcissism.

A few fear the film is a Karl Rovian Republican plot--but isn't everything? Included among Rovian schemes is the TV show "24," except for the parts when the noble President Barack Obama archetype struggles with scheming white Southern conservatives who want to toss out the Constitution.

Reviewers using allegory wondered if President Bush is the doomed Spartan King Leonidas.

Or, is Bush the boss of the new decadent culture, which, in the film is led by the muscularly massive yet simpering King Xerxes, wearing lots of eye shadow and lip gloss.

I guess it all depends on whether you think Al Gore should be finishing his second term by now, yet I'm told that the comic book on which the movie was based was written before any Florida chads were hung. Or is that hanged?

[Pontiac]

Some ripped the movie, including one East Coast reviewer upset there were no African Spartans in the film. But surely this outrage can be remedied with a few federal judges and a time machine.

Now why does this not surprise me?

And why does the fact that the reviewer works for a East Coast newspaper?

They may have to have a new Council of Nicaea after his death to insert his writings in to the Bible.

What does surprise me is that this review of the reviews appears in the Chicago Trib.

[prophetic]

Most liberals generally fear anything looking like the truth especially if it may strengthen anything looking vaguely pro-America, pro-Bush, pro-life or pro-Christian.

[fortheDeclaration]

Reviewers using allegory wondered if President Bush is the doomed Spartan King Leonidas.

Yes, Bush is 'doomed' his second term will be over soon and he will return to private life.

And he will probably turn to his successor and say that he (Bush) is the happier man.

[papertyger]

...focusing on the rippling chests and rippling abdomens of the near-naked Spartan warriors, the slo-mo blood globules and the thrusting, thrusting, thrusting of the spears. OK, OK, I get it. Warnography is hard to define, but you know it when you see it.

Bwahahahahahahahahaha

Best line of the day!

[snoringbear]

The Battle of Thermopylae is Greece's Alamo. As with the Battle of the Alamo, Thermopylae became a rally call that ultimately led to a series of victories over the Persians (modern Iranians). In fact, now that we are delving into ancient history, the root of Mideast hatred for the West has it's roots starting with the Ancient Greek Persian Wars,continued on by Alexander's victories, which the always lost even though the Persians invariably had overwhelmingly larger armies and resources. Perhaps the ultimate disgrace occurred with the Wooden Horse Caper that the Greeks pulled on the Persians during the Battle of Troy. Then, the Arabs and Persians did not fare well during the Crusades. Later, during the 7th century AD with the onset of Mohammad there was a period of successes with the conquering of Spain and southern France (but hey the French are well - the French). But, the Muslims eventually lost this land. Then, a young U.S.A. finally had enough of their kidnapping of our sailors and citizens and putting them into slavery and ultimately defeated these Muslims in the Barbary Wars. So, as one can easily see, there is a long series of humiliating defeats that is causing an inbred inferiority complex in Muslim DNA (both Persian and Arab) that is driving their visceral hatred of the West. In fact, we are probably now in what should be more correctly labeled the Third Crusades instead of the War of Terror. So, there you have it friends and neighbors....

[Tzimisce]

And the Iranians think it's a swipe at them.

[CyberAnt]

The last couple of nights, I have been watching segments of the historical account of the "300" on the History Channel - and according to them, the account in the movie is quite accurate.

It was really an interesting story told by several historians - and they all agreed - the death of the 300 Spartons was what ultimately SAVED THE NATION OF GREECE.

I hope they run the programs again because I'd like to re-watch it and get more info .. and it might actually cause me to go and see the movie.

The reason the left is whining is because they can already see that the death of 3000 Americans IS THEIR ULTIMATE DEFEAT .. just like in the movie.

[Cindy]

Related Link:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1799358/posts

[CyberAnt]

Well .. I can go you one better and I can take you to the starting place of the Persian hatred of the Jews! The whole of the west replaced (including Israel) replaced that hatred, but the original event was during the time of Abraham and Sarah.

Remember the son born to Abraham and the slave woman (Ishmael); well, that was the beginning of the whole mess. When Ishmael and his mother were thrown out of the camp of Abraham - it enraged Ishmael against not just Abraham, but Sarah - who demanded their removal - and Ishmael's mother - because Ishmael hated her for not fighting back.

Thus the hatred from the nations of the middle east began thousands of years ago. That's why it will not be fixed in just a few years.

And .. I've always wondered if the hatred Ishmael fostered for Sarah and his mother was the catalyst for today's ill treatment of women in most middle east countries.

[SF South Park Republican]

LEONIDAS = JACK BAUER

[Fred Nerks]

'The first wave of anti-Semitism in the east was spread much later in the Persian Empire by the vizier, Haman, "the Agagite, the Jews' enemy." Haman, who was the seed of Agog, the Amalekite, conspired to destroy the Jewish population in Persia and Media.'

Quote from Ages in Chaos. (Page 87-88)Immanuel Velikovsky

[nwrep]

They may have to have a new Council of Nicaea after his death to insert his writings in to the Bible.

The Council of Nicaea had nothing to do with "inserting writings in to the Bible." The New Testament Canon was already in wide use, and its scriptural authority was unquestioned. The Council of Nicaea had to do with Christian apostasies and heresies at the time regarding the trinity, and formulating and formalizing a statement of faith (i.e. a creed) and other ecclesiastical traditions and laws which would guide Church matters.

[nwrep]

Then, the Arabs and Persians did not fare well during the Crusades. Later, during the 7th century ...

Please get your facts straight. The Crusades occured long after the 7th Century, not before, like you imply above.

[Elsie]

Esther 3

1. After these events, King Xerxes honored Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, elevating him and giving him a seat of honor higher than that of all the other nobles.
2. All the royal officials at the king's gate knelt down and paid honor to Haman, for the king had commanded this concerning him. But Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honor.
3. Then the royal officials at the king's gate asked Mordecai, "Why do you disobey the king's command?"
4. Day after day they spoke to him but he refused to comply. Therefore they told Haman about it to see whether Mordecai's behavior would be tolerated, for he had told them he was a Jew.
5. When Haman saw that Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honor, he was enraged.
6. Yet having learned who Mordecai's people were, he scorned the idea of killing only Mordecai. Instead Haman looked for a way to destroy all Mordecai's people, the Jews, throughout the whole kingdom of Xerxes.
7. In the twelfth year of King Xerxes, in the first month, the month of Nisan, they cast the pur (that is, the lot) in the presence of Haman to select a day and month. And the lot fell on the twelfth month, the month of Adar.
8. Then Haman said to King Xerxes, "There is a certain people dispersed and scattered among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom whose customs are different from those of all other people and who do not obey the king's laws; it is not in the king's best interest to tolerate them.
9. If it pleases the king, let a decree be issued to destroy them, and I will put ten thousand talents of silver into the royal treasury for the men who carry out this business."
10. So the king took his signet ring from his finger and gave it to Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews.
11. "Keep the money," the king said to Haman, "and do with the people as you please."
12. Then on the thirteenth day of the first month the royal secretaries were summoned. They wrote out in the script of each province and in the language of each people all Haman's orders to the king's satraps, the governors of the various provinces and the nobles of the various peoples. These were written in the name of King Xerxes himself and sealed with his own ring.
13. Dispatches were sent by couriers to all the king's provinces with the order to destroy, kill and annihilate all the Jews--young and old, women and little children--on a single day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar, and to plunder their goods.
14. A copy of the text of the edict was to be issued as law in every province and made known to the people of every nationality so they would be ready for that day.
15. Spurred on by the king's command, the couriers went out, and the edict was issued in the citadel of Susa. The king and Haman sat down to drink, but the city of Susa was bewildered.

[IrishBrigade]

...Thank you for correcting this little bit of misinformation...you beat me to it. Methinks too many people are still thinking the Da Vinci Code is bona fide history...now if we could just get people to stop believing that the "Dark Ages" were dark because the "Church" withheld the facts of life from the populace...

[ConservativeDude]

The idea of Thermopylae is simply that western civilization, though not perfect then or now, is infinitely better than being overrun by barbarians who have no concept whatsoever of freedom - and that defending western civilization is worth fighting for.

No wonder liberals hate this film. If they knew the history behind it, they would hate that, also.

[snoringbear]

Thanks for the correction. My bad....

[snoringbear]

Yeah, I just read Drudge and noticed a line stating that the Iranians are upset and consider the movie an insult to Iranian culture. So, although I have not as yet seen the movie, it's my guess that it must be factual. Otherwise, the Iranians would not be pissed....

[snoringbear]

It's my guess that warriors of the day were were fairly impressive physical specimens. I've never done it, but it would appear to me that swinging a sword or battle ax for several hours in close quarters would require considerable upper body strength. Thereby, the rippling chests and rippling abdomens...