Well, Mr. Author, you wrote a really stupid piece. Imagining that some New York Times movie comentator speaks for 'New York' is a funny thought indeed.
And, by the way, Pieta was done for the Pope, not for the 'masses'. And the Illiad is not about 2 people having sex with a captive.
<< Well, Mr. Author, you wrote a really stupid piece. >>
Dear Mr. Vast RightWing Conspirator:
You're certainly entitled to your opinion. But please get your facts straight.
The Pieta was commissioned by the French Cardinal Jean Villiers de Fezenzac in 1498, to be displayed on the Cardinal's tomb chapel in St. Peter's Basilica. A more prominent or public display for the piece could not be imagined. It was carved for the masses -- not for anyone's private viewing pleasure.
As for Homer's Iliad, its plot is precisely as I described. As the story begins, the High King Agamemnon selfishly decides to take the captive slave girl Briseis for himself, even though she had already been given to Achilles. This naturally enrages Achilles, who goes to his tent and sulks, refusing to join his fellow Greeks in fighting the Trojans.
The entire Iliad revolves around what Homer called "the wrath of Achilles" -- a wrath which was caused by the loss of Briseis. It chronicles the dire consequences of Achilles' sulking, and Agamemnon's selfishness, which sow division and ill-will in the Greek camp and undermine their ability to fight.
As things get worse for the Greeks, Agamemnon, in desperation, finally relents and returns the slave girl Briseis to Achilles. But Achilles still won't fight.
Only when his friend Patroclus is slain does Achilles finally break out of his sulk and redeem himself on the battlefield.
You also wrote:
<< Imagining that some New York Times movie comentator speaks for 'New York' is a funny thought indeed. >>
The cultural elite who make New York City their home reflect badly on all of us who live here.
I could just shrug my shoulders and say, "Hey, it's not my fault." But that's not how I was raised. That is not the attitude of a responsible citizen.
As a civic-minded New Yorker, I prefer to take action -- however small and incremental (such as writing this article) -- that will contribute in any way to the greater cause of running these charlatans and carpet-baggers out of town.
First of all, I don't know if you have read any of Mr. Poe's books, but they are very well researched. (I also just read his reply to you and I think that he pretty much puts you in your place).
I found his article to be accurate and correct.
I don't think that Mr. Poe was arguing whether or not Episode II was the best compared to the other Episodes. Rather, he was pointing to the elitist mentality that runs rampant at the New York [SL]imes. Though this is probably an ecumenical fact here at FR, it is a commentary that is still worth making, especially when something as popular with the masses as Star Wars is.
Again, the commentary clearly demonstrates the glaring gap that exists between the masses and the elitists, especially the pointy-head liberals found at the NY [SL]imes.