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The Vast Right Wing and Mel Gibson
The American-Partisan ^ | 01/17/03 | Linda A. Prussen-Razzano

Posted on 01/17/2003 5:19:01 AM PST by Clintons-B-Gone

Have you ever suffered from acute political apathy?

I’m in the grips of it right now, an experience altogether unfamiliar for someone who has spent many years and earned a modicum of infamy exposing the foibles of various politicians. In retrospect, it began after the traumatic, premature birth of my second child, the insane weeks that followed, and a postpartum hormonal roller-coaster that left me feeling like a ghost walking through my own life. Despite the frenzy of political activity and the surging American response to September 11, 2001, I found myself so physically and emotionally drained that I could not follow events to my satisfaction. Unwilling to walk the path that so many in the mainstream media do – penning columns with little research and fewer facts – I drew back from politics slowly, steadily, and, almost completely.

Yes, apathy. The bane of an informed electorate. The primary reason why evil men rule, because good men are too darn tired to care and let them. A weariness so resounding that I can’t even muster the anger to slap Tom Daschle for his blatant lies and outrageous, daily antics. How do I know he’s lying? He opens his mouth. The same can be said for Saddam Hussein, North Korea, the Communist Chinese, and a whole host of others. What more needs to be said on the matter?

So what occurred to shake me from my relatively unhappy, willfully uninformed stupor? Darrell Ankarlo, a morning talk-show host for KLIF, played a snippet of Bill O’Reilly’s interview with Mel Gibson. Apparently, Mr. Gibson is currently making a movie about the life of Jesus Christ, a dry, reverent, brutal, yet accurate depiction of scripture. According to Mr. Gibson, bloodhounds in Hollywood, upset by the very politically incorrect nature of the material, have delved into his past, dug through his trash, and pestered his elderly father, looking for anything inflammatory to discredit him and the project.

This type of skullduggery is obscenely hypocritical. False stalwarts of free speech excoriated the Catholic Church when it objected to "The Last Temptation of Christ." The Church objected to the depiction of Christ as a confused and shiftless soul and was extremely offended by the sex scene with Mary. So what that their Lord and Savior was having a little dirt thrown on His face? The Media Elite painted the Catholic Church as an intolerant, archaic monster that couldn’t withstand any scrutiny and the movie quickly went to video.

But for all the hue and cry against the film, the Catholic Church did not launch a full-scale assault on Willem Dafoe or his family. And now that a version of Scripture is being made the Church might actually approve of, it must be cut down before the first curtain rises. If the Church approves and the Media Elite doesn’t, I know it’s going to be worth watching.

Having come to this conclusion, I realized that I wasn’t so apathetic, after all. I had made a decision, several years ago, to reject those actors who used their fame to spout anti-American, anti-Conservative propaganda. While I supported their right to voice their opinions, I didn’t have to support them with my money. After visiting several popular conservative information and chat sites, I realized I wasn’t alone. Others had come to the same conclusion and kept running lists of who would benefit from their hard-earned dollars, their trips to the movies now an annual event, if that.

The same could be said for television. When too many shows started spewing stories that read like a liberal’s fantasy, I switched channels, never to return. I couldn’t tell you what’s on CBS, NBC, or ABC anymore and, quite frankly, I don’t care. I discovered there are a great many people who also arrived at the same conclusion. If it’s not on FOX Cable, the History Channel, or a scarce few others, it doesn’t matter.

The same could also be said for music. Despite my head-banging, boot stomping, slam-dancing youth, I refused to waste my money on music pumped out by illiterate, smarmy snots who can’t play more than three cords yet chant about forgiving third world debt. Again, I was not alone.

The same could be said for advertisers. After Rosie O’Donnell shot her mouth off, announcing to the world that I, as a gun-owner, deserved to die, but her children were allowed to be protected by an armed guard, I walked away from K-Mart and never looked back. A pity, really, considering I usually spent several hundred dollars annually on holiday decorations and inexpensive, comfy clothes. If you ask any involved gun owner, and they will probably tell you the same thing.

Last, but certainly not least, was reading material. I tossed out of our house, and out of our lives, any magazines, newspapers, or periodicals promoting an agenda contrary to my Christian beliefs and Conservative positions. Pro-abortion, anti-gun, cheap sex, you name it…out it went, to the trash heap where it belonged. I doubt that I am alone in this regard.

Is there a Vast Right Wing Conspiracy? Yes, in a fashion. Quietly, but with increasing frequency, Conservatives are making the conscious choice to no longer fund the opposition. Ticket prices are up, but ticket sales are down. The Big Three are facing steady viewing declines, while cable is on the rise. Conservative talk-radio is bursting in every city, while music stations are resorting to disgusting pranks to keep listeners. Rosie O is on her way out of the popular culture and K-Mart just announced that it’s closing another 300 stores. Most newspapers are so desperate for readers, they’ll give you the paper free for six weeks, just to keep the printing presses busy.

Mel Gibson has never announced his political leanings, never threw a public hissy fit like Babs, or Alec, or Julia, or Ben, never done anything more than try to live his life according to the will of his Savior. So go ahead, vilify Mel Gibson for being an honest, decent man, who decided to make a movie about Jesus that he reportedly felt compelled to do. It could be the biggest stink bomb in history, panned by every reviewer on the map, and it will still do well. In my immediate family, there are at least 10 people who openly avoid the theaters – but they are anxious to see it.

If the Vast Right Wing mobilizes, it will be a box-office buster.

© 2003 Linda Prussen-Razzano


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: foxnews; melgibson
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To: Varda
I totally agree with the posts on this thread - I don't go to movies with actors I know have spouted off against Bush, I stopped watching the big 3 networks years ago and LOVE fox news (47 is the first number I punch when my TV turns on)...I have only marched once in my life and that was with my church in So. Calif when Universal was trying to launch the Last Temptation of Christ! I am so glad Mel Gibson has decided to portray THE PASSION with accuracy and will pray for it to become and EPIC film!
61 posted on 01/17/2003 10:11:47 AM PST by princess leah
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To: maica
Brilliant! I hope that Linda P-R is a freeper!
62 posted on 01/17/2003 10:15:12 AM PST by Travis McGee (Go out and Buy Lots Of Ammo Today!)
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To: Marauder
"What you are thunders so loudly above you that I cannot hear what you say to the contrary."

This is a cool quote, how certain are you that it is Emerson?

63 posted on 01/17/2003 10:22:37 AM PST by KMJames
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To: princess leah
I'm remembering Mel in my prayers, too.
Bump for Mel!
64 posted on 01/17/2003 10:26:21 AM PST by Varda
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To: ZULU
thanks for the history lesson
65 posted on 01/17/2003 10:35:08 AM PST by jpsb
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To: montag813
Mel Gibson will probably never be recognized by Hollywood again. "Braveheart" flew in under the radar, but now that he has been 'outed' as a true patriot and devout Catholic he will be villified while mini-talents such as Penn and the Baldwins are lionized. Where's the Oscar buzz for "Signs" or "We Were Soldiers"? If there is any its totally drowned out by the hosannahs for morally indifferent, Secular Humanist nightmares like "Hours" and "Far From Heaven". I hope Mr. Gibson is heavilly backed where it counts most in Hollywood -- at the box office.
66 posted on 01/17/2003 10:38:53 AM PST by Dionysius
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To: Clintons-B-Gone
Bump to the top
67 posted on 01/17/2003 10:40:50 AM PST by CyberCowboy777 (Extremism in the Pursuit of Liberty is no Vice!)
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To: Clintons-B-Gone
Great post, CBG. Add Lands' End ("the largest retail internet clothing provider") to the banned list. They chose Rob Reiner as their "Secret Santa" because of Mr. Reiner's "it takes a village to raise a child" ideals.

Lands' End was not interested in our complaints.

They are now owned by Sears, sigh.

God bless America.


68 posted on 01/17/2003 10:43:00 AM PST by Ragtime Cowgirl (Happy birthday, Kathy in Alaska! (surprise party in the Canteen tonight...shhhhh!))
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To: AndrewC
It was NOT a gentle time.

Flogging in itself is pretty cruel and vicious, but was practised in the British Navy into the 1800's. It is not necessarily fatal, but was frequently so if the victim was not a strong man (Daniel Morgan, a famous frontiersman and Revolutionary War General was given 500 lashes on his bare back for slugging a British Officer and survived - but he was strong as an ox and quite tall.) However, if I had to take a choice between being beaten or crucified, I'd pick the former.

A Roman soldier who fell asleep on guard duty was punished by being beaten to death by his legionary comrads. A legion which disgraced its standards was decimated, i.e. every tenth soldier flogged and then beheaded. A Roman General who was defeated frequently fell on his sword to commit suicide. It was a cruel time and people were hardened to cruelty in a way it is hard for modern minds to conceive.
69 posted on 01/17/2003 10:47:52 AM PST by ZULU
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To: Clintons-B-Gone
"Aim small miss small!" Mess with Mel's family and the Holy Ghost may silence your liberal evil tounge.
70 posted on 01/17/2003 10:51:53 AM PST by Mat_Helm
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To: Marauder
Great Emerson quote. I'm keeping it.
71 posted on 01/17/2003 10:57:35 AM PST by My back yard
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To: jpsb
I don't know if your comment was meant to be tongue in cheek, but it is important to understand the real nature of the political situation in Judea at the time to know what was going on there.

As we can see from current event, turmoil in the region has always been a problem for both residents and dominant powers.

If you are really interested, get a book which came out many years ago called "The Day Christ Died". The author goes into the politics of the time and place very well.

I believe Pilate ended his days on a tour of duty somewhere in Vienna, sort of the Viet Nam or Siberia of the Roman World at the time, but I'm sure he didn't miss Judea.
72 posted on 01/17/2003 11:00:32 AM PST by ZULU
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To: ZULU
As a history buff myself, I enjoyed your post and totally agreed with it.
73 posted on 01/17/2003 11:04:49 AM PST by jpsb
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To: jpsb
Thank you.
74 posted on 01/17/2003 11:06:47 AM PST by ZULU
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To: Clintons-B-Gone; .30Carbine
Go Mel! If the left has a problem with it then that is probaby reason enough to lay our money down to see it even if it isn't 100% accurate.
75 posted on 01/17/2003 11:08:58 AM PST by TigersEye (Not one scazzottata - but a pestaggio to blood.)
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To: Varda
Well, perhaps we'll have to give it another shot. One's frame of mind when seeing a movie has a lot to do with one's impressions at the time.
76 posted on 01/17/2003 11:30:12 AM PST by brewcrew
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To: Clintons-B-Gone
When his movie hits theaters i'll be going to see it.
77 posted on 01/17/2003 11:34:57 AM PST by flynhghr (Do not read this tag!)
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To: KMJames
"What you are thunders so loudly above you that I cannot hear what you say to the contrary." This is a cool quote, how certain are you that it is Emerson?

It's misquoted Emerson. Here's the actual quote:

Don't say things. What you are stands over you the while, and thunders so that I cannot hear what you say to the contrary.

78 posted on 01/17/2003 11:40:24 AM PST by T Minus Four
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To: Clintons-B-Gone
It's interesting to read about other people who have taken the same types of actions like I have.That is what I thought half-way through the article.I haven't seen it this concise in print like this before. There are many more examples but I'm just going to BUMP this Thread.
79 posted on 01/17/2003 11:54:18 AM PST by Pagey (Hillary Rotten is a Smug , Holier-Than-Thou Socialist)
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To: T Minus Four
Thanks for the actual quote - I kinda' like the revised version better, though.

Perhaps I can use the revised quote as my own ; )

80 posted on 01/17/2003 11:57:53 AM PST by KMJames
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