Hollywood Hates on Mormons

       

September Dawn: Because the only thing eviler than Mormons are Mormons with creepy facial hair…

Those brave Hollywood truthtellers have decided to finally take on September 11 and terrorism.  Except in this one, the Muslim extremists aren’t the bad guys…the Mormons are.  Yep, according to the Hollywood elite, it’s Mormons we should fear, not jihadists.  The movie September Dawn focuses on an event that occurred in 1857, when a rogue band of Mormons attacked a wagon train of passers-by from Arkansas.  From the looks of the trailer, you’d think this was some recently uncovered Mormon conspiracy, hidden for 150 years.  In reality, the event has been discussed and analyzed ad nausem by scholars (Mormon and non-Mormon).  The movie also plays fast and loose with historical facts, reviving an old conspiracy theory that Mormon leader Brigham Young was the architect of the attack – despite substantial evidence to the contrary.   

From Slant Magazine’s early review of the film:

Christopher Cain’s portrait of the Utah region’s Mormons as insane-in-the-membrane zealots, as well as its depiction of their successful plot to kill (with the help of local Native Americans) 120 immigrants passing through to California, is reportedly based on the official 27-page confession of convicted Mormon John D. Lee. Yet the clunky, heavily skewed means by which this tale is presented is nothing short of egregious, with its Mormon characters demonized with such laughable gusto, and its Christian victims cast in such a holy, noble light, that the project quickly feels less like an attempt at historical truth-telling than like shameless anti-Mormon propaganda.

Ans from the astute Michael Medved:

To try to claim contemporary relevance for September Dawn, its director, Christopher Cain, and its veteran star, Jon Voight, both tell interviewers that the project recounts a pertinent story of “religious fanaticism” — emphasizing the eerie coincidence of the massacre’s date (Sept. 11) and showing martyred “prophet” Joseph Smith (portrayed as an arrogant, preening dandy shortly before his death at age 39 at the hands of a lynch mob), declaring himself a “New Mohammet” and threatening holy war against his enemies.

The film’s deliberately drawn analogy between Mountain Meadows and 9/11 raises the most puzzling question about this peculiar project: Why frame an indictment of violent religiosity by focusing on long-ago Mormon leaders rather than contemporary Muslims who perpetrate unspeakable brutalities every day?

In fact, Hollywood’s reluctance to portray Islamo-Nazi killers remains difficult, if not impossible, to explain. Since 2001’s devastating attacks, big studios have released numerous movies with terrorists as part of the plot, including Sum of All Fears, Red Eye, Live Free or Die Hard, The Bourne Ultimatum and many more, but virtually all of them show terrorists as Europeans or Americans with no Islamic connections. Even historically based thrillers downplay Muslim terrorism: Steven Spielberg’s Munich spends more than 80% of its running time showing Israelis as killers and Palestinians as victims, while Oliver Stone’s World Trade Center highlights the aftermath of the attacks with no depiction of those who perpetrated them. United 93 stands out among recent releases in showing Islamic killers in acts of terror — and it would be hard to tell that story without portraying the suicidal hijackers.

Beyond topicality, Tinseltown’s respect for Muslim sensibilities has proved so pervasive that there has been little or no reference to bloody episodes of the Islamic past. In Kingdom of Heaven, Muslim followers of Saladdin appear far more sympathetic than the thuggish, devious Christian Crusaders. Despite the fact that founders of Islam built their religion through centuries of conquest vastly more bloody than incidents at the beginnings of Mormonism, it’s unthinkable that filmmakers would ever depict Mohammed and his followers as viciously as they handle Brigham Young in September Dawn.

Chilling effect

In part, preference for Mormons over Muslims as targets of cinematic scorn stems from reasonable concerns for personal safety. Islamic communities have proved more than a mite touchy over media depictions of their faith: Consider the deadly worldwide riots over a dozen Danish cartoons, or the taking of more than 100 American hostages and bans in Muslim countries inspired by the respectful 1977 film Mohammad, Messenger of God (directed by a Syrian and financed in part by the Libyan government).

Mormons won’t respond with any comparable rage, no matter how badly September Dawn tarnishes the memory of their faith’s founders. In fact, the LDS Church has adopted an official policy of “no comment” regarding the film, and there have been no examples of young Mormons strapping dynamite to their bodies and blowing themselves up to protest perceived insults to their religion. They have cheerfully endured another recent film assault (Jane Fonda’s Georgia Rule) that showed Mormons as stupid, petty, sexually repressed losers, and an edgy episode of TV’s South Park showing the story of Joseph Smith with a background chorus describing it as “dumb-dumb-dumb.”

So, why all the hate for Mormons all the sudden?  I mean, if you’re going to pick a religion to castigate, it doesn’t make much sense to chose a religion as benign as Mormonism.  Have Mormons ever flown planes into our buildings?  Have they ever bombed a US embassy?  When Muslim extremists commit atrocities, we’re lectured by Hollywood types on acceptance and tolerance.  Islam is the “religion of peace” after all.  But when it comes to Mormons – oh, they’re the real enemy.

Perhaps this has something to do with the Mitt Romney candidacy.  With this movie, Hollywood gets a 2 for 1 smear – Mitt and those kooky Mormons.  Just a theory.  Regardless, one has to wonder whether the geniuses behind this film have ever so much as met a real-life Mormon.  Do these people really think this is what Mormonism is all about?  If so, they’re a bunch of clueless idiots.     

Anyone who studies their history knows Mormons were ruthlessly persecuted in the 1800’s.  Hunted ruthlessly from state to state, the Mormons eventually fled to Utah to avoid annihilation.  The governor of Missouri issued an extermination order – legalizing the murder of Mormons in the state.  Joseph Smith, leader of the early Mormons, was assasinated by an angry mob.  So, after all of these injusitces, Hollywood chooses to focus on one act of deviance by a small band of renegade Mormons – an act that was immediately condemned by the Church itself. 

Romney Crushes the Competition in Ames

 

  “Where’s a comb!”

After scaring Rudy, McCain, and Fred Thompson out of the Ames Staw Poll, Mitt Romney coasted to victory on Saturday, securing 32% of the votes.

Results from the 2007 Ames Straw Poll as compared with the 1999 results.  Romney bested Bush’s total percentage win and margin over the #2 spot finisher.

Some good analysis from Hugh Hewitt:

Mitt Romney laid out a plan for winning the GOP nomination months ago, and it included, raising the most money, winning some or all of the debates, and winning the Ames straw poll as the key steps to setting up strong showings in Iowa and New Hampshire, which would at a minimum keep him in the race through the big February 2 showdown, and which might allow him to land a knock-out blow in South Carolina or Florida.

The plan is rolling out, just like previous Romney plans to turn-around scores of companies, stage a successful Olympics, win the Massachusetts governorship, or reform the health insurance system of the Bay State. Over and over again in Romney’s professional life you see the goal identified, then the analysis followed by the plan followed by implementation in a disciplined and ultimately successful fashion. When I wrote the book and focused on his career for a year, this pattern is ghard to miss: Get a good plan. Stick with it. One day at a time, one milestone after another.

The Democrats’ Gay Pander Fest

         

      “I feel your pain.”

The Democratic presidential candidates gathered yesterday for a “forum” to discuss issues concerning the gay community.  In preparation, the candidates spent hours watching Will & Grace reruns and listening to Celine Dion music.  In their opening remarks, the Democrats each competed for the mantle of “most downtrodden, oppressed minority”:

“I come to these issues … as a friend of a lot of members of the LGBT [lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender] community,” said New York Sen. Hillary Clinton.

Illinois Sen. Barack Obama said, “When you’re a black guy named Barack Obama, you know what it’s like to be on the outside.”

By the same token, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson noted, “I’m Hispanic. I felt the sting as a kid of being stereotyped.”

Former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards even reminded folks of his fight with conservative commentator Ann Coulter, who once referred to him using the word “faggot.”

I didn’t watch, so I’m not sure whether or not John Edwards appeared in a pink tu-tu.  I think this debate shows a stark difference between Republicans and Democrats.  The Republicans are fighting abouth who is the toughest on terrorism and immigration, while the Democrats are fighting over who can be the most “gay.” Hmmm…who do we give the nukes to?

       Not a scientist.

During the course of the gay debate (gaybate?), presidential hopeful Bill Richardson proceeded to open his mouth and insert his foot:

Etheridge asked Richardson, “Do you think homosexuality is a choice or is it biological?”

“It’s a choice,” Richardson said.

“I don’t know if you understand the question,” Etheridge said to laughter. “Do you think a homosexual is born that way, or do you think that around seventh grade we go, ‘Oh, I want to be gay’?”

“Well, I, I’m not a scientist,” Richardson said. His campaign later issued a statement declaring that he didn’t think homosexuality was a choice — the correct answer for that crowd.    

Oops.  How very un-PC, Bill.  Don’t you know that you aren’t allowed to believe that during this modern era of open-minded tolerance?  Prepared to be labeled a homophobic hate-monger for the rest of your life.     

Mrs. Practical Reasoning Featured on MSN.com

Contratulations to Mrs. Practical Reasoning, who was featured on the msn.com homepage this morning!  Go on satisfying that wild streak!

Scientist: Time Travel Will Be Possible One Day

      “It’s a time machine, we bought it online.”

Good news!  According to some scientist that I’ve never heard of, we may be able to have time machines some day.  From the Telegraph:

Prof Amos Ori has set out a theoretical model of a time machine which would allow people to travel back in time to explore the past.

	Prof Stephen Hawking refutes the possibility of time travel

The way the machine would work rests on Einstein’s theory of general relativity, a theory of gravity that shows how time can be warped by the gravitational pull of objects.

Bend time enough and you can create a loop and the possibility of temporal travel.

Prof Ori’s theory, set out in the prestigious science journal Physical Review, rests on a set of mathematical equations describing hypothetical conditions that, if established, could lead to the formation of a time machine, technically known as “closed time-like curves.”

In the blends of space and time, or spacetime, in his equations, time would be able to curve back on itself, so that a person travelling around the loop might be able to go further back in time with each lap.

Liberals Embrace Barry Bonds as “Immortal”

    Before and after…

Queen Liberal Nancy Pelosi was on hand last night as Barry Bonds further tarnished major league baseball’s reputation.  A fully ‘roided-up bonds finally broke Hank Aaron’s all-time home run record at 756 homers.  Pelosi, a fellow San Fransiscan, hailed Bonds as an immortal:

“Tonight, Barry Bonds etched his name into baseball’s history books and took his rightful place among sport’s immortals,” Pelosi said. “It was a great night for baseball and a great night for San Francisco — the crowd went wild.  It was particular exciting to see Willie Mays embrace him on the field and see Hank Aaron congragulate him on the Jumbotron.  As a season ticket holder, I am particularly glad it happened on the Giants’ Italian night.”

Say what you will about liberals like Pelosi, but they have the uncanny knack to always find themselves on the wrong side of an issue.  Contrast that with President Bush’s response to the record-breaking home run:

President George W. Bush didn’t watch and didn’t call, but the White House offered his congratulations for Barry Bonds’ record-breaking home run and also used the opportunity to condemn steroid use in sports.

Interesting dichotomy.  Liberals stand for drug use and cheating.  Conservatives stand for fair competition and soberness.      

The Cheesehead Socialist Experiment

       The State Seal?  

Man, the Packers have a couple of bad years, and Wisconsin turns to Socialism.  Healthy Wisconsin is a plan that is currently pending in the state senate that would socialize health care in the state – a measure that would make Michael Moore proud (along with Castro, Marx, Lenin, and Stalin).  John Stossel, clear-headed as always, covers the proposal.  This piece is worth a read.  It extols the virtues of both the free market and federalism.  Here’s some pretty big chunks:

The Wall Street Journal editorial-page editors are upset that Wisconsin’s state Senate passed “Healthy Wisconsin“, which will give health insurance to every person in the state. Of course, the Journal editors are right in saying that the plan is “openly hostile to market incentives that contain costs” and that the “Cheesehead nation could expect to attract health-care free-riders while losing productive workers who leave for less-taxing climes.”

In addition, as the Journal put it, “Wow, is ‘free’ health care expensive. The plan would cost an estimated $15.2 billion, or $3 billion more than the state currently collects in all income, sales and corporate income taxes.”

***

As usual, most of the new taxes will be imposed on employers. Progressives believe money taken from them doesn’t cost anything. Rich corporations will simply waste less on lavish perks and excess profits. But taxes on business are often paid by workers, stockholders and consumers. Businesses that can’t pass the taxes on to someone else will close or move out of state.

But progressives are oblivious to this fact. They see Wisconsin becoming a fairyland of health happiness supervised by the 16-person “authority” that will oversee the plan. Socialism will work this time because the “right” people will be in charge.

Does it never occur to the progressives that the legislature’s intrusion into private contracts is one reason health care and health insurance are expensive now? The average annual health-insurance premium for a family in Wisconsin is $4,462 partly because Wisconsin imposes 29 mandates on health insurers: Every policy must cover chiropractors, dentists, genetic testing, etc. Think chiropractors are quacks? Too bad. You still must pay them to treat people in your state.

Want to buy insurance from another state, like nearby Michigan, where an average policy costs less? Too bad. It’s against the law to buy across state lines. Your state’s Big Brother knows best.

***

As I interview people for my health-care TV special scheduled to run on ABC this September, I’m struck by how many hate the current semi-free-market system America has now. I say “semi” because it’s not a free market when about half the health-care bill is funded by government. But it’s still better than socialism. It allows for innovation like the creation of better drugs, pain-relieving joint replacements, artificial hearts, LASIK eye surgery, and who-knows-what-else that may reduce pain and extend my life.

Socialism will kill that, but people seem to like socialism, at least when it’s sold as free stuff from politicians. Wisconsin’s Capital Times reports that “two-thirds of Wisconsin residents support the Democratic plan — even when presented with opponents’ arguments that it would be a ‘job killer’ that could lead to higher taxes … Said Sen. Jon Erpenbach, D-Middleton, one of the plan’s sponsors, ‘Everything we have heard [against the plan], we put in the poll. And it still comes back at 67 percent approval.’”

That’s why America needs “Healthy Wisconsin.” The fall of the Soviet Union deprived us of the biggest example of how socialism works. We need laboratories of failure to demonstrate what socialism is like. All we have now is Cuba, Venezuela, North Korea, the U.S. Post Office, and state motor-vehicle departments.

There are two things that really get under my skin these days: government and health care.  Both systems are broken and expensive.  Now, how do we fix things?  We combine the two!  Seriously, if there is a way to fix health care, it is with less government, not more. 

Now, let’s be clear.  All three top contenders for the Democratic presidential ticket have promised similar versions of the Wisconsin plan – for the whole nation.  At least if Wisconsin (or any other deep blue state, for that matter) tries socialized medicine, the rest of the nation will have a clear case study of what not to do.  We’ll see, I guess. 

You know what…

Submitted by:  Fixepah 

This has been something that has irked me since I learned what a scholarship was, or is. Now, to preface, I am in nowise a racist or sexist. Anyone accusing me of these things can just put themselves in front of a speeding bus.

You may or may not know what I am about to complain about, but it is about how I, a middle-class white male feel it is unfair that the scholarships made available to me, are also available to others of different races, backgrounds, ethnicities, etc. Before you jump down my throat, again, remember the speeding bus, and think about this. There are countless scholarships for minority groups, ranging from African American to single moms. I do not have access to these scholarships to pay for my education. Obviously, I do not fit the main criteria, I am not in the minority in this country. However, these groups can all go for the same scholarships that I can, thereby creating more competition for those valued dollars. So not only do I have to compete with all the other white guys, but all those in minority groups.

How is that fair? I am sure I will hear people say, “You’re a white guy! Everything is easy for the white guys. They get paid the most, don’t have to deal with racism, sexism, have the best jobs, etc. You have no right to complain!” Now I am not going to claim that I have done a ton of research on the numbers. I am relying on common logic, or what it seems to me. If I am in the majority, then wouldn’t it seem logical that those people who make the most money or have the best jobs would be from the majority group? But wouldn’t it also mean that there are more people in that majority group who are struggling than those in minority groups? Makes sense to me.

One of my goals in life is to be successful enough to create a scholarship for the average, white male. It reminds me of the Seinfeld episode where George is put in charge of selecting a winner of the Susan Ross scholarship. He chose an ordinary guy with mediocre qualifications. Why the hell not, right?

Man, I would love to do that.

Rudy Goes to Wal-Mart

In case you ever wondered what it would be like to see Rudy Giuliani at your local Wal-Mart.  Find out what kind of granola bars he likes and his take on A-Rod and Barry Bonds. 

Campaign 2008: What Really Matters – MySpace!

Forget the issues, debates, and records.  We all know how our next president will be chosen…MySpace.  Joel Stein of Time ranks the candidates MySpace pages.  Who wins?  Mitt Romney, of course. 

          

This is the only guy who I wouldn’t be embarrassed to keep as a friend. His photo has him looking off-camera in an Olympic parka having just done some kind of outdoorsy activity that we might do together one day. His site blasts the ultra-cool remix of Elvis’ “A Little Less Conversation,” which told me so much. Namely, that Romney, like myself, is not a man who enjoys foreplay. And he spent some real time on the interests section. I know the bands he likes (all cool except the Kingston Trio), his favorite books (Thomas Friedman! Huck Finn! Theodore Rex! No mention of Battleship Earth!). One of the groups he’s involved in is “National Campaign for Turn Signal Enforcement.” I hate when people don’t signal! And his son Matt blogs, displaying pics of the old man’s old car — the Gray Grunt. More Mitt!