Human Genocide and You

I chanced upon the new Russell Crowe film this past week. To its credit, it wasn’t completely “horrible.” Not only has it managed to inspire quite a bit of international controversy, but it also inspired a rather productive and incisive show this Sunday.

The main topic it led to the discussion of, is the bone of contention that has led to the “controversy” … what is a film maker’s obligation to historical truth, especially if it touches close to an area of history where genocide occurred?

I had kidded the week before (for dramatic comedy’s sake), that with the recent turn of events in Greece, we better to keep an eye out for some ridiculous omens. So, did find it disturbing to see these said omens had already begun appearing.

I could say more in regards to the cheapening of the term [genocide] by wankers with overstimulated imaginations and understimulated libidos crying about illusionary injustice. The once accidental, and now intentional juxtaposition of below images, says a hell of a lot more than any amount of cold logic could ever.

During the show, I tried, and I believe succeeded, in defining GENOCIDE in an objective manner, one free from political correctness, emotional reaction, and personal bias. But, it was a challenge to keep a straight face while considering the team belonging to the thought stream’s inspirator. Are you fucking kidding me?

The Armenian Genocide, and the brutal methodology employed in every calculated step from inception to execution, is one of the most horrific tragedies (arguably, the most), in the entirety of human history. For those unfamiliar with the details, the podcast contains a detailed college-level lecture on the sequence of events.

In fairness, Crowe’s film wasn’t as ridiculous as most in its genre. It was nowhere near as wildly manipulative and historically erratic as the cheesy emotional trigger laden schlockfest known as Shaving Ryan’s Privates. Though far from the absurdity of the flight of homoerotic [Hellene shaming] fancy 300, the [requisite] inclusion of the fatherless little boy meme was a lingering and nagging concern for me.

Speaking of absurd, the above may seem extreme, but you wouldn’t have to to search long to find worse. Extreme propaganda, and its resultant polarized victims on either side, gravitate to major historical figures like, well, flies to shit. It’s the rare intellect (Nikos Kazantzakis being a prime example), who can remain free of emotion, look in the mirror before pointing at others, and thus contemplate and see through the human condition, and not end up “smelling like roses.”

On the other hand, we have the stooges below. For those with [real] eyes to see, the symbols reveal all. Honoring the memory of those butchers is inexcusable.

Had I a bit more prep time, I would have devoted a few more words to what may well supplant the Armenian episode as the worst “genocide” to which humanity can lay claim: King Leopold and the Belgian Crimes in the Congo. Perhaps another time?

Unlike anything else you may hear in the media victim-net, this show asked the tough questions, those an adolescent mind won’t allow one to ever contemplate. Before we point a finger at, or dare judge, a perceived or imagined oppressor, we better take a long hard look in the mirror first (with our eyes, and heart, open).

For the record, and speaking to the controversy, the Tasmanian Genocide took place much closer to home for the owner of “The Rabbit Oh’s.” Did I wax on too long in defense of film makers and their obligation to the nebulous truth? Did I read too much into the fatherless young boy angle of The Water Diviner? Take a good close look at the below image. A history of listening to this show and a detailed memory of Don’t Go West in it’s entirety should not need be prerequisite.

The above showed up with uncanny regularity while looking further into Crowe’s film. Perhaps, its because some people really really like the image, because it’s so, uh endearing? Ugh! Sometimes I hate being right.

 

 

Note: The mentioned show of the prior week where I discuss the events in Greece, and kidded about anti-Hellenic propaganda is not yet available. When it is released, I will try to remember to backlink it here.

~ by celticrebel on March 3, 2015.