Hotel Rwanda

I watched Hotel Rwanda a few weeks ago during a weekend hiatus doing chores.  Oh, one must be excited about spending all of one's free time doing chores.  But I digress…

While visiting David Corn's site today, I found his analysis of the movie.  Although I'd added Hotel Rwanda to my list of things to blog about, it was one of "those things" that I'd eventually get to — just not today.  David's article pushed me to finally do something.

I won't delve into the level of detail David does.  I will, however, say that watching this movie certainly gives one pause to consider, under the Clinton administration or otherwise, how much and often "the West" turns its back on the world at large unless there is something significant to deem otherwise.  In the case of Rwanda, we idly sat by and watched thousands die at the hands of genocidal murderers who wanted nothing more than to destroy all remaining vestiges of their prior occupation by European colonizers.

Would we have acted had they been large oil producers?  Would we have acted had they been Jewish?  Would we have acted had they been white?

Although relevant, none of those questions need be answer to understand the horrific travesty which took place in Rwanda and which is presented in the movie.

Rather than bore you with my own analysis of the movie and underlying story, I'll simply recommend that you see it.  I don't care what kind of movies you prefer or what interest you have in films based on real events — you simply must see Hotel Rwanda.  It's beautifully understated and eschews sentiment rather than raw emotion, essentially letting the facts of the story tell the story itself.  I assure you that's sufficient.

You don't need to know the facts of the incident.  That being said, I wouldn't want to stop your cultivation of knowledge of these events.  Regardless, whether you see this film fully understanding the context or not, you must see it.  You must see it to understand the moral compass America — and, to a lesser degree, the West in general — continues to operate under.

We see your agony.  We see your pain.  We see the horrible events which befall you.  But, unless you have something to offer, we won't do a damn thing about it.

Sad.  So very sad.

Need I remind you how much I hate people?

I think I wet myself

Then again, perhaps I only spotted.

Well now…  They're all a bit waggish, eh?

I'm sorry?  Did you say you don't know what I'm referring to?

Bah!

Doesn't anyone blindly follow the blog links I have posted on this site?  Why doesn't anyone arbitrarily visit the seemingly random web links posted on every single blog on the intarweb in the überverse?

Regardless of your answers to those inquiries, I still mock you for not knowing that of which I speak of.

For you "slow" people among us, what I'm talking about is this thread and it's comments over at The Poor Man.  Don't just welter in the puerile humor of the post; read the damned comments, too.

Why, if you don't childishly wet yourself as I did…  Um, hold on.  Wait — forget I said that.

What I meant was that you will chortle indubitably.  That is unless you think I've gone completely mad, of course, in which case you will likely point and laugh, much as I do every day at innocent plebeians.  But that's another story…

Oh, and check out those pants and shoes in the ABBA picture.  And I was concerned mine had gone out of style.

Betty does it again

Once again I must thank Betty Bowers for being America's Best Christian and telling it like it is.  I happily gorged myself on her latest newsletter and hurled headway into laughing uproariously.  Betty truly does express in words what so many of us feel, and I appreciate that level of honesty from a conservative who so rapturously enforces the conservative Christian ethic — hate everyone equally, especially if they're different from you; practice religion your own way because the bible is for wimps; Dubya is satan's… er… uh… god's gift to the planet; you can never vacation enough, especially when world affairs are at risk; Pat Robertson is indeed a spiritual leader, but those he designates for divine elimination should be more carefully selected; and Focus on the Family is the world’s bestest converter of gays to the heterosexual way, most likely because they know (never having been gay and having not a single clue what that must be like) that gays choose to be that way, that every gay is a straight person looking for help, and that you can never parade around enough "converted" queers to satisfy everyone.

Katrina’s a spunky gal

Watching hurricane Katrina dance briefly over Florida before heading into the Gulf on her way to Louisiana and Mississippi, I was amazed at how the storm dropped to tropical storm strength before rapidly climbing back to a category 5 hurricane, only to fall back to a category 4 storm before making landfall.  With friends in New Orleans, I've watched the storm's progress with great interest.  Given the city is well below sea level (by six feet, give or take), flooding, which is already taking place, is the biggest concern, seconded by the normal damage hurricanes cause.

Having already made landfall in Florida and Louisiana, Katrina's third landfall later this afternoon will be in Mississippi.  Both states are likely to suffer the storm's wrath in many ways.  One of my friends in New Orleans said they were already without power around 5:00 AM CDT this morning.  Knowing how that usually goes down there, I'm betting they'll be without power for 7-10 days at least, but I certainly hope I'm wrong.

Pat Robertson version 3

Oh, Pat Robertson, leader of the Christless Cult and many blinded followers who have not a single clue…  How shall I denigrate thee?  Wait!  You've provided all the ammunition one might ever need for such an endeavor.

I considered whether I should even grace Pat Robertson with yet another STFU entry.  You may remember that he has received my wrath twice before, both times pointing out his flawed and laughable attempts to be a spiritual leader while demonstrating the most reprehensible sins imaginable.  It is therefore with a smile on my face that I am again offered an opportunity to point out his latest wicked transgressions.

Driven solely by his selfish financial aspirations and dubious morality, I originally pointed out some of Pat's questionable activities and the public attacks he was levying against others — despite the suddenly apparent skeletal remains attempting to vacate his overcrowded closet.  But, alas, it didn't stop there.  I was forced once again to mention a few new and interesting Robertson moments, including his public denunciation of America and blatant wish for the destruction of the US State Department (via a nuclear device, mind you).

It was, as you can imagine, with some level of both bemusement and amusement that I heard about the militant bible-banger's recent statement asking for the assassination of Hugo Chavez, Venezuela's president.  Yes, even I was forced to pause momentarily when I realized he was indeed calling for a state assassination.  It seems a rare event for a religious leader to call for the death of anyone, yet Robertson has done it on many occasions (see my previous posts).

Lest we forget, poppets, we generally call this kind of religious fanaticism by its true name: terrorism.  Why is it then, when Pat Robertson incites hate and terrorism, that we do not act in accordance with the precedent set by the current administration?  That is, why is he not already on his way to Guantánamo Bay to spend some time in the Cuban sun?  Is that not where we send terrorists?  Do not attempt to fool yourself on this issue.  If this statement had been made by an Islamic leader, America would have invaded another country by now to put down the terrorist threat.

The reason, sadly, is that Robertson commands a personal audience with Bush.  As horrific as that may seem, it would appear that Pernicious Pat is indeed "on the in" with the Dubya régime.  Despite prosecuting others who have incited hate and promoted terrorism, we certainly won't touch Pat for doing such a thing.

Alas, it is not just Bush and his closest cronies who worship the ground Robertson spits on.  The entire Republican party appears to long for the smell of blood that Pat brings to the table.  The consummate hunter of those who are different, he leads the new Church Party in their quest for vengeance and wrath — all in the name of their lord.

The twinkle in my eye is a result of the nearly hysterical tap dancing Brother Hate has demonstrated since he first made his comments about Chavez.  Just two days after speaking out in support of terrorism and attempting to draw forth a state assassination, Pat blatantly lied by claiming he had never made such a remark.  He insisted that what he said was "misinterpreted."  Of course they were (said with a knowing wink and nod).  And yet, only a few hours later, he reversed his position in a press release, claiming instead that his comments were nothing more than vented frustration.  And this is the kind of religious leader America looks up to?  One who lies so easily when the contradicting facts are quite clear and a part of public record?

Perhaps, in his world, inciting hate and violence and publicly promoting terrorism are all admirable activities to be encouraged in anyone dipping their toes in unholy water.  Perhaps…  Perhaps instead it is a case of "do as I say and not as I do"…  Again, perhaps…

I realize, since he believes people like me are to blame for all of the world's woes, that my words will carry very little weight in the Robertson School of Hate and Terrorism.  Despite this, I offer these words in the hopes that at least one other person on the planet will see him for the hate-mongering, bigoted, hypocritical heathen that he is.  Pat himself will be unable to see through the fog of his own hate, bigotry, hypocrisy, and evil-tainted soul, but I'm still forced to say it.

Pat Robertson — shut the fuck up!