May 07, 2006
United 93
Just came home a little while ago from the theater. Beloved esposa and I went to see United 93 and I walked out with a lump in my throat, tears in my eyes and a renewed resolve that these heroes will never be forgotten. The movie opened with the islamo-fascists praying to Allah for success. Success in killing innocents which is about a big a perversion of faith as I can think of. No better perhaps than all of the other religious wars mankind has fostered, but harrowing none-the-less because these were our people, our times.
I remember being in Berlin, Germany on 9/11 and as we boarded the train to return to Warnemünde, we first heard about the attacks on the World Trade Center. When we were able to board ship again, we stood transfixed by the carnage we saw and first heard of the crash of United 93.
I cannot express the fullness of the feelings I felt watching this movie, I cannot express my deep seated anger and hostility to the islamo-fascists. I cannot!
Go see this movie, what ever you do. It is not a typical movie drama, there is little character development, only a window onto heroism, and, yes, cowardice of the foes of freedom. We need more movies like this, lest we forget. Perhaps the LA Times (of all papers) says it best in an Op-Ed piece entitled Draft Hollywood. A quote:
Such self-examination and reform are part of the measure of our greatness. But there's a difference between a humble nation confessing its sins and a country of flagellants whipping themselves for every impure thought. Since the '60s, we have had, it seems, an endless string of war movies, from "Dr. Strangelove" to "Syriana," in which the United States is depicted as wildly aggressive and endlessly corrupt — which, in fact, it's not; which, in fact, it never has been.Again, see this movie, it is time well spent. As the LAT noted, it is indeed time for Faith and for Ferocity. Posted by GM Roper at May 7, 2006 03:39 PM | TrackBackIn taking our self-examining ethos to these extremes, we have lost a kind of wisdom, wisdom that acknowledges the complexity of human life but can move through it to find the simple truth again. While assessing the intricate failings of our moral history, many of us have lost sight of the simple truth that the system that shapes us is, in fact, a great one, that it has moved us inexorably to do better and that it's well worth defending against every aggressor and certainly against as shabby and vicious an aggressor as we face today.
Not only have we lost this kind of wisdom, but I think that a handful of elites — really only a handful of academics, journalists and artists — has raised up a golden counterfeit in its stead. With this counterfeit wisdom, they imagine themselves above the need for patriotism; they fantasize they grasp a truth beyond good and evil, and they preen themselves on a higher calling than the protection of our way of life. And all the while they forget that they imagine and fantasize and preen only by the grace of those who fight and die and stand guard to secure those freedoms that our system alone guarantees.
When war comes, as it always will, and when it is justified, as it is now, some nuances and shades of gray have to be set aside. It is time, instead, for faith and for ferocity. Our enemies have these weapons, after all. Our movies should inspire us to have them too."
I see that the new owners of the LA Times may be having some effect on the paper's liberal bias--only to increase profits, of course.
I've been thinking about seeing United 93, but I worry that it will bother me too much. I don't want to see anything that will depress or upset me, while I acknowledge that it might have positive effects. I'm still thinking about it.
Posted by Woody at May 7, 2006 04:04 PM
That is surprising, coming from the LAT. The market can work wonders on leftspeak.
While the movie is sad, and makes you angry too, it is also invigorating. The courage and resolve of the passengers, those Heroes, is infectious, and leaves me in awe!
Their brave acts are the highest form of love that we humans are capable of. To lay their lives down so that other would live.
To knowingly take that risk.
Patriotism, courage, and love!
Posted by Ben USN (Ret) at May 7, 2006 06:27 PM
When people aspire to a "higher patriotism," it soon becomes no patriotism at all.
Posted by Assistant Village Idiot at May 7, 2006 06:31 PM
GM,
Great minds. My wife and I went to see "United 93" today also. I had read more reviews of the movie than any other I ever seen. It, for me, was all you said.
Since it was first advertized, I felt that it was a moral obligation to see the movie. Rather, in a way, like seeing "Shindler's List".
Woody, The only worry I had was that someone would make an offensive comment or not show respect for what the film shows. Go, get mad. We need more rage.
Everyone: Go see it. We, in the end, are all warriors....or not. Our national will will determine victory or defeat. We cannot be mentally or physically weak. There are things worth defending. Our Constitution and our great country...despite all its' flaws...is light years better than nearly every other country I've ever seen. Go see the movie. It is only a movie and you'll get to walk out at the end. The passenger on United 93 did not...nor the passengers in the other planes...nor the people in the World Trade Center buildings...nor the people in the Pentagon...nor the USS Cole...nor the Embassies in two African nations...nor the Air Force personnel in the Khobar Towers....nor.............see TERRORISM has being going on for some time. We failed to stop it then.
We must stop it now. Do not let the politicians crawl away from Iraq or Afghanistan. Too many good folks have given their lives for us to Cut and Run.
Go see the movie.
Our nation seems to have slowly drifted away from the fact that we at war. Have YOU forgotten? Do the right thing. Remind yourself. The victims deserve our attention and our courage so they will not have died in vain.
Go see the movie.
Posted by tad at May 7, 2006 09:53 PM
GM... nice find
I am surprised that the LAT has something that, well, non-America-hating. What ever led you to even bother looking at their opinion pages to find such a gem?
Perhaps, just perhaps, the LAT will drop out of the MSM hate-our-culture echo chamber.
What an amazing thing that will be.
And, I intend to see the movie. We do in fact need more of them.
Don't expect much from Hollywood. As greedy as the bastards are, they are still obsessed with teaching us their own sick views.
Posted by John Moore at May 7, 2006 10:23 PM
We need more movies like United 93! I went to see this film at the first showing on the first day of its release and also experienced an overwhelming reaction to what I saw on the screen. In fact, I'm still overwhelmed and have been unable to write a posting. What does that tell you? I did, however, link to another blogger's review, and that review is worth reading. The link to that other blogger's review is here; I left extensive comment at my site, and so did some others--worth reading.
IMO, this movie isn't about profits. It's a statement on the power of patriotism.
Posted by Always On Watch at May 8, 2006 05:17 AM
My first reaction was the same as everyone else's. How did the LAT let that one slip into its pages? But then, Andrew Klavan is not of the genre of advocate journalists that infect our standard media outlets. And i wasn't aware they were under new ownership.
I'll go see the movie, for sure, but I'm a little apprehensive because I'm such a crybaby. The Passion of the Christ messed me up for weeks. This is sure to have the same effect on me.
My kids wanted to know what I want to do for mother's day. I think I'll tell them to take me to the movies.
Posted by Oyster at May 8, 2006 05:23 AM
This is a fantastic movie and a fitting tribute to the people who died on September 11th 2001. It is in no way political exactly as it should be.
My wife was very reluctant to see the movie. I drug her down to the theatre last Saturday. After we had composed ourselves and walked back to our car she said she was glad I insisted.
I hope you have already been to see it by the time I write this Woody. If you haven't then please do and take a friend. They will thank you when its over.
Posted by The Ugly American at May 8, 2006 03:23 PM
Thanks, Ugly. Part of me wants to see it because you and G.M. recommend it, but another part of me doesn't because I still worry that it would upset me. I'm on the fence, but at least I'm considering it whereas I wasn't before.
The images of the live bodies falling from the WTC still haunt me. Sometimes I think that I am better off mentally by just understanding something from a historical perspective versus feeling it personally.
The sight of the victims from German concentration camps is another one of those things that I hate to see on the History Channel. If I had to actually witness beheadings, tortures, and mangled bodies from bombings, I would be a basket case. (I don't know how crime scene investigators do it.)
Anyway, I'm still thinking about it.
Posted by Woody at May 8, 2006 06:36 PM
Seen the movie GM..could hardly sit thru it..sigh
Posted by Angel at May 8, 2006 06:43 PM
There are a few scenes that will take you back and make you feel exactly they way you did that day. At least it did for me.
More than anything though I thought the film was a tribute to the passengers, the crew, and all of the FAA employees, and military personel who stayed at their posts and did their jobs despite the tremendous shock and horror of the day.
At the end of the film the theatre was dead silent. Then someone started clapping, then a few more and as quickly as they started they all stopped seeming to realize at once that applause was not appropriate.
There were lots of knowing nods and kinship as we left the theatre. Right then there were no Democrats or Republicans in the room just Americans.
You will cry but not for the reasons you might think. You will have tears of sadness for the victims but for me they were mostly tears of pride for my fellow Americans. It will make you want to be like them, to react as they did, to answer the call when the bell tolls for you.
Posted by The Ugly American at May 8, 2006 09:45 PM
