Dec
11
How Dare Us!
December 11, 2007 |
I didn’t want to weigh in on the controversy surrounding Golden Compass. I figured the subject was being beaten to death - and rightfully so.
But, I read a post on Ignatius Insight Scoop about the L.A. Times editoralizing (or is it reporting - who can tell nowadays?) on the religious groups’ protests against the movie. The Times, of course, blame the whole controversy on us religious (all religious or just Christian religious?) for having the audacity to take offense at a movie and book series whose premise is the evils of Christianity and the death of God (and that insight is from the self-professed atheistic author himself).
Now, read the editorial/news article and substitute any of the protected demographic groups in place of “religious groups” and you would get a different conclusion from the folks at the Times.
If you think otherwise, take a look at what’s happening in Cincinnati. A local high school decided to put on an Agatha Christie play, Ten Little Indians. It’s a play that’s been a staple for decades among theatre groups from high school to regional. But, when Christie first wrote the play, she titled it - Ten Little N-word. The play itself doesn’t even involve racial issues. The title of the book (and the current acceptable title of the play) is now And Then There Were None.
Who knew about the old title? Not a soul at the school district. In fact, not a soul knew about the ancient title unless they lived in early 20th Century England or currently have an agenda to push. (Is the old title objectionable - of course, it is - but that has nothing to do with whether the play under its current title(s) should raise objections.)
But, a certain group has gotten involved - claiming racial insensitivity. They’ve called for demonstrations - and yesterday, they called in the Feds to investigate - even though the school has changed the title to And Then There Were None, confirmed that they didn’t know about the first title, explained that the play doesn’t have anything to do with race whatsoever, and agreed to open a dialogue on racial issues (for something that doesn’t deal with race to begin with). And this is all after they first decided to shut down the production altogether but reassessed their decision after an outcry from students and the public.
But, I bet if the Times were on this story, they would conclude that the play shouldn’t go on and these misguided high school students should have been more thoughtful and sensitive, forseeing how someone could maybe find offense at the previously unknown title of the play.
But us “religious groups”, we’re just being uptight and unreasonable about a movie and book series that openly attacks the very basis and foundation of our life and our being. And what exactly are we calling for? Not that the movie and book series be pulled (i.e. censored) - but that folks should think twice about exercising their free will in seeing it.
How dare us!
