Is Bush Assasination Film Outrageous?
Posted by
Kevin
Hillary Clinton seems to think so:
Sen. Hillary Clinton this morning blasted the producers of a new film depicting the assassination of Pres. George W. Bush.
“I think it’s despicable,” Clinton said of “Death of a President,” a fictional film that features a staged assassination of the president in 2007. “I think it’s absolutely outrageous. That anyone would even attempt to profit on such a horrible scenario makes me sick.”
Obviously, I don’t have the same perspective as Clinton does; her, her husband and even her daughter are all high profile figures, often figures of hate. I know that her and her husband, at least, have received death threats and one conservative columnist at NRO wrote and article stating that Chelsea should be killed to be prevented from continuing the Clinton genes. Living through that would almost certainly color her perception of such a film. But I don’t think she is right to be outraged in this case.
This is a movie, not an essay, not a political manifesto. From all accounts it does not glamorize either the assassination itself or its aftermath. It appears to do what good art is supposed to do: it uses the imagined assassination to say something about current American culture, current American politics, and the current state of world relations.
If the film was only prurient in nature, if it existed just to wallow in the imagined blood of Bush, then I could understand the outrage. But this film does not appear to do that, and I cannot subscribe to the notion that the life and death — even the imagined life and death — of public, historical figures must always be off limits. Imagining the world with a George W. Bush-sized hole in it can be used to tell us something about the world as it is now. And I just don’t see anything outrageous about that in and of itself.
Kevin, perhaps if someone made a movie about you getting assassinated, you would feel a bit differently. If what you claim is true concerning the intent of the movie, could it not have been based on Bush having a massive heart attack?
It is a very tortured reading indeed of the link you supplied to come to the conclusion that the author stated “Clinton should be killed”. What he wrote (in a piece that is infantile in nature and makes KTK seem politically rational by comparison) was silly, stupid, and might be taken by some to be a call to kill Chelsea. If I ever met the guy, I’d give him a piece of my mind. Same for the producers of the movie. Wrong is wrong, regardless of political affiliation.
Comment 9/21/2006
Ted
The heart-attack cuts off discusion about violence in our culture and our politics. And the link says that they were talking about killing Chelsea, not Clinton.
I honestly don’t see why this should be, per se, outrageous. And I would feel the same way if it was Feingold or Kerry or Gore or any other politician.
Comment 9/22/2006
Chelsea Clinton, yes the piece was about her. You said the guy stated she should be killed. I say that is a very tortured reading of his ridiculous piece.
I was unaware the film in question dealt with violence in our politics. I suppose the fact that it does not portray Bush as gay or pregnant cuts off discussion on gay rights and abortion too…
How about if the film portrayed the assassination of you? Would it still be good art?
Comment 9/22/2006
Ted:
How about if the film portrayed the assassination of you? Would it still be good art?
I can’t speak for Kevin, but I think that would be COOL!
Comment 9/22/2006
Tgirsch
Yeah, and see what happens to your precious kitties the next time you ask me to check in on them
Ted
For the Chelsea thing, naw, I thought that wasn’t stretching at all. Oh, he did the usual “its all a joke!” stuff, but that was an extraordinarily viscious piece.
A movie that wa sabout assasinating me would be diferent, because I am neither known or important. See, I think the thing her eis that this movie isn’t really about killing Bush - -its about killing the President of the United States who happens to be Bush. I think thats an important distinction. Now, it could be the wrost kind of viscious wish fulfillment, in whihc case it could be disgusting. or it could be a thoughtful look at politics, violence in politics, American culture, and how the world reacts to American politics and culture.
Comment 9/22/2006