#419 Musings Beyond the Bunker (Tuesday August 2)
Image courtesy of Cynthia Kohlbry
Good morning,
I have received many comments about the banning of books and limiting what children can read or learn, as well as the plethora of entertainment that is violent and devoid of conflict (of the moral version) or meaning. I’m not against the occasional silliness or even the gratuitously violent (within limits), but not at the expense of thought-provoking fare.
Scott Hostetler summarizes the problem succinctly: “Simplistically, the people want fast food but they need a balanced diet.”
On the point of banned books, Cindy Kohlbry notes that she “just got back from visiting my best friend from childhood (who is an avid reader), who currently lives in Norfolk. We always go to support her local independent bookstore - Prince Books. They had this wonderful section called “banned books.” The bookseller had a whole data base of when and why. They apparently fly off the shelves! Thought you would get a kick out of it!”
The banned books often are the best!
David Berkey has dared to touch on the senseless violence and its effect on us as a people and a nation: ”…so much of what people deem as entertainment these days is in fact fostering the wanton violence that we hear about almost every day. I am not a shrinking violet and love a shoot’em up as much as the next guy, but between movies, television, music, video games, etc. there is a none stop barrage (pardon the pun) of gratuitous violence that when mixed with the dark net and the mental health pandemic…permeating our society, it is easy to see why there has been an explosion of violent acts across our once great nation. Gun makers are far from blameless as are our so called leaders (now that I think about it, I haven’t actually seen one of those in a while), but the mix of violence in the name of entertainment coupled with a world whose footing is growing more and more precarious by the day has left many bewildered souls believing that lashing out and hurting others in the manner which they have been taught (brainwashed might be a more apt description) is not only acceptable, but called for. I think discussions around this all to evident problem have been filed in the overflowing bin of “we can’t fix it, so why bother trying.” Responsibility, forward thinking and concern for mankind and the greater good must somehow find its way back into everyday discourse (and film making) if we have any hope of turning down the boil…”
A TRANSFORMATIVE ACTRESS
Bill Russell was not the only great American to pass away this past weekend. No less than Martin Luther King, Jr. recognized the importance of Nichelle Nichols, the actress who portrayed Lieutenant Uhura on the original Star Trek. Ms. Nichols passed away this past weekend.
To many Black children growing up in the tumultuous 60s and 70s, Lieutenant Uhura was a model to emulate—a lead character in a major TV show that showed a hopeful and inclusive future. When Ms. Nichols contemplating leaving Star Trek for a Broadway play, Reverend King met her in person, big smile on his face, and urged her to remain on the show, citing her being a role model and a symbol of a brighter future for black and brown children. He said Star Trek, with her in a leading role, was one of the few shows he allowed his children to watch. I don’t think one can fully appreciate her importance of Ms. Nichols was to young people until one reads one of the many testimonials on her passing:
“I’m so fortunate my mom raised me on Star Trek. There weren’t many places in pop culture to see yourself as an indigenous person. Trek featured people of color in positions of stature and grace, where humanity saw past differences and celebrated uniqueness. Folks like Nichelle Nichols, LeVar Burton, Michael Dorn, Avery Brooks…and others translated that dream into meaningful stories. This brown boy watched every episode and every film with hope and wonderment, believing one day I could reach the stars as well. Find peace in the next great journey, Ms Nichols. And thank you to all of the Trek icons who made my childhood a hopeful one.”
MEANWHILE, ON TWITTER
Rick Wilson, one of the founders of The Lincoln Project, never ceases to entertain with his pithy comments. He tweeted this on July 12, amidst the Steve Bannon contempt conviction and the subpoenas to Rudy Giuliani and other Trump election deniers in Georgia:
“The most shocking thing is that we almost lost our constitutional republic and our democratic system to this troupe of skells, loons, degenerates, and fourth-rate hustlers. We didn’t even get a quality set of supervillains trying to destroy America!”
By the way, a skell is a derelict or tramp. I had to look it up too!...
The Lincoln Project also shared an acknowledgement of these women, patriots and people of conscience, who appeared before the January 6th Committee, at great personal political, emotional, career, and physical risk:
Ms. Sarah Matthews
Ms. Cassidy Hutchingson
Officer Caroline Edwards
Ms. Shaye Moss
Ms. Ruby Freeman
Juxtaposed against that bravery is a great meme going around showing Josh Hawley, the man who held a clenched fist of support up to the January 6 rioters as he entered the Capitol, fleeing from those same rioters, with the added musical accompaniment of “I Ran” by A Flock of Seagulls.
Have a great day,
Glenn
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