Tender Mercies

Lately--and don't ask me why, those three people who view my blog--I've been thinking about Charles Manson and the Manson family.

No, not because I want to write a musical about them, although that would be something twisted that would cross my mind, but because I was curious as to what happened to the actual murderers.

Particularly, Leslie Van Houten.

If the point of sending someone to the slammer is to teach them a lesson, and to make them pay for the crime that they committed, then nobody has paid that price more than Leslie Van Houten.

However, I--like many--am torn about my feelings concerning whether she should get parole, or not. It won't matter for another year, as yesterday she was denied for the 15th time in the past 35 years of her incarceration.

The murders of the La Bianca family were no less gruesome than the Sharon Tate murders, but Van Houten has been a model prisoner, she's worked for good in the outside community, and she's continually flagellated herself, spiritually, mentally and emotionally for what she did so many years ago.

Of course I do not condone what she did. Who in their right mind would? But I think there are times when there truly is a conversion and maturity for an individual sent to prison for the most grizzly of offenses. I think of Karla Faye Tucker.

From what I've seen and read about Ms. Van Houten, I do not believe she's faking it. Whether she ever leaves prison or not, I believe she has taken the steps to admit to what she did, she's gone through the feelings of guilt and shame, and she's been able to separate healthy responsibility/guilt for the taking of life from debilitating shame.

I don't mean to seem blithe to the gravity of her crimes. She was a very sick person, at the time of her trial and conviction, but if the goal of imprisonment is the rehabilitation of those who are willing to take responsibility for what they did, then I think she's human attainment of that goal.

If I was held responsible for all of my deeds and words, when I was 19 or younger, I might not be here--free on the outside world--myself. No, I never committed heinous crimes, but I don't think I had a lick of sense at that time.

Well, let me get to the point of this post. I swear I do have a point. I know I ramble.

Anyway, I was cruising Blogger, searching for anyone who might have posted about Leslie's latest parole denial, and I came upon an interesting blog.

http://www.mrterryc.com/idealist.htm

I wasn't looking for it, but God often shows himself in the oddest of places.

For a long time, I have been bereft about the state of organized religion in this country, and how much hate and fear rhetoric seems to fill the airways and blogspaces, both on the left and on the right. Nothing brought that home in a clear way than my partner's uber right-wing, conservative, blogstalker.

She's the kind of Catholic that I avoid; The typical rabid idealogue that seems to enjoy attacking those that don't act, think or believe in the same skewed way.

I was becoming prejudiced to the whole sect, in a big way, not just because of her, but because of the whole Priest/molestation scandal. The whole thing made me sick.

But I found the above blog. In it, I found a person who is a devoted Roman Catholic and makes no bones about it. However, my own biases were shattered, because this Roman Catholic is a compassionate and very intelligent Christian.

I found myself reading almost everything he'd written on his blog and enjoying every one of the posts. I don't agree with every point he makes, but our commonalities are much more prevalent than our differences on issues (sometimes, only in small ways).

Reading his posts gave me hope, period. Hope that there ARE sane, rational folks out there, who may have differing viewpoints than me, but who realize that we are one in Christ.

And in my cynicism, this is exactly what I needed to restore my own faith. Sometimes, it's the small things, folks.

It moved me so much that I emailed him. He truly seems like a really interesting person, and I hope we will keep in touch. I plan to continue to read his blog.

I urge all of you to do the same. After reading his blog and reading his subsequent email response to me, it made me think of Mary Gauthier's song, "Mercy Now."

We all need, whether we deserve it or not, a little "mercy," even Leslie Van Houten, and, well, maybe even my partner's former blogstalker. (I just gagged, after I typed that)

Mercy Now
By: Mary Gauthier

My father could use a little mercy now
The fruits of his labor
Fall and rot slowly on the ground
His work is almost over
It won't be long and he won't be around
I love my father, and he could use some mercy now

My brother could use a little mercy now
He's a stranger to freedom
He's shackled to his fears and doubts
The pain that he lives in is
Almost more than living will allow
I love my bother, and he could use some mercy now

My church and my country could use a little mercy now
As they sink into a poisoned pit
That's going to take forever to climb out
They carry the weight of the faithful
Who follow them down
I love my church and country, and they could use some mercy now

Every living thing could use a little mercy now
Only the hand of grace can end the race
Towards another mushroom cloud
People in power, well
They'll do anything to keep their crown
I love life, and life itself could use some mercy now

Yeah, we all could use a little mercy now
I know we don't deserve it
But we need it anyhow
We hang in the balance
Dangled between hell and hallowed ground
Every single one of us could use some mercy now
Every single one of us could use some mercy now

The sad selling of 9/11

Am I the only one that thinks that it's too soon for all of the 9/11 films?

Maybe I'm just a curmudgeon, but it's still hard for me to even watch the documentaries--very good ones, by the way--on PBS, Discovery, National Geographic Channel, History Channel, concerning every aspect of that awful day in history.

I watched a fictional move on A&E, I believe, about Flight 93, and it was so agonizing to watch what 'might' have happened in the final minutes of those brave folks' lives.

I refused to see the two films that recently came out in the theatres--one, by Oliver Stone, I believe--because the actual event, and the footage from that day still replay in my brain over and over. I had no relative or friend that died in 9/11, but it still hurts me too much to even be reminded of the horror those brave folks went through, on their way to eternity. I can only imagine what the survivors go through.

I'm sure that's a collective replay.

Didn't folks wait about 10-20 years, before they started making documentaries and films about the JFK Assassination (I know, I mention that a lot in my posts)? As well, Vietnam? I do recall Frank Sinatra personally pulling "The Manchurian Candidate" from theatres, right after JFK died.

On the other hand, films about Pearl Harbor started right after the incident. "From Here to Eternity" comes to mind.

And now comes ABC's film, "Path to 9/11."

This is supposed to cover everything that was going on at the White House, with the CIA, etc., before 9/11. From what I understand, it's very "Pro-Bush," and makes a real concerted effort to portray President Bill Clinton as being a sex crazed freak, who was too busy boinking Monica, to find and stop Bin Laden.

Imagine that?

It's September. The launching of the final lap in the political jungle of elections, before the November vote. What better time to have Rumsfeld spouting the "fascist" word, against those who oppose what they continue to do in Iraq, etc.?

What better time to trot out GW at various conventions, etc., spouting off about how long the war against the "tarr-er-ists" will take, etc.?

And it's the best time to produce a film with half-truths, and--according to some like former Secretary of State Madeline Albright--outright lies about one of the most popular Democratic Presidents in history!

Well, maybe Clinton was too busy answering to the inquisitors, who spent millions of taxpayer dollars on an investigation into the private sex life of Bill Clinton? Could that be why he couldn't devote as much time as he needed to track down Bin Laden?

From what I am reading, the writer of this film is a staunch conservative.

Read for yourself:

http://www.workingforchange.com/activism/action.cfm?itemid=21330&afccode=n71txt

The film was made available to over 900 conservative bloggers and media personnel, like that oracle of un-biased truth, Rush Limbaugh. However, when President Clinton, Albright, and others wanted to preview the film, they were denied.

Wow. And these are the same folks who claim that there is a sinister, "Liberal bias" in the media.

Pot? Meet Kettle.

Yes, leave it to this administration to use a national network to get the propaganda out, before November. "See, it's the EVIL, IMMORAL degenerates of the Democratic Party, who allowed 9/11 to take place!"

How sweet to exploit the 3,000 lives lost in that tragedy, for use as a political tool. If this is true, it really makes me wonder about those behind the scenes pushing for this to be aired. The families of the victims, who are left with a gaping hole in their hearts and forever in their lives, are flesh and blood humans, not pawns in a political strategy game.

Let's say that President Clinton was to blame for not capturing Bin Laden, when he had the chance.

Okay, well we've had about five years since 9/11, and the Bush Administration has failed to find, capture and put on trial, Bin Laden. Instead, we are engaged in a futile war, within a country that had absolutely NOTHING to do with 9/11 and/or Weapons of Mass Destruction.

Can we blame THAT on Clinton, too? Can we blame the purposeful apathy to truly go after the mastermind of 9/11 on Bill Clinton?

Hell, let's just blame it all on Clinton! JFK Assassination, Vietnam, Watergate, Katrina. Let's make a board game out of it.

"Blame it on Bill."

I have this funny feeling that as November approaches, gas prices will continue to fall--because of the Republicans, of course--and whaddya think about an elevated terror alert, coupled with a Bin Laden sighting, or bombing of a "suspected" Bin Laden hideout?

The question will be, concerning all of the above, are we--the American people--going to continue to be so dumb and gullible that we take this latest propaganda bait, hook, line and sinker?

The counting of the ballots will tell. Someone make a call to that super cool dude, "Hanging Chad."

Geeze, even I can't go 'there'...

Since my partner's blogstalker intrigued me enough that I read her blog, as well as visiting all of the right-wing links to other blogs listed--her views, and those of her friends make John Birch look like Jesse Jackson-- I read something that shocked, saddened and sickened me.

I dare say that I actually agree with what I read on one of the blogs.

Director Gabriel Ranges' new film, "The Death of a President," recently premiered at the Toronto Film Festival.

No, this is not another documentary about the assassination of JFK. This is a "mockumentary," that explores the sick notion of, "What if President Bush was assassinated?"

It's a 90-minute film, meant to look like a factual documentary, and it's opening scenes include a crude scene of a supposed Bush (the production team has digitally superimposed President Bush's real face onto the actor playing him) being gunned down, after making a speech and walking through a huge Anti-War protest. British television is going to air the film.

As a supporter of free speech, and as someone who believes in the right to artistic expression--no matter if I agree with the expression, or even like it for that matter--I find this one of the most offensive and potentially dangerous films made recently.

Mel Gibson's S&M tribute to the crucifixion of Christ sickened me, and I refused to see it because of its Anti-Semitic overtones and it's glorification of gore, period. No doubt that the crucifixion was as gruesome as one can imagine, but it felt--to me--that Gibson reveled in the gore, almost to a point of enjoying it a bit too much. And I just cannot stomach Mel Gibson, period. I feel he is a pompous, hate-filled bigot, period. You can see the anger in his eyes.

Gibson is the pin-up-boy for the right-wing fundies, and well he should be. He pontificates about being so righteous and pious, such a strict Catholic, etc., but when he thinks nobody is looking, he gets tanked up, and starts spouting his real feelings about Jews. Many times, alcohol is a truth serum for some. It loosens one up enough to let their "Id" out.

Thus why I now refer to Mel as "Id Gibson."

Anyway, his own right-wing, Opus-Dei, fantasy did not appeal to me, however he had every right to produce the film, and many were moved by it. I decided not to pay good money to see that. I think it's telling that he chose to focus on every bloody aspect of Christ's gruesome death, but does not spend anytime showing Christ's victory over death, His resurrection, and His promise to those who believe. Very telling on behalf of "Id Gibson," if you ask me.

With that said, I feel totally different about "Death of a President," even though I completely loathe the current policies of the Bush Administration, across the board.

I can't even bear to look at Bush, or even hear his "Manchurian Candidate-like" speeches. His cronies, as well, sicken me.

Would I like to see him Impeached? Oh yeah! But do I wish for his murder? Never.

"Death of a President" could prove to be a very sick and dangerous film, period. Whether you identify as Liberal, Conservative, Republican, Democrat, Libertarian, etc., you should know that such a film is beyond bad taste.

Though possibly covered under "Freedom of Speech," I am wondering about legal action at the Federal level, if this director actually gets an American film distributor to show the film in the U.S.?

I would think this might fall under the guidelines of making threats on the life of the President. One can only imagine how this would affect Mrs. Bush, their children, the Bush family. But think about what this film might mean to the whack-jobs out there, who might actually be obsessing about doing the same thing?

Look, we all have the Zapruder Film if we want to view a real president's murder, and that's bad enough.

Again, I am no fan of this administration, and I am pretty fed up with the Democratic party as well, but there is no excuse for such a careless and potentially life-threatening film like this.

Read the details for yourself:
http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/09/01/news/shot.php

The filmmaker has a right to make the film, but it's should have stayed as a "What If?" question.

In this volatile political season, this is not something we need, period. I'm going to write to the British TV channel, who is going to air the film, and respectfully ask them to rethink that decision.

If you feel the same way, I encourage you to do the same.