Deep Thought - From the darkest, lowest recesses of the mind

Ostriches

The subject of uncensored network airing of Saving Private Ryan came up in a recent thread elsewhere. I was APPALLED by how many women, while finding value in this film, were offended by the airing of it on networks.

One group was worried about their children seeing the movie (ummm... don't they control the remote and consult listings before letting their young children watch ANY television program? I do.). Another group was worried about OTHER people's children, who may be unsupervised, seeing it. (Is this a decision to be made for others? Or should adults not have access because there are negligent parents out there?)

But I think that the group that offended me most were those who talked about believing it shouldn't have aired because seeing it disturbed THEM! They were PROUD of the fact that they don't allow anything unpleasant to invade their little bubbles. Yes, it's violent. Yes, there is profanity. This is reality of war! We SHOULD be disturbed!!!! Personally, I couldn't sit through the entire movie the first time either. I'm not proud of it either. It was shocking to realize that people I love LIVED this!

Americans have become such an overprotected bunch of babies. We want to have our heads buried firmly in the sand. We don't want to confront the ugly, the unpleasant, the REALITY of daily life in much of the world. Send a check to the starving orphans, but don't look on them or touch them. Bake cookies for servicemen and send Christmas cards ... maybe a parade. But don't make any attempt to share in some small way in their experience, or to think about the scenes that have haunted them for over 50 years now.

"It is well that war is so terrible, or we should get too fond of it." Robert E. Lee

America, and the church in particular, needs a major reality check!

Dazey 2004-12-01 12:32 1195

My nephew is the Staff Sgt of Charlie Company. The first company to move into Fallujah. Reading articles about those young men being pinned down in an alley for five hours...and having a two hour fire fight before escaping...that's disturbing. To know the man leading this company used to be the little toe headed boy I told stories to at night when he couldn't sleep because he missed his momma. The same boy who wept unabashedly at age 6 when a caterpillar was on a stick of firewood in the campfire, and he couldn't save it. The same person, who as a very young man saw his only son born with a crippling disease which left him unable to ever walk, and took his little life at age 4. Having watched that young man and his wife care for the child with tenderness and love through tube feedings, and intravenious medications with a constant patience that never showed the slightest hint of feeling cheated. Never blaming God for the situation, but thanking him for their time with their son. Knowing this tender hearted boy is now a hardened Staff Sgt, fully engaged in war is disturbing. It makes me feel sad. And fiercely proud. War is a nightmare. Its scary. Its horrible. But it's real, and whether you are in support or vehemently against it, I believe there should be some level of compassion and awareness for the men and women who are in it.

ingris 2004-11-28 17:00 1194

i don't view this as overprotected americans, i look at it as a group of idiots making a "noise" and the media running with it, MAKING it into something. i believe it was politically motivated as well.

I didnt survive Minas Tirith 2004-05-11 11:10 1110

Pay to the Order Of: Reality

Decent Christian 2003-01-20 15:20 392

not all Christians do that..

table 2002-11-11 20:47 264

No kidding. This is why lots of Christians are leaving the church and why lots of unblievers are perishing with no hope daily. Christians want to pray for others and love others, but actually pray with others and help others? gasp! "Let someone else do it. I'm too busy with my own family, job, etc. insert your excuse here". The world is an ugly place filled with ugly hurtful things and most don't care enough to reach out. We want niceity and blessings but we don't want to bring the light into the dark place where it is ugly and hard.

Phyllis 2002-11-11 18:32 263

AMEN and very well said.