There is a followup to this essay (diary) based on an article on the premier of the film, also s a response to this one, Killing a living dictator- the Comedy
---------------------------------
Re "The Interview" an upcoming comedy about killing the dictator of N. Korea and its potential world effects considered in the context of "Innocence of Muslims"
If there were some sort of a scale of the extent of protected speech, the U.S. would be at the very top. We may not be so high on health care, education or enlightened response to crime but we elevate satire, including ridicule of public figures to a special place of protection. This was confirmed by the Supreme court decision "Hustler Magazine, Inc. v. Falwell" that said there are no limits to how a public figure could be ridiculed including in this case, incest with his mother. O.K. on this web site more than others, the subject, Rev. Jerry Falwell, represents narrow minded religious bigotry, so we may feel fine about this happening to him. Yet there are broader consequences.
A recent example is the film "Innocence of Muslims" that presented a picture of The Prophet Muhammad in a way that was one that was insulting to hundreds of millions who identify with this religion.
Here's a description of the film:
In the action-comedy The Interview, Dave Skylark (James Franco) and his producer Aaron Rapoport (Seth Rogen) run the popular celebrity tabloid TV show "Skylark Tonight." When they discover that North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un is a fan of the show, they land an interview with him in an attempt to legitimize themselves as journalists. As Dave and Aaron prepare to travel to Pyongyang, their plans change when the CIA recruits them, perhaps the two least-qualified men imaginable, to assassinate Kim Jong-un.
- Written by Sony Pictures Entertainment
Kim Jong-un, is perhaps one of the most evil men now living, outside of certain leaders of genocidal groups such as ISIS or Boko Haram who could be in the running for this mantle. He is the third of three "Dear Leaders" of a state that has caused oppressive mind control of its people that transcends anything known in the entire world for centuries. A recent book, "
Without You There is no Us" by Suki Kim, describes her two year experience in this benighted country.
The release of what was on the trailer for "Innocence of Muslims" ignoring the politicized issue of whether it affected the Bengahzi killing, did cause riots in dozens of countries with a minimum of fifty deaths according to the above Wikipedia article. It was an example of an American making full use of our expanded freedom of political speech (he producer did go to jail, but not for this movie), yet how many of us would have wished there had been a way to have prevented the suffering that this caused. While riots and deaths can be quantified, there is no way to get a measure of ultimate cost of the exacerbation of the divide between Muslims and this country caused by the release of this film. For many, including those who rioted, it was simply unbelievable that this country could not have prevented this film from being disseminated.
Kim Jong-un is of a mentality that is not easy for Americans to grasp. During the cold war there were leaders of the Soviet Union that seemed to possess human empathy, that made the policy of Mutually Assured Destruction work, since those Soviet Leaders had friends, family relationships that transcended ideological differences between the communism and what we call the free world.
Not so with Kim. According to reports he slaughtered his mentor and uncle out of sheer malice, perhaps to show his minions that he was not to be underestimated. What makes him still more unique is that over the three generations of dear leaders all independence of thought, any capacity to oppose this "dear leader" even among the military has been obliterated. There is little disagreement that if he had the whim to do so, he could order a nuclear attack on South Korea that could end millions of lives in seconds.
This is the man that a small group of film makers and comedy writers have decided to risk pissing off, and for what purpose. "Brinkmanship" or risking disaster based on geo-political exigencies, is engaged by authority of the elected Commander in Chief. But, with this comedy film, it's done by the initiative of two comedians and a company that wants to add a few million to it's bottom line.
The unconventional basketball player Dennis Rodman actually went to North Korea, and had some human contact with Kim, something that may have done more for creating a diplomatic connection that the state departments of every western county. It was a bond between one social outcast and another, which just could have been like Nixon's meeting with Mao.
Back to this film, where Kim is depicted as what he is, a nut case, and it may generate some profits for Sony. Of course they got a sample of how Kim may react in the recent hacking of their internet system. Even if Kim didn't order it, I see this as a metaphor for the vulnerability of the entire world to the reaction of this irrational man with such immense capacity to cause death and destruction.
Sony has the right to produce this film, but the people of America also have a right to object. This one film company can do what they want, but they do not represent this country any more than the creator of the film "Innocence of Muslims" did.