The British television station More(subscript 4) is going to show a pseudodocumentary that depicts Bush being assassinated and explores the aftermath. There is no doubt that the character of the president is supposed to be Bush; apparently the actor's face has been digitally redone to look like Bush's.
The British press are not taking a strong stand, today's NY Times tell us, but the The Daily Mirror is quoted in the NYT as saying the movie:
treading a fine line in terms of taste, it nevertheless provides dramatic food for thought...The undoubted furor that this will spark across the U.S. and among the handful of Bush supporters in Europe must not obscure the real question facing us all. Where is the War on Terror going? And how bad does it have to get before it gets better?
The right wing press are very unhappy, to judge by my radio. What do Kossacks think?
I'll start with some observations of my own, which I hope I don't come to regret. I can think of a con, a pro and a neutral position.
1. Against the film: There are obvious things to say against the idea of depicting the slaying of a public figure who is, just by being in the office, a target of all sorts of people, not all of whom have anything like a rational grip on the world. But it might help to see the point if one makes it more personal. So suppose you are someone in the public eye, at least within your community. Perhaps you are a teacher (students can get violent with teachers), or a psychotherapist or perhaps a doctor who works with Planned Parenthood to provide abortions. And then suppose someone produces a film with the abortionist, let us say, being shot and the face is yours. And you know from the background of the producers that it was not done from love of you.
I could certainly start to worry that the film does not show a sufficient regard for human life. It is unconscionable to portray an actual abortionist being murdered. Not only does it run the risk of increasing the danger you are in, but also it is also close to a snuff film. Bush, of course, may not show a sufficient regard for human life himself, but we are not Bush and we are all trying to do better!
2. For the film: Let's get real. Seriously, let us face the reality we actually do have. This is a murderous world and in a very real way Bush is, by his own efforts, right in the middle of it. If you want a movie that makes people face issues, such as trying to buy safety through civilian deaths, let's not allow them the remove of pretending it has to do with someone else.
3. Neutral: Haven't seen the film, respect freedom of speech, don't want to judge anything in advance, love Bush's incomplete sentences.
WHAT DO YOU THINK?