Yeah, the interview was funny and all, but I kept getting the feeling that there was a deeper meaning behind all of Steven's jokes. I don't know, perhaps I was reading too much into it and seeing (or hearing) things that weren't there. At any rate, I think I'm going to buy that book. From the way that Steven describes it, that book must be hilarious. heh! (:-P]
I miss the days when we didn't know about horrible, racist, misogynistic, sexist, and down right horrible aspects of these Hollywood actors/actresses' lives. Back then it was about selling an image (on and off screen) and everyone was in on it (studios, public relations firms, and even the media). Sure, these days Hollywood is still trying to sell that image, but it seems that everyone is no longer on the same page. These days it seems that we get to know every dirty nasty detail of the lives of our favorite celebrities which totally kills the fantasy (the only thing that Hollywood has to really offer).
Take Mel Gibson for example:
I didn't want to know that the Mad Max hates roving "packs of niggers" looking for white women who "deserve" to be raped...
I didn't want to know that Nick Marshall(the guy that's supposed to know "What Women Want") likes to beat on his woman, while she is holding their child...
I didn't want to know that William Wallace hates "wetback" babysitters and doesn't want them looking after his child...
...But now I do know, so do you (if this your first time hearing this filth, I'm sorry about that, really). What am I supposed to do with this guy (I mean as an actor/director/producer)? How can suspend disbelief with any of his past and future movies? Listen I've always suspected that Mr. Gibson had several predjudices, but I was able to enjoy his movies because the image of good guy Mel was not completely shattered
Uncle Mel isn't the only entertainer whom I found out too much about, thus ruining any enjoyment I could've had from their work (Roman Polanski, John Mayer, Robert Kelly, etc). I don't want the real person, I just want the image. I miss the old Hollywood.
According to California Penal Code 192 (b); Involuntary Manslaughter, which is the least serious charge of manslaughter, applies when the killing occurs; 1) in the commission of an unlawful act, not amounting to a felony, OR 2) by way of a lawful though dangerous act, that is done in an unlawful manner or without due caution or circumspection.
According to California Penal Code 187; Murder (Second Degree) is defined as causing the death of another person with malice aforethought. To be convicted of murder it must be proven that: 1) the defendant committed an act that caused the death of another person; and 2) When the defendant acted, he had a state of mind called malice aforethought; and 3) He killed without lawful excuse or justification.
There are two kinds of malice aforethought; express malice and implied malice. A defendant acts with express malice if he unlawfully intends to kill. A defendant acts with implied malice if; 1) He intentionally commits an act; 2) the natural consequences of the act are dangerous to human life; 3) at the time he acts, he knows his act is dangerous to human life; and 4) he deliberately acts with conscious disregard for human life.
Malice aforethought does not require hatred or ill will toward the victim. It is a mental state that must be formed before the act that causes death is committed. It does not require deliberation or the passage of any particular period of time.
Personally, I feel that when you pull out a gun (that has a totally different weight, shape, and feel from a taser) and point it down at a subdued unarmed man's chest area and discharge your weapon (resulting in the death of said individual); you satisfy the elements of malice aforethought (express or implied). If you satisfy the elements of malice aforethought then you satisfy all the elements of murder. Thus the conviction of involuntary manslaughter is totally blowing my mind right now.
I guess I shouldn't be too surprised though. This was an LA jury that we're talking about here. You know, the same pool that produced the people who acquitted OJ (he did it folks...he did it) and those cops that beat Rodney King nearly half to death (that one was taped as well). This is the same pool that has failed to convict a police officer of murder since 1983. So I guess I'm really not surprised, but I'm still a little upset and saddened by this news. It is 2010 and this is the best we can (currently) hope for in terms of justice.
What is really sad is that given the history of these kinds of incidents (the culprits getting off "scott free", this recent conviction can be seen as progress. So until police protection extends to all members of American society, for young black males (and even younger black females)when encountering the police or any law enforcement authority in possession of a deadly weapon, the protocol remains the same...SURVIVE!
If you're not going to a little thing like the race of your main characters right, why would one expect you to get things like plot, characterization, coherent storytelling, etc...
(So you're worried about casting Asians in your films because you're afraid that it will hurt the overall appeal of your film, huh?)
I'm interested in seeing how the American media (specifically the big three cable news channels) will spin this story. So far there is very little coverage on the story coming from the US news organizations (Thank God for social media), but when they are finally forced to cover what happened on international waters, I wonder how the story will be framed. I must admit that I do not have any high hopes for any hard hitting journalism coming from the likes of Fox News, MSNBC, and CNN in regards to this situation (it's just not how the main stream news media works these days).
Israel has shown again and again, that it will do whatever it's going to do (right or wrong) despite (or perhaps because of) its friendship with the United States. For the longest time we have been complicit in these human rights abuses perpetrated by Israel. The same type of abuses that we would condemn had they been perpetrated by certain other countries in that region. I am well aware of America's special relationship with Israel, but that relationship should not give the government of that country carte blanche to engage in these types of activities. If we do or say nothing to our "best friend" we run the risk of (further?)losing credibility with the international community when comes to our charges of human rights abuses perpetrated by "rogue states". We can't keep picking and choosing which actions are justified and which are reprehensible based on the individuals (or states) engaging in them, because as with all things, our actions (or inaction) will come back upon us in humiliating and perhaps devastating ways.
It's time that we be a real friend to Israelis making it known to them and the world that they are in the wrong and they need to change course before the hole that they're digging gets to deep for them to get (or be pulled) out of.
Because there really are two Americas within these United States. Because one of those Americas is really a third world country. Because the citizens of third world America don't matter to those in first world America (it's doubtful that they truly ever did). Because life is cheap in the hood and...well, life is just cheap in the hood. Because "black" is truly the bottom rung in our society and if something bad happens to "black"...oh well. Because the law is meant to protect the innocent in theory, but really ends up preying on (some of them) in practice. Because the police officers were just doing their jobs (the description of which changes depending on the type of people being dealt with). Because it appears that Reality TV drives people to do more and more outrageous things in order to "keep it real" (i.e entertaining). Because even if an event is caught on tape, there is no guarantee that justice will be served. Because WE are not outraged enough to do something drastic every time something like this happens. Because justice has failed us because we have failed ourselves. Because sometimes, life simply is not fair.
