* The following major-media staples are not newsworthy–let alone worthy of prominent print and electronic coverage: the annual Epiphany celebration and the annual announcement of candidates for Florida Strawberry Festival queen.
* It might not happen, but doesn’t it speak volumes about our Legislative and educational priorities that there have been two bills filed–one in the Florida House and one in the Senate–that would mandate that all 8th-and-11th-grade students view the film “America: Imagine the World Without Her.” It’s by Dinesh D’Souza, one of right-wing America’s favorite brown-skinned polemicists.
I’ve seen it. It’s partisan revisionism that ultimately pivots into the bad-mouthing of both Hillary Clinton and President Barack Obama. It’s unconscionable, even for Florida, that legislating ideologues would deign to dictate what goes on in a classroom.
Frankly, the only condition under which it might conceivably be shown is in an honor’s course on propaganda–along with “Reefer Madness.”
* According to a Q&A in Parade magazine, Seth Rogen’s motivation for “The Interview” came from the realization that “journalists have access to some very dangerous people. … Like Barbara Walters could kill Osama bin Laden. That’s where it came from.”
While a Walters/bin Laden scenario keeps it Rogenian light, maybe his inspiration for another low-brow comedy was a bit darker. There’s basis in actual fact if you reference recent history.
Recall the “journalistic” hit-squad that did in Ahmed Shah Massoud.
He was the charismatic, influential, CIA-backed Afghan nationalist and commander of the “Northern Alliance.” And no friend of the Taliban. On Sept. 9, 2001–two days before 9/11–he was assassinated by al-Qaida suicide bombers posing as a television crew. So, there’s actual precedent for a media/assassination plot–not just a dark-comedy wish list.