power of the word

Just how much power does a writer have? Words are moving. Words are informing. Words are scandalous. Words are liberating, inspiring, comforting, confusing and manipulative. A writer's main job might be to entertain, or it might be to move the masses.

Is the pen really mightier than the sword?

Possibly. Or, rather, I should say, potentially, because it is not simply words that cause action, but readers believing in the message of those words, conviction.

Many writers in history have died as a direct result of their writing. The Marquis de Sade suffered for his work...hahaha...which was probably all the more exciting! But, my more puritan blog readers (if there are any?) would likely first think of as example some of the biblical writers-turned-martyrs.

Then there are all the people who have died as a result of the written word. More recently, we saw what happened when Newsweek magazine told the world in print what the U.S. military had tried to smother; that U.S. military guards at Guantanamo prison had mishandled and flushed the Qur'an down the toilet. After that article was published, rioting erupted in parts of the Middle East and resulted in numerous deaths. Retracting those words, on order of the Bush administration, did not improve the U.S.'s damaged public image; nor did it convince anyone the news story was a fabrication because the officially issued words held no strength against fact.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7857154/site/newsweek/

But, I digress...

On a positive note, the written word can be equally life sparing. The U.S. constitution is a nicely crafted piece of writing that has kept many an American from losing their lives. And who hasn't been saved on an emotional or spiritual or academic or scientific level by something we read?

So the printed word is only that, unless people stand behind it. A weapon, a cradle. Best to use it thoughtfully, just in case.

ps. my favorite movie about the power of writing is ''The Name of the Rose'' with Sean Connery, from the novel by Umberto Echo.

sex, not bombs

Tori Amos was in the news...Wait! Please keep reading!

The balladeer was trying to generate some excitement for her current tour and latest CD, ''The Beekeeper''.

Now, soft rock isn't for everyone, and neither are Amos' songs, but I do have to give the lady some credit for her hefty mission to heal the world's crappy mood by infusing enough sensually drenched lyrics into her songs to make us momentarily forget hearing Donald Rumsfeld and Pat Robertson waxing off on CNN.

Her spin is by far a better stroke.

Amos makes her point when she says, ''In a time of not covert, but overt right-wing government...I felt it was essential to talk about sin and try and emancipate the idea of sexuality as being a sin.''

A little rebellion from the hip has always been the reply when social norms get sphincter-tight, as such is the case here.

We all know by now the Christian Coalition had a big hand in getting Bush and his Republican party elected. And, given their way, the billion dollar ''min-dustry'' that is today's bible-thumpers would make us all conceal our inherent sensuality---fearing it rubs too close to corporal pleasure-seeking and leads to, well, free-thinking and paganism---with free-thinking being the more liable of the two.

Tori Amos is just one of a multitude of voices sounding off warnings of a decline in the American phyche. Representations of violence have gained our social acceptance, whereas, our acceptance of sexuality is achingly lagging behind. Teens are playing Grand Theft Auto around the clock, yet they are not allowed to watch a film like the upcoming Atom Egoyan film, ''Where the Truth Lies'', because of an unconventional sex scene. The scene, apparently, is not the missionary position, nor is it the position of the American film review board to allow impressionable eyes to see it.

we think of you...

not from white-land

This is a real quote, from one of my colleagues, who I see everyday, and who generally is a pleasant enough fellow:

''That guy was some kind of immigrant. Yeah, well, he wasn't from White-land.''

Ok, I don't need an atlas to learn there is no such geographical place called White-land, but I do need a new magic wand to eliminate such racist talk from ever reaching my ears. Or, at the very least, I could use a copy of the Cross-cultural Index of Retarded Nastiness Comprehension Workbook to get an unobscurred take on just what goes on inside a bigot's head.

Now, this particular bigot in question hails from renowned red-neck country---but I would not hold that against him if he were not happily conforming to his own stereotype. And, sure, I understand the foul-mouthed speaker was only trying to be offensive for the sake of being offensive (like forcing out a fart in front of his buddies for laughs). I also know his comment derives from a not-so-deep patch of personal insecurity...but so what? I was still offended and I told him so.

White-land might not be a physical place, but it is very much an ideological place for some; and as such, it is a base of reasoning that---one short little step further---is a jump off to intolerance, violence and murder. Racist talk is more than chest-pounding bravado or verbalized ethnocentrism---it is fertile ground for despicable acts.

Days later, on the other side of the Atlantic, Londoners witnessed for themselves the result of their police force's racist policies, when tube travelers watched in horror as an immigrant, Brazilian electrician Jean Charles de Menezes, was executed by Scotland Yard in a case of mistaken identity. It was later revealed that de Menezes was not an Islamic suicide bomber. He was, however, Latino and, apparently, that was sufficient case to tackle him and put seven bullets in his head.

how would you like your film, sir?

The question I had wanted to ask famous film producer-director Norman Jewison (''Moonstruck'', ''A Soldier's Story'', ''Fiddler on the Roof'', ''Jesus Christ Superstar'', ''In the Heat of the Night'') was this:

''Is there room in films for pure entertainment, PLUS social commentary?''

I was too shy to ask my question in front of the 100-something attendees at the lecture---some of whom seemed well-familiar with every aspect of Jewison's illustrious career (whereas, I had been only remotely familiar with his name, and had, in fact, only seen one or two of his movies, though I had heard of several others that are considered classics).

So, my question remained silent mostly due to my film-knowledge ignorance, but maybe also in part because I was certain my question was a standard discussion topic covered in first semester Film Studies---something I had never undertaken. Still, the question stayed on my mind long after my missed opportunity to speak up.

To find an answer to my own question, I searched my memory for various examples of films that imparted a relevant social commentary while packing plenty of entertainment value; movies that highlight a message for us all while carefully avoiding lecturing, thus leaving smiles on viewers' faces when they leave the theatre.

The easiest examples of this multiplicity I could think of were war-gendre films, including Oscar winner, ''A Beautiful Life''; the provocative and sexy, ''Head in the Clouds''; and one of my favorite foreign films, ''Malena''.

But, there must be plenty of non-war-gendre film examples, too?

So, just when I thought the answer to my muted question would be, ''Of course, silly!'', I then came across an interview with this moment's hottest actress, Scarlett Johansson (''Lost in Translation'', and now playing in ''The Island'') by Jaime Portman in July 2005:

Johansson seems unconcerned by subject matter that touches on sensitive contemporary issues.
''I don't believe that movies should deliver messages. I never pick films based on whatever message they're delivering...When I come out of a film that I've paid $10 to see and spent $15 on popcorn, I just want to have been entertained. I just want to leave and say: 'That w-a-a-s cool. I had a great time. That was a fun experience for me.' I don't think that films necessarily have to deliver the big picture. That can be so preachy and boring...''

At a time where hard-hitting director Michael Moore deliberately tried to sway American voters with his documentary-cum-epic ''Fahrenheit 9/11'', North American moviegoers still have an avid appetite for notoriously light fare.

I miss those early Spike Lee films, like ''Do the Right Thing'', that tried to put some meat in the bun. But, Lee's films were perhaps too masterful, and his themes too out-there for the average viewer to relate. (Maybe that's why he later started to tone it down and used more white leads to get greater box-office draw.) Plus everything in his films was over the top, including his social messages that went down like a lead boot.

So, my question is finally out. Still waiting for the answer.

"sad song from Saxony"

It was only my heart,

Watch out, baby,
watch out.

You drop kicked it,
you slammed it,
you knocked it over,
you ran it.
Now it's lookin' pretty bad,
got me feelin' down n' sad,
don't want this heart no mo',
should bag it.

Watch out, baby,
watch out.
He don't do for you
what you do for you.
Take it down, baby girl,
take it down.
Cos he won't do for you.
Nah, he won't do for you.

Gotta get up,
take the next train.
Lyin' here feelin' cold and shame.
Been down here before,
didn't think there'd be more.
Thought I learned this lesson once
but now, got this new pain.

Watch out, baby,
watch out.
He don't do for you
what you do for you.
Take it down, baby girl,
take it down.
Cos he won't do for you.
Nah, he won't do for you.