The Last King of Scotland

This evening's movie entertainment for my husband and I was about the madman dictator of Uganda, Idi Amin.  {{{{{{shudder}}}}}}}  Forest Whitaker was terrific  - he played Amin.  It covered the time period from when he first came into power - initially he was extremely popular and people had high hopes for him improving the country - until the hijacking of an Israeli plane and the subsequent succesful raid on Entebbe, when stories of Amin's insanity and violence began to emerge.

This film falls under the category of what I call the "sweaty palm" genre.  There was a torture scene near the end where I had to hide my eyes.  However, I didn't think it was overdone or gratuitous.  It was a real life story and has a very simple moral that should be taught and driven home repeatedly to every liberal who dares complain about the US:  If you are living in a place where you can wake up each morning and go to bed every night and know that in between, your day is going to be predictable in terms of a roof over your head, healthy food on your plate, a reliable income, freedom from being shot or tortured, with access to good medical care, air conditioning, and a clean water supply, thank God for it.

The movie scared the crap out of me, frankly.  There are real live lunatics in this world, and somehow, some of them manage to charm/kill their way into being put in charge of the lives of others.

George Bush?  President Bush is Mr. Rogers and we Americans live in the neighborhood of rainbows and lollipops compared to the lives of some people in this world. 

After seeing this film, I am torn between feeling that we Americans ought to be out there killing each and every lunatic despot and saving all the poor innocents of the world vs thinking that we ought to put up a big fence around our borders, live behind it and never even peek over the top again.

Link.   

Comments

[Deana]

Wow. I thought the EXACT SAME THING when I saw that movie. I think the reason it weighed so heavily on my mind was the knowledge that it was all based on very real and horrible events.

And I, too, walked out of the theater, feeling the overwhelming urge to (1) help eliminate all evil in the world, and (2) hide.

And I also had one other thought - I can't help but wonder if folks on the left could actually watch that movie and not cover their eyes and still be able to say all of the terrible things they say about President Bush. He's not perfect, no one ever claimed that, but I am confident he is motivated by the desire to minimize the ability of others committing exactly the types of evil that are illustrated in that film.

I was overwhelmed by how blessed I have been to live in a country where I am free, safe, and capable to say and do as I wish. I appreciate it more now.

Thanks!

P.S. Don't every worry about you being an overzealous mom. Your kids will appreciate it down the road!