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  • Posted by $ MikeMarotta 8 years, 4 months ago
    I vote +1 for the discussion, not the subject article. That piece is deeply flawed.

    First, as good mythology, Star Wars (like Star Trek, Lord of the Rings, among myriad others), is to be variously understood on several levels. Long ago a friend told me that his father saw in Star Wars a retelling of The Wizard of Oz. The Wizard of Oz itself has been rediscovered as a political treatise. (See my comments on the Objectivist Living site here: http://www.objectivistliving.com/foru... That was ahead of a longer print publication.) Myself, I raised my daughter to identify Princess Leia as the Republican senator from Alderaan. So, Star Wars can be whatever you want.

    Second, on point, the author claims: (1a) That Luke was without family, when, indeed, he was living with his aunt and uncle. It seemed like a good family dynamic, Uncle Owen wanting Luke to stay on the farm, Aunt Beru counselling Owen to let the boy follow his own path... Pretty typical...
    and (1b) Luke was not without friends. We just did not meet them in the movie until later. Luke says that he wants to go to the Academy with Biggs (Biggs Darklighter) and the others. When Luke says that he wants to go into town rather than clean the droids, Uncle Owen scoff that he can hang out with his friends after his chores are done. In the attack on the Death Star, Luke calls for Biggs, but hears on the radio that Biggs was killed. He knew Biggs as a friend from Tatooine.

    (2) "The Empire’s accidental harming of Luke’s Aunt Beru and Uncle Owen..." It was not accidental. The stormtroopers just killed everyone they found. Later, when Luke and Obi Wan come upon the dead Jawas, Obi Wan Kenobi points out that the blast points are precise, not the work of Sand People. The killing of Beru and Owen was just as precise. Indeed, their charred remains are outside the house. The stormtroopers knew that they killed a couple of farmers. That was their mission: kill everyone they find at the house.

    I could go on, but why bother?
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    • Posted by $ MikeMarotta 8 years, 4 months ago
      I found a reason to bother... The author claims: "...Luke exhibits their extremist binary worldview of “if you aren’t with us, you’re a viable military target” when he blows up Jabba’s barge, killing every man, woman, and child on board."

      (1) We do not actually see any children on board, nor is there any hint of any in Jabba the Hutt's headquarters. He does have some innocents in his thrall, apparently, such as the first dancing girl, and, of course, Leia herself, if not Han Solo - legally being held for the authorities, if you will.

      (2) However, as I recall, the Sail Barge is destroyed in the fog of war, as the artillery gun being used by Jabba's forces swings about and fires itself.

      (3) And, to the point, all Luke seeks is his and his friends' freedom. He offers to let Jabba get away in exchange. Luke does not wantonly destroy a little boat full of women and children.
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      • Posted by $ blarman 8 years, 4 months ago
        Actually, Luke intentionally fires the deck gun into the deck of the Barge, then swings over to the skimmer to escape with the rest. The destruction of the Barge was deliberate. However, to say it was an act of terrorism is a tall order to sell when you are dealing with a syndicated crime family: the Hutts. Remember, the Jedi Order were tasked with law enforcement and were given extreme leeway in its use.

        (3) Precisely. Luke offers not just once (in Jabba's throne room), but again just prior to Luke's attempted execution.
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  • Posted by freedomforall 8 years, 4 months ago
    Author is a "government relations professional with a focus on the financial services industry"

    Translation: Looter

    I wouldn't believe a looter's version of what a domestic terrorist is when describing a person who defends himself and his property with a firearm. Why would I believe one when the weapon is the force of a person's MIND?
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  • Posted by $ WilliamShipley 8 years, 4 months ago
    So attacking the Death Star which destroyed worlds is the same as shooting up a Christmas Party?

    And, of course there is the way that Leia demonstrated proper submissiveness to the men.
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  • Posted by Herb7734 8 years, 4 months ago
    Paraphrasing Alexander Woolcott: Star Wars devotees tell me more than I really want to know about the movie. Like the guy who is afraid of the deep water in the pool, they swim in the shallow pretending it's deep. Don't get me wrong. I enjoy the Star Wars series, but to me, it's just an S.F. adventure tale that gives the film maker an excuse t wow our eyes with visuals and thrill us with adventure. The Fanboys and Fangirls remind me of those who propound deep meanings into the simple tales from the bible.
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    • Posted by cranedragon 8 years, 4 months ago
      Articles like the one that started this discussion remind me of William Shatner telling the fankids to get a life. Trying to read deep philosophical treatises into shoot-em-up entertainment may be fun for some but, really?
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  • Posted by strugatsky 8 years, 4 months ago
    I did not believe in reincarnation prior to this, but now I believe that Dr. Goebbels has come back and is writing political commentaries on science fiction.
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  • Posted by $ Olduglycarl 8 years, 4 months ago
    HAhahahahahahah...the left hasn't seen the radicalization (or in this case, quantumization) of revolutionary's yet!

    They forget whom exactly are in control and whom their controlled barbarian force is.

    Revolutions are not fought to be imprisoned or controlled...they are fought to be free of control.

    Just like in Star Wars, our world today is experiencing violence, propaganda and oppression purposely caused by the very people that want to blame you for your racism, your intolerance and your footprint...
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  • Posted by Flootus5 8 years, 4 months ago
    Some of this comes under the rubric that one society's terrorist is another society's freedom fighter. To be determined by which side gets to write the history.

    And I did chuckle quite a bit.
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  • Posted by $ blarman 8 years, 4 months ago
    This was a hilarious article. The whole flawed premise the author was acting on is that the Empire is supposedly the rightful law of the galaxy. The author apparently doesn't know his history, neglecting Episodes I-III and the Clone Wars. The Empire overthrew the legitimate government through military coup - it has zero legitimacy.

    I would also point out that jihadists' goals are to conquer and control - not to liberate. This is a second fatally flawed premise in this piece.
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  • Posted by $ MichaelAarethun 8 years, 4 months ago
    I have the first two releases. After that it got really boring and not worth watching. Star Trek was that way after the the first few TV episodes. Then the movies came out and I have all of them. Coupled with the two Star Wars worth watching they make a great collections of ....Westerns.
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