"There were great numbers of people who needed new land, and the Indians were selfishly trying to keep it for themselves.”
-John Wayne-
The Picture of John Wayne dressed as a cowboy stands, thanks to Photo Shop, in front of a huge flag, proudly asking us why the hell we have to "press one for English."
A week does not go by and often not a day when I don't get some smirking e-mail about the efforts of the business community to make it easier for native Spanish speaking people to buy things or get information about things or to put money in the bank. Pressing 2 to continue in Spanish seems to have had more of an effect on America's sense of security than anything since Pearl Harbor and people who profess passionate love of flags, John Wayne and the Republic for which they stand often fail to see this sleazy campaign as the direct attack on freedom of speech that it is.
“Women have the right to work wherever they want, as long as they have the dinner ready when you get home”
"My favorite e-mail ever" says the person who sent it to me and he concludes with "Enough said." I don't think enough can be said. I have never been a fan of Marion Morrison, although I have enjoyed a couple of his movies. His support of the Viet Nam war and his attacks on the doubters of its necessity; his McCarthyism and his belief in white supremacy left me with a lasting distaste for his stupid kind of patriotism and bigotry. It may be ironic however that the anti-Mexican rabble rousers chose him as the boy for their poster.
Wayne was married three times: to Josephene Saenz, Esperanza Baur and Pilar Palette. They were all Spanish speaking women. As he was dying, Wayne requested that his headstone bear an epitaph in Spanish: Feo, Fuerte y Formal. No English translation was offered.
“Life is hard; it's harder if you're stupid.”
I have to disagree once more -- life is hardest for those who have to deal with the stupid.
3 comments:
Nice post capt...
This is the weirdest case of ascribing patriotism and honor to a [bad] actor who shot Indians in films. What else did he do? Yet he is revered in certain right-wing circles? It's all an illusion. He's yesterday's Madonna, but with out her genuine savvy, despite questionable talent...
I doubt that Madonna will ever have an airport named after her. Like most right wing heroes, Wayne gives aid and comfort to those whose ideas are stupid, binary, bigoted and short sighted.
Someone once told me, in response to my asking how he could think Reagan was a great man, "all my life I was told my ideas were stupid and that I didn't understand things - then Reagan came along and validated them." Same goes for Da Duke, I guess and come to think of it, Hitler was a genius at that game.
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