Tuesday, September 11, 2007

Pulp Fictional History by Tomas Engle

Pulp Fictional History by Tomas Engle: "While the graphics never went downhill, the script proceeded to practically nosedive into a redux of Bush's 'freedom and liberty' Inauguration speech whenever Leonidas opened his mouth. Before the major battle even begins one is besieged by inconsistencies and blatant parallels. 'Reluctant to battle' Sparta is forced into a war with Persia in order to 'defend logic and reason' from the 'tyranny and slavery of Asia' and are being hampered at home only by the Spartan council politicians who are being paid off by the enemy to not fund the Spartan army; it was like National Review commissioned its own version of reality."

Sparta and the Battle of Thermopylae by Dennis Behreandt

Sparta and the Battle of Thermopylae by Dennis Behreandt: "300 is not the first to posit that the Spartans at Thermopylae were fighting for their freedom against the invading hosts of an oriental despot. That has often been the way in which Thermopylae has been portrayed. But for all its noble heroism, Thermopylae was not about freedom, for the Spartans were not free, not as we understand freedom today."

300 by Max Raskin

300 by Max Raskin: "How can a society where young boys are kidnapped and trained for military service possibly be considered free? A scene in the movie portrays the 300 approaching a group of non-Spartan Greeks; when the ragtag Greeks explains that they are bakers, farmers, and potters by profession, the Spartans reply with a jockish 'ugh,' announcing that they are killers by profession. How can a society where all men are killing machines possibly maintain a division of labor and produce valuable goods and services? When the State forces the resources of society into war through conscription, taxation, and inflation, those resources are diverted from other more useful projects…like producing togas."

Monday, March 27, 2006

The Man Behind the Mask by Joshua Katz

The Man Behind the Mask by Joshua Katz: "V is a true libertarian hero"

Thursday, March 23, 2006

'V for Vendetta' by Butler Shaffer

'V for Vendetta' by Butler Shaffer One of my favorite writers, Butler Shaffer, on V for Vendetta.

James Wolcott: The Red and the Black

James Wolcott: The Red and the Black: "V for Vendetta may be--why hedge? is--the most subversive cinematic deed of the Bush-Blair era, a dagger poised in midair. "

MILE HIGH COMICS presents THE BEAT at COMICON.com: A FOR ALAN, Pt. 1: The Alan Moore interview

MILE HIGH COMICS presents THE BEAT at COMICON.com: A FOR ALAN, Pt. 1: The Alan Moore interview: "As far I'm concerned, the two poles of politics were not Left Wing or Right Wing. In fact they're just two ways of ordering an industrial society and we're fast moving beyond the industrial societies of the 19th and 20th centuries. It seemed to me the two more absolute extremes were anarchy and fascism. This was one of the things I objected to in the recent film, where it seems to be, from the script that I read, sort of recasting it as current American neo-conservatism vs. current American liberalism. There wasn't a mention of anarchy as far as I could see. The fascism had been completely defanged." - Alan Moore

Natalie Portman Interview

HERE : "I think that all of the questions that I wonder about relating to violence ultimately breakdown to that we categorize violence. We put judgment values on different kinds of violence, that some kinds are acceptable and legitimate, and that some kinds are unacceptable and illegitimate. That we say state violence is legitimized and individual violence is not. We say unintentional killing is better than intentional killing. We say killing a civilian is worse than killing a soldier, even if the soldier is 18 and has to serve in the military in their country. We say that committing suicide when committing violence is bad, but giving your life for you country is heroic. And these sort of categories, the lines between them are very thin, and sometimes making these categories trivializes the effects of violence which are equally horrific everywhere. I don't think [the film] necessarily legitimizes any sort of violence, but raises questions that might make us judge all types of violence in a harsher light, I hope.
" - Natalie Portman

Tuesday, December 06, 2005

The Attempted Militarization of the Jetsons - Mises Institute

The Attempted Militarization of the Jetsons - Mises Institute: "The Jetsons won't be militarized and certainly won't be nationalized"

Finding Serenity by J.E.Crosby

Finding Serenity by J.E.Crosby: "Firefly is one of the most explicitly libertarian themed shows to ever be broadcast, and the good news is that Serenity retains and expands that theme. "

Serenity Now! by J.E.Crosby

Serenity Now! by J.E.Crosby: "The settings of Firefly bear an obvious resemblance to the post-Lincoln American West. The Alliance is roughly analogous to the Union, the separatists to the Southern secessionists"

Wednesday, October 05, 2005

Serenity Redux by Seth Daniels

Monday, June 27, 2005

Heroes of Star Wars: What the East Can Learn From the West by Subuddh Parekh

Monday, May 30, 2005

Star Wars and the American Empire

Article by Scott Horton Anti-War May 23, 2005

Sunday, May 29, 2005

Star Wars, Episode III: Revenge of the Sith

"We must maintain eternal vigilance, and keep speaking the truth, and the return to normalcy might surprise us in its painlessness and suddenness. As Yoda might say, Hopeful and determined we must be." - The Old Republic Has Been Swept Away… But Hope Remains by Anthony Gregory
LRC May 23, 2005

Saturday, May 28, 2005

Star Wars Episode II

"Republics become Empires when they permit governments to consolidate in the name of fighting threats that they themselves concoct and inspire!"

Friday, May 27, 2005

Star Wars III

"The lamentations of Obi-Wan and the other Jedi that there was a right way to prosecute the Clone Wars are eerily similar to John Kerry's line last fall that there was a right way to prosecute the Iraq War" - The Lesson for the Left in Star Wars - by Jack Ross:
Anti-War May 27, 2005

So This Is How Liberty Dies?

by Steven LaTulippe: LRC May 27, 2005

Thursday, May 26, 2005

Star Wars Always Beats G.I. Joe

Article by Casey Khan: "So for those mothers out there who worry about the types of toys that their kids play with, steer clear of GI Joe. GI Joe’s propaganda offers us the promise of perpetual war. Its enticements of adventure and excitement lead to nothing but despair, death, and destruction. In contrast, Star Wars’ truth offers the promise of true power and true freedom, but most of all the very real hope of redemption. "
LRC May 26, 2005

Tuesday, May 24, 2005

Is Bush a Sith Lord?

Star Wars Episode III

A Great Finish by Bob Murphy . . . . LRC May 24, 2005

Saturday, May 21, 2005

Star Wars II

"The old republic is dying, to be replaced by the Empire." - Star Wars as a Parable by David Calderwood:
LRC May 21, 2002

Saturday, May 14, 2005

Mark Thornton Interview AUDIO!

Mark Thornton Star Wars Interview
Weekend Interview . . . May 14, 2005
Sep 20, 2004

Friday, May 13, 2005

What is the "Dark Side" and Why Do Some People Choose It?

Article by Mark Thorton: Mises May 13, 2005

Saturday, May 25, 2002

Star Wars, Episode II: Attack of the Clones

Monday, May 06, 2002

Episode II: Art Imitates Life

Article By David Dieteman: . . . LRC May 6, 2002

Tuesday, April 30, 2002

Star Wars and Our Wars

Saturday, August 07, 1999

Star Wars Revisited

by Mark Thorton Mises August 07, 1999

Star Wars Revisited

Article by Mark Thorton: Mises August 07, 1999

Sunday, May 30, 1999

State Wars I

Article by Mark Thorton: Mises May 30, 1999