Nuh-uh! In Herbert's books, Harkonnen is always described as "cherubic". I always thought of the Baron looking like a chubby baby, but with true evil in his heart. A much more sinister character that I think plays much better. His ugliness comes from his evil, not from pus or weeping wounds. That was just laziness on the part of the DeLaurentis production, IMO.
Please read my comment again. Carefully. I know what rape is. My mother was nearly killed by a rapist. Let me repeat that - perhaps it will penetrate this time - My Mother Was Nearly Raped And Nearly Killed In Her Own Home. When I finally got to her, her face was a mask of bruising, the whites of her eyes were bloody and many of the teeth in her jaw were loose or coming out. Her hands and arms were slashed with a kitchen knife. She had bruises, scrapes and cuts over most of her body. I lost count of how many stitches she had to have to close all of her wounds. Her attacker? A married carpenter working in the hospital where my mother worked. A fine, upstanding young man with only one blotch on his record - indecent exposure 15 years before his attack on my mother. Don't you even dare suggest that in any way, shape or form that I condone rape. I found out that day what it really felt like to want to rip apart another human with my bare hands - smiling all the while.
I don't condone rape. Let me repeat that slowly and distinctly. I. Do. Not. Condone. Rape. If I had my way, all rapists would be hung by their dangly bits until they dropped off.
What I am trying to say is that by merely closing our eyes and pretending something doesn't exist does not mean it doesn't exist. By deleting all mention of rape from our media do you suppose that rape will no longer occur? Can you be that naive? Do you really think that by eliminating all reference to rape that rape will cease? That's a rather simplistic response to a problem that has plagued humanity since the beginning of recorded history. The problems go much deeper and cannot be solved simply by eliminating depictions of rape in the media.
Do you happen to know what percentage of humans who are exposed to depictions of rape in the media actually go out and rape another human? From my research, I've discovered that most rapists find depictions of rape in the media disgusting and sinful. Many (in our Western culture)are faithful readers of the bible and other religious works. Shall we now ban the bible, since a disproportionate number of bible-readers commit rape?
But wait, perhaps I am being unfair. Are you one of these people who sees themselves as a perpetual victim? Do you contend that you are being sexually harassed when someone says that you look nice? Do you want the government to make the world all nicey-nice and safe? Worked great in Germany before and during World War II. Have you ever considered taking soma*? I agree that it'd be lovely if humans did not hurt one another, mentally or physically - but I'm not willing to pay the price for that kind of enslavement.
But I am willing to take risks. By playing the role of victim, many humans are able to abdicate all responsibility for their lives. By claiming victim-hood, these humans minimize their independance and live safely, blinders safely on and ear plugs firmly shoved into their ears. But they also belittle the experience of true victims. Victims that we hear about in the news; 80 year old women who have been attacked and raped, 6 month old babies who have been raped, men who have been raped. It's about power and violence.
*soma A drug that makes one complacent and pleased with the status quo. From Aldous Huxley's book Brave New World.
Simple answer - don't buy or read the things that offend. That is your commentary on the situation.
I don't like beets. Won't buy 'em, never will. That doesn't mean that I have a right to stop anyone else from buying and *shudder* enjoying them.
Believe me, I am not pleased by the depiction of rape in any form - particularly after my mother was nearly raped and nearly killed in her own home. And growing up a cop's daughter is an education in and of itself.
We have had a society where social mores dictated how most Americans lived their lives. It was called Victorianism and we couldn't (as a society) get rid of it quickly enough.
Sorry, but censorship is censorship. The price and responsibility of a free society is that you're going to see, hear and experience things that are upsetting. Guess what - that's life. I don't want to live in a society where anything that might potentially upset or disturb me cannot exist. Who decides? Who watches the Watchmen?
And remember, oddly enough, it's surprisingly safe for a woman to travel alone in Japan. And if you think that Japanese culture is buttoned up and stiff, honey, you haven't really been to Japan.
Slashdot Mirror
Nuh-uh! In Herbert's books, Harkonnen is always described as "cherubic". I always thought of the Baron looking like a chubby baby, but with true evil in his heart. A much more sinister character that I think plays much better. His ugliness comes from his evil, not from pus or weeping wounds. That was just laziness on the part of the DeLaurentis production, IMO.
Annoying little nit-picky, help-I'm-geekin'-hard, point of fact. Dr. Yuei is actually Dr. Yueh. FYI
Please read my comment again. Carefully. I know what rape is. My mother was nearly killed by a rapist. Let me repeat that - perhaps it will penetrate this time - My Mother Was Nearly Raped And Nearly Killed In Her Own Home. When I finally got to her, her face was a mask of bruising, the whites of her eyes were bloody and many of the teeth in her jaw were loose or coming out. Her hands and arms were slashed with a kitchen knife. She had bruises, scrapes and cuts over most of her body. I lost count of how many stitches she had to have to close all of her wounds. Her attacker? A married carpenter working in the hospital where my mother worked. A fine, upstanding young man with only one blotch on his record - indecent exposure 15 years before his attack on my mother. Don't you even dare suggest that in any way, shape or form that I condone rape. I found out that day what it really felt like to want to rip apart another human with my bare hands - smiling all the while.
I don't condone rape. Let me repeat that slowly and distinctly. I. Do. Not. Condone. Rape. If I had my way, all rapists would be hung by their dangly bits until they dropped off.
What I am trying to say is that by merely closing our eyes and pretending something doesn't exist does not mean it doesn't exist. By deleting all mention of rape from our media do you suppose that rape will no longer occur? Can you be that naive? Do you really think that by eliminating all reference to rape that rape will cease? That's a rather simplistic response to a problem that has plagued humanity since the beginning of recorded history. The problems go much deeper and cannot be solved simply by eliminating depictions of rape in the media.
Do you happen to know what percentage of humans who are exposed to depictions of rape in the media actually go out and rape another human? From my research, I've discovered that most rapists find depictions of rape in the media disgusting and sinful. Many (in our Western culture)are faithful readers of the bible and other religious works. Shall we now ban the bible, since a disproportionate number of bible-readers commit rape?
But wait, perhaps I am being unfair. Are you one of these people who sees themselves as a perpetual victim? Do you contend that you are being sexually harassed when someone says that you look nice? Do you want the government to make the world all nicey-nice and safe? Worked great in Germany before and during World War II. Have you ever considered taking soma*? I agree that it'd be lovely if humans did not hurt one another, mentally or physically - but I'm not willing to pay the price for that kind of enslavement.
But I am willing to take risks. By playing the role of victim, many humans are able to abdicate all responsibility for their lives. By claiming victim-hood, these humans minimize their independance and live safely, blinders safely on and ear plugs firmly shoved into their ears. But they also belittle the experience of true victims. Victims that we hear about in the news; 80 year old women who have been attacked and raped, 6 month old babies who have been raped, men who have been raped. It's about power and violence.
*soma A drug that makes one complacent and pleased with the status quo. From Aldous Huxley's book Brave New World.
Simple answer - don't buy or read the things that offend. That is your commentary on the situation. I don't like beets. Won't buy 'em, never will. That doesn't mean that I have a right to stop anyone else from buying and *shudder* enjoying them. Believe me, I am not pleased by the depiction of rape in any form - particularly after my mother was nearly raped and nearly killed in her own home. And growing up a cop's daughter is an education in and of itself. We have had a society where social mores dictated how most Americans lived their lives. It was called Victorianism and we couldn't (as a society) get rid of it quickly enough.
Sorry, but censorship is censorship. The price and responsibility of a free society is that you're going to see, hear and experience things that are upsetting. Guess what - that's life. I don't want to live in a society where anything that might potentially upset or disturb me cannot exist. Who decides? Who watches the Watchmen?
And remember, oddly enough, it's surprisingly safe for a woman to travel alone in Japan. And if you think that Japanese culture is buttoned up and stiff, honey, you haven't really been to Japan.