The title of today's show is "Dreams of Kim Jong-un" and
I want to tell you that I think the recent movie "The Interview"
starring James Franco and Seth Rogen is one of the best films to come out in
the last decade.
I say this, not because, The
Interview, was a great cinematic masterpiece, because it's not that all. In
fact, this film is in all actuality, just an average Seth Rogen farce,
filled with fraternity style, sophomoric and titillating gags. Just you’re run of the mill, male
bonding film, but that's not the point. I think the interview is a great film
for what it stands for. The Interview is great because it stands for freedom of
speech and expression in an increasingly intolerant age.
The Interview is great, because it ultimately calls to
attention to the fact that Kim Jong-Un is an evil dictator who suppresses and
subjugates his people like slaves. North Korea is a communist dictatorship of the worst sorts.
Currently people are starving to death and living a subsistence existence in
the horrible cult of personality. And irrespective of how immature The Interview is, it makes a point about how Kim Jong-Un is an idiot and
Rogan and Franco and the producers of the movie should be commended.
Freedom of speech and democracy is under assault folks, not just
in North Korea but recently we saw the evil and murderous assault on the
offices of a French satirical magazine. This was an evil terrorist attack and
atrocity that claimed the lives of 12 innocent people, including two police
officers. Later an anti-Semitic attack occurred that claimed the lives of more
innocent people. The
people who carried out these acts of terrorism, that's right people, terrorism, were intolerant thugs who have no place in a free and democratic society where
the free exchange of ideas is a cherished value.
I personally do not agree with the message of this French
satirical magazine. I abhor its attack on a religious faith. But under the laws
of France, such satire is legal. In any free and democratic society, where freedom of speech and
expression is a cherished value like it is in France and the United States,
there will always be things that offend us, but just because it offends does
not mean we should not permit this.
In all honesty folks, I am a lot more conservative than I let on
in my blogs, videos and podcasts. In fact, I am through and through a
conservative evangelical Christian. I am a lifelong Republican with Libertarian
views. I feel it is necessary, in order to
communicate my views in a relevant manner, I need to be innovative,
controversial and step on toes on both the conservative and liberal side.
I personally do not like this French satire magazine. I abhor its
message and the manner in which that communicate it. I do commend it for
standing up to intolerance while simultaneously disagreeing vehemently with its
message. I stand for
the freedom of speech, a lost value to many in both the conservative and
liberal perspective here in America who often wants to suppress dissenting
opinion if it happens to deviate from their ideology or talking points.
Yes, I disagree with this French satire magazine's message, but in
a free society we should be able to debate the merits of such a magazine
without the fear of being murdered because we happen to deviate from someone’s
views. I believe in
the fundamental and inherent right of all of use free citizens in a free
democracy to express ourselves freely without persecution. I believe in the
freedom of speech and in a free democracy all of us and our views must be open
to contrary opinion, critique and even lampoonery.
This is why I support James Franco and Seth Rogan and their movie, which is a piece of junk and train wreck of a movie, with a beautiful message.Yes, I have been dreaming of Kim
Jong-Un, I dream of a day when he will be deposed and brought to justice for
his human rights violations and atrocities in North Korea. I dream of a day
when North Korea will be free and united with South Korea.
If Martin Luther King had a dream, I have a dream too, that
freedom of speech will flow like a mighty river in America, France and North
Korea. In recent years
there have been many attempts even in America, to use various means to silence
dissenting opinion in our free democracy.
On secular college campuses across the United States, there are
many from a liberal political perspective who does not believe conservative
students should have the right to express themselves if it happens to deviate
from the politically incorrect status quo. On the right side of the conservative perspective, I have
seen the worst form of censorship. On the campus of my alma mater, Southwestern
Baptist Theological Seminary, a long-time professor was fired for posting a
cartoon on Facebook that happened to offend its fundamentalist leader Paige
Patterson.
This same fundamentalist Christian icon, Paige Patterson fired an
outstanding female professor just because he did not believe women should teach
theology if there are men present. We see this suppression of the freedom of speech further in
conservative circles. Case in Point, at Cedarville College, a disciple of Paige Patterson, a religious fundamentalist named Thomas White,
forcefully shut down an independent student-run newspaper.
There are reports that Thomas White himself ripped the newspapers
out of the hands of students were distributing the newspaper on campus. This is the worst type of censorship
folks, and it happened right here in the United States where we are supposed to
have the constitutional right, safeguarded by the second amendment to the
freedom of speech.
Attempts at suppressing the freedom of speech in a free and open
democratic society are not just occurring in North Korea and France. It is
happening right here in the United States as in the strange case of Cedarville
College. I stand for
democracy and the freedom of speech folks and so should you.
This is the Lee Enochs show, authentic, real, raw and unplugged, I
am Theologian X and you have just been in the Enochs zone. Have a great day
folks and check to see if you are trying to suppress another person's right to
express themselves safeguarded by the US Constitution.
