I find the attack on Sony beyond the pale. The idea that North Korea-or whoever these hackers acting in it's behalf are-could shut down an American movie is quite chilling. I mean, we know how censorious and oppressive the NK regime is but that it can not just intimidate it's own citizens but our citizens as well is an abysmal thought.
Yet I see that some commentators think that this is a 'false flag'-the US government did this to incriminate a nice guy Like Kim Jong.
"Ever hear of false flag attacks? This is a government disinformation campaign designed to bastardize North Korea and build support for war against it."
"This threat is a phony. The “GOP” group has major support here in the USA.. The “powers that be” keep saying it’s been done by N. Korea.. with absolutely no proof of that claim. This “threat” is either being done to make Americans mad at N.Korea or at the “GOP” GROUP.. IT’S SOOOO OBVIOUS."
http://variety.com/2014/film/news/sony-hackers-threaten-911-attack-on-movie-theaters-that-screen-the-interview-1201380712/
So it's the US government-ie, it's all Obama's fault! I don't know how people like this are so smart. I guess they can't believe that any government that calls itself Communist could ever do anything bad. If Jong didn't do this he is praising it.
“The world will be full of fear,” the message reads. “Remember the 11th of September 2001. We recommend you to keep yourself distant from the places at that time. (If your house is nearby, you’d better leave.) Whatever comes in the coming days is called by the greed of Sony Pictures Entertainment.”
"Past messages have included budgets to Sony films, salary information of top executives, and employee medical records and social security numbers."
Yet I see that some commentators think that this is a 'false flag'-the US government did this to incriminate a nice guy Like Kim Jong.
"Ever hear of false flag attacks? This is a government disinformation campaign designed to bastardize North Korea and build support for war against it."
"This threat is a phony. The “GOP” group has major support here in the USA.. The “powers that be” keep saying it’s been done by N. Korea.. with absolutely no proof of that claim. This “threat” is either being done to make Americans mad at N.Korea or at the “GOP” GROUP.. IT’S SOOOO OBVIOUS."
http://variety.com/2014/film/news/sony-hackers-threaten-911-attack-on-movie-theaters-that-screen-the-interview-1201380712/
So it's the US government-ie, it's all Obama's fault! I don't know how people like this are so smart. I guess they can't believe that any government that calls itself Communist could ever do anything bad. If Jong didn't do this he is praising it.
“The world will be full of fear,” the message reads. “Remember the 11th of September 2001. We recommend you to keep yourself distant from the places at that time. (If your house is nearby, you’d better leave.) Whatever comes in the coming days is called by the greed of Sony Pictures Entertainment.”
"Past messages have included budgets to Sony films, salary information of top executives, and employee medical records and social security numbers."
"There have been suspicions that the attack may have been launched by North Korea in retaliation for “The Interview’s” depiction of an assassination attempt on Kim Jong-un. The country has denied involvement but praised the attacks."
The irony is I didn't care about this movie until I heard about North Korea's campaign to stop it being shown. I had seen the previews and thought little about it. I wasn't terribly impressed. However, now that NK or some hackers acting on its behalf are trying to scare Americans from watching it, now I want to see it.
I've heard arguments that it's kind of not very nice making a film about killing a nation's leader-how would we feel? Surely we can empathize with NK here? Nevertheless, we've had films-and books that were about the assassination of a US President. Actually one movie and one book about killing my least favorite President, George W. Bush.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_a_President_(2006_film)
http://www.amazon.com/The-Assassination-George-W-Bush/dp/1430321350
To tell the truth even I think this is getting a little carried away. Listen, don't get too self-righteous conservatives, I know many of you fantasize about harming President Obama.
I for one don't go for talk of harming any US President. However, we believe in Freedom of Speech so even books and movies like this are available for public consumption very unlike in NK. This is why I've come to think that this movie really is important; less because of the idea of killing Kim Jong than because NK is just an incredibly closed regime with no liberty or openness and maybe this film will perform a necessary public service in opening the curtain on NK.
Really what this whole episode reminded me the most of was Salman Rushdie when the Ayatollah put a death sentence on his head for writing The Satanic Verses.
http://www.amazon.com/Satanic-Verses-Salman-Rushdie-ebook/dp/B004KABDMA/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1418790960&sr=1-1&keywords=the+satanic+verses&pebp=1418790965536
I think that the Ayatollah was kind of like Kim Jong-both at the heads of really reactionary, premodern regimes that resist having their regimes visible to the outside, particularly what you might call the Western roving eye.
Maybe it's time for a little sunlight on NK. If the film is shown anywhere-rather than all the theaters being too scared-I plan to watch it. While Sony is telling the theaters are free to choose-if they don't want to show the film they don't have to-I'm happy to see that Sony won't withdraw the film and the Feds are apparently close to finding where these 9/11 threats are coming from. Whoever sent this engaged in a terrorist act.
P.S. It's good to see Rushdie still at it, doing his thing, all the years after that pathetic threat on his life.
http://www.salman-rushdie.com/
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