McCarthy, witch hunts and new PC paradigm
I bet you think I'm going to go on and on about the Cap reveal this week how he's been a HYDRA agent all long, right? Wrong.
For the record, I'm not on board. Captain America: Steve Rogers #1 is a well written story. Nick Spencer spins a great intro story bringing back the Sentinel of Justice as the hero he is. That is, up till the end. The two fold story was well timed and, if it had been any other character, I would have been giving thumbs up. Even the art work is executed well on this! I give great commendations on this comic and Jesus Saiz's art work. The only problem? The punch line.
But that is not why I am here.
I understand comics have always used current public discussion as fodder for their stories. And, it being an election year, they have lots of fodder. But, as with the rest of society, I think the comic just pushes it a bit far.
Now I'm not on board with either candidate, to be honest. But I take issue with the speech by Red Skull. First of all, why does he even need to make a speech? He has the brain of Charles Xavier. This is another story plot I am NOT on board with. I think it's sloppy plotting and makes about as much sense as bringing the original five X-Men from the past to somehow change the future. Thanks for muddying the waters, Marvel....SO many times. Bottom Line? Red Skull does not need to make a hate speech. He can just say, “To me, my white men.” and it would be over. ALTHOUGH, I could see an inherent need for the Skull to get the gratification of swaying a crowd and speaking his mind. So, maybe.
But it's the substance of the speech that goes awry, if you ask me. None of you remember...Heck, I don't even remember the McCarthy Era with all of the witch hunts looking for communists around every corner. But get some history books and buff up. The powers that be could brand someone easily. They needed no proof. All they needed to do was publicly call them out as Communists. Even if they weren't involved at all, the mere insinuation would ruin them. Many people were 'Black Listed' from working anywhere just because a certain government agency called them a name.
I mention this, because history has a way of repeating itself.
Today, I made a mention that I wished they would leave Cap alone and, at least, let
him stay heterosexual. I was called a bigot. Mind you, I don't care how many characters come out of the closet. It is what it is. I just want Steve Rogers left alone. But, all it takes is me even seeming to be 'homophobic' and I get called a bigot. On the same foot, if I stated simply that we should rethink the way we handle our borders and enforce our laws, I would be called a 'Racist'. Now, although I am FAR from racist, just the mere fact of being on one side of an issue would brand me with the R word. There would be no fact finding, no discussion. I would simply be branded a racist and/or a bigot in the public forum and I would have no recourse whatsoever.
This brings me to the Red Skull.
What this fictional character is doing is tapping into the concerns of a lot of people today. The borders. America's sovereignty. Radicals from overseas. Atrocities breaking out in Germany. He exaggerates, of course. He uses certain rhetoric to build a fervor. But, of course, he has them already. His borrowed mutant brain sees to that. What he says is overboard, don't get me wrong. But it taps into another sentiment.
SIDE NOTE: I don't appreciate this WHITE evil Cap vs the BLACK hero Cap thing that is building. It's sensational and not well thought out. AND a bit racist..lol.
This speech uses a Nazi icon to rubber stamp anyone who even thinks or talks anything like this. They may not go as far as Skull. Their talk may not be as racially charged as his, but simply by stating a few non PC concerns, public opinion turns against them and the conditioned public spouts their pet words like 'bigot', 'homophobe' or 'racist'. I am none of these and I have to say I'm worried about the way we fail to simply enforce the laws on the books to do the borders as any other country does. See, all I have to do is wait and the names will fly. I love all people; give all people a chance to be good or bad according to their own actions. Their race and/or sexuality does not sway my opinion one iota.
But this instant, 'want-it-now' generation treats it's debates the same way. Watch television. We don't discuss anything anymore. All one person has to do is break the Politically Correct code and it's over. Don't talk negative about these subjects or we will destroy you...
I'm just here for a warning. Many of you will ignore me and call me names. If you know me, you know there's nothing hateful about me. I'm just trying to get you to stop and think. The next time someone says something you don't agree with, stop and ask questions. Not angry epitaphs. Try and understand, not spout names. And, if you don't like the answer, give the person room to be wrong.
We're talking about Captain America here. And, although one writer has chosen to try and make him the enemy, it still begs the question. America, land of the free and home of the brave. Where people with differing views can agree to disagree and still live in peace. Can we? Can difference of opinion mean more than hate? I think so.
