Tuesday, October 10, 2006

It's Not Iraq — It's France   [Jonah Goldberg]

From a few readers:

First, Mr. Goldberg, please allow me to say that I enjoy your
column—and National Review—both online and in print; and I am also
that rarity—a conservative university professor who teaches at a state
university (adjunct, non-tenure, so please don't publish my name—and
it's a crime—and yes, perhaps more than a measure of cowardice on my
part that I have to say that and stay "in the closet" as I do—but I do
have bills to pay and a family to support)

As regards the BSG premiere, while I did see some elements of New
Iraqica, to me the whole situation bore far more resemblance to Occupied
Europe during the Second World War or to Soviet occupied Eastern
Europe.  For example, the mass executions smacked of Nazi Germany or
Stalinist Russia; Baltar's puppet government really came across to me
more as Vichy France than the legitimately elected government of Iraq
with Baltar as an even more ineffectual Petain.  The suicide bombers
were not portrayed as being particularly noble or heroic—to me they
came across as being depressed and despondent with Tigh coming across as
cynically and cruelly playing on their despondency.  I do agree with you
that Brother Cavil's speech was intended to appeal to those opposed to
the war and did come across as forced; but I liked the internal
dissension growing in the cylon ranks as the "kill 'em all" party seems
to be returning to the ascendency.  Also, it seems to me that the
insurgency is making matters worse for the Colonials on New Caprica in
that it is giving Cavil and his clique's position more weight.

Well, I could go on, but you probably get tons of email so I'm going to
shut my mouth.  Thanks again for your insights and work and please, keep
it up!

And:

 

Jonah,

I think viewing the episodes as trying to mirror Iraq is at least a little bit of defensiveness from conservatives.  I was real worried about the moral equivalence before seeing the episodes, but after viewing it I think it reflected the French resistance (no easy jokes) and Vichy French rather than Iraq.  The last scene with the prisoners being allowed to stretch their legs and then being gunned down by surprise is almost a stereotype from WWII Nazi films.

Anyone trying to draw equivalence with Iraq will inevitably look like a fool trying to defend it for just a few of the reasons you have already listed. 

Me: I hear ya. And, let's also acknowledge that the whole "We come in peace" storyline is hardly new to sci-fi. But, come on. It seems an enormous stretch to think that the producers were going for occupied France first and Iraq second. The whole suicide bombing thing, the one-eyed Tighe, etc made the comparisons to Iraq incredibly ham-fisted. Indeed, what's annoying is that the French resistance vibe people are getting is part of what makes the Iraq comparison so offensive. It's a one-step remove from comparing the Iraqi insurgency to the (romanticized) French resistance. 

But, yes, I think over time the comparison to Iraq will melt away. It did what it needed to do and BSG will move on.  

10/10 12:51 PMShare