[lbo-talk] Re: Soft on the Empire

Grant Lee grantlee at iinet.net.au
Thu Feb 26 19:10:31 PST 2004


Yoshie said:


> I hear that Gibson's film is soft on the empire and tough on the
> "mob" and the national elite. It's a fitting blockbuster for the New
> American Century.

Being familiar with Gibson's "philosophies", I have no intention of seeing this movie.

Anyway, I'm no expert on the history of Roman Palestine, but --- from my Sunday school days --- I recall that the various Gospels are also "soft" on the Romans, i.e. Pontius Pilate is portrayed as sympathetic to Jesus, but also weak and beholden to the local ruling class. I think it is well-known that the Roman garrison was small in number at the time(?) So perhaps the real historical context of the story is useful to the neo-cons?

(BTW I think one of the best portrayals of Pilate -- and I've seen many --- was David Bowie, the decadent colonial figure in _The Last Temptation of Christ_.)

regards,

Grant.



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