Film or Fire Bomb? Anti-Islam Video Insights Violence

 NOTE:  My story here was based on reports on both CBS News and the Wall Street Journal, now it turns out they might have had it very wrong.  Mr. Bacile may be the pseudonym of Nakoula Basseley Nakoula, a professed Coptic Christian. 

According to a CNN report:

"A production staff member who worked on the film told CNN that he believed the filmmaker was a Coptic Christian. The production staff member, who did not want to be identified, said when the two spoke on the phone during production, the filmmaker said he was in Alexandria, Egypt, raising money for the film. There has been a long history of animosity between Muslims and the minority Copts in Egypt."

My assumptions about motives are still valid.  I strongly believe whoever made this piece of crap knew exactly how it would be received.  The fact that the film is no where to be seen, makes me wonder if it exists at all.  The trailer may be the only thing that was made, and given the dicey history of the alleged producer who was convicted in 2009 of bank fraud.

As details emerge I will attempt to get them straight.  The original post is still below.  Again it looks like the producer was not Jewish and I apologize to anyone taking offense, I was only going by what several news reports said.

More soon.
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I have made one or two films in my time, plus lots of documentaries, industrial films and commercials, but nothing I have ever driver people to commit murder.   That honor goes to an Israeli real estate developer turned filmmaker, Sam Bacile. Mr. Bacile is now in hiding by the way.

His little venture into the cinema is sighted as the cause of the killings at the American Embassy in Lybia, and after watching the trailer for it I am frankly not surprised there has not been more violence.

The movie "Innocence of Muslims" is a two hour propaganda piece filled with incendiary insults and really bad acting.  The script would seem to be written by someone stringing together every insulting remark they could find or make up about the Prophet Muhammad.  The fact that this outrageous video was financed entirely by Jewish money is both telling and frightening.  The backers either didn't know how crass the piece was going to be, or they were abundantly aware that this film had only one purpose, and that was to incite violence.

The movie itself, according to a CBS report played only once to a mostly empty theater in LA.  It's the crudely cut trailer that has caused the problem.  Amateur actors portray Muhammad as a con man and philanderer with a gaggle of stooges who follow his instructions which include child molestation and murder.

Considering that even the depiction of the Prophet is against Islamic teachings only an idiot would think this video would not cause trouble.  Personally I don't believe Sam Bacile is an idiot, he is much worse.

Now before you go getting your panties in a wad about free speech, this is not about free speech.  Say what you will as an individual, no problem, just be prepared for the consequences.  My problem is this film is tantamount to yelling "fire" in a crowded theater.  The person who does it knows it will cause problems.

Bacile had to know that his hatchet job would only lead to protests and worse.  It was designed to do exactly what it did, and by design the results are wildly out of proportion to the offense, but such is the atmosphere in the Middle-East.  That part of the world is going through a lot of growing pains as countries shake off dictatorships and try to move toward democracy.  Quite frankly, I believe that is exactly what Bacile doesn't want.

As long as he can point to the predominately Islamic countries and say, "look how oppressive and dangerous they are", he can be assured of support for Israel.  If those places that previously were ruled by anti-Israeli despots become democracies, then Israel will have to deal with them on equal footing and that would be a threat.  Israel may soon face it's own Arab Spring as the Palestinians finally get tired of negotiations that lead nowhere and move to regain their power and their capital city.

What better way to keep the community of nations on Israel's side than to have these emerging democracies descend into religious fervor and violence?

OK, so maybe it isn't a conspiracy.  Maybe it's just a stupid idea that got in front of the wrong audience.  If you buy that you and Mr. Bacile are both living in parts unknown. 

Note: I have watched the trailer and will not link it to my blog.  It is utter crap and it's purpose is crystal clear.

9-11-12

I listened to my parents wax on about the day the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, and I really didn't understand until that November day in Dallas when the President came to visit.  From that point on, the assassination was a marker by which everything was measured.  Before or after.

That day has been eclipsed by today's date.

Days marking such momentous and tragic events always will serve as anchors in our memories because they are obvious changes in the timeline of our existence.  Like some science fiction story, they mark where one history begins and another continues.  Sometimes I feel like there is another reality where Kennedy served out his term, where the Japanese came to their senses and where a dozen zealots never board airplanes with the intent of turning them into flying bombs.

That is the timeline that was stolen by those days and it is for that I mourn.

Silly musing I suppose, but I sincerely believe we can work to bring the trajectory of the present back in line with the path history should have been on.  We can do it with our actions.  We can do it by teaching peace, tolerance and justice.

I guess that is what life is really about, trying to move toward a more perfect order, striving to find solutions that do not involve splitting the timeline and veering off into some bizarre alternate future.

That seems like something well worth working toward.

May you find peace and reflection this day and turn your thoughts and actions toward bringing that peace to the world.

Vivaldi as You Have Never Heard Him

I was free form surfing on the web and ran across this.  It is a duo of electric guitarists playing "Storm" from the Four Seasons by Antonio Vivaldi.  As far as I can tell  their guitars are hooked to a synthesizer or sampler, but the skill and sound is amazing.  This is from a master class lecture and easy to see the mastery in the performance.

Alexi Laiho, the lead guitarist and vocalist of Children of Bodom and also the guitarist of Sinergy and Kylähullut is accompanied by Roope Latvala.  AMAZING!