Wednesday, March 6, 2002
|
Wednesday, March 6, 2002 |
|
Movie accurately depicts what happened in Somalia I could not disagree more with a "Critic's Corner" review of the movie, "Black Hawk Down." If the reviewer had read the statements prefacing the movie, the context was very simply explained: Tens of thousands of Somali civilians were being methodically starved and killed by warlords and their militia. The International Community and America freely gave enormous amounts of food to Somalia, stopping starvation in its tracks. Our Marines created order out of total chaos. Starvation was over, peace was established, and then the Marines left. Immediately, the warlord Adid began stealing the food and killing the Somalis. Without any enforcing authority, the UN forces could not maintain the fragile peace. Our valiant Rangers and Delta Force were sent to capture Adid, but the entire city of Mogadishu turned out to slaughter them. Every man, woman and child who was strong enough to hold a gun had one and used it. America's husbands, sons, brothers and fathers were sent on this mission without being properly armed, thanks to the non-inhaling President Clinton and his flower children staff. As for the Somalis being portrayed as "grinning beasts," if you watched the History Channel's documentary, MSNBC's documentary, or Fox's documentary on the true story of "Black Hawk Down," you would know just how accurate that description is. Although the movie did not show the stripped bodies of our soldiers being dragged through the streets of Somalia, it was graphically shown in the History Channel documentary. What better word would describe natives grinning from ear to ear and literally jumping up and down on our dead soldiers' bodies? How about savages or barbarians? This was not revisionist history. And, as for the actors looking like they belonged on the runway, in my opinion, there was only one "pretty face" among them. The other actors don't look any better and certainly not as masculine as those who lived "Black Hawk Down." The Rangers and Delta Force I've seen interviewed could hold their own in any "looks" contest. Since we are diametrically opposed in our review of this movie, I ask Americans to judge this movie for themselves. I believe it deserves an A. Cheryl B. Livingston Fayetteville
|
||