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All hail Labor Day
location: work, get me out of here
mood: 
exhausted
exhaustedIn other news, I've been fannishly bored, and thus haven't posted here in, like, a month or something (but I have been keeping track of
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mk_drabbles, and the fact that Ellen Burstyn is playing Stabler's mother). I did watch that Stargate: Atlantis episode everyone was so excited about -- just to see why everyone was excited -- the one where Geeky Doctor loses his memory and goes running to Fuzzy Haired Soldier Guy for comfort. I'm sure all of you were squeeing. For some reason. And now in TV-related news, since it ended last night, I thought I'd do a drive-by post this morning to sum up my reaction to David Simon's Generation Kill, an HBO miniseries adapted from Evan Wright's book that had him on the ground with a Marine recon battalion during the early days of the Iraq War. Here's some sample dialogue from the series:
Marine 1 (whose name I still don't know after 7 episodes): "Homophobia, racism, misogyny, sexism, homophobia...military jargon."
Marine 2 (whose name I still don't know after 7 episodes): "Racism, racism, homophobia, misogyny, military acronym, homophobia, military acronym?"
Evan Wright (as played by Lee Tergesen): [open-mouthed stare; starts to look like he's going to talk, but doesn't]
Marine 1 (whose name I still don't know after 7 episodes): "Misogyny, sexism, military jargon, military acronym, homophobia!"
All: "Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!!!"
Yeah, that about sums it up. I think the only part that interested me was Part 5, and that was only because there was the firefight on the bridge. Otherwise, I felt it to be plodding and slow in many ways. It also makes me really, really depressed knowing that this series is based on actual events, because I'm sure it's not only the Marines joking about being "Burger Kings" -- aka "baby killers."
And the dialogue I "paraphrased" above? All seven episodes are like that. David Simon's The Wire threw you into events as this miniseries does, but unlike Generation Kill, The Wire gave you a whole season to get to know the characters and the slang they used. Eventually you were able to pick it up. Here you don't really get a chance to understand all the lingo.
If this had been a series, then maybe it would have been better. Then again, I don't think I'd be able to put up with all the pure shit that came out of these guys' mouths. There was a voiceover at the end of Part 6 that explained it, sort of, but "brotherhood" doesn't excuse it.
Lee himself -- his looks, the screen captures where you can't hear what's going on -- that's the only redeeming factor for me. And frankly, the only reason I'm watching in the first place.
I've recorded the last ep to watch and screencap tonight, then will post some comments. I don't thing they will be popular!
On the other hand, I feel like all Americans should watch at least one episode of this miniseries so they can get just as angry about the war!
This is sort of like Rescue Me, and why I stopped watching it. It's because I realized that the assholes on the show are not an anomaly. They're standard. I think the same goes for the military.
I was in Army ROTC in college years ago (1996), and that was one of the greatest experiences of my life. But the sad fact (based on experience at Fort Dix) is that most of the enlisted ranks are made up of the uneducated and poor, and their behavior reflects that. This series is a perfect example of everything we're doing wrong. It's sad.
Funny you mention about Lee. He hasn't had much to do other than react and gape open-mouthed at stuff.
LMFAO! I love your way with words. :D It was a good episode, but I still have many many complaints about it.
I do believe mk_drabbles is about the only thing I still keep up with in the XF world. <3
I did watch all of GK, and quite frankly, I just didn't get it... I couldn't tell you any of the names of the soldiers (were we supposed to feel something for them), or why they were there, or what the reasoning was behind the decisions the folks in charge made.
**scratches head**
*sigh*
*shrug* sad but true. I did rip into guys on a regular basis for whining about women taking away shore billets from men (at the time women weren't allowed on combat ships). I told them if they had an issue, bitch to their congressmen not me--I signed the same contract they did and it was filled out identical except for that one little box marked 'f'.
Don't know that I entirely agree with the concept that most enlisted are poor and uneducated--that sometimes is the case in infantry units (Army and Marine), but many have at least a few braincells to rub together. My personal opinion/observation is that the military as a whole is a concentration of our society and it's mores, for good or bad. Which is why sexist, racist and generally offensive stuff gets magnified--it's already there (and is often reinforced by the senior enlisteds that are mentoring/training the juniors).
Re: *sigh*
I think the poor and uneducated are a result of the recent loosening of restrictions in order to get more get troops. Before, they wouldn't allow anyone with a felony conviction, but that's changed. I've even watched documentaries about the increasing numbers of gang members in Iraq. And I mean Crips, Bloods, and the like. Real evil guys.
When I was in ROTC my colonel said he was sorry I wasn't going into OCS, but frankly, I would have had to put up with men exactly like the ones depicted on GK. The strong woman and feminist in me couldn't deal with that shit.
Re: *sigh*
And, if you didn't date someone in the command, or turned down a guy anywhere you were a 'bitch' or a 'fucking dyke'. And yeah, I heard both those terms directed at me over those six years. Seeing as I was a virgin until I went in the service (at least THAT experience was okay and with someone I knew), and never really dated in high school it was a major culture shock for me (it might have been the same had I gone to college; I don't know). I went from 0 to 60 in about 1.2 seconds; it messed with my head because I hadn't changed and it kinda freaked me out, being hit on and guys wanting to get in my pants.
The rape happened because I trusted someone too much, frankly. I thought they were a friend, turns out they just wanted to fuck. I actually did blame myself for several years; it took a lot of soul searching to realize that he took advantage and he was the one at fault.
And yes--the loosening of restrictions has been to the detriment of all the services. Which is a direct result of an unneeded and unpopular war in a country we had no business invading. But that's a rant for another day.
Generation Kill - Huge disappointment!
I do have something interesting to report! We got a call today from the Law & Order SVU location scout. They're coming to check out our office for a possible future shoot! The only good news at work in a long while.