So in honor of Memorial Day, for this entire past month at my vidstore you could rent any war movie for $1.99. There are war movies in several different places in the store: we have a Classic War Movie section–I mean, considering that more movies have been made about WWII than probably any other subject, unless you count “relationships” as a subject–and there are war movies in various directors’ sections, like John Ford or Stanley Kubrick. But for this month, we did a big feature section on war movies.
Now, about 80% of the movies in this featured section would be called anti-war movies: Paths of Glory, No Man’s Land, etc. And most of the rest were made during or shortly after WWII, when it was “okay” to support the war effort. None of the movies we chose for the display are “irresponsible” pro-war movies, like The Green Berets.
So today, this chick with a Guatemalan bag and anti-Bush Tshirt, hair in two long braids, you get the picture–plus, she smelled . . . how to put this: like the earth. On a hot day. Anyway, she comes in and asks for The Killing Fields. I point and go, “It’s in the War Movie display.”
She stops, turns, and in a vaguely scolding tone, goes, “Do you have a Peace Movie section?”
I give her the gimlet and say, “Yes, we do,” and point at the War Movie section.
I mean, come on, the display included The Killing Fields, the “peace” movie she was looking for. I hate that kind of kneejerk, bumpersticker thinking–or, non-thinking.
I used to work with this woman who I knew liked to cook. I had a car at the time, hers was in the shop. I told her I was going to this huge awesome grocery store that had the best bulk ingredients, serious kitchen geek stuff like 8 kinds of lentils, lime leaves, a dozen kinds of mushrooms, etc. I asked her if she wanted to come along, or wanted me to get her anything. Instead of saying No thanks, she goes–again, with a distinct tone–“No, I do all my shopping locally.” The tone was by way of pointing out that I did *not * do all my shopping locally, and thus had room for improvement in my relationship with the earth.
I had a friend in Chicago, white chick with dreadlocks, three kids of three different races, who was the most negative and judgmental person I have ever known. Whatever music or movie or food or book or whatever I liked, I’d get a lecture on why I shouldn’t like it. Last straw, after which I pretty much wasn’t friends with her anymore: I bought a $2,000 stereo from my brother in law for $200. I was thrilled: real speakers, real amp, the works. When I told this chick about it, she listened to my description, and my glee at the price, and she pointedly didn’t say anything. I was like, “what?” She goes, “Aren’t you being materialistic?”
So maybe it’s not just hippies I hate. I hate the people who are so sure of their worldview that they’re judgmental of people whose worldview isn’t exactly the same. I’m as hardcore liberal-artsy-environmental as I think it’s possible for someone to be, but I don’t lecture my friends who are not. At least I hope I don’t.
