Zero Dark Thirty

A couple weeks ago, Christopher and I watched the film Zero Dark Thirty. He had recorded it onto the DVR and we watched it one evening before he left for a business trip.  Though I read the description of the film I seriously had NO idea what I was getting in for.

The movie portrays the time between 9-11 and the killing of Osama Bin Laden (yeah, not a light topic for the day).  It shows the work of CIA operatives who were interrogating known accomplices of Bin Laden-- in pre no-torture days at that.  The opening scenes are some of the most repulsive scenes I have ever allowed myself to watch.  I felt nauseous, dizzy, and conflicted.

These operatives were doing their job, and doing it well.  They were in places such as Pakistan where they were hated on, threatened, shot at, and bombed in order to discover information that would lead to the eventual take down of Bin Laden.  That is medal-worthy work, people.  And thank GOD for the men and women (holla at you, kick ass girl in the movie)

But at the same time, their work was degraded, in-humane, and down right disgusting.  They were hitting, kicking, starving, depriving, water boarding and everything in between.  On top of that, they used tactics such as shaming, nudity, using dog collars and more to embarrras and strip away every last ounce of humanness from these individuals. 

Now, keep in mind, the individuals being tortured were likely terrorists. And I say likely because most of the people they are seen interrogating (torturing rather) were not necessarily terrorists but had been seen with a terrorist at one point or another.  A serious case of in the wrong place at the wrong time.

I was left with a deep sense of WHY? Why do we respond to hate (terrorism) with more hate (torture)? Why do we respond to cries for help (from those being tortured) with silence (or more pain infliction).  Why does it seem natural to inflict such pain, shame, and torture on any human being regardless of their crime?

Now I preface my reactions with the fact that I am not an eye for an eye type of person.  I believe in redemption and rehabilitation.  Would terrorists choose terrorism if they had other choices? I like to believe that they would NOT.  And I can appreciate that for the families who lost loved ones in any of the Al Queda terrorist attacks that it feels good knowing the men to blame were tortured, injured, shamed, and caused pain.  But I beg you to consider WHY that makes you feel better. Not because I judge you, not because it is wrong, but is that actually how you feel, and questioning your beliefs is never a bad thing.

Something that also struck me was that the movie critically proclaimed the "no-torture" rulings that Obama put in place.  It was so interesting for me (So so pro no-torture) to see this from the point of view of the people who had been doing the torturing. 

Lastly I will leave you with a link to an article about the movie that is much more eloquent than mine!

Bold

Boldness is admirable.  Whether your bold by telling someone about your life, your faith; by approaching a person you want to get to know; or if you're bold by making risky decisions, it can be a freeing and learning experience. 

I like to think that I'm passionate.  Well, I know that I'm passionate.  If you tell me about a social issue, or something of social injustice, I can jump on board with a petition, plan or political movement to work closer toward equality quite easily.  But even though I am passionate, I am not always bold.  Though I detest inequality, I listen to derogatory comments, watch racism and witness classism all of the time; and rarely do I respond vocally.  I want to learn how to be bold, learn how to speak up for how I feel and learn how to go after exactly what I want.

I hate the movie Knight and Day, really I do.  But the beginning of the movie reminds me of the boldness I do NOT have.  Cameron Diaz is on a flight with Tom Cruise, and finds him cute and flirty.  She preps herself in the bathroom, comes out and kisses him passionately.  Of course she later finds out that he's crazy and the movie turns weird, but for the moment that she takes what she wants, I envy her bold passion. 

Sometimes I feel like women don't have the freedom to just go up to a guy and express what she wants.  A woman who just wants a fling is written off by many men, yet so is a woman who wants to get married?  Why can't we all just be bold, honest, and enjoy each stage as it comes?

FWB

Last week I drove to Ann Arbor to pick up my lovely friend Lisa (heyy girl) so we could go see Friends with Benefits.  Since first seeing the preview for this movie I was oh so excited..and knew I could only see it with her for various reasons :)  I saw No Strings Attached not long ago and thought they'd be quite similar given the plot of the movies being nearly identical, but it turned out that FWB was a lot cuter and No Strings Attached has a lot more sex in it.

Being a movie with Justin Timberlake I knew it'd be cute...and that it'd also be misleading to millions of women around the world...and I was oh so right.  It definitely sparked a gazillion of thoughts in my head though. 

Why do we have to be in serious relationships for both physical and emotional intimacy?  Are those not the relationships that we're most hurt by?  Rarely have I been hurt by someone who I have not actively chosen to give my heart to...so why is it that being friends with benefits with people is both looked down upon and rare? 

but it's not ONLY about sex

Couldn't that be the perfect combination of having a great friend and a way to meet needs that at the same time does not require expectations, standards, deep issues and dependency?  And why is it, may I ask, that when women express interest in being friends with benefits they are quickly viewed as the kind of girl that is not appropriate to introduce to their mother...yet when guys offer their status is unchanged?  Do women honestly like sex/partnership less than men?  No, not really.  So what's with the 1950's double standard?

The movie is about how two strangers realize they enjoy each others company, and that they could meet one anothers needs without entering the constraining confines of a relationship.  Obviously their feelings grow and a relationship becomes inevitable.  When I left I felt like it was too cheesy because that's never how FWB relationships end...but honestly, is that not the best way a relationship could develop?  Your best friends, you know each others quirks, you have great chemistry and you enjoy each others company.  Best way ever to determine compatibility if you ask me.  But you didn't I guess.  So that was all free. 

The Breakup

You've seen the movie, right? It's awful! Well Saturday night (at home), my padres ditched my hermanito and I and I needed entertainment. Unfortunately, I thought The Breakup would provide some entertainment.  Instead, for 2 hours of my life, I watched a couple argue, scream, fight, bicker and act like ridiculously misbehaved children. 

My dad caught the tail end of it, and kept commenting on how strange the movie was, "Yes dad, the movie sucks".  He kept saying that it told an important lesson, COMMUNICATE. 

So, as a free gift to those of you who read, if you have a sweetheart on this silly make-believe holiday; make sure you are communicating well.  If not, if you don't enjoy the person, if it's not fun, if you're not headed the same place in life... GET THE F**K OUT.