Unthinkable
I watched a really interesting movie last week, called Unthinkable. Very original, very well done. It involved a man captured for setting atomic bombs in major US cities for what he believed to be the cause of Islam.
Politics aside, you can feel what you will about how people fight for their causes. While violence is never an answer, for either side, we all certainly have room to grow in the Middle East.
Nonetheless, the title of the movie came not from his actions, but from how the US government agents reacted to him.
There was a female character, played by Carrie Ann Moss, who started out very noble, insisting that the terrorist not be tortured or abused. But toward the end of the movie, as the clock on the bombs ticked away to zero, she was willing to let them to anything to that man.. and his wife.. and his children... to get the information they needed. She willingly abandoned all she stood for.. when push came to shove.
Do we? Do I? It made me wonder what I'd do in a situation like that. Or.. perhaps with more relevance.. what I do in situations much less important than that. Are there times when I sacrifice my standards for much less important things than life or death?
I've heard the golden rule applied both ways... do unto others as you would like them to do unto you can be a excellent principle to live by. But some also feel that we should do unto others before they do to us... not just in war.. but in relationships as well. How many times have I done unto someone before they've done unto me.. or.. worse yet.. when they might never have...?
If you get a chance to watch the movie.. as I said, regardless of your politics.. it's worth it. It's one of those stories I wish I had written. And then, afterward, step back and ask yourself at what point would you do unto someone something you'd never want done to you.. something.. well.. unthinkable. At what point is it justified..? Ever?
I'm still trying to figure it out...
Politics aside, you can feel what you will about how people fight for their causes. While violence is never an answer, for either side, we all certainly have room to grow in the Middle East.
Nonetheless, the title of the movie came not from his actions, but from how the US government agents reacted to him.
There was a female character, played by Carrie Ann Moss, who started out very noble, insisting that the terrorist not be tortured or abused. But toward the end of the movie, as the clock on the bombs ticked away to zero, she was willing to let them to anything to that man.. and his wife.. and his children... to get the information they needed. She willingly abandoned all she stood for.. when push came to shove.
Do we? Do I? It made me wonder what I'd do in a situation like that. Or.. perhaps with more relevance.. what I do in situations much less important than that. Are there times when I sacrifice my standards for much less important things than life or death?
I've heard the golden rule applied both ways... do unto others as you would like them to do unto you can be a excellent principle to live by. But some also feel that we should do unto others before they do to us... not just in war.. but in relationships as well. How many times have I done unto someone before they've done unto me.. or.. worse yet.. when they might never have...?
If you get a chance to watch the movie.. as I said, regardless of your politics.. it's worth it. It's one of those stories I wish I had written. And then, afterward, step back and ask yourself at what point would you do unto someone something you'd never want done to you.. something.. well.. unthinkable. At what point is it justified..? Ever?
I'm still trying to figure it out...
One thing you didn't address in your article is perception. The bomber was assumed to be a terrorist and was detained and tortured for the sake of maintaining homeland security. The twist occurred when you found out that bomber was not a terrorist, but a man who loved his country and felt that the government had overstepped its boundaries in the Middle East.
After the bomber revealed his true intentions is when the story became truly intriguing. It raised the question, "What would you do?" or "How far would you go for something you believed in?". Would you die for it? Would you kill over it? Then when faced with someone who is so obsessed to the point of murder, what options do you really have? Do you back down and allow them or others to continue to take advantage of you or do you fight evil with evil? It takes a strong, determined individual full of conviction to make those sort of choices because there indefinitely will always be unanswered questions, like "What if?" that will continue to haunt them from time to time.
Many of us watch movies like this and think that we have all the answers or it is all black and white. However, there is a lot of gray in this world. If you liked Unthinkable, you should watch Five Fingers. Another good movie that makes you think is Doubt. Both will spark interesting conversation and debate.
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Excellent observations.. I loved your insights. Thanks. I'll have to check out those movies. I've not heard of Five Fingers.. and I had wanted to see Doubt.
Perception plays such a strong role in our decisions.. our lives.. for better sometimes but more often for worse.. and it can be so hard to change once made.. something for me to think about...
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