General Chat

Oh right!!! loved that film!! - I'm like Sally, shy away from violence and misery as I do in real life where I can!!

Hi SHeila, I agree, it has always been the case.

But as we get more 'civilised', should we not be more capable of recognising that?

I think a lot of people do recognise it, but in some you will never ever remove that bigotry gene, and they are the ones that are potentially dangerous.

Ann- I was refering to 'Airplane', not Gladiator!

The scene in the cockpit - 'Hi Joey - do you like gladiator movies?'

Apocolypse Now haunted me too for ages Sheila......I made myself watch it again just to lay to rest the demons........I thought that Marlon Brando played a brilliant part.....he was so sinister....

.....bit of a wuss me, I can't watch anything with any sort of violence, which rules out most of todays films.......anything that is too scary or too bad.......I think I cut myself off from anything that would upset me....

Eldrick,

Did not realize that what the 18 stood for :O( but turning on the weaker members of society is not new, look at he film or book Lord of the Flies :O(

I am with you Ann I prefer feel good movies, although sometimes some of the sadder more shocking movies get the message or morel across ...........

Sheila

Also the Deerhunter, where the one of the characters is so traumatized by what he has seen, he plays games of Russian roulette for money :O(

I found bits of 'Apocalypse Now' quite disturbing - the way it examines the mental impact of war. For some, like Robert Duvall's complete gung-ho nutter character, it was their finest hour, while, for others, it was literally hell on earth.

Yes, the BNP is gaining momentum and support.

I think a lot of those who vote for them do so out of either ignorance or as a protest against the mainstream parties, but there is no doubt that there is a vicious hard core racist element in this country, as there is in other parts of Europe.

If you want to see how alive racism is - google combat 18 or blood and honour. But only if you have a strong stomach. (combat 18 - letters 1 and 8 of the alphabet are A and H. It's a clue.)

I think I must be quite naive because Im really shocked when I come across racism in this day & age, I tend to think of it as belonging to extremists only but then I heard how well the BNP had done somewhere in a by election.
x

oh not Gladiator - I absolutely hated it - it was so cruel - don't watch nasty films - all the films I watch has to have good winning over evil and if there are any baddies that have to get their just desserts - and happy endings always.

Spartacus is one of the films I will never forget

I confess I've never seen Spartacus......gladiator movies aren't my thing......which brings to mind another film that I think is great, lol

Yes, anything outside the mean in the 'tribe' will always create that reaction.

Gays, mentally ill, disabled, whatever - if it doesn't conform to the stereotype it gets rejected.

That's why, sadly, we have to have laws to prevent that discrimination. But whilst you can legislate for actions, you can't legislate for thoughts.

Not yet, anyway.

and back to the films!!! The Yearling - sobbed my socks off in that one and Spartacus - OH and I came out from that film traumatised - we had both been crying and I was awake most of the night fretting over Jean Simmons holding the baby up to touch Spartacus' feet as he was up there on that cross

some of the most vulnerable people in this country - probably any country I suppose - are the mentally ill, and I have a feeling this is because of fear and embarrassment - people are uncomfortable with mental illness and shy away from talking about it - if only they could see that mental illness is no different from a broken leg, or cancer or an infectious disease - we are all liable to suffer some form of illness in our lives and apparently one in four will suffer from some form of mental illness yet it is so sad to see it stigmatised. I suffered a breakdown 12 years ago and certainly and hapy to talk about it with no embarrassment whatsoever

Absolutely - but people like to stick a tag or label on 'groups' - it gives a sense of unity and belonging, no matter how misplaced that is.

It's human nature to belong to the biggest and strongest tribe and to reject and make disparaging remarks about those we see as a threat. It manifests in all sorts of weird ways - look at football supporters...I mean, what is all that about! And these hooligan fans are so often intermeshed with neo nazis and such like.....

But in this day and age we should be capable of recognising that and dealing with it. Most can, but sadly many cannot.

Rose,

Your right , as I said before a lot to do with fear and ignorance look at the movie Philadelphia where Tom Hanks is sacked after contracting AIDS, so sad :O(

Eldrick

Know what you mean, but how many people go on holiday abroad and say they hate how it is full of foreigners and hate all that foreign food ;O)

Variety is the spice of life. get to mix with other cultures, try the food, you will enjoy it :O)

I think they may have moved in here when land was available because the decent ones were avoiding them.
The good guys are still good because they are still going about their business and doing nothing unpleasant to the rest of us.
Unfortunately the nasties are far more noticeable,simply because we need to notice them,they pose a threat.Once a threat has been posed by someone or something you are always wary of it.
You don't notice wasps much until one stings you and then you are wary of anything with a stripe on it's bum!

Sharron -- "Unfortunately,this making a village that has always welcomed travellers into one that is always wary of them."

And yet the "good" ones are still good ...

Lucky they hadn't decided to be always horrible to "the others" because of the ones who had been horrible to them. Chicken and egg, eh?

My sister's ex, always cries to The Littlest Hobo's theme tune....

"a bit like not going to China because of all the Chinese isn't it!!!!"

When you put it that way, Ann!!

There are certainly degrees of good and bad in all people. As a village, we have always had a few travellers. There is a showman's wintering yard and a couple of gypsy families have lived in the village for a long time.They have fitted in,contributed to the community and generally been liked by us all.
Then there was a big change in the village which involved a lot of horticultural holdings becoming available.
Two of the nastiest,most light fingered and belligerent families of gypsies have moved in at about the same time.Flouting planning laws,threatening people and making us all very careful to leave nothing about.
Unfortunately,this making a village that has always welcomed travellers into one that is always wary of them.

It does Sheila..and also extends beyond race/ religion to those with a 'disability' of course....many see the disease or disability and not the person .

Rose xx