Tuesday, February 13, 2018

“HIGH NOON” vs. “THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MINNESOTA”



WHO ARE WE?

            Like “High Noon”, a gang of desperadoes led by a vicious outlaw, Frank Miller, has ridden into town. In our case, the Boris Putin gang has ridden into our virtual town (Facebook, Twitter and social media). The Miller gang threatens revenge against the Federal Marshall, Will Kane for sending Miller to prison. The Putin Gang wants U.S. Sanctions lifted.
The Miller Gang takes over the town and their presence dares the Marshall to “do something about it.” Like the presence of foreign hackers in social media is a dare to our community. The Miller gang will arrive on the noon train. The Putin Gang violated laws against meddling in U.S. elections, and violated the integrity of that key U.S. right (a kind of a “rape”). That they have the capacity to do this at will, is a threat which makes everybody involved with future U.S. free elections (we townspeople) very nervous because they won’t be free and our votes may not even be counted.
I thought like “High Noon”, we were headed down the story-line where a Federal Marshall, (or FBI), like Will Kane, would get “all riled up” and want to confront the Putin Gang and say that quintessential phrase, “I’ve never run from anybody!” Then go for a showdown.
That story-line is about what “Made America Great!” Law and order confronting those who break the law. Seek justice, protect the townspeople. I thought the new administration with the “America First” business would be all over the “High Noon” story-line, a cultural iconic film, perfect for the new media Prez.
But now I see we’re more like “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri”. In this movie, everybody wants Mildred Hayes, the mother of the rape/murder victim, to take down the three billboards she has just had put up which read in sequence” "RAPED WHILE DYING", "AND STILL NO ARRESTS?", then "HOW COME, CHIEF WILLOUGHBY?"
            Our officials are not nervous because the Putin Gang raped our elections. The story line we hear is “FAKE NEWS” or denial of any crime. And like Chief Willoughby’s department, they’re not looking for any perpetrator. Our “Chief of Police” and his police force are only worried about three billboards (their public image) and its effect on public opinion and sales of the Chief’s brand.

WHY AM I HERE?
We learn that Chief Willoughby in “Three Billboards” is a very sick man. His sickness apparently keeps him weakened and distracted from doing his job. He does not discipline a racist cop (Jason Dixon). He does not even attempt to find the brutal rapist / murderer of, Mildred’s daughter.
The townspeople are okay with cutting Willoughby a break because he’s sick and use this excuse for him not to do his job.  Seems like we’ve got someone in power who is also weakened and only concentrating on himself. He doesn’t want to hear about the crime that was committed, the rape of our elections. Don’t mention the Putin Gang or sanctions!
And the public? We seem to be just as cowardly as “High Noon” townspeople. They don’t want Kane to take on the Miller Gang because “somebody will get hurt”. The “Three Billboards” townspeople have a great deal of sympathy for their weakened police chief.
But, when Kane tried to raise a posse, the citizenry were afraid and wouldn’t support him. Willoughby, and Chief Trump, don’t even attempt to form a posse. So, Mildred puts up the “Three Billboards.” Then the townspeople get angry.

WHAT DO I WANT
            “High Noon” ends with the gunfight. Kane’s pacifist wife does not leave, but comes back and helps save the Kane and the town by shooting one of the desperados.
            Three Billboards” ends with a suicide of Captain Willoughby, and Mildred and the racist cop driving (Dixon) away to kill somebody Dixon heard bragging about something that sounded kinda similar to the rape, but the DNA didn’t match.
            What do I want? 
            We need to clear the desperadoes out of our town (virtual town, social media, voting system).  If it isn’t Chief Trump, somebody, please. Federal and State systems are violated already. If the Feds are stuck, then a total State or Local movement, please..
            I fear the vigilantism of “Three Billboards”.  Kookie, angry ladies and a racist cops riding around with a shotguns is not how I want my story-line to end.
            I want we citizens to realize we are not separate from those in authority and those in authority are not separate from us. We out number and out smart the gang (Willoughby department, Trump Administration, which ever you think of in this metaphor) but if we continue to be silent, and they continue to be passive, and the foreign hacker gang continues to cause fear in our communities, then our story-line may end very violently.

© 2018 Jean W. Yeager
All; Rights Reserved
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