Remember Remember the 5th of November

"Remember remember the 5th of November, gunpowder, treason and plot.
I see no reason why the gunpowder treason should ever be forgot."

I watched V for Vendetta for the second time tonight which has obvious political undertones. I would like to discuss those here. I actually think that while the movie is obviously making a political statement, it could be argued as to what statement it is making. I think the intention is an anti conservative message, but there's more to it than that. These are my own thoughts, I haven't read or seen any interviews with the directors or producers of the movie, so I can't speak for them. I certainly don't think they meant their message to be pro-conservative, though perhaps they meant it to be moderate, but again I think the most likely case is [they wanted] a more liberal message.

The movie takes place sometime in the near future in England, where a new government has come about, there is much famine, and America has essentially collapsed.

Anti-Conservative:
The Chancellor in the movie is called a conservative. He is also the embodiment of evil in the movie. In addition, there are specific things that have been outlawed in England. Homosexuality is outlawed, as is Islam, and a lot of art. Conservatives in general have pushed for marriage to be between a man and a woman, and are also strong advocates of eliminating terrorist threats, which often causes them to be accused of being anti-Muslim. I think then that these points in the movie are obvious jabs at the conservative party. The people in charge ruin a homosexual relationship, and keep a man from ever being with another man because of laws against it. There are also home invasions and arrests, which I think where most likely meant to pick at the Patriot Act. In addition, in the movie America has collapsed and there are anti-Bush signs in some protests and riots, and America, at least when the movie was made, was less socialized than many European nations.

Anti-Liberal:
While I'm sure some of my liberal friends will disagree, here's what I see in the movie: I think the biggest enemy in the movie is the government and the power given there. Throughout the movie, the chancellor and his staff are trying to make the English people more dependent on the government. The create viruses and famines so that the people will turn to the government for help. In addition, the government setting so many laws and getting so involved in so many things is what corrupts. They dictate everyone's lives. There's no freedom of speech. There are laws telling everyone what they can and can't do, down to the smallest thing. The hero throughout the movie is trying to destroy parliament and take down its leaders. He is trying to take down the government that has become more like a dictatorship. Now: aren't those liberal techniques? Socialized healthcare=more dependence on government systems for health and medicine. (And as I stated in a previous post, doesn't the government want us to run to it during disease times? Like when Obama said we're "behind" when we only had a few cases of swine flu in our country?) Nationalized banks/bailing out so many businesses=private sectors dictated by and dependent on government. Living Constitution=leaves things open for the government to change how they influence and affect peoples lives. In addition, a liberal mindset tends to be tolerant of everyone. I find this to be true unless the person is a right wing conservative Christian, then they're criticized and neglected. (Now it also seems that if you're rich or sucessful you are criticized.)

Regardless, I think most would agree that the main evil in the movie is that the people are told what to think and how to act and not free to think for themselves. I would argue that that aligns with liberalism and the big government aforementioned, though I'm sure many disagree.

Ronald Reagan

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