Burning Books

The Dove World Outreach Center, based in Gainesville, Fla., announced plans to burn copies of the Qur’an on church grounds to mark the ninth anniversary of the 9-11 terrorist attacks. Obviously, this triggered protests and hundreds of Afghans rallied against the United States and called for President Obama’s death. Although the church was denied a permit to host a bonfire, they’ve vowed to proceed with the burning, and are distributing shirts around with the caption: ‘Islam is of the Devil’

I almost feel like I can leave it at that; I don’t even need to comment on the absolute stupidity of these people. One point I want to make is that it is completely idiotic and arrogant to believe that the terrorist attacks were due to religious beliefs, but it’s a whole other level of stupidity to think that everyone associated with the Qur’an are associated with terrorism.
Like the group of teachers who burned Harry Potter books and later admitted to never reading any of the books, these ‘God-fearing’ believers are just embarrassing themselves with rash actions due to lack of knowledge. How about we look at Christianity the way they are looking at the Muslim religion. How many serial killers claim to be doing the work of God? How many lunatics are adamant on their ability to talk to God? In that way, how many irreversible crimes have been committed in the name of God? How many wars throughout history started over religious clashes? If you took a tally of how many crimes were in the name of God in America, and how many crimes were in the name of Allah in America, than for every one Qur’an burnt, one million Bibles should be set ablaze as well.
The fact is, after the terrorist attacks, guess who was doing a lot more terrorising in supposed “revenge”? CHRISTIANS. There were more terrorist attacks than ever, and the victims were always Muslim. What kind of idiot thinks that way? Well, they read this book and believed it and so do you, therefore you should be held accountable for their crimes. Not only that, we will forever suspect you of terrorising us, so just to be sure, we’ll keep terrorising you before that can happen. Not only does this solve nothing, it prolongs the issue and angers people into going against you when they otherwise wouldn’t have. If this is supposed to be a statement, what kind of statement is it? I’m pretty sure the Bible says that only God can judge, and I think that applies when you openly claim an entire religion to be of the Devil. Does it mean those who seek a higher power are evil if that higher power isn’t the same as yours? Does it make everyone look at your religion and see you are just as capable of hate and prejudice, but even worse since you stoop to that level after claiming it happened to you? When was the last time ‘an eye for an eye’ was ever appropriate to use, especially when you bring in members of the community to participate? Honestly, I don’t agree with the Qur’an, and I don’t agree with what some people do in the name of Allah. But I also don’t agree with the Bible, that tells us to have slaves and to stone our disobedient children, and I don’t even need examples when I say I don’t agree with the crimes committed in the name of God. I don’t believe that the solution is simply a matter of switching to the right religion as much as I believe that religion itself is probably the most destructive thing that has ever happened to mankind. And after they burn those Qur’ans, do they think it isn’t just adding fuel to the fire? Do they think that they aren’t advertising a war to go on some more, instead of using their brains and being the bigger person? It’s thinking like this that keeps wars going, that keeps people dying, promotes segregation, and keeps intelligent people like me angry everyday they read the news.

Good GOD! (A.K.A. New Moon)

Yesterday I started watching New Moon. Started, because I was finding it VERY difficult to continue watching the whole thing in one sitting. I know I'm one of the biggest Twilight haters, so you must be thinking, "Why would you even watch it?". Well, Twilight doesn't seem like it's going away, and since I've read all the books I might as well add the movies, even if it's just more fodder for me to rant. But, about 10 minutes into the movie, I regretted it. Not only was the acting beyond horrible, it made me feel crazier and crazier each minute that ANYONE could even REMOTELY enjoy this CRAP. So, as I analyzed each expression and word emitted by the most terrible two actors I have ever had the misfortune of watching, I began to realize something; I'm really lucky, and here's why. I can actually look at Bella and Edward's relationship and know, without a doubt, that that's not real love. And the only reason is because I AM in real love, and when you're in real love Twilight is a joke. But to any intelligent person, that's inevitably obvious. But this is about the first part of the movie I painfully sat through, so here's my two cents!

The movie starts with Bella dreaming she's as old as her grandmother due to the fact that today is her birthday and she turns one year older than Edward! Her dad gets her a sick pale pink digital camera and a photo book and she shows her lovely side by saying, "Thanks (I guess), it's actually kinda nice." Her dad jokes that she has a grey hair, so she runs to the mirror to check and is seriously peeved he even said that!
"Very funny Dad! (insert Kristen's signature heave)"
So, she goes to school and she says to her friends, "My mom wants me to take pictures and make a scrapbook thing." (Gee, isn't that lame? She can't even be like PICTURE! and pull out her camera, it has to be her stupid mom's idea)
Then Edward's car pulls in and her friends are like, Oh great, Edward's here so I guess that means we have to leave. And when they do, she just gazes dreamily at his big SUV (UPGRADE!) and watches him walk all slow motion-like towards her. Firstly, I actually laughed when he came out. What is up with his face?? He looks like a clown that forgot the red lipstick!
Anyways, they go inside and have the most awkward exchange ever caught on tape with Alice and Jasper, and I wonder how that got in the final print cause Kristin totally BOTCHES her line delivery. It doesn't even make sense but, in Twilight style, they just move on to the next scene. Let's see if she can fuck this one up too.
The next scene is them in class watching Romeo & Juliette, and everyone is TOTALLY into it, crying and all cause that's how highschool boys are. But, surprisingly, Kristen isn't the worst actor in the scene...it's ROB! He cannot even hold his head in a convincing manner! I know he's supposed to be a vampire, but he's so stiff and awkwardly posing continuously that it would be impossible for everyone at their highschool not to think he was some kind of freak. He recites Shakespeare and GOOD GOD is it HORRIBLE!!! You can just see the memorized words swimming in front of his eyes, and he starts having a blink seizure that people usually get when they're really nervous...on film. Like, he's an actor!!! If you can't say lines....? Not only that but...doesn't anyone notice that he's probably the first British actor I've seen that totally sucks at doing a western accent? I can hear him fucking it up and saying things wrong with a little British flair. He talks like he went to Little Italy and thought everyone talked like that, but then when he arrived on set and realized that they don't, he combined the two. Kristen displays her best acting I've seen yet when she's watching on as Rob stumbles through Shakespeare. Maybe because it required no emotion, and she didn't have to open her mouth. I was impressed.

I'm gonna go right to the scene when Edward tells Bella he's leaving her forever. This also surprised me and made me come to a conclusion: Rob is a worse actor than Kristin! (If that's even possible) And now, I'm thinking she might just be so bad cause she's being influenced by him. Cause once she starts hanging out with Jacob, she's not even bad! She's actually, dare I say it? NATURAL! Very surprising.
So, I only got the part when Bella and Jacob see them naked boys jumping off the cliff, but up to then Kristin unleashes her super attractive and intense exhale/heave thing about 7 times. Yeah, I counted.

The funniest part, I think, was when she's in the forest after Edward leaves and she falls. HAHA! The fall was just SO unconvincing, and while she's on the ground, it's like she almost forgot that she was supposed to still be acting? She lying there like she's supposed to be lying there, you know? Like someone said, Okay Kristin, you're supposed to be on the ground now, and she does it. She's fiddling with her hair and adjusting herself when she's supposed to be fainted. Wow. Just wow. And of course, the part where she goes to Edward, "It's still my birthday. Kiss me." OMG probably the worst acting fail of generations were displayed in those two words. Damn, she is so uncomfortable to watch my body actually started to ache and stiffen. And the fact that she's as equally uncomfortable in interviews in real life makes it even worse. Her "Bella" is just her! She is not acting at all. You know why? BECAUSE SHE CAN'T!

So, I will torture myself more tonight and attempt to watch some more of this atrocity. I really hope someone who loves Twilight reads this and tries to validate their reasons why Twilight is even decent. That would be awesome. Till then, I shall continue to review this movie, whether it takes me 3 or 4 times, I'm determined. I will not let our standards of talent fall so far without a fight!

Please, Edward Me

Just came across a blog today that was talking about how Twilight ruins lives. Apparently girls who don't deserve to be called woman are actually leaving their relationships because it pales in comparison to the perfect Edward Cullen. Wait...are you kidding me?!?!? No joke, a guy made a comment that said he'd been with his girlfriend for 7 years! and they had just bought a house together until....TWILIGHT! dum dum dummmm! Which made her leave him. Another guy wrote he was scared because his girlfriend was reading Twilight and would regularily question him with things like, "Why aren't you more like Edward?" or, "Why can't you be romantic like Edward?" and even, "Why don't you have golden eyes and sparkling skin like Edward?" I am forever confused.

For anyone out there who actually knows and loves literature, I beg of you to go and read Twilight and tell me what you think, because I am beginning to feel like a crazy person. Not only is the entire events portrayed garbage, the writing! Oh god the writing is SOOOOOOOOOOO sososososososoooo BAD! But of course, that doesn't matter to too many people when Edward is saying things like, "Look after my heart; I've left it with you."
This book is basically the insecure girl's BIBLE. Of course you're super hot and desirable by everyone when you've been convinced your entire life that you're ugly, plain and out of shape. Of course everyone wants to be your friend when you were thinking you've never had friends before due to your lack of personality. And of course the hottest guy will have waited 100 years for you, is super rich, ever-lasting and, most importantly, prefers brunettes. What? A man who isn't attracted to good looking peole with fun personalities? I guess there is someone out there for me! (Says the millions of 13 year old girls everywhere)

The fact that Twilight is a love story and is most popular with adolescent kids says a lot to me. The book never one time shows any real example of love. And they are so BORING! Edward talks like an Encyclopedia. "Oh Bella, I've noticed that you are menstrating, and I was pondering whether or not it'd be appropriate if I could extirpate the blood throughout the entire process...into my mouth."
"Edward, you're not supposed to know I have a vagina! God, I'm so embarrased."
"If I could dream, I'd dream of you. I'm not ashamed."
That conversation has more substance than any in the book though. Oh well, I guess creativity can only be lowered a certain amount on request. Damn.

I thought reading the books was bad, but this obsession every teenage girl feels towards it is driving me insane. We get it, your going through puberty, you're at the stage where you hate and doubt yourself, yet at the same time you're horny, and ashamed of being horny. A guy like Edward coming along giving you the idea that you have a chance at anything like him is obviously very appealing to people who:
1. Have never been in love (and in a relationship that verifies that love)
2. Have never had sex (real sex with someone who loves you back)
3. Have never been happy with their looks and body (!!!!!!!!)
And unfortunately, this relates to A WHOLE LOT of people. This is what our world is comprised of. Scared? I am. Seriously, I really am. I know I've got some serious worries when I can read something like, "When he told me his doctor's name was Cullen, I instantly thought of 22 different ways I could injure myself." or "I used all my college money to buy a Volvo. My parents don't know."

Twilight doesn't just ruin lives. It is single-handedly diminishing the intelligence of millions.