not just perfume!

NOTE/WARNING: the tone of my writing of this article is VERY snarky/sarcastic/immature. in all honesty, i was VERY offended to have received (& watched) the DVD for which i am about to elaborate (besides, it came to my roommate's name, not mine!). i simply use my poor humor to cover up the overall distaste i have been left with...

after a pleasant evening out and about on the town with my roommate (Graeter's seasonal pumpkin spice ice cream = the bomb), we returned home to discover 2 copies of the following DVD in the mail:
our immediate reaction, was "WTF?!?" but given we're both intelligent, free thinking people (of oft-opposing viewpoints), rather than sit down and play some MarioKart Wii (the previously agreed to and preferred evening activity for 2 young bachelors of our socioeconomic status), we decided we'd sit down and watch it together, just for sh*ts and giggles. here's a preview, after the jump:

interested? scared? yea, we were too. but more about the NATURE of the content that had been delivered to our doorstep. while the film talks about the spread of radical Islam + the propaganda campaign being pushed against the West, ironically enough, the film itself was propaganda (but raise the question, what in this day & age is NOT?). professionally edited like an episode of 24 (i'd hope so, after all, it was the winner of several prestigious "film festivals" (see above image). though you've got to LOVE the logo. i mean not only is there OBVIOUS use of the Islamic symbol thingie, but more subtley, they've got a FREAKIN GUN for the N. genius!

so who is the mysterious "Clarion Fund" that send this DVD (a $19.95 value) to our doorstep? we looked it up, and weren't surprised by what we found. i really don't want to get too much into the film itself (most of which can be found online, in parts), but here are some hints: they compare the rise of radical Islam to the rise of Fascism in the 30s (apples & oranges, if you ask me), and close with a surprise ending, calling for moderate Muslims to "rise up." so while it's not all about the problem, the solution is vague, and frankly inflammatory (to me, a boy of questionable faith) in it's nature.

what's worse, is while this DVD was sent by an "independent organization," their timing is impeccable. of course the people you inflame are going to go vote for a certain candidate. there are even a few lines in the film that SUGGEST that the radical Islamic agenda is not just to kill us all, but take us over, from WITHIN THE WHITE HOUSE. omg. i'm pretty sure they're not talking about Johnny Mac.

i'm so angry now, i think i need to go watch some clips of Iron Man taking out bad guys in Afghanistan.

so what's the lesson to be learned kids? you can't fight radical Islam with propaganda DVDs, you have to invent a technologically enhanced suit of armor* and take em out yourself (interestingly enough, Iron Man's ORIGINAL origin story, has Tony Stark being captured by Vietcong soldiers, and breaking out to fight them, not Afghani terrorists).

...OR you could just focus your energy + foreign policy on finding ways to reduce poverty in the nations that are a hotbed of radical Islam, thus removing the fuel from the fire. oh, and quit having a hypocritical foreign policy (like invading countries, giving certain nations preferential treatment, supporting crappy regimes, and allowing torture) that gets all the kids fired up about that whole "death to America" thing. seriously kids, it's just a fad. like the internet. stay in (non-preaching radical Islam) school.