- Sep 22, 2013
- 4,956
- 250
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As an Asian-Indian immigrant who became a U.S. citizen and studied at the prestigious Ivy League school Dartmouth College (Hanover, New Hampshire), I appreciate how people get together to make things happen intellectually/socially in this modern democracy we call America.
I met a brilliant young woman at Dartmouth named Lia Monahon who was a Women's Studies Major and went on to study at Northwestern before working at Harvard's Criminal Justice Institute [CJI]. Lia inspired me to think about modern academics can contribute to American society.
Today, I try to use home-work Christian outreach and culturally-symbolic storytelling/art (and sociology/histrionics) to 'evaluate' American society.
It is interesting to note how 9/11 has scarred our sense of 'cultural patriotism.'
This 'American fable' was inspired by In the Line of Fire...
====
"An idealistic lawyer named Lia began working with an idealistic Internet-blogger named Teddy and became a vigilante duo. They called themselves 'Batwoman' and 'Batman' (since bats are nocturnal and excellent survivors!). Lia and Teddy (Batwoman and Batman) decided to investigate a series of bizarre cult-crimes involving a secret underground (global) club called 'Red Hood' suspected of involvements of countless kidnappings of female police officers and their brutal rape, decapitation, and mutilation. Some of these female victims had their internal organs completely removed. Red Hood was also responsible for an assassination-attempt on the U.S. First Lady Melania Trump. Batwoman and Batman decided to pursue the Red Hood, deciding they were obviously fanatical 'anti-American' terrorists!"
"As Batwoman and Batman, Lia and Teddy were able to infiltrate numerous insidious crime-syndicates in NYC, LA, Miami, and Chicago with suspected ties to Red Hood. The members of Red Hood believed themselves to be 'pure messengers of the filth of the American body' (according to their leader, Ben Satan). No one knew Ben Satan's real name, but Lia/Batwoman suspected he was a Caucasian-American, well-educated and very psychotic. Batwoman and Batman decided Red Hood would strike somewhere near Washington sometime near the 4th of July before trying to kidnap First Lady Melania Trump. Since Lia and Teddy were both Ivy League graduates, very intelligent, they understood that Red Hood might possible use their 'links' to social networks to create horrifying terrorism-oriented 'perimeters' around Washington!"
"After Batwoman and Batman sent a notice to the Washington Post declaring that they would finally arrest and punish Red Hood (and its lethal-leader Ben Satan), Red Hood sent a poster-flyer of the new bank-robbery film The Town featuring an artistic rendition of the bank-robbers from the crime-thriller film dressed as Catholic nuns. Red Hood defiantly stated that if Americans want to 'romanticize' crime, Red Hood would be happy to 'indulge' American vices by kidnapping (and possibly killing) First Lady Melania Trump. Batwoman and Batman concluded that Red Hood was some kind of 'messenger-gang' from the abyss of the underworld."
"As Batwoman and Batman tracked Red Hood, trying to thwart their anti-American kidnapping of the First Lady, Red Hood's nefarious leader Ben Satan decided to create a narcotics-diversion in Tijuana (Mexico), hoping to lure away Batwoman and Batman from Washington as the 4th of July approached. You see, Red Hood (and Ben Satan) were convinced that America required punishment --- not democratic idealism! Lia/Batwoman likened Red Hood to some bizarre backwoods savage underworld 'cult' which engaged in eerie/bizarre rituals such as Satanic cannibalism designed to slander American dreams. Teddy/Batman believed Ben Satan was 10-times worse than Charles Manson or the Unabomber! Everyone feared Ben Satan (and Red Hood)."
"After some diligent detective-work, Batwoman and Batman were able to arrest Ben Satan and brought him in for interrogation at Arkham Asylum, Washington's center for the treatment of the criminally-insane. Batwoman and Batman discovered that Red Hood (and Ben Satan) was a big fan of Georgia O'Keefe paintings, since they represented forms symbolic of general social fertility 'consciousness' (and the feminine-mystique).
BATWOMAN: How do you 'like' O'Keefe while threatening the First Lady?
BEN SATAN: Red Hood's imagination is clear and unswerving...
BATMAN: Are you nuts, Ben? O'Keefe talked about the organic beauty of women.
BATWOMAN: Do you believe Red Hood is a 'saintly group' (somehow)?
BEN SATAN: Our goal is to destroy the filthy 'vagina' of American politics.
BATMAN: So, O'Keefe inspires you to become 'philosophical gynaecology' (somehow)?
BATWOMAN: Do you think you're 'cleansing' the proverbial 'American body,' Ben?
BEN SATAN: Red Hood stands for the cleanliness of all women and Americans.
BATMAN: And you think terrorism and murder is equal to a crusade!
BATWOMAN: There are democratic routes to social change, Ben.
BEN SATAN: I know I'll receive the death-penalty.
BATMAN: I'm sure your victims 'knew' you would too...
BATWOMAN: Why did you kill female cops?
BEN SATAN: We wished to destroy evil women...
BATMAN: Oh, women who serve America normally are obviously evil, right?
BATWOMAN: You will be in Arkham forever.
BEN SATAN: At least I'll have accomplished something.
BATMAN: Oh yes. You'd have shown Americans that terrorism is ugly.
BATWOMAN: Don't cite O'Keefe fanatically during your treatment.
BEN SATAN: Thanks...
BATMAN: I'd wish you the best, but such a gesture would only haunt me.
After this rather 'eerie interview' of Ben Satan, Batwoman (Lia) and Batman (Teddy) concluded that Red Hood was a force from the halls of anarchy..."
"Lia/Batwoman decided to write a memoir titled Tracking Red Hood: Defending America. It won her the Pulitzer Prize. Teddy/Batman began teaching a course at Yale University titled Psychology of Democracy: American Customs. It was a very popular modernism course. Lia and Teddy both believed that Red Hood's general 'philosophy' was to cite the 'demons' of animal instincts to create panic about the natural frailties and flaws of American civilization. The fact that Ben Satan and Red Hood were murdering/mutilating female cops and claiming their crimes were 'messages from some divine power' simply suggested to Lia and Teddy that Ben Satan was some manifestation of the AntiChrist, here on Earth to scare people about the presence of animal-like corruption. Lia and Teddy started dating and watched the patriotism-themed film Lions for Lambs together and commented that Ben Satan was better forgotten."
"A new movie about Red Hood was being planned called Jackals (starring Stephen Dorff) now that Ben Satan was incarcerated and Red Hood had disbanded, its members having committed suicide or simply disappearing from society altogether. As Lia and Teddy enjoyed the exciting new horror-crime film, they noted how the depictions of the insane members of the evil cult in the film wearing animal-masks reminded them of the anti-social savage (and creature-like) characterizations of terrorism and anarchy 'hyped' by the unrighteous Ben Satan. Teddy wondered if he and Lia should move to Switzerland to forget about this terrible 'terrorism-ordeal'."
"As Lia and Teddy took a post-wedding honeymoon to India, they looked at various ancient Indian paintings depicting famous deities engaged in vicious/dramatic kinds of armed battle (e.g., the rageful Hindu goddess Kali decapitating men on the battlefield with her scimitar-blade). Lia and Teddy remarked that the strange and anarchic imagery in these Indian paintings reminded them of the value of thinking about strange and esoteric ideas about anarchy more objectively rather than acting out on bizarre anti-social rage as Ben Satan and Red Hood had. Teddy joked to Lia that Ben Satan reminded him of the evil Hindu king Ravana, a multi-headed ghoul who believed fascism was preferable to disobedience..."
"Americans were so suddenly fascinated by terrorism journalism and folkore that film-maker Ridley Scott placed all kinds of subliminal terrorism-oriented imagery/symbolism in his new shocking and praised sci-fi horror-film Alien: Covenant (a story about human space explorers engaging with a predatory alien creature, compelling them to re-evaluate the nature of survival and the value of teamwork). Scott decided to place images of crying women and frustrated men or men in anguish to highlight his subconscious message that survival in the modern world requires quite a bit of governance-meditation. Teddy agreed with this observation and remembered what Ben Satan said about political frailty."
"We'll be remembered as heroes, Teddy."
"I agree with you, Lia, but let's hope Ben Satan and Red Hood will be remembered simply as...terrorists."
====
I met a brilliant young woman at Dartmouth named Lia Monahon who was a Women's Studies Major and went on to study at Northwestern before working at Harvard's Criminal Justice Institute [CJI]. Lia inspired me to think about modern academics can contribute to American society.
Today, I try to use home-work Christian outreach and culturally-symbolic storytelling/art (and sociology/histrionics) to 'evaluate' American society.
It is interesting to note how 9/11 has scarred our sense of 'cultural patriotism.'
This 'American fable' was inspired by In the Line of Fire...
====
"An idealistic lawyer named Lia began working with an idealistic Internet-blogger named Teddy and became a vigilante duo. They called themselves 'Batwoman' and 'Batman' (since bats are nocturnal and excellent survivors!). Lia and Teddy (Batwoman and Batman) decided to investigate a series of bizarre cult-crimes involving a secret underground (global) club called 'Red Hood' suspected of involvements of countless kidnappings of female police officers and their brutal rape, decapitation, and mutilation. Some of these female victims had their internal organs completely removed. Red Hood was also responsible for an assassination-attempt on the U.S. First Lady Melania Trump. Batwoman and Batman decided to pursue the Red Hood, deciding they were obviously fanatical 'anti-American' terrorists!"
"As Batwoman and Batman, Lia and Teddy were able to infiltrate numerous insidious crime-syndicates in NYC, LA, Miami, and Chicago with suspected ties to Red Hood. The members of Red Hood believed themselves to be 'pure messengers of the filth of the American body' (according to their leader, Ben Satan). No one knew Ben Satan's real name, but Lia/Batwoman suspected he was a Caucasian-American, well-educated and very psychotic. Batwoman and Batman decided Red Hood would strike somewhere near Washington sometime near the 4th of July before trying to kidnap First Lady Melania Trump. Since Lia and Teddy were both Ivy League graduates, very intelligent, they understood that Red Hood might possible use their 'links' to social networks to create horrifying terrorism-oriented 'perimeters' around Washington!"
"After Batwoman and Batman sent a notice to the Washington Post declaring that they would finally arrest and punish Red Hood (and its lethal-leader Ben Satan), Red Hood sent a poster-flyer of the new bank-robbery film The Town featuring an artistic rendition of the bank-robbers from the crime-thriller film dressed as Catholic nuns. Red Hood defiantly stated that if Americans want to 'romanticize' crime, Red Hood would be happy to 'indulge' American vices by kidnapping (and possibly killing) First Lady Melania Trump. Batwoman and Batman concluded that Red Hood was some kind of 'messenger-gang' from the abyss of the underworld."
"As Batwoman and Batman tracked Red Hood, trying to thwart their anti-American kidnapping of the First Lady, Red Hood's nefarious leader Ben Satan decided to create a narcotics-diversion in Tijuana (Mexico), hoping to lure away Batwoman and Batman from Washington as the 4th of July approached. You see, Red Hood (and Ben Satan) were convinced that America required punishment --- not democratic idealism! Lia/Batwoman likened Red Hood to some bizarre backwoods savage underworld 'cult' which engaged in eerie/bizarre rituals such as Satanic cannibalism designed to slander American dreams. Teddy/Batman believed Ben Satan was 10-times worse than Charles Manson or the Unabomber! Everyone feared Ben Satan (and Red Hood)."
"After some diligent detective-work, Batwoman and Batman were able to arrest Ben Satan and brought him in for interrogation at Arkham Asylum, Washington's center for the treatment of the criminally-insane. Batwoman and Batman discovered that Red Hood (and Ben Satan) was a big fan of Georgia O'Keefe paintings, since they represented forms symbolic of general social fertility 'consciousness' (and the feminine-mystique).
BATWOMAN: How do you 'like' O'Keefe while threatening the First Lady?
BEN SATAN: Red Hood's imagination is clear and unswerving...
BATMAN: Are you nuts, Ben? O'Keefe talked about the organic beauty of women.
BATWOMAN: Do you believe Red Hood is a 'saintly group' (somehow)?
BEN SATAN: Our goal is to destroy the filthy 'vagina' of American politics.
BATMAN: So, O'Keefe inspires you to become 'philosophical gynaecology' (somehow)?
BATWOMAN: Do you think you're 'cleansing' the proverbial 'American body,' Ben?
BEN SATAN: Red Hood stands for the cleanliness of all women and Americans.
BATMAN: And you think terrorism and murder is equal to a crusade!
BATWOMAN: There are democratic routes to social change, Ben.
BEN SATAN: I know I'll receive the death-penalty.
BATMAN: I'm sure your victims 'knew' you would too...
BATWOMAN: Why did you kill female cops?
BEN SATAN: We wished to destroy evil women...
BATMAN: Oh, women who serve America normally are obviously evil, right?
BATWOMAN: You will be in Arkham forever.
BEN SATAN: At least I'll have accomplished something.
BATMAN: Oh yes. You'd have shown Americans that terrorism is ugly.
BATWOMAN: Don't cite O'Keefe fanatically during your treatment.
BEN SATAN: Thanks...
BATMAN: I'd wish you the best, but such a gesture would only haunt me.
After this rather 'eerie interview' of Ben Satan, Batwoman (Lia) and Batman (Teddy) concluded that Red Hood was a force from the halls of anarchy..."
"Lia/Batwoman decided to write a memoir titled Tracking Red Hood: Defending America. It won her the Pulitzer Prize. Teddy/Batman began teaching a course at Yale University titled Psychology of Democracy: American Customs. It was a very popular modernism course. Lia and Teddy both believed that Red Hood's general 'philosophy' was to cite the 'demons' of animal instincts to create panic about the natural frailties and flaws of American civilization. The fact that Ben Satan and Red Hood were murdering/mutilating female cops and claiming their crimes were 'messages from some divine power' simply suggested to Lia and Teddy that Ben Satan was some manifestation of the AntiChrist, here on Earth to scare people about the presence of animal-like corruption. Lia and Teddy started dating and watched the patriotism-themed film Lions for Lambs together and commented that Ben Satan was better forgotten."
"A new movie about Red Hood was being planned called Jackals (starring Stephen Dorff) now that Ben Satan was incarcerated and Red Hood had disbanded, its members having committed suicide or simply disappearing from society altogether. As Lia and Teddy enjoyed the exciting new horror-crime film, they noted how the depictions of the insane members of the evil cult in the film wearing animal-masks reminded them of the anti-social savage (and creature-like) characterizations of terrorism and anarchy 'hyped' by the unrighteous Ben Satan. Teddy wondered if he and Lia should move to Switzerland to forget about this terrible 'terrorism-ordeal'."
"As Lia and Teddy took a post-wedding honeymoon to India, they looked at various ancient Indian paintings depicting famous deities engaged in vicious/dramatic kinds of armed battle (e.g., the rageful Hindu goddess Kali decapitating men on the battlefield with her scimitar-blade). Lia and Teddy remarked that the strange and anarchic imagery in these Indian paintings reminded them of the value of thinking about strange and esoteric ideas about anarchy more objectively rather than acting out on bizarre anti-social rage as Ben Satan and Red Hood had. Teddy joked to Lia that Ben Satan reminded him of the evil Hindu king Ravana, a multi-headed ghoul who believed fascism was preferable to disobedience..."
"Americans were so suddenly fascinated by terrorism journalism and folkore that film-maker Ridley Scott placed all kinds of subliminal terrorism-oriented imagery/symbolism in his new shocking and praised sci-fi horror-film Alien: Covenant (a story about human space explorers engaging with a predatory alien creature, compelling them to re-evaluate the nature of survival and the value of teamwork). Scott decided to place images of crying women and frustrated men or men in anguish to highlight his subconscious message that survival in the modern world requires quite a bit of governance-meditation. Teddy agreed with this observation and remembered what Ben Satan said about political frailty."
"We'll be remembered as heroes, Teddy."
"I agree with you, Lia, but let's hope Ben Satan and Red Hood will be remembered simply as...terrorists."
====
