Why Is Sax Worse than Violins?
Utah has gotta lotta ’splainin’ to do. We won’t even go into how much they and their Mormony types from out of California have been bankrolling the Deny-Gay-People-Their-Rights Amendment (to the Constitution!). But let’s talk about a certain Salt Lake City movie multiplex, and its owner Larry Miller (not the comedian Larry Miller…this one is clearly filled with much more creamy Mormony goodness).
His movie theaters — which previously banned Brokeback Mountain because its cowpokes were doing the wrong kind of poking (I was gonna mention homo-on-the-range joke, but I opted for, um, subtlety) — are now refusing to show the new Kevin Smith movie, Zack and Miri Make a Porno. What I LOVE about the article by Jonathan Crow in which I learned about this is what the chain’s spokesman was asked: Why do you have problems with this film when you don’t have problems showing Saw V (which features beheadings and explicit self-mutilation)? The spokesdrone had no comment.
But I’m delighted that the conversation turns to this angle. There is no doubt in my feverish little mind that the violence of our torture porn is climactically more injurious to the minds and souls of our villagers than the sex of our make-believe sex romps…or even the sex of our hardcore shenanigans. But our more vociferous and judgmental religious sects are comfortable with violence; they’ve been perpetrating one form or another upon themselves and others since they figured out it got them stronger toeholds (and fuller coffers) than coming from that lovey-Jesusy angle.
As I said, however, I’m happy as a little girl that the sex-versus-violence comparison is being raised in polite (or, at least, journalistic) society. I could just kill those people who condone all that violence.