IN THEORY:Is ‘Borat’s’ satire valuable?

This week, “Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan” was nominated for an Academy Award for best adapted screenplay. The movie has drawn fire from some critics who argue that its satire on anti-Semitism — which shows the movie’s clueless star character, Borat, asking a gun dealer which weapon would be best to defend against an attack by Jews and his belief that Jews can transform themselves into cockroaches — could be lost on some audiences and further dangerous stereotypes. The Anti-Defamation League’s leaders worried that some “Borat” viewers “may even find it reinforcing their bigotry.” But the league also recognized that Sacha Baron Cohen used the character to unmask anti-Semitism. Do you think this type of sophisticated satire, which repeats outrageous stereotypes, is valuable or do you think it causes more damage than it’s worth?

Being Jewish, I am stealing time from poisoning wells in order to write this.

Because I am Jewish, I routinely employ shady practices to connive against the unsuspecting; I greedily worship at the altar of the almighty dollar; I am clannish and more loyal to Israel than to America. Satan is my father, hence the horns which I artfully conceal. I belong to a people that manipulates the economies of nations, engineers all wars, and is intent on international domination. I am not only chimerical but a parasite attacking the host culture. My ancestors killed Christ, and my Israeli cousins persecute the poor defenseless Palestinians. Oh, yes, did I mention that my forebears committed ritual murder and once imported the bubonic bacillus into Europe?

I am, therefore, stunned that “Borat” was produced. After all, my people control Hollywood, and it is counter-productive to confirm these truths — known by all Jewish people — that we try to keep hidden from Gentiles. It is tantamount to a magician revealing the secret behind levitations. How did this film, which bares the fact of Jewish malevolence, slip by the all-powerful Jewish cabal that commands American media?

Perhaps because common sense prevailed. No movie will instill anti-Semitism. It may confirm prejudice, but there is little to distinguish a viewer who enters the theater as a 90% anti-Semite and emerges with a 100% certainty. I do not imagine that any “Borat” attendees are fence-sitters regarding anti-Semitism and are then convinced by the film of the necessity to “throw the Jew down the well.”

Mad Magazine, Monty Python, Archie Bunker and “Saturday Night Live” were staples of my formative years. I am more amused and bemused than offended and outraged by burlesque that stretches the boundaries of taste. My preference runs to Chaplin’s “The Great Dictator” as a vehicle for exposing the dark side of human nature, rather than the bathroom humor and grotesqueries of “Borat.” My penchant is for a thoughtful spoof over lowbrow clowning.

But while I may opt for gentle satire that skewers its targets, there may be a role for savage satire that bludgeons its victims. Humor is a dicey phenomenon. What one judges to be genius another dismisses as garbage.

My issue with “Borat” is that satire should teach and challenge, if not enlighten. What didactic purpose is met by “Borat”? Apparently, Sacha Cohen’s febrile imagination has unearthed the reality that there are gullible people, stupid people, ignorant people who are bigoted racists, misogynists and homophobes. Einstein said it long before Cohen crossed the Pond to strip the veneer from our countrymen: “Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I’m not sure about the universe.”

Is the message of “Borat” (other than that scatology appeals to elements of the theater-going public) that some Americans are hateful or easily duped? Hardly the stuff of headlines or breaking news.

I await “The Protocols of the Elders of Zion: A Musical Comedy for the Whole Family!” coming soon to a theater near you.

RABBI MARK S. MILLER

Temple Bat Yahm

Newport Beach

This movie is, like some forms of performance, confusing, shocking and revealing. Until last week, I had made a definite choice not to see this movie because I didn’t like what happened to some of the people in the movie. But I happened to be out of town with my wife, and we watched it on a pay-per-view channel in our hotel room. I didn’t like how the lady who taught manners was taken advantage of, and I don’t think she would have ever signed a release form if she knew how the scenes she appeared in were actually going to be used.

The parts that revealed prejudice might have had some relevance if there could have been some follow-up with the people exposed giving them an opportunity to apologize or explain their behavior. I feel sorry for those who were outed, even if they were obnoxious, rude or intolerant.

I suppose there could be an argument for satire, but all I saw was victims and a call for compassion.

When you see people behaving poorly it’s easy to judge. But all I could think about was how sad and embarrassed they probably felt, especially those young college-age students. In real-life, such immaturity is usually exposed in a more private type of setting. Truth is this could have happened to anyone. It’s not hard to figure out a way to embarrass someone in this manner. Humor at the expense of someone else can be demeaning and upsetting.

PASTOR JIM TURRELL

Center for Spiritual Discovery

Costa Mesa

Satire and jokes of various kinds can amuse some people while offending others. Jewish humor, Polish jokes, making fun of specific groups of any kind can amuse some while possibly raising ire in the group referred to.

We are all minorities in some way or another (short, tall, left-handed, fat, bald, etc.), and thus anyone may be exposed to something that he or she could find somewhat offensive. But we should all learn along the way that many things are said that could be taken as offensive that were not seriously intended to be. Life is too short to make a big deal of such things. And we have all found some things to be amusing that, on consideration after a good laugh, could obviously be somewhat offensive to some others.

“Borat,” with its sophisticated satire and outrageous stereotypes, must be understood to be intended as amusement rather than any kind of purposely offensive ridicule, even though, out of context, much of it could possibly be considered offensive. If the movie temporarily reinforces the bigotry of some, it must be admitted that the bigotry was already there and ready to boil over at any time. But, hopefully most of us are sophisticated enough to understand the intent and enjoy such things for what they are. Otherwise we can slip into the ridiculous habit of challenging anything that is not 100% politically correct and thus end up finding fault with most of the rest of the world, while the rest of the world finds fault with us.

It is like the fundamental religious groups that take extreme offense against anyone who — reasonably enough — finds their particular religious dogmas to be a bit ridiculous, and actually says so. Fatwas and murders can result, because many such fundamentalists seem to have completely lost their sense of humor. A dose of “Borat” might help.

JERRY PARKS

Member

Humanist Assn.

of Orange County

Movies in some ways mirror life. When it comes to anti-Semitism, this is, in theory, the way it is: First, no one questions the right of Arabs to continue to live in the 32 Arab countries that surround Israel. Israel is the only real democracy in the Middle East. Second, everyone continually questions the right of Jews to live. Third, anti-Semites believe that Zionism is the dirtiest of all words. It is so insane that because of Islamic terrorism people claim that Arabs lose their civil liberties in America’s war against terrorism. Fourth, the term antiSemitism does not do justice to what the complex prejudice against Jews is all about.

Jews have been persecuted more for theological reasons than political reasons. They are persecuted because some believe they killed Christ and refused to accept Christ as their messiah. Some condemn Jews for not converting to Islam. Jews have been persecuted for cultural and racial reasons too. They were kicked out of Europe, slaughtered by the Germans, and are too white and European capitalists for the Islamic Middle East. In addition, Jews have been hated and feared for being too smart and wealthy, and for assimilating too much in America.

Let’s explore this contradiction. People see most Jews symbolizing liberalism, capitalism and free thought, but they have also been seen as symbolizing backwardness in their customs and dress.

Anti-Arabism and anti-Semitism are not the same thing. Muslims are not considered Christ killers, nor have they been driven out of their lands. Jordan, which once was the major portion of Palestine, is not willing to accept the country’s Arab brothers into Jordan as the logical solution to the split of the original Palestinian state that was created by the British before 1948. Instead, they teach them to hate Jews.

Finally, the anti-Semites of the world do not see the right of Jews to exist as an important civil right of all peoples.

But Jews have always survived. We have survived destruction and exile, persecution and torture. Prejudice and discrimination of any people for the sake of its own merit is detestable and despicable in our modern daily life.

RABBI MARC RUBENSTEIN

Temple Isaiah

Newport Beach

I would take seriously the judgment of spokespeople from the Anti-Defamation League, Rabbi David Saperstein of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, Elie Wiesel and our own rabbis, Rubenstein and Miller, in deciding whether a movie, comment or event was anti-Semitic. The issue here is not whether “Borat” is anti-Semitic but only whether some viewers may entirely miss that it is a satire.

What planet would these viewers be from to have failed to hear about the controversy on “Borat”? One of the benefits of media saturation is that advocates can be effective in getting their message out, and truly educate the public. The film and its controversy have created an excellent opportunity for widespread discussion and creating conscientiousness.

From “Gulliver’s Travels” to Mad Magazine and “Saturday Night Live,” we do tend to “get it.” A Wikipedia entry notes that although satire is witty and funny, “the purpose is not primarily humor but criticism of an event, an individual or a group in a clever manner.” According to what I have read, in “Borat” the individuals being criticized are those who are anti-Semitic.

I have not seen “Borat” because I do not usually enjoy comedies, but I now plan to see it in March when it is released for home rental. On the subject of films on anti-Semitism, I recommend Kazan’s 1947 classic “Gentleman’s Agreement,” starring Gregory Peck, the 1988 landmark television series “War and Remembrance,” a documentary called “Paper Clips,” and “Focus” with William Macy.

One of the principles of Buddhist activism is dedication to the benefit and awakening of all beings, which includes freeing ourselves and others from the suffering of anti-Semitism and all forms of bigotry.

REV. DR. DEBORAH BARRETT

Zen Center of Orange County

Costa Mesa

If the question is “What is the best way to offend or stir up millions of people all at one time?” the answer seems to be “Make a movie!”

Michael Moore did it with “Fahrenheit 9/11,” Mel Gibson did it with “The Passion of the Christ,” Ron Howard and company did it with “The Da Vinci Code.” Now, Jewish, British comedian Sacha Baron Cohen has done it with “Borat.”

I have not yet seen this movie because I would not take our 12-year-old son to it. I wonder if he would realize that the blatantly offensive stereotypes are intended to show how pointless and idiotic our prejudices are. There are better ways to let him know that evil “-isms,” suspicion and hatred of others are alive and well among us and to challenge the underlying, deeply rooted attitudes behind our prejudices. These include being with people who are different from ourselves, sharing stories, praying and celebrating together, and realizing that human beings have much more in common than we do discriminating distinctions one from another — and that those differences can be delightful!

Artists encourage people to think and dream. Usually, moviegoers would dream and be entertained than think and confront the absurd. I’ve read a quote from “Borat,” which I’ll trust is accurate: “If we spend too much time chasing our dreams … then we miss the beauty of the world around us.”

When I believe “Borat” will get me thinking about “the beauty of the world around us” then I’ll see it. The above-mentioned movies by Moore, Gibson and Howard all got me thinking. When I want to dream and be entertained I will see a movie like “The Pursuit of Happyness,” which I am very glad to have seen with our son because it got each of us thinking and counting our many blessings.

(THE VERY REV’D CANON)

PETER D. HAYNES

Saint Michael & All Angels

Episcopal Church

Corona del Mar

We all need to laugh, but do we have to do it at the expense of someone else? I watched my first “American Idol” last night, and the judges were correct in turning away some of the people they did, but they did it without treating some of them as humans who have to live with the rejection after they walk out the doors.

But that is what people want to see — the humiliation of others. They love Simon Cowell’s cruelty and mugging. It is the whole reason for the first part of the show.

It is interesting to watch TV shows. They usually start out with benign jokes and quality humor, but over time they reduce their topics to sexuality and sarcasm. It is proof that the writers have run out of truly funny things to talk about or were never really too creative in the first place. Comics like Sacha Cohen turn to the crude, vulgar and racist in order to get what has always been called a “cheap laugh.”

It’s easy to get a laugh when dealing with those issues. It isn’t as easy to be funny on a regular basis and be encouraging and clean. It takes a real comedian to do so.

I do not think the use of anti-Semitic stereotypes is helpful, particularly in the subtle way they are portrayed in “Borat” (from what I am told).

Context is everything, and I don’t think “Borat” set up the context of opening a discussion on anti-Semitism.

I don’t think it is valuable. It is valuable if people went to coffee afterward and thought about their own belief in the stereotypes. I don’t think that is happening.

RIC OLSEN

Lead Pastor

The Beacon

Anaheim