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Saturday, July 23, 2011

The Star Spangled Man

That is right ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls of all ages, you are in for a treat. I am actually writing on a Saturday. Why the hell would I be doing this? I know you are asking yourself what have we done too deserve this? What would draw this humble writer wanna be out of his shell on the sacred weekend? Well the answer is simple, it was not you dear reader. It is for one person in particular, and that certain someone is fictitious.

Captain America go see it. Seriously. Its a good movie, great story, and well done. Yep I am writing a movie review, but as you that have been here since the beginning you know there is is going to be a little something more. I am not going to break down the masterful movie magic that was unleashed this weekend, I will let you make up your own mind. Go see it. I am not going to break down the masterful storytelling, I am going to tell you to go see it. I am going to say that this movie spoke to me much more then the one about the whiny British kid. I enjoyed that movie too, but the Captain stole my vote for the best summer movie.

The reasons behind this is much deeper. While there are many potter heads out there that where touched by the serious of books, I was a comic book geek all of my life. I have a strange contrast of the three characters I have followed with devotion. Deadpool the merc with the mouth was appealing to me because of his unbridled wild side. The fourth wall violation, and dark humor call to me. Spiderman is the geek done good, and also a wise cracking class clown that evolved into a real true hero.

Captain America though, was always the guy I wanted to be. He would sacrifice everything except his morality. He was and always will be the guy I measure myself against. He is outspoken. He stands up for the ideals of our country. His politics are simple, read the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence and you will know where he stands. He may not agree with you, but he will fight and sacrifice all that is in his being to let you be you. Personal freedoms carried more weight to him then fame, money, power, or lust. He could have been anything he wanted, President even, but in the end he just wanted to preserve what was right with America. He also had no desire to be in control. He was a natural leader, but could assume the role of a team member when he was not meant to lead. He was awesome, powerful, righteous, just, but more important Steve Rogers was also kind and humble.

This movie really captures all of what I admired about Captain America. Though he was gifted great power, he was always that little guy in his heart. The tagline that I think sums up Steve Rogers is when he was asked about why he didn't run away from a fight, when he got his ass beat all the time. He stated simply "When you start running, when do you stop?" or something like that. The only issue with the movie is the short condensed war. He fought through most of world war two, yet that summarized it in a few short hours. It was only his battle with Hydra and the infamous Red Skull.

There was a lot more there, but I understand this was a origin movie that is leading to the Avengers. Yes Captain America, was one of the first Avengers. He was the natural leader of the group, even with the ego of Tony Stark, the god status of Thor, the unbridled rage of the Hulk. Even with all of that, he was the clear leader. The reason for this is he lead by example. All in all he was a good man. He could and would use violence to resolve conflict, but he never sacrificed his principles. He is that perfect example of what I described in my previous blog.

In the comics the struggle in the last decade sums up the cast off the perfect soldier. Captain America resumed his role as a hero and soldier after he returned from his frozen grave, but Steve Rogers never quite fit back into this modern world. His lack of the natural shift of morality with generations growth, was apparent to him. His struggle though was mediated by the facts he knew and carried in his heart. Right is right no matter what year it is, or what language you speak. These are not individual truths, but universal truths. It is not the right that you feel when you find your spiritual path, its not those personal rights that others assume are right for the world. He is understood those truths that our founding fathers stated where self evident.

So watch the movie. Read the books. Admire. To me is he the ultimate servant leader. He understands personal justice. He knows that if something is worth fighting for yu fight for it. With that I will leave you with a few quotes that get to the heart of the character;

"Doesn't matter what the press says. Doesn't matter what the politicians or the mobs say. Doesn't matter if the whole country decides that something wrong is something right. This nation was founded on one principle above all else: The requirement that we stand up for what we believe, no matter the odds or the consequences. When the mob and the press and the whole world tell you to move, your job is to plant yourself like a tree besides the river of truth, and tell the whole world----No you move."


"I'm loyal to nothing, General...except the dream"

"Do you actually think the fact that you know how to program a computer makes you more of a human being than me? That I'm out of touch because I don't know what you know? I know what freedom is. I know what it feels like to fight for it and I know what it costs to have it. You know compromise."
◦To Tony Stark, Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. , Civil War: The Confession

"For in a republic, who is "the Country"? Is it the government which is for the moment in the saddle? Why, the government is merely a temporary servant: it cannot be its prerogative to determine what is right and what is wrong, and decide who is a patriot and who isn't. It's function is to obey orders, not originate them. Who, then is the country? Is it the newspaper? Is it the pulpit? Why, these are mere parts of the country, not the whole of it, they have not command, they have only their little share in the command. In a monarchy, the king and his family are the country: In a republic it is the common voice of the people each of you, for himself, by himself and on his own responsibility, must speak. It is a solemn and weighty responsibility, and not lightly to be flung aside at the bullying of pulpit, press, government, or the empty catchphrases of politicians. Each must for himself alone decide what is right and what is wrong, and which course is patriotic and which isn't. You cannot shirk this and be a man. To decide it against your convictions is to be an unqualified and inexcusable traitor, both to yourself and to your country, let men label you as they may. If you alone of all the nation shall decide one way, and that way be the right way according to your convictions of the right, you have your duty by yourself and by your country. Hold up your head. You have nothing to be ashamed of"

"Captain America is not here to lead the country. I'm here to serve it. If I'm a captain, then I'm a soldier. Not of any military branch, but of the American people. Years ago, in simpler times, this suit and this shield were created as a symbol to he lp make America the land it's supposed to be... to help it realize its destiny. Ricocheting from super-villain duel to super-villain duel doesn't always serve that purpose. There's a difference between fighting against evil and fighting for the common good. I'm not always able to choose my battles... but effective immediately, I'm going to make an effort to choose the battles that matter. Battles against injustice, against cynicism, against intolerance. I will still serve with the Avengers. I will continue to defend this nation from any and all threats it may face. But as of today, I am not a "super hero." Now and forevermore, I am a man of the people. Together, you and I will identify and confront America's problems. Together, we will figure out what we are and what we can be. Together, we will define the American Dream and make it an American reality."

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