Steve Jobs: A Good Businessman?

Firstly, enough has been said already of the rise of Apple thanks to co-founder Steve Jobs. This blog entry is not a commentary on Apple’s business model, a summation of their financial successes, or a meditation on how Apple’s newfound dominance over competitor Microsoft will affect consumers and competitors in the world tech market. (Seriously, what does any of that MEAN, anyway?)

But despite the attention Jobs and his company have received for their ever-increasing market value ( which, as of Wednesday, stands at around $222 billion), little attention has been paid to a subtle decision by Jobs and, supposedly, his business partners as well: Under no circumstances will pornography be made available as applications on the iPhone or the iPad.



When asked about his decision by tech commentator “gdgt”, Jobs answered thusly: “You know, there's a porn store for Android....You can download nothing but porn. You can download porn, your kids can download porn. That's a place we don't want to go - so we're not going to go there.”
On a separate occasion, TechCrunch posted an email by a disappointed customer who criticized the decision, accusing Apple of taking on the role of “moral police”. Jobs did not back down, however, and responded “We do believe we have a moral responsibility to keep porn off the iPhone. Folks who want porn can buy an Android phone."

I should point out that I am not at all savvy when it comes to the devices produced at Apple, especially the iPhone and the iPad. That being the case, I have no idea whether or not this policy of “no porn applications” will actually make a difference to many users. For example, if the internet is available on these devices, what is to stop users from accessing their desired entertainment regardless of Apple’s policies? But even if that is true, it is unrelated to the real significance of the decision. While a number of businesses clearly profit by providing access to adult pay-per-view entertainment- hotel chains chief among them- Apple executives have chosen to stand out, regardless of what petty criticism they happen to receive.




It is a typically progressive viewpoint that morality, as a rule, ought to be legislated. To proponents of such a statist ideology, private citizens are not responsible enough to be trusted to make the right decision. This decidedly negative view of their constituents is in my opinion a prime reason that liberals have no moral qualms about driving businesses into oblivion with an ever-increasing rate of taxation. After all, if all businessmen are evil, profit-seeking slimeballs, who cares if you siphon off a chunk of their gains? Such is the ideology of the Obama/Pelosi/Reid regime.

Steve Jobs and his associates deserve our congratulations for making the right choice in what many would have perceived to be a trivial matter. That such respect would be shown to traditional tech users in an age dominated by the rejection of personal restraint is worthy of applause, and these men of business are to be commended.

Now if only we could say the same of the financial watchdogs at the SEC (http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/02/02/sec-workers-investigated-porn-surfing/)... Oh government, what would we ever do without you…

Get Your Progressive Hands OFF My X-Men!

Dear Bryan Singer:

Thank you for possibly ruining the X-Men forever.

Since the not-so-recent adaptation of the X-Men comics by director Bryan Singer, better known, perhaps, for giving us ‘Superman Returns’- aka ‘Superman: The Chick Flick’- everyone’s favorite mutants have been caught in something of a cinematic purgatory from which there seems to be no escape. Hugh Jackman’s wonderful performance as Wolverine notwithstanding, the X-Men films thus far, while costly and at least somewhat well-directed, have become something of a pariah amongst comic fans. There are plenty of culprits at which we can point fingers and blame for this progression of disappointments, but there is one aspect I’d like to address that has particular relevance to us and to our nation in general.

Of late, it has become increasingly popular to view the X-Men through a narrow-minded lens of “social justice.” From this perspective, the adventures of Xavier’s mutants are symbols of progress in the fight against racism, homophobia, xenophobia… you name it. The fictitious politicians advocating programs like “mutant registration” express their logic in terms of national security interests- a realistic enough argument- but also campaign on platforms of exposing mutants simply because “they are different” or, as in the case of the comics’ Reverend William Stryker, because they represent the work of Satan on Earth. Angry mobs that gather to express their discontent with mutants frequently shout semi-racist slogans like “No more muties!” or “Send mutants to the moon!”

And in ‘X2: X-Men United’, in one of the most logically backwards scenes out of ANY recent superhero films, Bobby Drake/ Ice Man “comes out” as a mutant in a sequence of boring melodrama more befitting of the Lifetime Channel than a serious superhero flick, during which his parents ask him “Have you ever tried not being a mutant?”, a clear jab by the filmmakers at advocates of gay therapy programs, and a poorly-conceived one at that.

It was only one step up from the scene in Richard Donner’s otherwise entertaining film ‘Assassins’ in which two armed men in a gunfight pass by a bus with an anti-NRA banner.

A more entertaining and, arguably, more intellectually sound reading of the X-Men is this:

1. The X-Men stand for equal rights (as opposed to equal THINGS) under the law

2. Socialism’s leveling of the playing field is MORALLY WRONG

3. A person should expect to have the integrity of their body and their privacy both respected.

That’s it in a nutshell, anyway. The X-Men, if you follow their story’s implications to their logical conclusions, represent a reasonably conservative, pro-American message of individual liberty.

The mutants have a right to their powers not as their race or sexual preference, but as their God-given TALENTS. Neither the government nor the majority of voters in a constitutional republic like the United States possess the capacity to strip a human being of that talent without also trespassing on the sacred boundary of a person’s mind and body.

The government has no right to arbitrarily seize mutants and use them for a particular end against their will, as is the case with the notorious Weapon X program. Additionally, neither do other mutants have the right to force one another into indentured servitude, as is often the methodology of the Mutant terrorist Magneto (who may also be taken as a mutant version of Osama Bin Laden, but that’s a conversation for another day).

The fictitious crowds who gather to protest mutants do not fit the character of racists or homophobes, because they’re not protesting people whose skin color offends them or whose sexuality they find revolting. Race, for example, is a superficial difference- it is literally only skin-deep and does not affect a man's character unless he allows it to.

TALENT, on the other hand, is very tangible. The anti-mutant activists attack mutants so relentlessly because they see their power as an unfair advantage in a competitive society. Since they do not share the mutants’ capacity for super powers, they would like to see the government level the playing field for them. Yes, the anti-mutant crowds actually bear similarity to the socialist disciples of Saul Alinsky, forever incapable of accepting that talented and hardworking men and women possess the right to benefit from the fruits of their individual gifts.

All of these are intriguing arguments by my measure, but the truth becomes most clear when reflecting on just what X-Men fans actually talk about when watching the movies or reading the comics. The single most common discussion- and it never gets old- revolves around a single question: “Whose power would you want?” The conversation that follows is usually something along these lines:

“I’d want Magneto’s power. There’s just so many things you can do with the power to control metal.” “I’d rather have Wolverine’s than Sabretooth’s, but I’d take either one. I want to heal fast and have animal senses.” “What about Beast? He’s pretty tough, and he has great acrobatic abilities.” “No, definitely Shadowcat. Can you imagine walking through walls!”

Now ask yourself this: Would an X-fan EVER watch X-Men and then proceed to ask his friends “Dudes, would you rather be black and oppressed or gay and oppressed?”

… My point exactly.

Please, Hollywood, STOP politicizing our favorite characters and let’s just get back to the good stuff.

Obama Hates My iPod?!

"You're coming of age in a 24/7 media environment that bombards us with all kinds of content and exposes us to all kinds of arguments, some of which don't always rank all that high on the truth meter."

Like those of Saul Alinsky, for example?

"With iPods and iPads and Xboxes and PlayStations, -- none of which I know how to work -- information becomes a distraction, a diversion, a form of entertainment, rather than a tool of empowerment, rather than the means of emancipation.”

The point being that we ought to be using our xboxes to blow up real terrorists?

"All of this is not only putting new pressures on you, it is putting new pressures on our country and on our democracy."

Says the man with 8 million friends on facebook. Give me a BREAK!

Such are but a few quotes by our esteemed president to university graduates yesterday at Hampton University in Virginia, and while we cannot judge with certainty the degree to which this amateur lecture on the morality of Turok, Halo, and the Pussycat Dolls is reflective of Obama’s own perspective, the words themselves are troubling enough.

Let’s forget for a moment that Xboxes and PlayStations have NO place in a discussion concerning the 24/7 news cycle. Let’s forget that in 5 out of 10 photos, Obama is clutching his Crackberry like Gollum with the Ring of Power. Let’s forget that in China, “truth meter” is probably the technical term for the number of times you’re permitted to mention the Dalai Lama on national television before you find yourself sharing a cell at an undisclosed location with a Chinese practicing Christian who failed to adequately conceal his religious convictions. And, of course, let’s just forget that a democracy is by its very definition a safe haven for ALL political brands- except for those that express a desire to destroy that democracy, obviously.

And how does one attack democracy in the media? What are some of the typical arguments we can expect from a closed-minded ideologue intent on censoring and regulating any opposing political machines in the media? By condescending to the people of the United States, like in this speech. After all, every American teenager sitting at home playing patriotic games like Call of Duty really OUGHT to be spending their time reviewing the latest Rachel Maddow blog, right?

There have in the past been various leaders of countless nations who- whether possessing a nefarious agenda or some misguided sense of public service- have taken to the notion that societal ills can be cured if only the right people can be made to shut up. In the case of Mr. Obama, let’s give him the benefit of the doubt for a moment and assume he was trying to imply something about the blogs by certain Islamic extremists that led to the censorship of South Park and may or may not have been a factor in the motivation of the recent attempt to destroy innocent lives at Times Square. In addition, we ought to agree wholeheartedly with the president when he recalls the Jeffersonian notion of a republic’s need for an educated citizenry. But let us not stand idly by when the administration begins to slide into the ideology of censorship.

When it comes to the mass media, government knows what is best- for the government. We must be vocal in our opposition to any attempt by those in power to attack those forces in the media who do not share the regime’s collectivist agenda. An attack on the rights of a man or woman to express themselves politically- excepting calls to violence, naturally- is an open assault on the liberty of all Americans at every level of society, and it must not be tolerated.

But on some level we can understand why Obama is so frustrated. After all, it must be frustrating to observe the successes of Andrew Breitbart’s blogs, the commercial success of patriotic games like Call of Duty, and the proliferation of conservative fiction like The Dark Knight and Iron Man 2. Avatar or no Avatar, the ideals of conservatism are being further embedded in pop culture day after day.

And it’s making the statists VERY nervous.

European Tea Parties? You Should Be So Lucky...

Summer, 2010: Shouting “Liars!” among various other accusations at the riot police filling the streets, the protesters grow more and more furious. They refuse to be subdued; their voices will be heard, and they shall be loud. Suddenly, what was just barely a peaceful demonstration is no more. Below the resounding bellows of the mob, the almost indiscernible "whoosh" of a firebomb is heard as it is thrown into the building outside which the crowd has been demonstrating. Before the protest is over, three workers inside are dead, suffocated by toxic gases. And yet even as the police work to drive the protesters back, trying to communicate the gravity of the event that has just transpired, the crowd refuses to acknowledge the carnage they have collectively induced.

So what protest am I describing? Is it the Tea Party, made infamous in liberal circles who allege them to be nothing but a mad mob of injurious right-wingers, all but consumed by their virulent racism? Is this an account of their tempestuous outrage at the reality of an Obama presidency? To the contrary, filos! This was the scene Wednesday on the streets of Athens, Greece as throngs of left-wing protesters gathered outside a bank near the Temple of Zeus to voice their disapproval of parliament’s spending cuts, demanding that they receive what they see as their fair due of government hand-outs.

In other words, this assemblage represented precisely the opposite worldview of the American Tea Party movement, which proposes spending and tax cuts to limit the scope of the federal government. Accused of racial bigotry since the movement’s conception, their influence has only grown with the passage of time. As of April, at least 32 black politicians are seeking candidacy within the GOP and seeking support from the Tea Party itself as a major source of political capital. Today, the European continent herself has felt the influence of this American campaign, with a number of Euro politicians expressing anxiety that it has the potential to manifest some new wave of politically-motivated violence.

Because if the Greek protests have proven anything, it’s that only patriotic Americans are capable of political violence, right?

Right?

Yeah, right…

So when people like congressman Andre Carson (hear him here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fz_Qm3FuX_I&feature=player_embedded) make statements accusing passive American demonstrators of hate-mongering and pursuing an agenda of white supremacy when their only objective is the preservation of liberty for their children, stand your ground and be polite. After all, no good ever came from raising your voice in the presence of a delusory nincompoop (pardon the strong language, I’m very passionate about this).

We offer a prayer on behalf of those affected by the crisis in Greece, and we also pray that we might avoid such a crisis ourselves.

God Bless America.

Calderon's Hypocrisy and Hollywood's Complicity

By now, anyone with a political bone in their body is aware of the new law passed by the Arizona state legislature now being attacked from high and low as a blatant assault on the rights of immigrants by most of the left and even among elements of the right. Besides the expected verbal and written assaults by the liberal demagogues and their friends in the ever-politically savvy world of celebrities like singing sensation Shakira and SNL’s Seth Meyers, there a few unique elements to this backlash that are especially interesting to dissect.

Firstly, the reaction by the Mexican government, in particular Mexican President Felipe Calderon. Mr. Calderon wasted no time in accusing the Arizona lawmakers who formulated the bill of opening the door to hatred and intolerance. That his outrage is meretricious may be lost on some, but surely not on those poor souls who have had the misfortune to be caught sneaking illegally into Mexico, where the penalty for illegal immigration is two years in prison- and we all know how much value the Mexican prison system places on human rights. The next step is mandatory deportation, supposedly a policy of “hatred and intolerance,” as Mr. Calderon put it. As it happens, those currently attacking the bill’s supporters in Arizona may be surprised to learn that although 70% of Arizonans support their new immigration law, 53% of those polled also expressed concern that the law would lead to civil rights abuses. As National Review columnist Jonah Goldberg put it, some may see this as a contradiction, but it is actually quite telling. From this poll we can see that the people of Arizona are sympathetic to the plight of Mexican immigrants. What freedom-minded American wouldn’t, knowing they flee from a country that treats its own immigrants so harshly?

But due to the federal government’s failure to enforce the immigration laws already on the books, as evidenced by some estimates that illegal immigrants kill up to 2,000 Americans each year, mostly in gang and drug-related violence, Arizona’s voters have been forced to side with necessity. It is no coincidence that Phoenix, Arizona has become the kidnapping capital of the United States in recent years, further proof that our national security organizations have become so focused on the very real threat of Islamic extremism that they can’t even see what is happening in their own backyard.

So with the knowledge that drug cartels are taking advantage of an insecure border and your children are paying the price, what are you, the Arizona voter to do? What is the answer? The solution may not be the current law, but it’s a start, and at least it has sparked a lively discussion if nothing else.

But not every voice in this discussion is interested in the truth. Far from it.

Despite these and other dangers to Arizona’s people presented by the present lack of border security, the forces of “tolerance” in Hollywood have already taken it upon themselves to lend a hand in their demonization. On May 5, in a special “Cinco de Mayo message,” Hispanic actor and veteran action star Danny Trejo announced a new movie trailer as a special message “for ARIZONA.” What follows is a trailer for ‘Machete,’ a low-grade grindhouse flick ostensibly intended to celebrate an anti-government revenge fantasy centered around the issue of illegal immigration.

And they told us the Tea Party movement would fan the flames of unrest?

The movie sports an interesting cast- and by interesting, I refer to the inclusion of Jessica Alba and the undercast and underappreciated Michelle Rodriguez- which makes the nature of its political message all the more disappointing.
We all love a cheesy cinematic bloodbath, especially one promising at least one martial arts fight scene with the much-missed Steven Seagal, but I’ll be giving this one a pass. There is no force on earth that can compel me to lend my eight bucks to a movie that could very well bring a new wave of reckless politically-motivated violence down upon the good people of Arizona. And as is the case with the current crisis in Greece- where demonization of bankers has led to the mob killing of three bank workers yesterday- that possibility is all too real.

So the question arises: Do I have the constitutional right to sneak into such a movie illegally? Guess we’ll find out on opening night…

Watch the trailer for ‘Machete’ and make up your own mind (WARNING: Trailer is R-Rated): http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=65756

Angels of the Knight

Around the time that Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Dark Knight’ was still making headlines as the latest Hollywood blockbuster, much was said in regards to the film’s landmark performance by the late Heath Ledger as the nefarious agent of chaos, the Joker. But while most of the media attention was focused on the actor’s death and the possible link to the psychological effects of playing such a brainsick character, Nolan’s fresh take on the old battle of good vs. evil was seemingly lost on much of the audience.

Father Robert Barron, a Catholic priest and popular internet evangelist through his website, WordOnFire.org, chose to view the movie and post a video review. In this video, which can be found here (http://wordonfire.org/WOF-TV/Commentaries-New/Father-Barron-on--The-Dark-Knight--(Spoilers).aspx) , Fr. Barron explains that the reason Batman fails time and again to beat the Joker at his own game is that the Joker can be viewed as a symbol of the evil of violence itself. In a nutshell, he means this: There is ultimately no effective means of combating violence with more violence, because violence by its very nature feeds upon itself.

(SPOILERS start here!)

Enter the interrogation room, the scene in which the Joker is not intimidated as he is thrashed by the caped crusader, but is instead visibly stimulated. He laughs and mocks him, saying “You have nothing, nothing to threaten me with. Nothing to do with all your strength.” Continuing his review, Fr. Barron concludes that, instead of polar opposites, Batman and the Joker are actually mirror images of each other: Both are theatrical, both are intelligent, both have agendas, and both are unquestionably violent- which is why, according to Fr. Barron, Batman cannot ultimately solve the problem of violence except by becoming a victim of it himself, as evidenced in the film’s conclusion.

Fr. Barron’s reflections are invariably insightful, but I believe there is a potential for symbolism here that he may have overlooked. Consider that as Batman and the Joker do battle on the upper levels of a tall Gotham skyscraper, the climax arrives as the “Clown Prince of Crime” threatens not only to cause the deaths of the passengers on board two ferries in the river below, but gives the passengers an ultimatum intended to shake the foundations of their morality: “Each of you has a remote... Blow up the other boat.” To the Joker’s dismay, the passengers make their choice and toss the detonators overboard. After a struggle, the Joker tumbles over the ledge, only to be saved from being splattered on the pavement below by Batman.

This scene- and the rest of the film as well- can serve to remind us, among other things, of the war between good and evil in general, but more particularly the battle between the Archangel Michael and God’s fallen angel, Lucifer. In his review, Fr. Barron concludes that you cannot perceive the two characters as polar opposites, but as mirror images of each other. But what if you consider the struggle between these characters as a kind of spiritual metaphor? We are told that when Lucifer rebelled against God and waged war on the natural order, it was Michael’s duty to cast the rebel out. Michael did not destroy his enemy, but cast him into Hell, similar to the way Batman sends the Joker to solitary confinement in a padded cell. But more important is the fact that in the battle between the better and worse angels, it is we mortals who are the true prize for the victor.

As it is said, Lucifer craves nothing more than for us to “Blow up the other boat,” as it were- to see us attack one another and wage war on our brothers and sisters. Michael, on the other hand, is the supreme enemy of the fallen angels, thus a protector of mankind. Just as Batman and the Joker are opposites in the world of Christopher Nolan’s Gotham City, so too are heavenly and fallen angels engaged in a never-ending contest for our salvation.

For better or for worse, the detonators are in our hands.

Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle;

be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil.

May God rebuke him, we humbly pray:

and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host,

by the power of God,

thrust into hell Satan and all the evil spirits

who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls.

Amen

The (Other) Movie Badasses

Thanks to upcoming films like Iron Man 2, Predators, and especially The Expendables- which features the majority of all red-blooded non-super heroes to ever grace the screen with their badassery- summer 2010 is likely to mark a very good season for men of action everywhere.
But since this thrilling display of fiery explosions, skewered terrorists, and butchered criminals is likely to bring us automatically back to the epic tales of John McClane, the Terminator, and Rambo, it seems only fitting that we also take a moment and reflect on those less-remembered quintessential badasses who, while they may not sport a pair of sunglasses or a chopped Harley, ought to be appreciated for the special brand of awesome they bring to movie-lovers everywhere.


Tequila (Hard-Boiled)

“If all cops were as selfish as you, Hong Kong would be dead.”



Sure, John McClane fended off a team of highly-trained terrorists and mercenaries, nearly demolishing Nakatomi Tower in the process. But could he do it while cradling a baby in his arms? Played by the Hong Kong superstar Chow Yun-Fat, Tequila is one seriously hard-core cop, and in the crime-stricken city of Hong Kong, that means he’ll be racking up quite a body count. Collateral damage is not out of the question, so if you see him walking down the sidewalk with a toothpick in his mouth and a gun in his holster, cross the street while you still can.
Of course, if you fancy jazz music, stop by the local bar and he'll happily play you a tune on his clarinet.


Spoon (Dog Soldiers)

“Little pigs, little pigs, we’ve come to nick ya video…”

The Governator gets lots of credit for facing down the Predator, and for good reason. After all, getting into a fist-fight with an eight-foot extraterrestrial in the middle of a war-torn Central American jungle is no walk in the park. But Private “Spoon” Witherspoon of the British Army not only faces down a pack of ravenous werewolves in the middle of the Scottish Highlands on the night of the full moon, but even engages in a bloody one-on-one brawl with a hungry lycanthrope using only common kitchen appliances- once he’s out of ammo, that is.

Let’s just be thankful that British soldiers weren’t this badass during the Revolutionary War.

The Man (The Naked Prey)

When a skilled hunter sets out into the African wilderness intent on gathering a few more trophies for the wall, a member of his hunting party forgets rule number one on the savannah: NEVER piss off the natives. After butchering his friends, the African warriors, sensing his extreme badassery, decide it would be more sporting to set him loose and then hunt him down. Two words: Big mistake. The Man- played by Cornel Wilde- is a must-have on the list, because he evades and kills his pursuers while simultaneously fighting for survival underneath the blazing African sun.

And he does all this without so much as a pair of pants.

Max Rockatansky (Mad Max)

“I’m just here for the gasoline.”

When asked to imagine the most brutal, dystopic setting on God’s green earth, Australia probably isn’t the first place that pops into your head. But in the future world of Max Rockatansky, better known as the Road Warrior, the continent that brought us Steve Irwin now wreaks of death and misery in the form of highway gangs that pillage, plunder, and burn all that they find. Without a law enforcement system, the people logically turn to the most badass Aussie around: Max, played by a youthful Mel Gibson.

Utilizing his sawed-off shotgun in emergencies, Max usually relies on his customized 1973 Ford Falcon to run aggressors into the pavement at top speed. Maybe not the best method for someone looking to conserve fuel in a wasteland, but it’s far too badass to complain about.


Spike Spiegel (Cowboy Bebop)

“Just a humble bounty hunter, ma’am.”

If you took Clint Eastwood’s gun-slinging and combined it with Bruce Lee’s martial arts, who would you get? Spike Spiegel, that’s who. A former enforcer for the Martian crime syndicates of the distant future, Spike eventually abandoned this dark chapter of his life and took to the streets as a butt-kicking bounty hunter. Cultivating the outward appearance of a youthful slacker, he routinely catches his bounties off-guard, usually turning them in with a few cracked ribs, if they’re even that lucky.

If you’re ever on Mars and find yourself with a price on your head, do yourself a favor and buy some Martian health insurance. You’re gonna need it.


Connor MacLeod (Highlander)

“I've been alive for four and a half centuries, and I cannot die.”

After receiving what should have been a mortal wound during a clan war in the highlands of Scotland, Connor MacLeod awoke from death to find himself revitalized by the mysterious power of the Quickening. Taught by fellow immortal Ramirez, played by the ever-awesome Sean Connery, MacLeod soon learns he is destined to wage war against the evil Kurgan in a contest for ultimate power known as the Gathering. It’s plenty tough to face an onslaught of immortal enemies seeking your decapitation.

But to do it for more than four hundred years? Now that’s badass.


Juno Caplan (The Descent)

“It’s the dark. It plays tricks on people.”

Not to be confused with the pregnant teen played by Ellen Page, Juno Caplan (Natalie Mendoza) is athleticism incarnate, a daredevil gal who makes it a point to travel the world to stare death in the face. Not one to take (necessary?) precautions, the outdoors adventuress and senator’s daughter makes the single greatest mistake of her life when she leads a group of her friends on an expedition into an uncharted cave system deep in the Appalachian Mountains. When the inevitable happens and a cave-in traps the group underground, Juno and her gal pals are forced to do battle with a tribe of subterranean humanoids hell-bent on making fast food out of the explorers.

If you want to know her fate, you’ll just have to watch the film yourself. But you can bet that more than a few of the beastly “crawlers” will have regretted ever crossing paths with this pickaxe-wielding diva by the time the climax rolls around.


Romney Wordsworth (The Twilight Zone: The Obsolete Man)

“I am nothing more than a reminder to you that you cannot destroy truth by burning pages!”

Resident of a future world controlled by the iron fist of the state, humble librarian Romney Wordsworth (Burgess Meredith) lives in peace until the day he is arrested for preserving his library. When confronted with the prospect of imminent execution should he refuse to burn his precious literature, Wordsworth not only defies his oppressors, but even goes so far as to publicly decry the heavy-handed government, making an urgent appeal for human freedom. Lacking weapons, fighting skills, or physical prowess of any kind, Mr. Wordsworth goes against a murderous regime knowing full well that his life will then hang in the balance, redefining badassery itself in the process.

If you haven’t seen this classic Twilight Zone episode, you’re missing out.

John Adams (John Adams)

“I avow to your majesty that I have no attachment to any country but my own.”

Here’s one for the history books- literally, of course. He never actually got his own movie, but then again, the life and character of the second President of the United States could probably never be sufficiently explored in anything shorter than a miniseries anyway. Played by Paul Giamatti in one of his most memorable performances, Adams begins as an attorney in Boston, in the British colony of Massachusetts. As the spirit of revolution begins to burn ever more brightly in the hearts of the citizenry, Adams quickly finds himself drawn into a war that will change the world and usher into existence a nation founded on the philosophy of liberty and self-government.

With the signing of the Declaration of Independence, Adams knew he was making himself an enemy of the most powerful empire on earth, later sacrificing whole decades of his life to the cause of the new republic. If we could write one chapter in the history books, we would title it “John Adams: Badass Among Badasses.”