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 The Oregon Trail Part 2: The Excellence of Emancipation by chris weisbart Ken Burns' "The Civil War" ended last night on Oregon Public Television. For me, and I know many others across this state, it was an amazing week of T.V. that wrenched the heart and made us learn a little more about ourselves through the great figures of history. After it was done, I just stared at the t.v. and let it settle into my brain some. The scenes of horrible conflict that shook the country for four years and strenghtened our bond as a nation were almost too much to comprehend all at once...and it's relationship to the tumultuous current events taking place around the world today gave me much to think about. I reminisced about that one scene in "Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure" where Abraham Lincoln is speaking. In a carefully concieved modification of the Gettysburg Address, Mr. Lincoln says "Four Score and...Several Minutes ago we were led on a most 'Excelent' Adventure by our new friends... Bill and Ted"  As his short speech ends (an amazing similarity to the actual speech, which was under 300 words. I now know this thanks to K. B.) he ends his speach with a riotous "Be excellent to each other...and Party On Dude!" that raises the entire school ampitheater! One thing I now take issue with, thanks to my education by Ken Burns, is that during this scene, the filmmakers decide to cut to two black students, sitting in the audience. This is the only time African Americans are represented in Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure*, and one can only think that the filmmakers intent was to show Lincoln as the historical Freedom Fighter for Civil Rights while, in actuality, he was a late adopter of the Abolishonist's point of view (thanks Ken!). Whether this was due to political reasons or his personal viewpoint, we will never know (once again, thank you for this knowledge Ken Burns), but the stereotypical image of Lincoln as a hero to all African-Americans should be entirely revamped, and is borderline offensive nowadays, in my opinion. However, I am competely happy with and unquestionably agree with the representation of Mongolians in that movie, as Genghis Khan is portrayed wearing football helmet, catcher's vest and baseball bat riding down the mall in a skateboard-- just as he was in the 12th Century as he led his unrelenting assault on China. He also pulls this bitching backflip on a mini-trampolene. Watch the movie, I kid you not. Until Next time I catch 'ya 'round The ol' Oregon Tree... Your Good Buddy, Chris *upon later review, I realized that there is another cut to the African-American students in Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure. There is another shot of them (the same students) dancing around in their seats when Beethoven** is rocking out on two synthesizers at the same time. **I actually know how to spell "Beethoven" because of that movie. In my mind when I type it, I say "Beeth" like "teeth" just like Bill and Ted do. For more information on Abraham Lincoln and his interrelationship with Bill and Ted, click here. |
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