The Internet Sale, Iran, Chicago, J Street, Polanski, and Shalit.
Yesterday was my birthday and I celebrated it in high, old Manhattan style. My family and I trooped down to the Oak Room at the mightily spiffed-up Algonquin Hotel—yes, the long-ago haunt of beloved, literary drunks—and we listened to Cole Porter as interpreted by the very elegant and exceedingly tall Karen Akers. It was an expensive but classy evening.
I looked around and saw many people in their 60s, 70s, even 80s, some with wheelchairs, canes, and walkers. Clearly, nostalgia for lost youth and for the mood evoked by a Porter song had turned these people out on a weekday night. Their faces beamed, their eyes were dreamy. Porter was certainly before my time but I loved the movie about his life in which Kevin Kline brilliantly starred. And, once, long ago, when I was a singer, a chanteuse, a cabaret performer, (‘tis true, I’ve had many lives), I sang Porter songs too. I still love them.
Akers has a limited voice range but she artfully played the part of a sophisticated and witty courtesan in love with money and rich men—although she interpreted “Don’t Fence Me In” in the most interesting and moving way. There were moments of magic here, but it was all safe, fairly predictable, intimate, just what we all wanted, probably what many young people might not appreciate. No ear-popping loud music here, no electronic effects, no brain-splitting light show. An oak-paneled room, an old-fashioned crowd, songs of a bygone era.
On a more serious note: Are people flocking to old time-y events precisely because we fear that our 9/12 world has truly changed and may soon be changing even more radically? Are we trying to live for the moment because we fear that we, too, will soon all be on breadlines, or the victims of horrifying natural or nuclear disasters? (My heart goes out to those in Indonesia where the death and injury rate keep rising).
I tell everyone that I am a “techno-dwarf.” Yet, here’s what else even I am worried about today. What can it mean that the owners of the internet (Icann, in California) have now ended their relationship with the American government—a move which the American Commerce Department and Icaan both view as an “American power move?” According to the London Guardian,
“The deal, part of a contract negotiated with the US department of commerce, effectively pushes California-based Icann towards a new status as an international body with greater representation from companies and governments around the globe…But the fresh focus will give other countries a more prominent role in determining what takes place online, and even the way in which it happens – opening the door for a virtual United Nations, where many officials gather to discuss potential changes to the internet.”
What does this really mean? Will Iran be more easily able to block its citizens from capturing government barbarism on cellphones? Will China be able to sell its human organs, harvested from political prisoners, more easily online? Will warlords in Afghanistan be able to sell their opium online? How about Cuba, Venezuela, Egypt and Saudi Arabia? I shudder to think about how this might effect al-Qaeda and various wannabees in terms of their internet facilitation of terrorist acts.
And, will pornography online gain an even greater, more synchronized, and more profitable market? Will the victims of sex trafficking be auctioned off as sex slaves online more safely?
This represents only one of my concerns today. Others include the trumpeting of relatively meaningless diplomatic victories in Geneva vis a vis Iran as historic; President Obama’s attempts to “sell” Chicago as the site of the next Olympics; the gathering force of J Street—even as polls begin to show Jewish-American disenchantment with Obama; the incredibly predictable signers of the petition to Free Roman Polanski. This makes clear, as nothing else does, that despite their considerable pretentions as compassionate “revolutionaries” that what that means is that our most beloved and greatest cinema stars: directors, writers, actors and actresses, literally have no respect for female children and women. Yes, Polanski has suffered and yes, he is a very productive film director. Still, Polanski is also a child rapist. He should long ago have publicly confessed, publicly apologized, funded projects to help the victims of rape and child rape and to prosecute pedophiles. And he should have done time—long ago. He ran. He did not do so. Instead, I’m told, he kept taunting the Los Angeles Police. Well, that’ll get you arrested in Switzerland.
Funny, film folk usually insist that no one (especially no Israeli) should be above the law—but that means that no artist, director, writer, or actor should be either.
I rejoice in the video of Gilad Shalit who is presented as alive and seemingly healthy, both physically and mentally. I only wish he were back home and not still in captivity. Why isn’t the film community (and Bernard Henri Levy and Paul Auster, both of whom are signatories) calling to Free Gilad Shalit? Or all those dissidents in captivity in the jails of Iran, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, North Korea, China? At least for starters?
The culturally debased, my dear Phyllis, and mazel tov on reaching another birthday, do not want to be reminded of their short comings when the “Dead White Men” are vindicated. Which would be the case were the dissidents in the countries you named were championed by them, in deed, anyone.
So, it is for us who see the self inflicted cultural poverty of the deformed souls who major more on, “I am not _____”, and learn from their wounds as what not to do.
Many happy returns, till 120.
And may Shalit return home free and in good health.
Even on your birthday you aren’t fully focussed on yourself, but busy with the world’s real problems and the hardship of people resulting from that. You have my sincere and deep respect for your work in the service of humanity. I wish you many more healthy years, courage and spirit! Mazel Tov.
Happy Belated Birthday Ms. Chesler! I feel a sort of kinship because my son’s birthday is today, October 3rd. He is young though and not so sure of what matters, and you obviously find it difficult at times NOT to think of what does. I am glad you spend a few hours enjoying life with friends.
I saw the young man Gilad Shalit and am so happy he is alive, yet feel sorrowful for the family who is tortured by the evil that continues to hold them and the world hostage with their bitter hate and desolate beliefs. The rest of the torments you write of are all too real, and I am not so sure that we mere humans on this earth can face it without the help of a higher being.
I think that giving the power of controlling the INTERNET to the globe may be another step in eroding freedom, because we know that many do not find it in their best interest to grant rights to all, inalienable, and endowed by our Creator. Many are not interested in taking away the earthly power from the ones who crave it for themselves and deny it to others. We have seen with our eyes, and heard with our ears, and felt with our hearts the ways of the world, and our own destiny that we hold in our hands can easily be snatched away by the evil that permeates this earth. I hope that G_d in his wisdom will use the INTERNET as an instrument for good and the corrupting parts will wither away like a dead branch on a healthy tree.
I think that you must have lead a very interesting and diverse life, and if any young people are fortunate enough to hear your stories they would be very lucky indeed.
Happy birthday, Phyllis. Shalom.
But as your article turned melancholy so must my comment. Yes, those who have embraced evil will use every opportunity, however small to increase that evil. Those possessed of a Satanic rage against God’s Chosen will seek ever more horrific ways to express that rage. And those “talented artists” who preach a self-serving gospel of compassion one day will slake their lust regardless of the harm caused to others the next because they are not merely sociopaths as in days gone by; they are firmly ensconced in a psychopathic philosophy which denies any real Morality at all: so what else is there to do but feed their egos and their lusts on the one hand, and self-servingly justify them on the other, with transparent hypocrisy. And why not! All the more reason for those of us who’ve chosen Good to fight for the Truth with Reason. And we must do so united not divided, standing up for Morality itself, not individual victim groups, not whacking away at the leaves of tertiary issues, but always striking at the root of Evil itself so as to destroy it at the source rather than merely shrink the size of it. We may never see victory. Likely not. But we must never give up the hope of victory. And win or lose we must not flag but fight to the bitter end.
Again, Shalom.
Happy Birthday, Dr. Chesler!
I look forward to many more years of sometimes agreeing, sometimes disagreeing and always being, as the French say, engagee avec le monde.
Dear Phyllis,
Happy Birthday!
Much of what is said here I agree with. On the subject of Polanski, I am probably the only Conservative who has mixed feelings what to do with him. Granted, he is a pervert, but two things. One, He went through the Holocaust, then in his adult life had to come back home to the brutally murdered remains of his wife and unborn son.
And Vincent Bela Lugosi NEVER called for the re-opening of the Death Penalty in California on special circumstances for Charlie Manson, which would have saved not only millions of dollars over the years, but also the ordeal on both Polanski and the Tate survivors. Charlie has been kept alive thanks to an idiot Democrat from the L.A. County DA’s office – a guy who has recently cried for indicting President Bush as a ‘war criminal’.
Then Governor Reagan WAS PREPARED to sign the papers for the execution of Manson. Unfortunately his hands were tied, even though the ban on executions was rescinded later.
Yes, what Polanski did was evil and he should definitely pay a price, but so should Samantha Geimer’s mommy – who was stupid enough to take a 13 year old daughter who DID look 17 or 18 to the notorious Nicholson’s “bachelor den”, OR knowingly took her for her own advantage.
And while we’re on the subject of rapists – child and otherwise, Don Henley of the Eagles raped an underage prostitute about five years later, and NEVER paid the price for it. Incredibly he blasted the newcaster Christine Lund as a “bubble headed bleach blonde”(it should have been the more permissive Linda Douglas, the current Obama propagandist who unfortunately was polluting L.A. newswaves at the time)in his screed “Dirty Laundry” for revealing the case.
And now we’ve got Letterman, an ugly piece of dreck and perhaps even more wicked than Polanski. Remember, Polanski’s mind was shattered – right from wrong for him was killed when Manson and the late, unlamented Susan Atkinds plunged their knives into Sharon Tate and the other victims. But Smiling, Stupid Dave KNEW EXACTLY WHAT HE WAS DOING – as did the real Bimbos – these pathetic staffers who bedded down with the jerk. You do have to wonder what kind of unbringing, what kind of self-respect, Feminist or otherwise these real little girls had.
Your comments – gosh, you could make a commentary of this, are welcome.
Happy Belated Birthday, Phyllis!
Just wanted to send out a hug and wishes for an upcoming year of peace and joy in your life.
Your Birth Day! How beautiful. Birth Day Blessings to you. You are one baby that changed many people’s worlds including mine.
Dear Phyllis
Happy Birthday–and to 120 at the very least!
Lucky you to hear Cole Porter songs at the Algonquin, and to be with dear old friends and with family.
Would love to have heard you singing way back when…
Norman
7. Alan:
[On the subject of Polanski, I am probably the only Conservative who has mixed feelings what to do with him. Granted, he is a pervert, but two things. One, He went through the Holocaust, then in his adult life had to come back home to the brutally murdered remains of his wife and unborn son.]
So, according to you, the fact that Polanski (Family name Liebling) went through the Holocaust (which he did), and through the horror of his wife’s murder by the Manson clan, somehow diminishes his guilt. So, why Manson, who was abused and abandoned as a child, be given the death penalty and not paroled? Actually, Manson never killed anyone with his own hands, an this is a fact. I assure you, Otto Moll, one of the Nazi beasts in the crematorium at Birkenau, was also severely abused as a child.
Really, many people went through the Holocaust, and similar terrible experiences, and never raped a 13 year old girl, plying her with Champagne and half a Quaalude, and forcing her. Pervert or not, it is payback time for mouse-face rapist Pan Polanski. Let him be brought to justice in LA, may be Jack Nicholson wants to take his place.
Happy Birthday!
Though I disagree with you on many things, I bear you no ill will. And so I’ll just send you my best wishes.
Dearest Phyllis,
Many happy returns in good health!
alan, 7
I cannot believe you compared Letterman to Polanski. Letterman’s a creep and a jerk but that’s a far cry from a rapist, let alone a CHILD rapist. Letterman slept around with people at work. Immoral but not unusual. They were all adults; they were all willing. I’ve yet to hear that he slipped any of them a roofy. NOTHING excuses or mitigates what Polanski did. The man should die in a cage. I don’t like Letterman either, but don’t compare him to a child rapist. You’re right about one thing: the child’s mother is equally culpable.
Dear Phyllis,
Good stuff! Sure glad you didn’t try to get it into a tweet, leaving us with no more than a snapshot of the birthday girl near the Round Table at the Algonquin listening to smokey interpretations of Cole Porter. Hmmm, what are you doing next Saturday night?
Dear Dr. Chesler:
A very happy and healthy belated birthday and many, many, more; all in the very best of health !! Until 120 with much nachas and many simchas !!
So glad you enjoyed the beautiful rendition of those Cole Porter songs. Wasn’t Ethel Merman known for her version of “It’s Delovely”?
As to Gilad Shalit, all we can say is Baruch Hashem (thank G-d) that he’s alive. The question remains whether Israel should have released those blood thirsty terrorists in exchange for a video and more to the point, why isn’t President Obama pressuring the Palestinians and the Arab nations, i.e. Iran (who have ties to Hamas) to free Shalit, so we can continue with the peace process. Does he really believe that Binyamin Netanyahu will seriously consider freezing settlements and will continue to allow Arab squatters to live on land originally purchase by Jewish donors to the JNF with the express purpose of Jewish settlement as long as Gilad Shalit remains in captivity.
Doesn’t the world know that the Jewish State cares about the life of one Jewish soldier more than the incessant pressure of the world to make futile territorial concessions that will not only NOT lead to peace but to more terrorism directed at Israeli civilians and soldiers.
I wish you a happy belated birthday Mrs. Chesler. The world is messed up, but I can always come read your articles and know without a doubt there are good people in this world, because you are there telling the truth.