I knew it was only a matter of time before someone on the conservative side of the fence came out with a justification for Darth Vadar and the Dark Side in Star Wars. NPR aired this segment today, entitled "A flawed despot is better than a smug Jedi."
The segment features the opinion of Jonathan Last, editor of the conservative magazine, The Weekly Standard. Last argues that the Empire is good, because Emperor Palpatine promotes stability and order. Under the Republic, things were run by ineffectual bureaucrats and arrogant Jedi, who had to be born with a certain type of blood to become Jedi. "At least the Empire is a meritocracy," says Last, who is also sure that Vadar at least makes sure the trains run on time.
Sound familiar? Remember the argument that a certain blue-blooded Senator from Massachusetts would not be as effective a leader as a cantankerous cowboy from Texas (even if he was a blue-blooded cantankerous cowboy)? "We need a strong hand to bring order and stability to the world, not more do-gooders who believe in nonsense like diplomacy," was the usual refrain from conservatives.
Last does have a point though. Both in the movies, and in real life, we need more examples of leaders who are progressive populists. People who are down-to-earth and hardworking, and still willing to fight for progressive ideals.
I'll let you know when I find the perfect movie example of this type of person. In the mean time, "may the force be with us."
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