The article states that
“The nation is essentially divided into two cinematic camps:
(1) those who believe that America’s story was best told in Michael Moore’s Fahrenheit 9/11 and (2) those who think Peter Jackson pretty much captured the essence of current events in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s literary masterpiece of the same name.”
It explains that while supporters of Sen. John Kerry in the upcoming United States Presidential election think that Michael Moore’s Fahrenheit 9/11 accurately explained current world events, supporters of President George Bush think the Orcs and events in The Lord of the Rings closely parallel the war in Iraq and the War on Terrorism.
54 responses to “Of Bush, Kerry and Tolkien”
Again, please note that this article is very political, so if you feel you may be offended by it, please be very careful. If you wish to mention politics in the comments, please do so in a civilised manner; if the comments turn in any way offensive, then the post will be deleted.
Now, that said, my views on the matter… I do not like the way in which the writer is trying to twist Tolkien’s words to fit her own political views. I know that such a thing is inevitable, with Tolkien being very topical at the moment, but I think it’s quite futile to be using Tolkien in this manner, especially since Tolkien can be used to turn the argument on its head and support pacifism, for example.
This has long been my opinion, and a good friend of mine thinks the same thing, too.
I thought this was a great article! I never connected politics to Middle Earth like that before, but it is a good illustration. I completely agree with this article.
(Disclaimer: I mean no offence by this, delete it if you wish. I just mean it as a joke.)
John Kerry for president of Mordor
(You may now flame me LOL)
i dont see why everyone has to twist lotr into something political…i mean tolkien wrote it for the enjoyment of the reader not as a satire or an allegory…it should be taken as a story and not anything else
Awesome article!!! I think it is so true.
I love that quote from ROTK. When I first saw the movie, that quote stood out as one that perfectly applies to the present world. If we don’t stand up and fight, then we’ll be over-run. If Gondor and Rohan hadn’t fought back, then Sauron would have been able to take complete control.
I think you can clearly see the difference between the two sides of political thought. On one side, you have people who think we have to be attacked for us to do anything. The other side sees evil where it is and decides to go fight it.
Thanks for the awesome link!!!
This article is exactly correct. To me, The Lord of the Rings is a defense of western civilization. President Bush is fighting for the preservation of western civilization, so the analogy between his supporters and LOTR is very true.
wow! Kathleen Parker turn Tolkien’s work into a bad thing! interesting. i never thought someone could actually do that.
first of all, her steriotypical idead of Kerry or Bush supporters were widley wotrng. not all Bush supporters go watch Nascar. Most Kerry supporters are ‘true’ christians who are religious. not every Kerry supporter has seen Farenhiet 9/11. the war in Iraq is terrible. if ever compared to LOTR, the Bush adminsteration would be on the Mordor side of things. so many innocent people are dying because of the war!!
she has basically twisted the most amzing book into something it isnt.
flame me all you want but i believe what i believe!!
~eldride
In fact, I already read this article a few days ago and commented on it elsewhere. Kathleen Parker has obviously never read the book (quotes from movie only), and although some aspects of the book could also be used for a similarly simple-minded interpretation, you’d simply have to gloss over many aspects of Tolkien’s work. And apart from that, I object to her turning all Ringers into potential right-wingers/adherents of the GOP. I’m neither militarist, nor conservative, nor even American. And I love The Lord of the Rings, and I’d rather stick with this quote from another Tolkien fan who felt outraged at this article and actually emailed Ms. Parker: “Good and evil have not changed since 9/11, nor are they one thing in Iraq and Afghanistan and another in America.” — Aragorn, paraphrased for the 21st century. Now go ahead and flame me, if you like. 🙂
I suppose by Ms. Parker’s stereotyping, I’m a ‘Kerryite’ (though I’m not American), and I do share _some_ of his political beliefs. However, I must be a very conflicted individual, since I’m also an ardent fan of Tolkien’s works. Woe is me.
I’m sure that most people would realise that while Fahrenheit 9/11 captured the essence of the opposition to the war, it wasn’t all factually accurate. Or at least, I would hope that people realised that. Also, to twist LOTR into something it’s not is… well, frustrating, quite frankly, since as others have said before, Tolkien did not intend for his works to be politically allegorical.
(May I also point out to people that the site to which the article belongs, TownHall.com, is a source for ‘conservative news & information’. Just pointing out a bias or agenda that people may not have realised.)
If I were Tolkien right now, I think I’d have to bash my head against a wall. Actually, I think I just need to bash my head against a wall. Hang on sec.
*bang bang bang* *ow*
Okay. Isn’t this exactly- and I mean exactly- the kind of interpretation Tolkien spent half his life warring against? The war of LotR is *not* to be applied to a specific situation. It’s just not. But I think Parker just doesn’t have a clue what she’s dealing with in trying to force Tolkien into a handy comparison to the way Bush supporters view foreign relations. What she’s trying to say, I presume, is that she thinks those who support Bush see the world in a black and white, good and evil way, which may or may not be true, but which I find to be true neither in the movies nor the books LotR. But she’s dealing in stereotypes and saying very little useful.
This has to be one of the most offensive things I have ever heard! The only other time I have so wanted to put my hand through something was when I watched a news reel supporting Bush’s attempt to make same sex marriages illegal (different argument completely). This is the reason I detest politics, don’t even get me started!
More to the point, that she uses the most amazing book and movie series ever to be made to prove some kind of political point is an outrage. The books and even the movies, were both made before all this current day conflict and, I believe, therefore not relevant to the point. Neither work was created to be used and twisted in such a manner, and I am appalled that she had the nerve to do such a thing.
Not to mention that casting LOTR in an “all war” light greatly overshadows it’s more valuable aspects that are not as in-your-face, like loyalty, racial tolerance, and even more. Still, none of the numerous topics that derive from the pages can be used as an all inclusive relivant point, it just can’t. Even the book contradicts itself with overlapping, intertwining, ideals that are opposite sides of the same argument. It is just wrong to use it as a supposedly valid argument because that is FAR from what I belive both Tolkien and Jackson meant for their works to be used as.
And now I will stop before I get even more carried away (not even sure if what I did say makes any sense at all, typed it really fast because of my many thoughts)…and the whole political aspect, won’t even get into that because I would need my own long page to voice my opinions on this country’s twisted political system.
I found this article quite interesting, but not accurate. It was almost funny to me, witnessing another (vain) try to justify a book’s (or film’s) plot with the help of current affairs and burning issues. I won’t speak of my political beliefs, for it may not been so appropriate to a CoE article, but I can say that, even being far from a “Bushist” (at least further than from a Kerryist) I can’t help from noticing the own columnist’s manicheism, which I find particularly suitable and honest in a newspaper, if only on an online one. Well.
I just think that trying to put frenetically such a huge masterpiece in the so tiny mould of political analysis is, I repeat it, vain and quite trivial. I completely agree with an older comment, dealing with the futility of this try, given that Tolkien himself refused categorically until the end of his life, that his most impressive book was used as an explanation of real situations and events.
What I find funny, too, is that trying to see some political commitment in a book, or film, is something totally French, or French-like. A matter of culture, probably. Well, judging by what I read in the said article, it seems that such a reasoning would belong to Kerryists ; yet, Mrs. Parker affirms it’s Bushists’ way of thinking.
Ironically funny, no ? I don’t think that Mrs. Parker would be a great editorialist. I fear she has some gaps in her own…
It is human nature to seek out supporting documentation with regards to our views or opinions. Look at how many times people have said the world is coming in to and end based on “wars and rumors of wars” and we’re all still here. In the end, we’re all looking to justify why we believe what we believe by whatever means we feel are necessary.
I’ve hear LOTR compared to many things…but this? LOL
I see what they mean in a way. But if you think about it, you can make just about ANY movie demonstrate what you want it to. And even with that, you can’t really be wrong. You can make anyone believe what you do just by supporting what you say with a good reason. I must say I agree with Bush on this one. (Honestly, I never thought I would say that)
i don’t support either, but i’m against bush, so go kerry, or nater, that’d be so sick if he won, but obviously it’s not gonna happen, he’s a fellow tree hugger, so he’d so rock 😀
First of all, I’d like to say that I really enjoyed the article. I can see why some people are mad, because Tolkien himself didn’t write LotR as allegorical in any way, but I think the truths from the story were meant and should be applied to life. The fight of good vs. evil is universal in both chronology and geography and Tolkien’s books dealt with this battle as well. I think it was awesome how the article was written, not because it’s direct allegory, but because it puts things in a different perspective, one that fans of LOTR (like myself) are apt to grasp. There are some similarities from the battle in Middle-earth to the current events of our day and I think the writer of the article painted that picture wonderfully. I am a supported of President Bush and I’m not ashamed of saying that. I am also a Christian, and again not ashamed. While the stereotyping in the article may not be true (not all of Bush’s supporters are rednecks, although I am probably close as you can get without being one) I think the light she put on the current events is commendable. That is my view, take it or leave it for what it’s worth.
Pray the Vote!
Well…even though I am a Bush supporter, I don’t agree with this…She is using certain stereotypes that are cetainly not true. Certainly she has no idea what she is talking about and has lead me to believe that she has not even read the books by quoting the movie only. That being said…Wow! I’m usually not that serious, but I think if Tolkien read this he would be totally taken off gaurd. This is in no way how he meant the trilogy to be applied.
Wow Kathleen Parker decided to swim in deep water. And I mean DEEP. How dare she compare one of the greatest books in the world to politics. And hello, do I watch Nascar, um NO! I’m too busy with other stuff. She has got all her facts wrong. I think she just watched the movies and never really read the books. Oh this annoys me so much!
I don’t think Ms. Parker was right in clumping Ringers all into Bush supporters since I certainly know now there are some who are complete Kerry-huggers–I myself support the President all the way. I saw him speaking last night and I totally wish I could vote because I would vote for him. Kerry may not be a bad person but I don’t want him as President.
Michael Moore’s movie was utter nonsense in my eyes. It just was a silly man’s opinion and mocking of another man who is trying to protect and lead his people to the best of his ability. I’m sure Tolkien would not wish his stories used as a portrayal of politics in these days–politics which he would think nonsense I’m sure–so I don’t completely agree with that in any case. I myself really dislike politics…especially when it becomes personal as people bash Bush…or Kerry.
Tolkien’s stories should be separated from politics. There are on verrry different levels. I’m done complaining now :). Just remember I’m 16 and can look on these things in this way.
I think that article was horrible. She is of course allowed to have her own opinion, like everyone else. I just don’t agree with it.
First of all, I don’t like the fact that she’s comparing LotR to something like that. It wasn’t written for political reasons.
I also don’t like the fact that she’s comparing orcs to muslim terrorists. I wouldn’t call these terrorists muslims. Islam is a religion which is, like pretty much every religion, based on being kind and helping others. Unfortunately there will always be people who use their religion as a cover to the crimes they commit. Just like in Europe hundreds of years ago when people were killed because they believed something different then the christian church said, or were believed to be witches, or during the crusades (spelling?).
Anyway, for me LotR doesn’t symbolise the War on Terror. Western civilization isn’t about to be destroyed. There have been attacks, but it just can’t be compared to the War of the Ring.
I don’t support Bush, but I think it’s good that Saddam Hussein was removed. He was evil.
For me LotR symbolises not only good vs. evil, but also that nature should be protected (the ents vs. Saruman), and that violence doesn’t solve all things, “Do not be too eager to deal out death in judgement”. Friendship, hope and courage are important, but so is pity.
Now this is just my opinion. You don’t have to agree with it, just respect it, and I’ll respect yours even if I might not agree with it.
Anyway, I’ll stop rambling!
Well, I think this article is not completly accurate! I am a strong Kerry supporter and I belive that Lord of the Rings is the most accurate parrallel you can draw between todays events as well as thoes of the sixties. I also know plenty of Bush supporter who can not stand Lord of the Rings and think it is totaly bogus. I think that this author should have been more carful and not gereralize people.
I am a very strong Bush supporter and I thought the article was really neat and think Bush is kind of acting like an Aragorn, pulling people together and protecting the country at all cost. I am also a strong Christian and defientely not ashamed to say that, and think that God is definetely on Bush’s side.
I think the article is not accurate and that Tolkien would spin in his grave about it. Tolkien wrote in the foreword to LOTR, that this book “is neither allegorical nor topical” and that he dislikes allegory. Tolkien objected to comparing Orcs with Communists, he would also object to comparing Orcs with radical Muslims. Besides of that, I find it really strange to compare current events or real persons with events and persons in a fantasy novel. C’mon, fantasy is one thing, reality is another!
By the way, I am also Christian. Catholic like Tolkien and Kerry! 😉
Hi,
unfortunately I went ahead and read this article. And guess what? I was offended. And hopping mad. I’m so angry I can barely type this.
Tolkiens battle for the preservation of middle earth is akin to Bush’s war on Iraq?? ….
Oh, I don’t think so….
I really feel that discussions like this are far too inflammatory.
This wonderful site is no place for political debate, especially when referencing Tolkien in the same breath as George Bush ……
I’d better sign off… words fail me.