If you missed last night’s Malloy Show (which I’m guest hosting all week), you should try to find the time to go back and give it all a listen. Once you do, you’ll see why. The commercial-free audio archives are right here.
If nothing else, I wanted to share with you this great caller last night. “Will”, a truck driver from Tennessee, called in, during the third hour, after we’d been discussing (and I’d been ranting about) accountability (or lack thereof, so far) for Justice Clarence Thomas’ 20-years of financial disclosure crimes and the continuing outrage that is the Supreme Court’s support of the absurd concept of “corporate personhood”, and what the hell the good folks of this nation can do to correct any of it.
Will had a great idea…
After Will’s call about “awakening the sleeper” we heard from another trucker with a similar sentiment in the chat room, as well as via Twitter.
Hey truckers! Let’s get that convoy rolling!
I suspect I’ll be picking up on some of those points again on tonight’s show, as I continue my week guest hosting for Mike.
Corporations are people, too, eh? OK then, I hope to start a trend.
I propose that whenever we discuss a corporation, we name the PEOPLE who “are” the corporation.
That wonderful caller mentioned a class action suit against Swift Transportation.
Fine. THESE are the people responsible: (the leadership of Swift Transportation)
Jerry Moyes
Richard Stocking
Ginny Henkels
Mike Ruchensky
Rodney Sartor
Mark Young
Kenneth C. Runnels
Chad E. Killebrew
Yep, these are living, breathing people. They “are” the corporation.
Awaken the sleepers indeed. You don’t want to listen to the CB radio if you can help it. It is mostly non stop right wing racist hate speech. My estimate is that 85 percent of truckers are incurable right wingers who would have voted for McCain if they ever voted at all. With regard to political activism among truckers, only independents are likely to help. Good luck with the Swift lawsuit, I hope it works.
I think when most truckers come to know that their best interests do not lie with the right wing corporatists that control their lives, they will come around to the progressive viewpoint. It’s all a matter of getting the word out. They have been lied to, just as the Tea Partiers have been lied to.
The Egyptians got fed up with being lied to and it’s just a matter of time before Americans have an “Awakening”.
Hi, Brad! I wanted to give you some better information about the initial reference from your caller that started this story off. His quote, as he said came from “DUNE,” one of the 10 best sci-fi films of all time (ignore Siskel & Ebert — they’re trained in the classics, and clearly have a chip on their shoulders where non-Lucas sci-fi is concerned). But he didn’t really use it in a context-accurate way.
You see, the line “The sleeper must awaken,” and the refrain later on “Father! The sleeper HAS awakened!”, both refer to metaphysical potential and forced evolution (by use of the spice melange, and ultimately, the water of life), rather than to political awareness. In fact, the storyworld itself is one of feudalism; for all their advancements in tech and metaconsciousness, they ironically tokk this grand step backwords in their governance.
There are any subtle, “deep” issues and plot points in the DUNE saga. Reading the original 6 books by Frank Herbert is supposed to do for us what the spice does for the characters in the story. That is, to expand our consciousness. And its great success shows its author was enough of a visionary to actually do this.
Now, like your caller, I do think you should see the film, which came out in 1984, starring Kyle MachLachlan. It was well-made and stupendously acted (casting was perfect), directed, and written. The cinematography almost rivals “Blade Runner.” And the musical score was positively legendary. However, I have to warn you of two hazards. First, you must see the original theatrical version (which will say directed by David Lynch) and NOT the extended version (which would say directed by Allan Smithee). This latter version is truly horrid, ruining the pacing, overusing some dialogue while hamfistedly cutting some other lines, and evening misusing the music. And secondly, you must take care to avoid that lousy T.V. miniseries (made in 2000) at all costs. Everything the original got right, this one got wrong.
And of course, as goes without saying, if at all possible, you really should read the timeless classic novel by Frank Herbert, first. Oh and as for those other books written by his offspring, Brian, they’re alright, but not high priority.
Finally, I will say that your caller was on the money in one vital way. When it comes to DUNE and politics, esp those of recent years here, and those your trucker, Will, was calling to reference, they do tie in, not with the many subtle issues of the books, but what Brain Herbert said on the radio is the main, overarching point of the entire DUNE saga: “It’s dangerous to follow a charasmatic leader, because he’ll lead you off a cliff.” When I think of how many people said Al Gore was “too wonky,” and voted for Bush Jr because he seemed like “someone you’d want to have a beer with,” I see again, in frightening tones, the wisdom, and warning, of master novelist and social visionary, Frank Herbert.