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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 2, 1993)
ARTS&ENTERTAINMENT js&il Activist tries to expose ‘free’ press ’•» . *... . Film cautions of diversion “Manufacturing Consent: Noam Chomsky and the Media” A dictatorship uses violence to control the masses, but a democra cy, must use more subtle means— such as media propaganda — to control its people. That is the main theory of Noam Chomsky, renowned linguist and political activist. Chomsky’s theo ry is explored in a three-hour doc umentary showing this week at the Mary Riepma Ross Film Theater. The film was produced by the National Film Board of Canada and Canadian film makers Mark Achbar and Peter Wintonick. It discusses Chomsky’s theory that a small number of elite individuals own and control the media. The award-winning film is alive and witty. It features Chomsky de bating his ideas with everyone from wmiam r. tsuciciey 10 nouanu s Minister of Defense. Chomsky emerged in the late 1950s as the preeminent figure in modem linguistics. His theories of language inspired a “Chomskyan” revolution in the linguistics field. In 1964, Chomsky became po litically active, speaking out against American involvement in Victnam. He now makes hundreds of speeches a year, urging people to be more conscious of the world around them. “The people need to challenge the legitimacy of authority,” he’s been quoted as saying. The govern ment’s use of coercion and control must be justified. According to Chomsky, the media pushes a perception of the world into the minds of educated professionals that is favorable to the government. At the same time, the media diverts the attention of the common people with trivial matters, such as sports. One of Chomsky’s strongest ar guments for his theory is the horri ble acts of violence committed in EastTimorfrom 1975 to 1979. The violence was barely mentioned in the U.S. media. Meanwhile, the atrocities of Pol Pot in Cambodia received exten sive U.S. media coverage. Courtesy Zeitgeist Films Noam Chomsky and his theories are the subject of a documentary film currently playing at the Mary Riepma Ross Film Theater. The Indonesian invasion of East Timor was more horrific than Cam bodia — with tens of thousands of men, women, and children slaugh tered or starved to death. However, Chomsky argues, the United States was involved in East Timor, providing 90 percent of In donesian arms for the genocidal atrocities. U.S. involvement meant limited press coverage. Chomsky says the general pop ulation needs to seize control of their destiny, or there will be no destiny to control. “Democracy and freedom are either values to be treasured (by the people) or threats to be avoided (by the government).” Don’t let the length scare you away, this documentary is very entertaining and thought provok ing and shouldn’t be missed. ‘‘Manufacturing Consent” plays at the theater Thursday through Saturday. — Joel Strauch Novel offers well-drawn cyberpunk characters William C. Dietz “Legion of the Damned” Ace Science Fiction “Legion of the Damned” is a grand space opera in the tradi tion of John W. Campbell and Rocky Balboa. No matter how hard humanity gets punched, it keeps getting back up and eventually wins, because we have that certain indefinable quality that sets us apart from the universe. William C. Dietz has written more than a dozen novels, most of them in the military science fiction genre, a difficult genre in which to do well. It can too easily degenerate into a mere body count. Fortunately, “Legion of the Damned” flies above this. Dietz carries the French Foreign Legion a thousand years into the fu ture, building on its military tradition. - The legion of the future is manned largely by cyborgs, with brains taken from executed criminals and other terminal eases. They are commanded by an emperor that is half-mad and incompetent and a general staff that hates them. So when the alien Hudatha attack human worlds and obliterate them, the legion is the first line of defense. The empire, though, through sheer stupidity, begins pulling back and orders the legion to withdraw from its bases and be absorbed into the Impe rial Navy. Faced with the end ofa long tradition, the legion mutinies and at tempts to overthrow the emperor. Dietz fills his book with a multi tude of well-drawn characters, be lievable political intrigue and some first-rate, slam-bang action. He also knows his hardware, better than most cyberpunk writers do. The pages fly by as huge battles rage in space, and firefights erupt on desert planets a thousand light-years from Earth. “Legion of the Damned” is a first rate read, not much on thought, but high on entertainment. — Sam Kepfield Bad Brains to splatter sound all across stage at The Edge preview By Glenn Antonucci Staff Reporter Washington D.C. speed-punk mas ters Bad Brains will appear at The Edge Wednesday night. The band is touring in support of its newest album, “Rise,” which contin ues a 17-year tradition of the Bad Brains being the tightest hard-core outfit around. “Rise” is the ninth Bad Brains al bum, following critically hailed al bums like “I Against I,” “Rock For Light” and “Quickness.” The album is the band’s first re lease on Epic Records and the first without long-time singer and activist H.R.— who has moved on to a solo career. Israel Joseph takes the reins as lead singer, backed by guitarist Dr. Know, bassist Darryl and drummer Earl Hudson. Fellow Epic thrash-metal record ing artists Prong join Bad Brains on its national tour, and will open the show along with local band Chronic. Chronic will take the stage at 9 p.m. Wednesday’s performance will mark the first time in almost three years that Bad Brains has played in Nebraska. Their last visit nearly end cd in tragedy when a make-shift stage at Omaha’s Radial Social Hall col lapsed during the show. Ernie Poulos, public relations and promotions director for The Edge,., said Wednesday night’s show should run more smoothly. “We’re pretty well set up for big shows,” he said. Wednesday’s performance will be a 16-and-over show, which is now a permanent policy at the bar. Poulos said the drop in age restric tion is meant to “draw in more peo ple” and to recombine what he called Lincoln’s “divided scene”: those 21 and older and those under age. Tickets are $ 12 in advance and $ 15 at the door. Doors open at 8 p.m. Courtesy Epic Bad Brains will play Wednesday night at The Edge.