Iron Man 3: The 9/11 Meme Comes Full Circle

Marvel Promo Poster.

Marvel Promo Poster.

By: Peter Parker

Sometime ago this writer made a discovery that was featured here on Jay’s Analysis concerning an episode of the 1990’s Iron Man animated series.  As is the case with numerous films and television shows, this episode contained scenes that seemed to eerily prefigure certain aspects of the 9-11 tragedy.  Interestingly, this particular episode featured not one, but two major parallels to the events of that fateful day, yet surprisingly, at the time, I had never seen this episode featured in any of the internet’s exhaustive lists of ‘9-11 predictive programming.’  I am not suggesting that its absence was due to any conspiracy within a conspiracy, presumably this was merely indicative of the extreme unpopularity of the 90s Iron Man cartoon.  However, its absence from most lists is still in some ways surprising, given how closely it resembled the September 11th terror attacks. Arguably, of all the examples of ‘9-11 semiotic programming,’ perhaps only the infamous Lone Gunmen pilot came as close to mirroring the real life event.

The episode, which originally aired in 1994, was entitled “The Grim Reaper Wears a Teflon Coat.”  It opens with a control room of NORAD operatives panicking as the new experimental plane, the Grim Reaper, slips by their defenses and begins raining a volley of missiles on New York City.  Amongst the buildings hit in the attack are the Twin Towers.  Moments later it is revealed that this attack was nothing more than a video simulation being shown to high-ranking military officials, illustrating what might happen should the Grim Reaper, the military’s newest super weapon, fall into the wrong hands.  Unfortunately, fall into the wrong hands it does when the Mandarin, a shadowy super-villain who operates out of a secret base in the mountains of Tibet, has his agents steal the plane.  Viewers are treated to yet another simulated attack when the Mandarin shows his followers exactly how he plans to use the Grim Reaper; he will fly it into the Pentagon, destroying the heart of American military power!  Needless to say, the bad guy’s plans are foiled by Iron Man by the episode’s end.

Promo picture with Robert Downey, Jr. posing with the terrists

Promo picture with Robert Downey, Jr. posing with the terrists

The 9-11 parallels are obviously quite strong; a plane is used to attack both the Twin Towers and the Pentagon and, linking up with ‘conspiracy theorist’ views of the event, both attacks are nothing more than simulations. However, since the episode’s release and indeed since the events of 9-11 itself, the Iron Man films have actually reinforced these resemblances.  This began with the first Iron Man movie in 2008, in which the hero battles a terrorist organization called The Ten Rings, which operates throughout Central Asia.  Read more of this post

Arguing With, and Refuting Lizz Winstead: Moral Relativism

A Simple Example of How to Refute Moral Relativism

By: Jay

I argued with Lez Winstead, I mean Lizz Winstead, today.  She’s the co-creator of the Daily Show, so you think she’d be intelligent and funny. However, in a spar with her femenemy, man, she ended up flustered. Yes, logic and humor were not what she was expecting to meet on Twitter from an actual male not in her trendy New York drag queen circles.  So let’s see how well ultra-liberal wit and reasoning stands up to masculinity. Let’s see how tolerant, level-headed and logical those of this ilk are.

Lizz tweeted how much she loved homosexual gayness, because, you know, it’s just inherently so beautiful and radical:

So let’s see that loving tolerance in action. What happens when you rationally challenge this claim on philosophical grounds? Liberals are into philosophy, right? Local universities, philosophy, liberals, etc., doesn’t that all sorta flow together into one large living Gaia?  Yes, you’d think.  So let’s analyze this. Note the reasoning – “happiness” is what is the justifying criteria for what constitutes moral affirmation.  So, if you say that, it follows that:

This is entirely reasonable. The ”tweet” claims that moral lifestyles are justified on the basis of the purported pleasure of “happiness” they bring.  Well, some people enjoy sex with animals, children and relatives.  What’s the enlightened, tolerant liberal response? “Shut the Fuck Up.”

So, because I responded with a logical query, that moral relativism leads to the conclusion that bestiality, incest, rape and torture are all ago, I’m a “hater”! Why, who are we to stop someones else’s “happiness,” we fascists?! How dare you! But wait! Lizz is a super liberal, who thinks that no one should impose their views on others.  But Lizz thinks Planned Parenthood is glorious and that feminism is totally awesome.  So, Lizz thinks it’s wrong to oppose these things and adhere to moral absolutes.  but Lizz imposes her worldview on others, even though you can’t impose your views on others, since that’s intolerant and not loving.  But who said “shut the fuck up” first? She did. That’s not loving liberal and is intolerant.  I was a “hater” for asking a logical question. So much for the beautiful “open mind” that the “liberals” are supposed to have.  My next response was more abrupt:

Moral relativism is the key foundation stone of all who take this route.  Moral relativism says that there are no absolutes in morals, period.  Those who argue this never explain how that very claim itself is supposed to be absolute, though, since there are no absolutes.  All moral claims are purely relative to the individual. No one, therefore, can claim that any thing is, strictly speaking, “wrong.”  There are only preferential and non-preferential actions.  Murdering babies isn’t wrong, per se (Lizz likes it, in fact), but is instead solely up to the determination of whatever the individual lists.  Not in a good mood today?  Baby-daddy ran away?  Just kill it.

If Lizz is such a supposed liberal, why does she support Planned Parenthood, which was founded to weed out blacks, as the video below shows?  That’s not very loving liberal or logical.  In other words, Lizz had no response, not even a funny one (given that she is supposed to be a “comedian”).  What’s her response? I, and anyone who believes in moral absolutes wants to have sex with dogs. You can’t make this up:

And you will see in a moment I am who she is responding to. So, because I pointed out that adopting moral relativism is contradictory, I actually want to have sex with dogs.  There is no comparison between homosexuality and incest and other actions.  But the point is not whether the actions are similar or of the same degree.  The point is that the justification for actions is based on whatever makes one “happy.”  No one can deny another person their hedonistic fleshfest (or furfest!).   In fact, that Lizz thinks actions like incest and rape are of a different category deemed offensive shows she still wants to have moral absolutes and standards. But wait! Why are you imposing again on others’ “freedoms”?  Why are you being a fascist again, seeking to tell the poor pedophiles and bestiality afficionados they are distasteful or aberrant?  Why are you being so judgmental. And furthermore, why are you being so judgmental against me? I clicked “follow” on Twitter because I thought you might be funny.  In response, I got hatred. It is not I who hate, but you. Read more of this post

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