December 6, 2009 will mark the second anniversary of former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney’s “Faith in America” speech – the televised address to the American people during the 2008 Republican Party primary elections campaign that was intended to make us believe that Romney’s Mormon religion shouldn’t be an issue for a candidate of his stature and accomplishments. The dismal results that followed soon convinced the billionaire Wall Street insider to stop throwing good money after bad. He quickly withdrew from the race. It was glaringly obvious that Romney’s “Mormon problem” wasn’t going away. Americans weren’t buying what he was trying to sell them about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS Church).
Now, with the Obama Administration imploding, the country mired in debt from failed “stimulus packages”, and unemployment at double digit levels not seen since the failed Carter Administration, Romney is busy positioning for another run. This time it will be for the 2012 Republican Party nomination. But that “Mormon problem” is still out there. And it isn’t going away.
In 2006, conservative talk show host and author Hugh Hewitt penned a book that purported to address Romney’s Mormon religion. Hewitt, a usually brilliant writer, just doesn’t get it when it comes to the LDS Church. In his 2006 book, “A Mormon in the White House”, Hewitt posited three, “legitimate reasons,” why Americans might refuse to vote for a Mormon presidential candidate. Hewitt set up the false premise that these were the only reasons, apart from overt religious bigotry, why someone might be opposed to Romney based on his Mormon religion. Then he purported to demolish each of the three reasons. While many of his arguments were sound, others were based on assumptions that were faulty or outright false. Hewitt’s conclusions amount to a classic case of “garbage in – garbage out” thinking. When one starts with a false premise, an erroneous conclusion is inevitable.
In his apparent eagerness to promote Romney’s candidacy, Hewitt either missed or chose to ignore the real reasons why most Americans choke on the prospect of a Mormon president. These include:
• History and Archeology – While year by year ancient manuscript and archeological finds continue to pile-up evidence supporting the truth claims of orthodox Christianity and historic Judaism, the opposite is true for Mormonism. Countless scholars, researchers, and archeologists have thoroughly proven that Joseph Smith Junior, his contemporaries in LDS leadership, and their successors, were and are frauds. Mormonism has been debunked. All that remains is for prominent Mormons, such as Romney and the Salt Lake City LDS leadership, to admit that they have been promoting the Big Lie all along.
• Lies, Distortions, and Manipulations – From its earliest days, Mormonism has been plagued by the historical record. Joseph Smith Junior, Brigham Young, et al, lived a hedonistic lifestyle at the expense of countless true believers. Whenever confronted with the evidence that Mormonism is a fraud, whether that evidence is factual historical or immediate and current, the LDS and its offspring resort to new frauds to try to conceal the earlier frauds. Mormons are taught from their first contact with the LDS to distrust everything that isn’t spoon-fed to them from their leaders. If a prior prophesy is clearly shown to be fraudulent, the leadership simply invents a new prophesy to distort the original failed “revelation”. The so-called scriptures of the LDS are continually being revised with great swatches of old text disappearing and new text being inserted. Individual words are also deleted, changed, or inserted to completely alter the meaning of what was originally presented by Joseph Smith Junior as, “The most correct book ever written,” and the inspired divine revelation of the Mormon god. If what Smith claimed about the Book of Mormon was true, not a single word or comma should ever have been changed. But instead, massive revisions have continually been quietly slipped into the Book of Mormon by LDS leadership. None of their explanations stand the test of logic and reason.
• Truth is Vigorously Suppressed – Mormons are told early and often that, “When our leaders have spoken, the time for thinking is over.” Another deceitful trick to get around the truth is the Mormon maxim that, “The words of a living prophet are worth far more than the words of a dead book.” In other words, whatever the current leadership says is true is held to be the truth, regardless of whether it conflicts with prior Mormon scripture. The absurdity of belief in the pantheon of Mormon gods who capriciously change their minds continually for political or economic advantage strikes non-Mormons as laughable. How can anyone who claims to be a true believer be taken seriously?
• People are Hurt and Lives Are Destroyed – One of Hewitt’s theses is that, even if what they teach isn’t mainstream or true, at the end of the day, Mormons are nice people – at worst, a bunch of harmless kooks who live decent lives. The facts are different. What about the millions of people who have been oppressed, raped, murdered, extorted, and otherwise abused by their leaders? The record is clear. Mormon culture consigns countless families to grinding poverty and tears apart countless others. As former Mormon Jim Whitefield documented so well in his three-volume work, “The Mormon Delusion”, the glowing tales of Romney’s service through the Mormon Relief Society (in helping families who had fallen on hard times) is pure bunk. Lots of money flows into the coffers. Almost none flows out in the form of help to those in financial difficulties. The Mormon leadership charged with disbursing funds nearly always disqualifies needy families on some obscure religious or moral basis. They are victimized first by being required to tithe, regardless of their families’ financial circumstances. Then they are victimized again by being refused the financial aid that they have been promised. In addition, families are torn apart by the commands from above to shun members who are judged “apostate” because they have failed to tithe or they had the courage to question the Mormon “Big Lie”.
• Joseph Smith Junior Was the Founding Pedophile – Here is gets really messy. Joseph Smith Junior seduced and raped girls at least as young as fourteen. Not just once in awhile, but as a regular practice. He also exchanged young girls with other Mormon leaders, including Brigham Young. This is well documented in the public record. Dozens of well-researched books and articles expose Joseph Smith Junior as a serial adulterer, confidence trickster, and megalomaniac. Pedophilia is deeply ingrained in Mormonism. The recent FLDS Yearning for Zion case in Texas put a spotlight on the continuing problem of sham marriages of underage girls to older men. Again, the historical record is clear. Denials from Salt Lake City to the contrary, polygamy and pedophilia have a long and continuing history in Mormonism. The basic doctrines of the Mormon faith make these disgusting problems inevitable among faithful, practicing Mormons. To those not brainwashed by the LDS, or pinned firmly under the heavy thumb of Mormon leaders like Romney, this is just plain creepy, not to mention the horrific price paid by both Mormon girls and boys.
So non-Mormons look at Mitt Romney and come to one of two conclusions:
• Either he has an inexcusable blind-spot, along the lines of the Heaven’s Gate, People’s Temple, Scientology, and Branch Davidian cult followers, or
• He is following in the footsteps of Joseph Smith Junior, Brigham Young, Orson Pratt, and the host of Mormon bigwigs who, knowing full well that Mormonism is a fraud, have nevertheless used this cultic religion to control, manipulate, and oppress masses of true believers for nearly two centuries.
Many non-Mormons believe that Romney is extremely bright and perceptive. So they lump him in with Joseph Smith Junior and the rest of the creepy men who have gravitated to the Mormon faith to satisfy their own selfish desires for power and/or wealth, deviant sex, fame, etc. Which category Romney falls into isn’t clear to me. However, personal stories such as abuse of the family dog by a much younger Mitt Romney do seem pretty creepy.
It is safe to say that the majority of Mormons have a very shallow understanding of the key doctrines of the LDS faith. The Mormon hierarchy, beginning with Joseph Smith Junior and his fellow conspirators, has consistently and deliberately adopted Christian language to explain their bizarre faith. However, every Christian term used has a very different meaning in Mormonism from what real Christians believe. This is a deliberate ploy to confuse potential converts. Many Mormons don’t realize that the faith they adhere to is not Christian. The national mainstream media is similarly ignorant of what Mormons really believe, and how different those beliefs are from Christianity. Fortunately, plenty of Christian Americans have become aware that Mormons are decidedly not Christian.
As Mitt Romney gears up for another run for the White House, those Christians are going to be vocal and active in their opposition to his candidacy. Their opposition is based on very sound reasons, not on religious bigotry. What Hewitt didn’t understand about Mormonism, or chose to ignore, is going to be front and center for Christian Americans. This may prove to be a blessing in disguise for many ill-informed Mormons, as they for the first time hear the truth about their false gods and fraudulent prophets and apostles. The LDS is already suffering from large numbers of defections and ‘back-door’ losses in membership. Perhaps a high-profile Romney run for the Republican nomination will expose even more on-the-fence Mormons to the truth, and tip them away from the counterfeit religion they have been following and toward the true Christian faith. At least that should be the prayer of every Christian for our lost cousins in the LDS and its many offspring.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Friday, October 16, 2009
What To Do About the Mormons?
It is easy to point out the inconsistencies, lies, distortions, and the false teachings and frauds of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mormon Church). More difficult is what to do about the Mormon people one encounters.
First, one must be filled with compassion for these lost and condemned souls. Jesus died for all people, including the Mormons. However, His holy and innocent suffering and death will have no benefit for them unless they come to know the real, historical Jesus Christ, rather than the caricature of the Christ created by nearly two centuries of Mormon myth-making.
Second, one must recognize how difficult it is for anyone enmeshed in Mormonism to break free from the sophisticated and systematic mechanisms that control even the most mundane aspects of their daily lives. The LDS uses a wide array of mind control techniques, threats, and intimidation to keep member from questioning the self-contradictory and demonstrably false teachings of Mormonism. A new lie is invented to answer every logical and reasonable objection or question, no matter how well-documented a proof of the falsehood of Mormonism may be.
Third, one must be prepared to provide personal support and "de-programming" on a continuing basis. For the Mormon family and "friends" of anyone who is seriously questioning LDS dogma will apply intense pressure, up to and including physical threats, to prevent another Mormon from converting to Christianity. As with anyone caught by a cult, the defection of even one member may cause many other Mormons to begin to question the superstitions and myths that they have been fed. Any Mormon who applies even the simpliste logic rules to evaluate Mormonism will inevitably conclude that the whole religion is a lie. Realizing that Joseph Smith Junior was a fraud not a prophet, that Brigham Young was a thug not a hero, turns their worldview on its head. This can be psychologically and emotionally devastating to a person who has invested years of their life in obedience to their LDS masters.
Fourth, and most important, one must be prepared to pray without ceasing for Mormon friends, both those who are in the process of leaving the LDS and those still caught in its web. "The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." (James 5:16b) Only the Holy Spirit can change the hearts of Mormons and convert them to the true faith. By grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone they can be saved. But everything that they have been exposed to in their life as a Mormon is structured to resist the Holy Spirit. Pray without ceasing that they will be saved.
Finally, love the Mormons. Hate the LDS, but love the Mormons - just as you have learned to hate the sin, but love the sinner. It is the responsibility of every Christian congregation to have an outreach to Mormons, wherever that congregation is located. Mormons have been taught all of their lives, since becoming Mormons or being born Mormons, that Christians only want to persecute them. So show them love instead. Telling the truth in love is essential to saving the souls of millions of Mormons who are otherwise lost and condemned to hell for all eternity.
First, one must be filled with compassion for these lost and condemned souls. Jesus died for all people, including the Mormons. However, His holy and innocent suffering and death will have no benefit for them unless they come to know the real, historical Jesus Christ, rather than the caricature of the Christ created by nearly two centuries of Mormon myth-making.
Second, one must recognize how difficult it is for anyone enmeshed in Mormonism to break free from the sophisticated and systematic mechanisms that control even the most mundane aspects of their daily lives. The LDS uses a wide array of mind control techniques, threats, and intimidation to keep member from questioning the self-contradictory and demonstrably false teachings of Mormonism. A new lie is invented to answer every logical and reasonable objection or question, no matter how well-documented a proof of the falsehood of Mormonism may be.
Third, one must be prepared to provide personal support and "de-programming" on a continuing basis. For the Mormon family and "friends" of anyone who is seriously questioning LDS dogma will apply intense pressure, up to and including physical threats, to prevent another Mormon from converting to Christianity. As with anyone caught by a cult, the defection of even one member may cause many other Mormons to begin to question the superstitions and myths that they have been fed. Any Mormon who applies even the simpliste logic rules to evaluate Mormonism will inevitably conclude that the whole religion is a lie. Realizing that Joseph Smith Junior was a fraud not a prophet, that Brigham Young was a thug not a hero, turns their worldview on its head. This can be psychologically and emotionally devastating to a person who has invested years of their life in obedience to their LDS masters.
Fourth, and most important, one must be prepared to pray without ceasing for Mormon friends, both those who are in the process of leaving the LDS and those still caught in its web. "The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." (James 5:16b) Only the Holy Spirit can change the hearts of Mormons and convert them to the true faith. By grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone they can be saved. But everything that they have been exposed to in their life as a Mormon is structured to resist the Holy Spirit. Pray without ceasing that they will be saved.
Finally, love the Mormons. Hate the LDS, but love the Mormons - just as you have learned to hate the sin, but love the sinner. It is the responsibility of every Christian congregation to have an outreach to Mormons, wherever that congregation is located. Mormons have been taught all of their lives, since becoming Mormons or being born Mormons, that Christians only want to persecute them. So show them love instead. Telling the truth in love is essential to saving the souls of millions of Mormons who are otherwise lost and condemned to hell for all eternity.
No Mormon in the White House
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (the Mormons) have been making great effort in recent years to try to convinced Christians that the LDS is just another mainstream Christian denomination. NOT!!! This writer thinks that this effort is in part dedicated to gaining greater political power at the Federal level, specifically by recycling the failed 2008 campaign of Mitt Romney. However, try as they might, Mormons just can't turn black into white and convince America that they are Christians.
The LDS was founded by a ring of well-known fraudsters and miscreants. Joseph Smith Junior, the self-proclaimed prophet who played the leading role, was a convicted swindler and con-man. All of his inner circle were ultimately denounced by him, and vice versa. The so-called witnesses to the origins of the Book of Mormon all recanted, changing their stories multiple times. The LDS creates new "scriptures" whenever it is expedient or convenient, but is forever haunted by the contradictory "scriptures" published in their past. Not to worry, the guiding principle of all Mormon's today is, "When our leaders have spoken, the time for thinking is over." Mormons are forbidden to think for themselves. Those who do so inevitably run afoul of the rigid LDS discipline, and risk not only financial well-being but also their families.
"Disfellowship" is the ultimate control mechanism exercised by the cabal of evil men who lead this cult. Any dissenter becomes a non-person not only to the LDS leadership, but to his/her own family. Spouses, parents, children, grandchildren, etc., do more than give the victim a hard time. They completely withdraw from any association with him/her. For people raised in a rigid, highly structured and controlled environment for sometimes decades, for people who have never known the personal freedom and liberty enjoyed by other Americans, suddenly losing that support system when the shunning start is a price too high to pay for personal integrity and truth. And so they stay, closet doubters living a lie.
Ever since the founding the LDS in the first half of the 19th century, the Federal government as well as many state governments have looked with suspicion upon Mormon ambitions for power. Joseph Smith Junior had the audacity to run for President of the United States. Other Mormon leaders have repeatedly and openly stated their intention to take over the reins of political power and initiate a Mormon theocracy throughout the United States. Denials to the contrary, this remains a primary objective for the LDS. "Lying for the church" has a long tradition in the LDS. Saying whatever it takes to achieve a Mormon objective is secretly applauded, and rewarded, at the highest levels of power within the LDS. Mitt Romney's highly publicized television address to the nation during the 2008 presidential primary campaign is a prime example. In it, he made statements of belief that would have seen him trounced out of the LDS, were it not for the complicity of Mormon leadership encouraging him to "lie for the church" to further their political ambitions.
Given the long history of religious freedom and tolerance in the United States, it is fair to ask, "Should a candidate's religious views disqualify him/her from any political office?" The answer is a resounding YES when those views are clearly at odds with the basic principles embodies in the United States Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. Mormonism is fundamentally anti-American. While the force of the United States Army and the threats of Federal sanctions have kept some of the worst abuses in Utah and other Mormon-dominated regions of the U.S. below the radar, make no mistake that Mormon leaders have not in any manner retreated from their stated objective of seizing the levers of political power to further their economic agenda.
Yes, you read that right - economic. Mormonism is not just a religion, but rather it is among the most powerful economic engines in the world. The LDS leadership enforces tithing by even the poorest Mormon families. Faithful Mormons are required to provide proof of income documentation to the LDS to verify that they have given at least a full 10% of their annual income to the LDS. Far from being a family friendly religion, this regressive "temple tax" plunges countless families into poverty and despair. When the cost of objecting is abandonment by your spouse and children, few are able to resist this racket. So the LDS and the fat cats at the top continue to get richer and richer. Own a business? Either toe the line or lose all of your Mormon customers. Work for a living? Either toe the line or lose your job. These are the realities of life in "Mormon Country". No wonder that Utah is always near the top of the list in divorces, suicides, and the use of drugs to treat depression. It is a grim life inside that mystical Mormon underwear.
When the clean-cut, neatly attired Mormon missionaries show-up on your doorstep, have a little sympathy for what their lives are like. Don't believe a word that they say - after all, they have been trained to "lie for the church" to gain new converts. If you are prepared, invite them in and share the real Gospel of Jesus Christ with them. It may be the only chance they will have to avoid a lifetime of indentured servitude to the LDS church here on earth, and an eternity in hell which is the inevitable destination of all those who reject the real Jesus of the Holy Bible for the imaginary Jesus of Joseph Smith Junior, Mitt Romney, and the rest of the LDS bigwigs.
The LDS was founded by a ring of well-known fraudsters and miscreants. Joseph Smith Junior, the self-proclaimed prophet who played the leading role, was a convicted swindler and con-man. All of his inner circle were ultimately denounced by him, and vice versa. The so-called witnesses to the origins of the Book of Mormon all recanted, changing their stories multiple times. The LDS creates new "scriptures" whenever it is expedient or convenient, but is forever haunted by the contradictory "scriptures" published in their past. Not to worry, the guiding principle of all Mormon's today is, "When our leaders have spoken, the time for thinking is over." Mormons are forbidden to think for themselves. Those who do so inevitably run afoul of the rigid LDS discipline, and risk not only financial well-being but also their families.
"Disfellowship" is the ultimate control mechanism exercised by the cabal of evil men who lead this cult. Any dissenter becomes a non-person not only to the LDS leadership, but to his/her own family. Spouses, parents, children, grandchildren, etc., do more than give the victim a hard time. They completely withdraw from any association with him/her. For people raised in a rigid, highly structured and controlled environment for sometimes decades, for people who have never known the personal freedom and liberty enjoyed by other Americans, suddenly losing that support system when the shunning start is a price too high to pay for personal integrity and truth. And so they stay, closet doubters living a lie.
Ever since the founding the LDS in the first half of the 19th century, the Federal government as well as many state governments have looked with suspicion upon Mormon ambitions for power. Joseph Smith Junior had the audacity to run for President of the United States. Other Mormon leaders have repeatedly and openly stated their intention to take over the reins of political power and initiate a Mormon theocracy throughout the United States. Denials to the contrary, this remains a primary objective for the LDS. "Lying for the church" has a long tradition in the LDS. Saying whatever it takes to achieve a Mormon objective is secretly applauded, and rewarded, at the highest levels of power within the LDS. Mitt Romney's highly publicized television address to the nation during the 2008 presidential primary campaign is a prime example. In it, he made statements of belief that would have seen him trounced out of the LDS, were it not for the complicity of Mormon leadership encouraging him to "lie for the church" to further their political ambitions.
Given the long history of religious freedom and tolerance in the United States, it is fair to ask, "Should a candidate's religious views disqualify him/her from any political office?" The answer is a resounding YES when those views are clearly at odds with the basic principles embodies in the United States Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. Mormonism is fundamentally anti-American. While the force of the United States Army and the threats of Federal sanctions have kept some of the worst abuses in Utah and other Mormon-dominated regions of the U.S. below the radar, make no mistake that Mormon leaders have not in any manner retreated from their stated objective of seizing the levers of political power to further their economic agenda.
Yes, you read that right - economic. Mormonism is not just a religion, but rather it is among the most powerful economic engines in the world. The LDS leadership enforces tithing by even the poorest Mormon families. Faithful Mormons are required to provide proof of income documentation to the LDS to verify that they have given at least a full 10% of their annual income to the LDS. Far from being a family friendly religion, this regressive "temple tax" plunges countless families into poverty and despair. When the cost of objecting is abandonment by your spouse and children, few are able to resist this racket. So the LDS and the fat cats at the top continue to get richer and richer. Own a business? Either toe the line or lose all of your Mormon customers. Work for a living? Either toe the line or lose your job. These are the realities of life in "Mormon Country". No wonder that Utah is always near the top of the list in divorces, suicides, and the use of drugs to treat depression. It is a grim life inside that mystical Mormon underwear.
When the clean-cut, neatly attired Mormon missionaries show-up on your doorstep, have a little sympathy for what their lives are like. Don't believe a word that they say - after all, they have been trained to "lie for the church" to gain new converts. If you are prepared, invite them in and share the real Gospel of Jesus Christ with them. It may be the only chance they will have to avoid a lifetime of indentured servitude to the LDS church here on earth, and an eternity in hell which is the inevitable destination of all those who reject the real Jesus of the Holy Bible for the imaginary Jesus of Joseph Smith Junior, Mitt Romney, and the rest of the LDS bigwigs.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Romney Candidacy and Mormon Decline?
The candidacy of Mitt Romney during the Republican Party's primary election campaign may be contributing to the current decline in the number of practicing Mormons. Traditionally, most Mormons have had only a vague idea about the fundamental doctrines of the religion that claims them as adherents. LDS leadership has tried to deflect questions about Mormon doctrine by claiming to be a restored version of apostolic Christianity. However, as questions about his Mormon faith dogged and ultimately scuttled the Romney candidacy, many more Mormons became aware that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is, in fact, far from being Christian. What churches refer to as "back-door" losses has long been a problem for the LDS. As it became more and more clear to a formerly ill-informed membership that being a Mormon was to be decidedly "un-Christian," the rush for the exits appears to be accelerating. Even in the State of Utah, which has been a bastion of Mormonism even before it was admitted to the Union, Mormons numbers are falling. This does not bode well for the future of this wealthy and powerful cult.
Being a Mormon means being part of a culture apart from that of the average American. Not unlike Scientology and the Jehovah's Witnesses, two other "Made in the U.S.A." cults, the LDS exerts intense and continuous pressure to control every aspect of its members' lives. Leaving the Mormon church usually leads to ostracism by friends and family, as well as economic reprisals and personal attacks. So those who are leaving are, for the most part, trying to do so quietly, by simply staying away from cult meetings and "education" sessions. But a few are speaking out, and questioning publicly the indoctrination that they have been subjected to, sometimes since childhood. Stay tuned for a radical shake-up in Mormon leadership in the months ahead, and a re-thinking of support for "high-profile" positions, such as that held by Senate Majority Leader, Harry Reid.
Being a Mormon means being part of a culture apart from that of the average American. Not unlike Scientology and the Jehovah's Witnesses, two other "Made in the U.S.A." cults, the LDS exerts intense and continuous pressure to control every aspect of its members' lives. Leaving the Mormon church usually leads to ostracism by friends and family, as well as economic reprisals and personal attacks. So those who are leaving are, for the most part, trying to do so quietly, by simply staying away from cult meetings and "education" sessions. But a few are speaking out, and questioning publicly the indoctrination that they have been subjected to, sometimes since childhood. Stay tuned for a radical shake-up in Mormon leadership in the months ahead, and a re-thinking of support for "high-profile" positions, such as that held by Senate Majority Leader, Harry Reid.
Sunday, January 6, 2008
Thursday, December 6, 2007
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
American Gangster - Movie Review
Ridley Scott has directed some of the most iconic films in movie history (e.g., Blade Runner, Thelma & Louise, Gladiator, Blackhawk Down), but he just may have topped them all with this riveting drama of the rise and fall of a New York narcotics kingpin. Starring Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe, both at the top of their game, and a supporting cast rich with talent, American Gangster is a worthy successor to the genre’s greatest – films such as the best of The Godfather series and The Untouchables. Denzel Washington fills the criminal part of Frank Lucas with one of his best ever performances, while Russell Crowe, in another outstanding performance, plays an honest cop, Richie Roberts, whose out-of-control personal life intersects maddeningly with his career as he evolves from policeman to prosecutor.
Set in the late 1960s and early 1970s, American Gangster is based on a true story, documented in a New York Magazine article by Mark Jacobson. That story recounted how Frank Lucas smuggled drugs into the United States from Southeast Asia, during the Vietnam War. As the story unfolds, we are treated to an inside look at the drug trade of that era, and the endemic corruption of the NYPD. Forced to become outsiders after turning in a large stash of illegal cash accidentally uncovered in a bookmaking stakeout, Richie Roberts and his partner are marked men among their brother officers. Then Richie gets a second chance, when he is invited to join a special drug taskforce in Essex County, New Jersey. The taskforce is under the auspices of the Federal “War on Drugs,” launched by then President Richard Nixon. His partner goes in a different direction, which we will leave for you discover when you see this film.
For Frank Lucas, New York’s gritty streets, wild club scene, and the stark violence of his ‘business” are interspersed with warm family gatherings, creating a character of sympathetic complexity. For Richie Roberts, long hours of investigation and night classes at law school are juxtaposed with combative courtroom encounters with his ex-wife, more than ably portrayed by Carla Gugino. As the audience, we are drawn to both Lucas and Roberts, all the while knowing that in the end only one can emerge the victor. Lymari Nadal, who portrays the wife of Frank Lucas, is excellent in the tragic role of a former Puerto Rican beauty queen who knows enough about her husband’s business to realize that it can only end badly, yet chooses to stay till that end.
Among the outstanding supporting cast, Ruby Dee, as Frank’s mother, Cuba Gooding Jr., as sometime rival Nicky Barnes, Armand Assante, as mafia kingpin Dominic Cattano, and Josh Brolin, as corrupt NYPD Detective Trupo are especially worth watching. The list of those whose performances contribute strongly to the overall film is just too long to include in this review. The two hours and 40 minutes run time will go by quickly, so buy the large soft drink and popcorn combo at your local theater. But don’t down your drink too quickly, because you won’t want to have to miss a minute of this Oscar-worthy film for a run to the restroom.
Set in the late 1960s and early 1970s, American Gangster is based on a true story, documented in a New York Magazine article by Mark Jacobson. That story recounted how Frank Lucas smuggled drugs into the United States from Southeast Asia, during the Vietnam War. As the story unfolds, we are treated to an inside look at the drug trade of that era, and the endemic corruption of the NYPD. Forced to become outsiders after turning in a large stash of illegal cash accidentally uncovered in a bookmaking stakeout, Richie Roberts and his partner are marked men among their brother officers. Then Richie gets a second chance, when he is invited to join a special drug taskforce in Essex County, New Jersey. The taskforce is under the auspices of the Federal “War on Drugs,” launched by then President Richard Nixon. His partner goes in a different direction, which we will leave for you discover when you see this film.
For Frank Lucas, New York’s gritty streets, wild club scene, and the stark violence of his ‘business” are interspersed with warm family gatherings, creating a character of sympathetic complexity. For Richie Roberts, long hours of investigation and night classes at law school are juxtaposed with combative courtroom encounters with his ex-wife, more than ably portrayed by Carla Gugino. As the audience, we are drawn to both Lucas and Roberts, all the while knowing that in the end only one can emerge the victor. Lymari Nadal, who portrays the wife of Frank Lucas, is excellent in the tragic role of a former Puerto Rican beauty queen who knows enough about her husband’s business to realize that it can only end badly, yet chooses to stay till that end.
Among the outstanding supporting cast, Ruby Dee, as Frank’s mother, Cuba Gooding Jr., as sometime rival Nicky Barnes, Armand Assante, as mafia kingpin Dominic Cattano, and Josh Brolin, as corrupt NYPD Detective Trupo are especially worth watching. The list of those whose performances contribute strongly to the overall film is just too long to include in this review. The two hours and 40 minutes run time will go by quickly, so buy the large soft drink and popcorn combo at your local theater. But don’t down your drink too quickly, because you won’t want to have to miss a minute of this Oscar-worthy film for a run to the restroom.
While never attempting to be a political statement, American Gangster does accurately depict the futility of the so-called War on Drugs, launched by Richard Nixon, and the corrosive effect on law enforcement and the rest of society that continues to result from it. Like any form of prohibition, the War on Drugs creates more problems for society than it solves, and American Gangster makes that abundantly clear, simply by telling the true story of Frank Lucas. Would that our nation's political leaders had the courage to declare an end to this stupid Nixon war, which like that long dead President's other paranoid endeavors turns out really to be a war on the American people and their personal freedom.
Rated R for strong violence, occasional nudity, drug content, and language, you should definitely leave the kids at home for this film. But see it on the big screen - it appears destined to become a classic.
**** 4 out of 5 stars for American Gangster.
Rated R for strong violence, occasional nudity, drug content, and language, you should definitely leave the kids at home for this film. But see it on the big screen - it appears destined to become a classic.
**** 4 out of 5 stars for American Gangster.
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