2025 L.A. Protest/The Siege (1998) Movie Review | The K.B. Radio Network

Description

On June 6, 2025, protests began in Los Angeles, when Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raided several city locations to arrest people allegedly involved in illegal immigration and other violations. Several of the protests turned violent after protestors clashed with the Los Angeles Police Department and ICE.

Also the review of the 1998 action thriller film, The Siege directed by Edward Zwick.. The film stars Denzel Washington, Annette Bening, Tony Shalhoub, and Bruce Willis.

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Transcription

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well hello everyone and welcome to movie goodness where we examine life through cinema here on the kb radio network i am your humbled host kevin reeds and man and man can we go 24 hours without drama in this country is that possible is it even uh an achievable goal at this point you know there's no peace there is zero peace in this country now you can make the argument there never has been you know it everybody has not been pleased throughout their entire life there's always something going on understandably so we have different creeds religions racism uh sexualities and everything else going on and there's always somebody being bullied at whatever era at whatever time and whatever. location here in the United States. But it seems like now I know this is going to anger a lot of folks out there, but it's the reality. It seems like when this orange colored Muppet that is the president of this country is in office, office is always some drama, man. There's never a moment of peace. You can go all the way back to the first administration. And now here we are again, and we're not even six months into this administration or this term. And it's drama, man. It's just craziness. Today's episode, we're going to discuss what's currently going on in Los Angeles, California. Yes, the protests. And not only in L.A., but it's going on around the country. I think Dallas. has a protest going on currently as I'm recording and there there are a number of protests going on all stemming from this mass deportation that was a decree of Donald Trump you know in his MAGA coat who have decided that all illegal aliens all immigrants all uh migrants can go on about their merry way just kick them out of the country Which is mind-boggling to me, being as though this country was built on immigrants. This country was founded on immigrants. This country is a country of immigrants, yet they don't allow immigrants. I just don't get it. I just don't understand it. You know, the term go back to where you come from, that is constantly thrown around in this country, is the most hypocritical. as a non-statement you could ever make that you could ever other as an american citizen it is it is crazy to me but we're gonna focus on what's currently going on in los angeles uh for the sake of this show and how it all started why it all started is not just people rising up and you know uh burning down this city it's not so much that it it was kicked off man it was it was the straw that broke the broke the camel's back if you will um and we're gonna go over what led to this four days and i'm recording this on june the 9th uh it started on june the 6th and probably still gonna be going on for days i don't know how long but we're gonna go through the timeline from june the 6th until now For the sole reason I've talked to a few people about what's going on the last couple of days and they didn't know How it started why it started and you know What brought about all of this and this that and the third and I was kind of shocked by that I like oh, you don't know do you know? So I would I would try to explain to him why it took place in What started this wildfire? No pun intended for L.A., all due respect. So for educational purposes, we're going to go over the timeline and what started it and whatnot. And then after all of that, we're going to have a review, of course. We're going to review a film from 1998 that stars Denzel Washington, Annette Bening, and Bruce Willis, The Siege, which is similar. to what we're discussing today is a movie about uh martial law which is basically what's going on in la right now it's not so much martial law but it's it's it's heading in that direction if this continues on this path and so let's go over the chain of events that have led us to this point right now but on june the 6th at approximately 9 15 la time On Friday morning, an immigrant raid was conducted within the Los Angeles Fashion District. Two other raids occurred at a fashion warehouse and a wholesale place, or I guess it's a warehouse, and a Home Depot. Over 100 people were arrested at three different locations. Several federal agents respond to protests with stun grenades. Clash between protesters and agents broke out at the Metropolitan Detention Center. The agents present at the raid were identified as the FBI, Homeland Security, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms and Explosives. Those were the patches on those agents' clothing. Homeland Security investigations stayed. that 44 people were administratively arrested. Now, I don't know what administratively arrested means, but that's the term that they gave. And one person was arrested for obstruction. That one person arrested for obstruction was David Helter. And if you don't know who David Helter is, he is the California president of Social Employees International Union. I think it's the second. biggest union in the state of california um he was arrested for blocking a vehicle in charge with a felony conspiracy to impale an officer uh hailer was injured and taken to the hospital where he was transferred to the metropolitan detention center uh just a little update as of today june the 9th he was released from custody but he was held for uh Held it at detention center since Friday. Protesters began to follow the arrest. Clashes between protesters and ICE agents in riot gear occurred near the Home Depot in Wesley. ICE also arrested several people at a clothing store and clashed with activists. After some protesters hurled chunks of broken concrete towards officers, the LA Police Department engaged in intense standoffs with protesters in which tear gas, pepper spray, and flash bomb, uh, bang grenades were used to disperse the crowd. Approximately 200 protesters remained at the facility by 9 p.m. LA time when the Los Angeles Police Department ordered protesters to disperse. the police department authorized the use of less lethal methods the following hour. This was followed at 8.24 p.m. L.A. time by a citywide tactical alert. Moving on to Saturday, June 7th, protesters against the raid continued through that day. According to Peggy Lemons, the mayor of Paramount, California, A confrontation near a Home Depot began after protesters observed Department of Homeland Security officers staging near a local branch building. The Department of Homeland Security estimated that 1,000 people were protesting at the building. The director of the Coalition of Humane Immigration Rights of Los Angeles stated that there were seven raids in which 45 people have been detained. At least two people were injured. According to the New York Times, the protests have delayed processing of the detainees. California Governor Gavin Newsom announced that California high patrol units would be deployed to protect Los Angeles freeways. By June 7, 118 undocumented Immigrants have been arrested in Los Angeles, according to the Department of Homeland Security. In Paramount, protesters blocked the street with shopping carts and recycling bins. Federal agents then dropped flashbang grenades and pepper bombs, injuring two people. World Socialist website reporters reportedly sustained injuries while documenting the protests, including a reporter being shot in the back with a rubber bullet by a U.S. immigration officer. According to an attorney with the Coronation for Humane Immigration Rights of Los Angeles, Some protesters were throwing bricks and other looked injured. At 2.30 p.m. L.A. time, the LAPD issued a disperse order using loudspeakers. Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department deputies then used tear gas against the protesters to disperse them. One ICE agent sustained injuries after a rock thrown by a protester struck the windshield of the vehicle. they were driving and cut their head at around 8 p.m la time two people were arrested on suspicion of assaulting police officers including one who allegedly threw a monotaufe cocktail causing minor injuries to three deputies and if you don't know what a monotaufe cocktail is that's uh when you had the bottle of whatever flammable eunuch and with the with the rag at the top you know coming out the rim of it and lightning on fire that's a monotaufe cocktail uh british photojournalist nick steen was struck by a non-lethal police round while reporting on protesters near a home depot in paramount a locally a location often used for hiring migrant workers for day labor he underwent surgery Protesters also gathered at the Metropolitan Detention Center in downtown L.A. with law enforcement forming a skirmish line to disperse the protesters. Shortly before 11 p.m. L.A. time, protesters threw an object at and hit a police officer as it was leaving the area at an intersection in downtown L.A. Bye night. The protesters reached Compton, where several demonstrators threw glass bottles filled with a substance that reportedly smelled like gasoline. In an interview with Fox News, White House Executive Associated Director of Enforcement and Removal Operations, Tom Hortman announced that the National Guard would be sent into L.A. that night. That evening. President Donald J. Trump signed a memorandum deploying 2,000 members of the California National Guard to the protest. Trump invoked an order to nationalize the National Guard, the first time a president had deployed a National Guard force without approval from a state governor since the Selma to Montgomery March in 1965, if you need a reference. to how long that has been um in a tweet the secretary of defense stated that uh active marines were on high alert at camp penitent and i'm i'm familiar with that not that i've been there but my brother is a former marine and that's where he went for his basic training but that's that's something crazy you're actually going to deploy marines at this point i was like well that's not Yeah, you know. They're not going to do that. Really? There's no way they're going to do that. Well, the clock kept turning. On Sunday, June the 8th, the protests kind of died down in the early morning, but were still ongoing. I guess because it was Sunday and it's the day of rest, so it wasn't as high alert as it was those first two days. But it was still ongoing with organizers calling for another day of protest. Protests outside of Los Angeles City Hall occurred at around 2 p.m. L.A. time on Sunday. 300 California Armed Army National Guard troops from the 79th Infantry Brigade Combat Team were deployed to three separate locations. in los angeles most of the troops were seen outside a federal building under the directions of the uh uh secretary of defense approximately 500 active duty marines from the marine corps air ground combat center uh 29 palms were put on a prepare to deploy status at the at the metropolitan detention center the national guard and the department of homeland security officers You smoke in... pepper spray to displace protesters and open a path for the Department of Homeland Security, Border Patrol, and other military vehicles to enter the facility. National Guard troops also arrived outside the downtown L.A. detention center. Police had arrived to join the National Guard by noon L.A. time on Sunday. Tom Holman commented while speaking to NBC News that somebody was going to lose their life if the protests continue. Also noting that Governor of California Gavin Newsom and Mayor of Los Angeles Karen Bass could potentially face federal charges over the response to the ICE raid. Trump later threatened to have troops everywhere if the protests spread to other cities and said that If we see danger in our country and our citizens, the Marines will be deployed to the cities. Hmm. Um, this dude, man. Um, and at 2 30 PM LA time, the LAPD central division announced that the city of Los Angeles was on tactical alert. Subsequently at two. 49 p.m the lapd central division announced that less lethal methods have been authorized for use to disperse the protest individuals throwing objects at police would be detained and arrested and that a unlawful assembly have been declared by the incident commander two lapd officers were injured after motorcyclists attempt to breach the uh skirmish line and hit them at a protest in the amada and temple area both riders were detained and the officers were treated at the scene the los angeles police department announced that a number of people were arrested at the civil center a civic center area in downtown la including several people who were detained and handcuffed with zip ties Before 4 p.m. LA time, protesters entered the US 101 freeway in downtown Los Angeles and blocked traffic, causing police to shut down the freeway in both directions. The LAPD announced that parts of the freeway and multiple streets were closed to drivers as a result of the protests. Five of those drive-thru cars, the Waymo, I forgot who. what is under i think it's under google or something i don't know but those drive list cars they were vandalized and set on fire lapd officials warned that burning um these electric cars with the ion batteries released toxic gases into the air and so they employed them not to do that because they didn't care i think that's the last thing on their minds at that point releasing toxic gases uh but uh around 4 p.m. L.A. time, Garrett Newsom sent a letter to the Secretary of Defense requesting him to rescind Trump's order to deploy the National Guard, calling it a serious breach of state sovereignty. By night, the LAPD also announced that on their social media that the entire downtown Los Angeles area. is considered to be unlawful assembly and urged everyone to leave the area. A reporter for, I think, an Australian news station, she was struck by a rubber bullet while reporting on the protests outside of the Metropolitan Detention Center in downtown Los Angeles right at the time the police were beginning to disperse the protesters. Police were hurling out those rubber bullets. She was a casualty of that, collateral damage as they call it. She's all right, but it was a rubber bullet, but they still hurt. So poor her, I hope she makes it out all right with that. But the LAPD reported that looting had occurred at stores in the area of 6th Street and Broadway, which is in downtown Los Angeles, as well as near. 8th Street and Broadway. Several fires also reported to have been set in dumpsters and trash bins. Numerous buildings, including the Los Angeles Police Department headquarters, the United States Courthouse, and the old Los Angeles Times building were tagged with graffiti. At least one store had windows shattered by alleged looters. Multiple windows at the Los Angeles Police Department headquarters were also broken. The United States Northern Command established a formal task force, Task Force 51, to coordinate a military response. Late that night, on Sunday night I should say, the city of Glendale decided to terminate its detention agreement with ICE, in part as a reaction. to the protests and unrest in los angeles and so that's how it went to bed on sunday night at that glendale folded i guess the protest worked for glendale and so we move on to monday june the night and we have governor newson announced early monday morning that his office intends to sue the trump administration for deploying the national guard without consulting with his office. He called the move illegal and immoral and also accused President Trump of fellow rising the National Guard. Now, as far as that goes, it's kind of murky how that works. Now, the National Guard is under the states. I don't know. I don't know if it works like that in every single state, you know, but in California, it's a dual thing. And I believe it's in every state. But it's a dual thing between the state and the federal government. You know, it doesn't just belong to one entity. It belongs to everybody. And so one can't do give one order without the other, even though, yes, the president does outrank the governor. If you want to pull ranks here, but it's still it's still a process. You know, you can't just I can't just come in your house. and and take your remote and change the tv you know i gotta come in i gotta ask first i gotta be invited and then i gotta ask hey can we watch such and such you know i can't just take the remote and so it's the same it's the same principles here uh when it comes to ordering or deploying the national guard so i don't know how much validity that lawsuit will hold you know it all sounds like political bs to me but whatever you know because it's not so that's not solving anything you filing a lawsuit and buildings are burning you know cars are being burnt up who cares about you worry about that later you know what i'm saying but i get it you know it's all it's all politics now this is the part this is the part where my jaw literally hit the ground and i was like are you Did he really say that? You know, did he really utter these words? While speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump described the protesters in California as insurrectionists. What? And he's probably right. He's probably right. But what were they? on January 6th, you know, what were those guys? They were insurrectionists as well. And I know I'm slurring it. I got a speech impediment. Work with me here. But y'all know what I'm talking about. And you pardoned them. They were good. They out of prison. They out of jail. And so how can you label these people something that these people actually are? But I'll speak more on that in a minute. I just want to. It's just mind-boggling. This dude is a clown. But anyways, hopping back into June the 9th, many of the media speculated that This language could give him a ratification, you know, give him a ratification to invoke the 1807 Insurrection Act. So what that is, is a U.S. federal law that empowers the president of the United States to naturally deploy the U.S. government and to federalize. the National Guard units in an individual state for specific circumstances, such as suppression of civil disorder or insurrection or armed rebellions against the federal government, stuff like that. So using that verbiage is his end, you know, to militarize. and, you know, pretty much have martial law in California and pretty much use the military as his personal bodyguard or his personal hit squad, if you will. Trump went on to say even further, as he believed that the governor of California, Gavin Newsom, should be arrested, saying in a quote, I would do it if I were Tom. Referring to Tom Holman, whom Gavin Newsom has taunted to go to California to arrest him. Newsom responded shortly after saying, this is a day I hoped I would never see in America. And this is an unmistakable step towards authoritarianism. Trump wrote on his social media. platform thing, truth, social. This was his, I guess you could say, tweet or whatever. If they spit, we will hit. This is a statement from the president of the United States concerning a catastrophic Gavin Newsom-inspired riot going on in Los Angeles. The insurrectionists have a tendency to spit in the face of the National Guard's men. and women and others these patriots are told to accept this it's just the way life runs but not in the trump administration if they spit we hit that was in all caps by the way and i promise you they will be hit harder than they have ever been hit before such disrespect will not be tolerated uh in quote that is from the desk of your president. CNN and NBC4 Los Angeles reported that per the Pentagon, 700 Marines from Marine Corps Base 29 Palms were deployed to Los Angeles alongside the National Guard. They are from the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division. The same day, an additional 2,000 National Guard members were authorized by Trump for deployment, bringing the total to more than 4,100 total military, uh, uh, at least presence there in Los Angeles on Monday afternoon. Uh, as I said before, David, uh, Helter was released from custody on a $50,000 bond late Monday night, the San Francisco Chronicle. published a leaked letter from Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem to U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hagseff that requested direction to DOD forces to either detain just as they would as any federal facility guarded by military. lawbreakers under title 18 until they can be arrested and processed by federal law enforcement or arrest them gnome also acts for drone surveillance uh support as well as weapons and logistics assistance in los angeles and that's where we currently stand at the time of this recording as far as the protests that are currently going on in Los Angeles, California, just to be... all on board to call give everybody their just due there are other cities that are having protests um in solidarity outside of the house ice offices in uh san francisco you had protests those protests ended when police arrested 148 people two police officers were injured during the protest in the city several buildings and vehicles were also damaged In New York City, another solidarity protest occurred outside of 26 Federal Plaza, ending with police taking multiple people into custody. Two dozen more were also arrested while protesting at the good old Trump Tower there in New York City. Solidarity protests were also held in other cities such as Boston, Portland, Maine. salt lake city, Hartford, uh, Tampa, Sacramento, Houston, San Antonio, Phoenix, uh, Seattle, Philadelphia, Detroit, Baltimore, and Chicago. And so, um, this, this is not, this isn't going anywhere anytime soon. Anytime soon. Uh, this reminds me of not. not to the degree of the black lives matter movement uh because that was a different thing but this this this is more of a i don't know it just feels like it's more of a sense of urgency here uh with this because quite honestly i understand the protest you know i somewhat to a degree support the protest and the reason i say to a degree i don't agree with the vandalism i Don't. agree with the looting and the destruction of property and whatnot that that doesn't help nobody actually that hurts you more than it hurts those you are protesting against you know what i'm saying that's that's that's senseless to me because you're destroying your own community um now in this sense they're not really destroying their own community they're going after police buildings and federal buildings and stuff like that but you know they're still gonna hurt you alone. because it's your tax dollars who's paying for those federal buildings so uh it does affect you in in some short uh shape form or fashion but with all that being said i i don't agree with destruction of property you know you can you can you can make get your point across without being destructive but i understand the anger you know what i'm saying the anger it will make you do things out of character, or bringing a violent nature out of you you know especially especially when you're getting pummeled with uh tear gas and pepper spray and rubber bullets and whatnot you know i mean come on but throwing bricks at these officers and whatnot here's where i here's where i stand with that i understand the anger i understand breaking windows i would rather you break windows out than cause bodily harm you could possibly kill someone you know and those officers for better or worse and trust me i'm not the biggest fan of police officers but those guys are doing their job for the most part those guys are doing their jobs you know they're following orders in in the military they're following And as long as they're not out. there uh uh just randomly hurting people or you know what i'm saying they're just shooting people with rubber bullets just for the uh joy of it all you know they're just doing their job and standing in front of the buildings to try to keep order try to keep peace and keep the roads open for for people who are not protesting just going about their day trying to get back and forth to work or whatever. That's different, man. I mean, they're not doing anything to you. As long as they're not assaulting you, you shouldn't be assaulting them. And now you then flipped it and turned it into something else. And that's the part that disturbs me. That's the part I don't like, because you're taking attention away from that real issue. Because now you're looked at as a hooligan. You know, for example, you look at... the black lives matter movement for better or worse it was peaceful the majority of those protests were peaceful yes there were some vandalism and stuff going on but it wasn't a a whole lot they weren't burning down cities and stuff like that You know, it was peaceful protests for the most part, but it was the people protesting was still labeled as drugs, not drugs, but drugs and hooligans and whatnot. And vandalists and just anarchists and all this other stuff. It was ridiculous. And they weren't doing anything. I remember when they were marching in Washington, D.C. and Trump wanted to. walk across the street you remember walk across the street and take a picture in front of a church with a bible and so to clear out the protesters they uh he ordered the national guard or whoever it was to go out there and hit him with rubber bullets and and gas to clear out the street so he can walk across the street take a picture you know they didn't do anything to you in that regard yeah if the people would have fought back they were in their rights because they were doing a peaceful protest they weren't bothering nobody you know yeah they were blocking up the streets and whatnot but it was it was a protest that's what protests are that's what they were designed for it weren't like they were storming the u.s capital building or nothing like that but anyways yeah uh this this is a cluster in the biggest sense of the word i i don't know how this is going at all end all i know is it's not going to end good i don't see any good coming out of this you know it's not just going to stop you know without somebody being hurt or killed or you know this turned into a authoritative authoritarian nation you know where there's uh military marching down the streets and keeping us in line and there's martial law and all this other foolishness it's it's a scary time it's really scary times but this was all because of trump this is all because of this fool wanting to flex power and for no reason you know do i do i agree with this mass deportation thing no do i think they need to get a handle on this immigration thing Yes, yes, it do need to be under control because it is out of control, you know, but that's not to say that we should close the doors, close the gates and keep people out and kick people out who are already here. No, I don't believe in that. I believe in giving people a chance, giving people opportunity. You know, isn't it written? Isn't it written that, you know, welcome? Welcome your your poor and your hungry. Isn't that part of the creed here in United States? But when did that stop? Well, I didn't know it was a dead a cutoff, you know, I didn't know that we we Just not gonna allow these people here. And now if you're from South Africa or something you all right but if you if you from Mexico or any South American country, no, you can't come here. That's ridiculous to me Because in their minds, and I say dare, I'm talking about the MAGA cult, in their mind, that's all that's down there is criminals and thugs and drug dealers and rapists and murderers. What about the ones that are here? What about the actual United States citizens who are rapists and murderers and thugs and drug dealers? You're not trying to lock them up. No, Trump is pardoning them. they all right but not not not our immigrants uh that is ridiculous to me uh but i hope this all ends soon uh i really do i i hope this can end peacefully and you know uh something can come i don't know i don't know no middle ground because number one trump is trump ain't moving on his stance you know so nothing's gonna change there You know, once a lame, always a lame. He's not going to change. So I don't know. I don't know how this is going to end. I'm just praying that we can come to a peaceful resolution very soon. So let's move on to our review today. Enough about the depressing nature of reality. Let's move over to the depressing nature of a film that took place. In 1998, it is an action thriller directed by Edward Zwick. And this film stars Denzel Washington, Annette Bening, Tony Shalhoub, and Bruce Willis. the siege and this film is about a situation in which a terrorist cell has made several attacks in new york city and prompting the u.s government to declare martial law this film i remember it coming out i was i don't know 19 when this movie came out i i was you know this is at the peak of denzel washington or or should i say the I don't know it Denzel Washington always been at the peak huh you really can't pinpoint his peak because he was always Denzel Washington but this this was uh Denzel re-teaming with his director of uh Glory where he won best supporting actor in that film uh Edward Zurich and you know you have Bruce Willis in this thing and he was pretty much at the peak well he was kind of on the downward trend at that point, you know, because he was the co-star of this movie. He wasn't a star, but he was still an action star around 98. You know, this was around the time Armageddon came out. And so he was still a big thing. I was expecting a hardcore action movie out of this. And that's not what we got. And now it's some deep subject matter. and understandably it dealt with the subject matter it wasn't so much action they had action in it but it wasn't a balls to the wall action movie and we're dealing with terrorism around this time and a lot of action movies in the 90s dealt with terrorism especially especially late 90s pretty much into the early 2000s until 9-11 happened when 9-11 happened and we actually got a taste of real terrorism in the United States, all that stopped. You don't see no more movies that deal with terrorism. But around mid to late 90s, it was peak terrorism movies. And they were all Middle Eastern. You know, in this film, it was, I think, Lebanese terrorists that attacked New York City with these explosive devices and whatnot. And that prompted a lot of controversy. surrounding this film, um, from the Muslim community, from the, uh, Arab community, especially American Arab communities, uh, they found the film extremely offensive, beyond offensive, you know, and using Muslims as this terrorist, uh, group, and this, you know, the way this movie depicts, uh, Muslims, which they depicted Muslims, all Muslims were evil, You know, they, they... they being the federal government were just rounding up muslims you know and putting them in these detention centers and whatnot uh because they didn't know who to trust and all this here which kind of reminds me it was a movie before his time because after 9-11 that's pretty much what you got here uh did you uh not trust him and they still don't there are a vast majority of Americans now that still don't like Muslims. And so, whatever. You know, I never understood that. I never understood singling out an entire race just because one group of people are a bunch of idiots. Let me go off the rails for a second. White people get upset when black or brown people label white people as racist. And the non-racist white people get offended by it. Oh, that's not us. When I'm not racist, you know, that's just them. Well, how do you think Muslims feel when you lump up all Muslims as terrorists? We don't lump up all white people as racist. But when you do it, they get super offended. Well, put their shoes on for a second. Step outside of yourself. and look at it from their point of view. Same thing as black folks. How white people will label black folks as thugs and criminals. Or, in topical, all Mexicans, all South Americans are rapists and murderers. You can't lump up an entire race of people or entire nationality of people. as one thing just because one group or one person does something idiotic Every race, every creed, every whatever has a moron in it. Every family has a moron in it, you know? But I think this movie is a commentary on that. It wasn't meant to be offensive to Muslims. It was meant to show how short-sighted people can be. You know, instead of hunting down this terrorist cell, they just targeted... muslims you know and tony shalhoub in this film he plays a muslim character and he's the partner of um genzel washington and he ends up being round up in this deportation thing in this uh round up of these muslims and he's an actual federal agent you know it was that it was that serious and same same rules apply for what's going on now or when you have actual u.s citizens being shipped off being deported because oh we'll straighten that out later you know because these countries el salvador and all these other places that they send in these people they sending them back because it's like why are you why are you sending these people here but um as far as the film is concerned the film was not pick good You know, it was decent. It's watchable, but it's not gripping. You know, it's a bit clumsy at times. It doesn't really go there. You know, like I said, it was trying to make a commentary on certain things, but it didn't go full throat with it. You know, they were softballing it, and I guess that's why it was coming off as offensive to certain groups. But as far as the performances, the performances were fine. Of course, Denzel Washington did. I mean, you show me a bad Denzel Washington performance, and I'll give you a dollar. I can't pinpoint not one bad Denzel Washington performance, and he does good here with what he was given. You know, it's kind of basic character. To be honest with you, if you flip the script, um bruce willis could have played this role and it would have been just as good as it is you know it's nothing it isn't it was nothing for him to add here annette benning i think was miscast in this role and she doesn't really fit this movie um speaking of bruce willis bruce willis he was there you know but i think that character was meant to do something more but we didn't get you know it was like it was missing something was you missing there with uh him playing this army general it wasn't i don't know i don't know i it's been years but i still can't pick up on what's missing from that performance or from that role i don't know if it's the way that character was written or the way they trimmed the movie down because the movie is kind of long and it's way too long for what the type of movie it was trying to be it was like it was trying to be more of a awards type film and they were sadly mistaken because it was it was nowhere near that uh but um overall it's decent it's watchable but it is nothing that i would run back to to watch i only i only um pick this because Because I... this is the first movie that came to my mind when I was thinking about all that was taking place uh currently in Los Angeles I was like boy we're heading to that martial law thing and this this is the movie that played in my mind and I had to go back and look for it somewhere I can't even remember where I found it but I watched it uh earlier today in preparation for this show but yeah man this this was this was all right It was an alright movie. The Siege, which came out in 1998, starring Denzel Washington, gets a letter grade of a C-. Yeah, it was, it was, it's nothing to run home and tell mom about. But what you can run home and tell mom about is all that is taking place in Los Angeles, California. If I had one wish about what's going on currently, I wish, and not just in Los Angeles, everywhere else where they... are holding their protests, I hope that they can be civil with it. And I'm not trying to denigrate the reason for the protests. I understand that you want to get your point across. I understand that you are angry, but try to do it in a civil matter. You know, don't give Trump a reason to do what initially he wants to do, you know, and that is deploy the military and cause this, this just division that is. well divided more than what is already divided because this country is split in like 15 different directions uh but don't give him a reason to be the buffoon that he already is you know if he goes off and do it just let him go off and do it but don't don't justify his stupidity that's that's the only thing that i hope that uh we can we can come to a resolution about otherwise i wouldn't really care. you know because they're not killed yeah they're causing property damage and whatever but they're not killing anybody but at the same time throwing concrete and bricks and uh monotone cocktails and stuff like that at offices and stuff you need to tone down with that tone that down please but uh let's just go into prayer and hope that uh this can get solved and resolved fairly quickly but i would like to know what are your thoughts on this situation that is currently sweeping across america as you can see it it started in los angeles but it is touching every corner of this country as of right now i would like to know your thoughts on this issue email the show kbradiopodcast at gmail.com you can also search for the show on all social media platforms. Just search for the KB Radio Network. Also, YouTube, ladies and gentlemen. Subscribe to the KB Radio Network channel on YouTube and like this video if you don't mind. Don't forget about the five stars, the reviews, and sharing this show if you're listening on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, wherever you are currently listening to movie goodness where we examine life through cinema here on the KB Radio Network. Everybody, thank you for joining me for this show. Hopefully, I don't have to come back on here anytime soon to talk about anything else horrific that is taking place in the United States. But with this buffoon in office, I'm pretty sure that I will. I want you all to know that I love you. Continue to love everyone. And until we speak again, you all be blessed.

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Also the review of the 1998 action thriller film, The Siege directed by Edward Zwick.. The film stars Denzel Washington, Annette Bening, Tony Shalhoub, and Bruce Willis.

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Transcription

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well hello everyone and welcome to movie goodness where we examine life through cinema here on the kb radio network i am your humbled host kevin reeds and man and man can we go 24 hours without drama in this country is that possible is it even uh an achievable goal at this point you know there's no peace there is zero peace in this country now you can make the argument there never has been you know it everybody has not been pleased throughout their entire life there's always something going on understandably so we have different creeds religions racism uh sexualities and everything else going on and there's always somebody being bullied at whatever era at whatever time and whatever. location here in the United States. But it seems like now I know this is going to anger a lot of folks out there, but it's the reality. It seems like when this orange colored Muppet that is the president of this country is in office, office is always some drama, man. There's never a moment of peace. You can go all the way back to the first administration. And now here we are again, and we're not even six months into this administration or this term. And it's drama, man. It's just craziness. Today's episode, we're going to discuss what's currently going on in Los Angeles, California. Yes, the protests. And not only in L.A., but it's going on around the country. I think Dallas. has a protest going on currently as I'm recording and there there are a number of protests going on all stemming from this mass deportation that was a decree of Donald Trump you know in his MAGA coat who have decided that all illegal aliens all immigrants all uh migrants can go on about their merry way just kick them out of the country Which is mind-boggling to me, being as though this country was built on immigrants. This country was founded on immigrants. This country is a country of immigrants, yet they don't allow immigrants. I just don't get it. I just don't understand it. You know, the term go back to where you come from, that is constantly thrown around in this country, is the most hypocritical. as a non-statement you could ever make that you could ever other as an american citizen it is it is crazy to me but we're gonna focus on what's currently going on in los angeles uh for the sake of this show and how it all started why it all started is not just people rising up and you know uh burning down this city it's not so much that it it was kicked off man it was it was the straw that broke the broke the camel's back if you will um and we're gonna go over what led to this four days and i'm recording this on june the 9th uh it started on june the 6th and probably still gonna be going on for days i don't know how long but we're gonna go through the timeline from june the 6th until now For the sole reason I've talked to a few people about what's going on the last couple of days and they didn't know How it started why it started and you know What brought about all of this and this that and the third and I was kind of shocked by that I like oh, you don't know do you know? So I would I would try to explain to him why it took place in What started this wildfire? No pun intended for L.A., all due respect. So for educational purposes, we're going to go over the timeline and what started it and whatnot. And then after all of that, we're going to have a review, of course. We're going to review a film from 1998 that stars Denzel Washington, Annette Bening, and Bruce Willis, The Siege, which is similar. to what we're discussing today is a movie about uh martial law which is basically what's going on in la right now it's not so much martial law but it's it's it's heading in that direction if this continues on this path and so let's go over the chain of events that have led us to this point right now but on june the 6th at approximately 9 15 la time On Friday morning, an immigrant raid was conducted within the Los Angeles Fashion District. Two other raids occurred at a fashion warehouse and a wholesale place, or I guess it's a warehouse, and a Home Depot. Over 100 people were arrested at three different locations. Several federal agents respond to protests with stun grenades. Clash between protesters and agents broke out at the Metropolitan Detention Center. The agents present at the raid were identified as the FBI, Homeland Security, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms and Explosives. Those were the patches on those agents' clothing. Homeland Security investigations stayed. that 44 people were administratively arrested. Now, I don't know what administratively arrested means, but that's the term that they gave. And one person was arrested for obstruction. That one person arrested for obstruction was David Helter. And if you don't know who David Helter is, he is the California president of Social Employees International Union. I think it's the second. biggest union in the state of california um he was arrested for blocking a vehicle in charge with a felony conspiracy to impale an officer uh hailer was injured and taken to the hospital where he was transferred to the metropolitan detention center uh just a little update as of today june the 9th he was released from custody but he was held for uh Held it at detention center since Friday. Protesters began to follow the arrest. Clashes between protesters and ICE agents in riot gear occurred near the Home Depot in Wesley. ICE also arrested several people at a clothing store and clashed with activists. After some protesters hurled chunks of broken concrete towards officers, the LA Police Department engaged in intense standoffs with protesters in which tear gas, pepper spray, and flash bomb, uh, bang grenades were used to disperse the crowd. Approximately 200 protesters remained at the facility by 9 p.m. LA time when the Los Angeles Police Department ordered protesters to disperse. the police department authorized the use of less lethal methods the following hour. This was followed at 8.24 p.m. L.A. time by a citywide tactical alert. Moving on to Saturday, June 7th, protesters against the raid continued through that day. According to Peggy Lemons, the mayor of Paramount, California, A confrontation near a Home Depot began after protesters observed Department of Homeland Security officers staging near a local branch building. The Department of Homeland Security estimated that 1,000 people were protesting at the building. The director of the Coalition of Humane Immigration Rights of Los Angeles stated that there were seven raids in which 45 people have been detained. At least two people were injured. According to the New York Times, the protests have delayed processing of the detainees. California Governor Gavin Newsom announced that California high patrol units would be deployed to protect Los Angeles freeways. By June 7, 118 undocumented Immigrants have been arrested in Los Angeles, according to the Department of Homeland Security. In Paramount, protesters blocked the street with shopping carts and recycling bins. Federal agents then dropped flashbang grenades and pepper bombs, injuring two people. World Socialist website reporters reportedly sustained injuries while documenting the protests, including a reporter being shot in the back with a rubber bullet by a U.S. immigration officer. According to an attorney with the Coronation for Humane Immigration Rights of Los Angeles, Some protesters were throwing bricks and other looked injured. At 2.30 p.m. L.A. time, the LAPD issued a disperse order using loudspeakers. Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department deputies then used tear gas against the protesters to disperse them. One ICE agent sustained injuries after a rock thrown by a protester struck the windshield of the vehicle. they were driving and cut their head at around 8 p.m la time two people were arrested on suspicion of assaulting police officers including one who allegedly threw a monotaufe cocktail causing minor injuries to three deputies and if you don't know what a monotaufe cocktail is that's uh when you had the bottle of whatever flammable eunuch and with the with the rag at the top you know coming out the rim of it and lightning on fire that's a monotaufe cocktail uh british photojournalist nick steen was struck by a non-lethal police round while reporting on protesters near a home depot in paramount a locally a location often used for hiring migrant workers for day labor he underwent surgery Protesters also gathered at the Metropolitan Detention Center in downtown L.A. with law enforcement forming a skirmish line to disperse the protesters. Shortly before 11 p.m. L.A. time, protesters threw an object at and hit a police officer as it was leaving the area at an intersection in downtown L.A. Bye night. The protesters reached Compton, where several demonstrators threw glass bottles filled with a substance that reportedly smelled like gasoline. In an interview with Fox News, White House Executive Associated Director of Enforcement and Removal Operations, Tom Hortman announced that the National Guard would be sent into L.A. that night. That evening. President Donald J. Trump signed a memorandum deploying 2,000 members of the California National Guard to the protest. Trump invoked an order to nationalize the National Guard, the first time a president had deployed a National Guard force without approval from a state governor since the Selma to Montgomery March in 1965, if you need a reference. to how long that has been um in a tweet the secretary of defense stated that uh active marines were on high alert at camp penitent and i'm i'm familiar with that not that i've been there but my brother is a former marine and that's where he went for his basic training but that's that's something crazy you're actually going to deploy marines at this point i was like well that's not Yeah, you know. They're not going to do that. Really? There's no way they're going to do that. Well, the clock kept turning. On Sunday, June the 8th, the protests kind of died down in the early morning, but were still ongoing. I guess because it was Sunday and it's the day of rest, so it wasn't as high alert as it was those first two days. But it was still ongoing with organizers calling for another day of protest. Protests outside of Los Angeles City Hall occurred at around 2 p.m. L.A. time on Sunday. 300 California Armed Army National Guard troops from the 79th Infantry Brigade Combat Team were deployed to three separate locations. in los angeles most of the troops were seen outside a federal building under the directions of the uh uh secretary of defense approximately 500 active duty marines from the marine corps air ground combat center uh 29 palms were put on a prepare to deploy status at the at the metropolitan detention center the national guard and the department of homeland security officers You smoke in... pepper spray to displace protesters and open a path for the Department of Homeland Security, Border Patrol, and other military vehicles to enter the facility. National Guard troops also arrived outside the downtown L.A. detention center. Police had arrived to join the National Guard by noon L.A. time on Sunday. Tom Holman commented while speaking to NBC News that somebody was going to lose their life if the protests continue. Also noting that Governor of California Gavin Newsom and Mayor of Los Angeles Karen Bass could potentially face federal charges over the response to the ICE raid. Trump later threatened to have troops everywhere if the protests spread to other cities and said that If we see danger in our country and our citizens, the Marines will be deployed to the cities. Hmm. Um, this dude, man. Um, and at 2 30 PM LA time, the LAPD central division announced that the city of Los Angeles was on tactical alert. Subsequently at two. 49 p.m the lapd central division announced that less lethal methods have been authorized for use to disperse the protest individuals throwing objects at police would be detained and arrested and that a unlawful assembly have been declared by the incident commander two lapd officers were injured after motorcyclists attempt to breach the uh skirmish line and hit them at a protest in the amada and temple area both riders were detained and the officers were treated at the scene the los angeles police department announced that a number of people were arrested at the civil center a civic center area in downtown la including several people who were detained and handcuffed with zip ties Before 4 p.m. LA time, protesters entered the US 101 freeway in downtown Los Angeles and blocked traffic, causing police to shut down the freeway in both directions. The LAPD announced that parts of the freeway and multiple streets were closed to drivers as a result of the protests. Five of those drive-thru cars, the Waymo, I forgot who. what is under i think it's under google or something i don't know but those drive list cars they were vandalized and set on fire lapd officials warned that burning um these electric cars with the ion batteries released toxic gases into the air and so they employed them not to do that because they didn't care i think that's the last thing on their minds at that point releasing toxic gases uh but uh around 4 p.m. L.A. time, Garrett Newsom sent a letter to the Secretary of Defense requesting him to rescind Trump's order to deploy the National Guard, calling it a serious breach of state sovereignty. By night, the LAPD also announced that on their social media that the entire downtown Los Angeles area. is considered to be unlawful assembly and urged everyone to leave the area. A reporter for, I think, an Australian news station, she was struck by a rubber bullet while reporting on the protests outside of the Metropolitan Detention Center in downtown Los Angeles right at the time the police were beginning to disperse the protesters. Police were hurling out those rubber bullets. She was a casualty of that, collateral damage as they call it. She's all right, but it was a rubber bullet, but they still hurt. So poor her, I hope she makes it out all right with that. But the LAPD reported that looting had occurred at stores in the area of 6th Street and Broadway, which is in downtown Los Angeles, as well as near. 8th Street and Broadway. Several fires also reported to have been set in dumpsters and trash bins. Numerous buildings, including the Los Angeles Police Department headquarters, the United States Courthouse, and the old Los Angeles Times building were tagged with graffiti. At least one store had windows shattered by alleged looters. Multiple windows at the Los Angeles Police Department headquarters were also broken. The United States Northern Command established a formal task force, Task Force 51, to coordinate a military response. Late that night, on Sunday night I should say, the city of Glendale decided to terminate its detention agreement with ICE, in part as a reaction. to the protests and unrest in los angeles and so that's how it went to bed on sunday night at that glendale folded i guess the protest worked for glendale and so we move on to monday june the night and we have governor newson announced early monday morning that his office intends to sue the trump administration for deploying the national guard without consulting with his office. He called the move illegal and immoral and also accused President Trump of fellow rising the National Guard. Now, as far as that goes, it's kind of murky how that works. Now, the National Guard is under the states. I don't know. I don't know if it works like that in every single state, you know, but in California, it's a dual thing. And I believe it's in every state. But it's a dual thing between the state and the federal government. You know, it doesn't just belong to one entity. It belongs to everybody. And so one can't do give one order without the other, even though, yes, the president does outrank the governor. If you want to pull ranks here, but it's still it's still a process. You know, you can't just I can't just come in your house. and and take your remote and change the tv you know i gotta come in i gotta ask first i gotta be invited and then i gotta ask hey can we watch such and such you know i can't just take the remote and so it's the same it's the same principles here uh when it comes to ordering or deploying the national guard so i don't know how much validity that lawsuit will hold you know it all sounds like political bs to me but whatever you know because it's not so that's not solving anything you filing a lawsuit and buildings are burning you know cars are being burnt up who cares about you worry about that later you know what i'm saying but i get it you know it's all it's all politics now this is the part this is the part where my jaw literally hit the ground and i was like are you Did he really say that? You know, did he really utter these words? While speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump described the protesters in California as insurrectionists. What? And he's probably right. He's probably right. But what were they? on January 6th, you know, what were those guys? They were insurrectionists as well. And I know I'm slurring it. I got a speech impediment. Work with me here. But y'all know what I'm talking about. And you pardoned them. They were good. They out of prison. They out of jail. And so how can you label these people something that these people actually are? But I'll speak more on that in a minute. I just want to. It's just mind-boggling. This dude is a clown. But anyways, hopping back into June the 9th, many of the media speculated that This language could give him a ratification, you know, give him a ratification to invoke the 1807 Insurrection Act. So what that is, is a U.S. federal law that empowers the president of the United States to naturally deploy the U.S. government and to federalize. the National Guard units in an individual state for specific circumstances, such as suppression of civil disorder or insurrection or armed rebellions against the federal government, stuff like that. So using that verbiage is his end, you know, to militarize. and, you know, pretty much have martial law in California and pretty much use the military as his personal bodyguard or his personal hit squad, if you will. Trump went on to say even further, as he believed that the governor of California, Gavin Newsom, should be arrested, saying in a quote, I would do it if I were Tom. Referring to Tom Holman, whom Gavin Newsom has taunted to go to California to arrest him. Newsom responded shortly after saying, this is a day I hoped I would never see in America. And this is an unmistakable step towards authoritarianism. Trump wrote on his social media. platform thing, truth, social. This was his, I guess you could say, tweet or whatever. If they spit, we will hit. This is a statement from the president of the United States concerning a catastrophic Gavin Newsom-inspired riot going on in Los Angeles. The insurrectionists have a tendency to spit in the face of the National Guard's men. and women and others these patriots are told to accept this it's just the way life runs but not in the trump administration if they spit we hit that was in all caps by the way and i promise you they will be hit harder than they have ever been hit before such disrespect will not be tolerated uh in quote that is from the desk of your president. CNN and NBC4 Los Angeles reported that per the Pentagon, 700 Marines from Marine Corps Base 29 Palms were deployed to Los Angeles alongside the National Guard. They are from the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division. The same day, an additional 2,000 National Guard members were authorized by Trump for deployment, bringing the total to more than 4,100 total military, uh, uh, at least presence there in Los Angeles on Monday afternoon. Uh, as I said before, David, uh, Helter was released from custody on a $50,000 bond late Monday night, the San Francisco Chronicle. published a leaked letter from Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem to U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hagseff that requested direction to DOD forces to either detain just as they would as any federal facility guarded by military. lawbreakers under title 18 until they can be arrested and processed by federal law enforcement or arrest them gnome also acts for drone surveillance uh support as well as weapons and logistics assistance in los angeles and that's where we currently stand at the time of this recording as far as the protests that are currently going on in Los Angeles, California, just to be... all on board to call give everybody their just due there are other cities that are having protests um in solidarity outside of the house ice offices in uh san francisco you had protests those protests ended when police arrested 148 people two police officers were injured during the protest in the city several buildings and vehicles were also damaged In New York City, another solidarity protest occurred outside of 26 Federal Plaza, ending with police taking multiple people into custody. Two dozen more were also arrested while protesting at the good old Trump Tower there in New York City. Solidarity protests were also held in other cities such as Boston, Portland, Maine. salt lake city, Hartford, uh, Tampa, Sacramento, Houston, San Antonio, Phoenix, uh, Seattle, Philadelphia, Detroit, Baltimore, and Chicago. And so, um, this, this is not, this isn't going anywhere anytime soon. Anytime soon. Uh, this reminds me of not. not to the degree of the black lives matter movement uh because that was a different thing but this this this is more of a i don't know it just feels like it's more of a sense of urgency here uh with this because quite honestly i understand the protest you know i somewhat to a degree support the protest and the reason i say to a degree i don't agree with the vandalism i Don't. agree with the looting and the destruction of property and whatnot that that doesn't help nobody actually that hurts you more than it hurts those you are protesting against you know what i'm saying that's that's that's senseless to me because you're destroying your own community um now in this sense they're not really destroying their own community they're going after police buildings and federal buildings and stuff like that but you know they're still gonna hurt you alone. because it's your tax dollars who's paying for those federal buildings so uh it does affect you in in some short uh shape form or fashion but with all that being said i i don't agree with destruction of property you know you can you can you can make get your point across without being destructive but i understand the anger you know what i'm saying the anger it will make you do things out of character, or bringing a violent nature out of you you know especially especially when you're getting pummeled with uh tear gas and pepper spray and rubber bullets and whatnot you know i mean come on but throwing bricks at these officers and whatnot here's where i here's where i stand with that i understand the anger i understand breaking windows i would rather you break windows out than cause bodily harm you could possibly kill someone you know and those officers for better or worse and trust me i'm not the biggest fan of police officers but those guys are doing their job for the most part those guys are doing their jobs you know they're following orders in in the military they're following And as long as they're not out. there uh uh just randomly hurting people or you know what i'm saying they're just shooting people with rubber bullets just for the uh joy of it all you know they're just doing their job and standing in front of the buildings to try to keep order try to keep peace and keep the roads open for for people who are not protesting just going about their day trying to get back and forth to work or whatever. That's different, man. I mean, they're not doing anything to you. As long as they're not assaulting you, you shouldn't be assaulting them. And now you then flipped it and turned it into something else. And that's the part that disturbs me. That's the part I don't like, because you're taking attention away from that real issue. Because now you're looked at as a hooligan. You know, for example, you look at... the black lives matter movement for better or worse it was peaceful the majority of those protests were peaceful yes there were some vandalism and stuff going on but it wasn't a a whole lot they weren't burning down cities and stuff like that You know, it was peaceful protests for the most part, but it was the people protesting was still labeled as drugs, not drugs, but drugs and hooligans and whatnot. And vandalists and just anarchists and all this other stuff. It was ridiculous. And they weren't doing anything. I remember when they were marching in Washington, D.C. and Trump wanted to. walk across the street you remember walk across the street and take a picture in front of a church with a bible and so to clear out the protesters they uh he ordered the national guard or whoever it was to go out there and hit him with rubber bullets and and gas to clear out the street so he can walk across the street take a picture you know they didn't do anything to you in that regard yeah if the people would have fought back they were in their rights because they were doing a peaceful protest they weren't bothering nobody you know yeah they were blocking up the streets and whatnot but it was it was a protest that's what protests are that's what they were designed for it weren't like they were storming the u.s capital building or nothing like that but anyways yeah uh this this is a cluster in the biggest sense of the word i i don't know how this is going at all end all i know is it's not going to end good i don't see any good coming out of this you know it's not just going to stop you know without somebody being hurt or killed or you know this turned into a authoritative authoritarian nation you know where there's uh military marching down the streets and keeping us in line and there's martial law and all this other foolishness it's it's a scary time it's really scary times but this was all because of trump this is all because of this fool wanting to flex power and for no reason you know do i do i agree with this mass deportation thing no do i think they need to get a handle on this immigration thing Yes, yes, it do need to be under control because it is out of control, you know, but that's not to say that we should close the doors, close the gates and keep people out and kick people out who are already here. No, I don't believe in that. I believe in giving people a chance, giving people opportunity. You know, isn't it written? Isn't it written that, you know, welcome? Welcome your your poor and your hungry. Isn't that part of the creed here in United States? But when did that stop? Well, I didn't know it was a dead a cutoff, you know, I didn't know that we we Just not gonna allow these people here. And now if you're from South Africa or something you all right but if you if you from Mexico or any South American country, no, you can't come here. That's ridiculous to me Because in their minds, and I say dare, I'm talking about the MAGA cult, in their mind, that's all that's down there is criminals and thugs and drug dealers and rapists and murderers. What about the ones that are here? What about the actual United States citizens who are rapists and murderers and thugs and drug dealers? You're not trying to lock them up. No, Trump is pardoning them. they all right but not not not our immigrants uh that is ridiculous to me uh but i hope this all ends soon uh i really do i i hope this can end peacefully and you know uh something can come i don't know i don't know no middle ground because number one trump is trump ain't moving on his stance you know so nothing's gonna change there You know, once a lame, always a lame. He's not going to change. So I don't know. I don't know how this is going to end. I'm just praying that we can come to a peaceful resolution very soon. So let's move on to our review today. Enough about the depressing nature of reality. Let's move over to the depressing nature of a film that took place. In 1998, it is an action thriller directed by Edward Zwick. And this film stars Denzel Washington, Annette Bening, Tony Shalhoub, and Bruce Willis. the siege and this film is about a situation in which a terrorist cell has made several attacks in new york city and prompting the u.s government to declare martial law this film i remember it coming out i was i don't know 19 when this movie came out i i was you know this is at the peak of denzel washington or or should i say the I don't know it Denzel Washington always been at the peak huh you really can't pinpoint his peak because he was always Denzel Washington but this this was uh Denzel re-teaming with his director of uh Glory where he won best supporting actor in that film uh Edward Zurich and you know you have Bruce Willis in this thing and he was pretty much at the peak well he was kind of on the downward trend at that point, you know, because he was the co-star of this movie. He wasn't a star, but he was still an action star around 98. You know, this was around the time Armageddon came out. And so he was still a big thing. I was expecting a hardcore action movie out of this. And that's not what we got. And now it's some deep subject matter. and understandably it dealt with the subject matter it wasn't so much action they had action in it but it wasn't a balls to the wall action movie and we're dealing with terrorism around this time and a lot of action movies in the 90s dealt with terrorism especially especially late 90s pretty much into the early 2000s until 9-11 happened when 9-11 happened and we actually got a taste of real terrorism in the United States, all that stopped. You don't see no more movies that deal with terrorism. But around mid to late 90s, it was peak terrorism movies. And they were all Middle Eastern. You know, in this film, it was, I think, Lebanese terrorists that attacked New York City with these explosive devices and whatnot. And that prompted a lot of controversy. surrounding this film, um, from the Muslim community, from the, uh, Arab community, especially American Arab communities, uh, they found the film extremely offensive, beyond offensive, you know, and using Muslims as this terrorist, uh, group, and this, you know, the way this movie depicts, uh, Muslims, which they depicted Muslims, all Muslims were evil, You know, they, they... they being the federal government were just rounding up muslims you know and putting them in these detention centers and whatnot uh because they didn't know who to trust and all this here which kind of reminds me it was a movie before his time because after 9-11 that's pretty much what you got here uh did you uh not trust him and they still don't there are a vast majority of Americans now that still don't like Muslims. And so, whatever. You know, I never understood that. I never understood singling out an entire race just because one group of people are a bunch of idiots. Let me go off the rails for a second. White people get upset when black or brown people label white people as racist. And the non-racist white people get offended by it. Oh, that's not us. When I'm not racist, you know, that's just them. Well, how do you think Muslims feel when you lump up all Muslims as terrorists? We don't lump up all white people as racist. But when you do it, they get super offended. Well, put their shoes on for a second. Step outside of yourself. and look at it from their point of view. Same thing as black folks. How white people will label black folks as thugs and criminals. Or, in topical, all Mexicans, all South Americans are rapists and murderers. You can't lump up an entire race of people or entire nationality of people. as one thing just because one group or one person does something idiotic Every race, every creed, every whatever has a moron in it. Every family has a moron in it, you know? But I think this movie is a commentary on that. It wasn't meant to be offensive to Muslims. It was meant to show how short-sighted people can be. You know, instead of hunting down this terrorist cell, they just targeted... muslims you know and tony shalhoub in this film he plays a muslim character and he's the partner of um genzel washington and he ends up being round up in this deportation thing in this uh round up of these muslims and he's an actual federal agent you know it was that it was that serious and same same rules apply for what's going on now or when you have actual u.s citizens being shipped off being deported because oh we'll straighten that out later you know because these countries el salvador and all these other places that they send in these people they sending them back because it's like why are you why are you sending these people here but um as far as the film is concerned the film was not pick good You know, it was decent. It's watchable, but it's not gripping. You know, it's a bit clumsy at times. It doesn't really go there. You know, like I said, it was trying to make a commentary on certain things, but it didn't go full throat with it. You know, they were softballing it, and I guess that's why it was coming off as offensive to certain groups. But as far as the performances, the performances were fine. Of course, Denzel Washington did. I mean, you show me a bad Denzel Washington performance, and I'll give you a dollar. I can't pinpoint not one bad Denzel Washington performance, and he does good here with what he was given. You know, it's kind of basic character. To be honest with you, if you flip the script, um bruce willis could have played this role and it would have been just as good as it is you know it's nothing it isn't it was nothing for him to add here annette benning i think was miscast in this role and she doesn't really fit this movie um speaking of bruce willis bruce willis he was there you know but i think that character was meant to do something more but we didn't get you know it was like it was missing something was you missing there with uh him playing this army general it wasn't i don't know i don't know i it's been years but i still can't pick up on what's missing from that performance or from that role i don't know if it's the way that character was written or the way they trimmed the movie down because the movie is kind of long and it's way too long for what the type of movie it was trying to be it was like it was trying to be more of a awards type film and they were sadly mistaken because it was it was nowhere near that uh but um overall it's decent it's watchable but it is nothing that i would run back to to watch i only i only um pick this because Because I... this is the first movie that came to my mind when I was thinking about all that was taking place uh currently in Los Angeles I was like boy we're heading to that martial law thing and this this is the movie that played in my mind and I had to go back and look for it somewhere I can't even remember where I found it but I watched it uh earlier today in preparation for this show but yeah man this this was this was all right It was an alright movie. The Siege, which came out in 1998, starring Denzel Washington, gets a letter grade of a C-. Yeah, it was, it was, it's nothing to run home and tell mom about. But what you can run home and tell mom about is all that is taking place in Los Angeles, California. If I had one wish about what's going on currently, I wish, and not just in Los Angeles, everywhere else where they... are holding their protests, I hope that they can be civil with it. And I'm not trying to denigrate the reason for the protests. I understand that you want to get your point across. I understand that you are angry, but try to do it in a civil matter. You know, don't give Trump a reason to do what initially he wants to do, you know, and that is deploy the military and cause this, this just division that is. well divided more than what is already divided because this country is split in like 15 different directions uh but don't give him a reason to be the buffoon that he already is you know if he goes off and do it just let him go off and do it but don't don't justify his stupidity that's that's the only thing that i hope that uh we can we can come to a resolution about otherwise i wouldn't really care. you know because they're not killed yeah they're causing property damage and whatever but they're not killing anybody but at the same time throwing concrete and bricks and uh monotone cocktails and stuff like that at offices and stuff you need to tone down with that tone that down please but uh let's just go into prayer and hope that uh this can get solved and resolved fairly quickly but i would like to know what are your thoughts on this situation that is currently sweeping across america as you can see it it started in los angeles but it is touching every corner of this country as of right now i would like to know your thoughts on this issue email the show kbradiopodcast at gmail.com you can also search for the show on all social media platforms. Just search for the KB Radio Network. Also, YouTube, ladies and gentlemen. Subscribe to the KB Radio Network channel on YouTube and like this video if you don't mind. Don't forget about the five stars, the reviews, and sharing this show if you're listening on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, wherever you are currently listening to movie goodness where we examine life through cinema here on the KB Radio Network. Everybody, thank you for joining me for this show. Hopefully, I don't have to come back on here anytime soon to talk about anything else horrific that is taking place in the United States. But with this buffoon in office, I'm pretty sure that I will. I want you all to know that I love you. Continue to love everyone. And until we speak again, you all be blessed.

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