The Patriot (The Movie)

[jedi]

Just finished watching The Patriot again and this time from a "2A point of view". I noticed that the militia not only supplied their own arms (muskets), but also the ammo and other equipment that was needed to make them shoot so to speak.

Plus I loved the quote by the British General. (Paraphrase)
"How can it have come to this? They were just farmers and slaves!"

There is so much in this movie to learn from (yes it's a work of fiction around historical events) but it's sad that many today in American 2.0 just don't understand the pain and suffering that those rebels took to ensure that a new nation could be born.

I also saw a "don't tread on me" flag in one of the battles but it was RED instead of YELLOW? I thought they were all with a yellow background?

Here is a clip of the red flag.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UT9ZmqbVYRk&feature=related

Look at 33 secs into the clip. Maybe it is yellow but the sun make it look red?

 

[NWIeng]

Thought I was the only one...

I'm surprised this movie hasn't been discussed here much myself. I've always thought that there was one scene in the movie that shows what the 2nd amendment was supposed to be, and how far away from it almost the entire country has gone.

After his first child is shot and his house is burning, Mel Gibson runs back in to his war chest....and pulls out his tomahawk, and 3-4 muskets. Something that seemed that most every father/land owner had as standard homestead equipment.

Translated today, he would have been pulling out a KABAR, and 3-4 select fire M-4's that both he and his male (nothing against females) children all were proficient at.

I know everyone sounds crazy to the uneducated when they advocate that citizens should have no problem owning fully capable US infantry shoulder weapons, but this scene is the most glaring reminder of what the second amendment was meant to be.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

There were several red Revolutionary flags. Perhaps you saw this:

Maybe it was the Bedford flag:



Maybe it was a proper flag, British flag?

Boo to Mel Gibson. The Good Guys are always made to be the Bad Guys in Mel's "Mel Gibson Kills the English Part whatever". Now we just need his Boer War movie and he'll have a complete set.

 

[T-rav]

That is a great movie!!! Here is soem info on the different types of flags from that era

Don't Tread on Me: Gadsden Flag History

 

[XMil]

Boo to Mel Gibson. The Good Guys are always made to be the Bad Guys in Mel's "Mel Gibson Kills the English Part whatever". Now we just need his Boer War movie and he'll have a complete set.

Can you elaborate on that? I thought he did a good job of showing how bad the bad guys were. What am I missing?

 

[ocsdor]

I'm surprised this movie hasn't been discussed here...

That's because it is a story about Americans, being ruled over by a tyrannical government, who take up arms and eventually throw out the evildoers, and establish a new government based on freedom.

I do believe that topic is against forum rules.

IBTL.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

Can you elaborate on that? I thought he did a good job of showing how bad the bad guys were. What am I missing?

He is blatantly anti-English. He doesn't even try to hide his bigotry.

Oh, well, his movies and all.

And now, a rebuttal from the other side:

YouTube - Rule Britannia, UK

 

[jedi]

That's because it is a story about Americans, being ruled over by a tyrannical government, who take up arms and eventually throw out the evildoers, and establish a new government based on freedom.

I do believe that topic is against forum rules.

IBTL.

I was going to use this

in my original post but figured I give the post a try before it got the lock.

Of course ocsdor you could just post a bunch of

to ensure we don't get the lock instead.

 

[glockednlocked]

Great movie a personal favorite of mine. I think we should all learn from it.

 

[JCA1776]

One Thing has Always Bugged Me

One thing has always bugged me about this movie. Mel Gibson's character declined to join the war for independence at first. He only joined the fighting after his house was burned and his son was killed by British soldiers. It seems like he is seeking revenge more than independence.

To me, a better name for this movie would have been "The Avenger."

I hold in much higher esteem those in our military today who, with families at home and everything to lose, still volunteer to put their lives on the line in order to protect us here at home. Thank you to all of you!

 

[Bigum1969]

Well, we did kick the brits out, didn't we?

 

[jedi]

I hold in much higher esteem those in our military today who, with families at home and everything to lose, still volunteer to put their lives on the line in order to protect us here at home. Thank you to all of you!

Higher than whom? The initial rebels that created America or the Mel character?

You are correct that Mel's character did not "join" for the right reasons at first. However the character is "saved" by staying the course even after the death of his 2nd son. It was the son's flag that showed him that he needed to stay the course or else all that his son did was in vain. The personal battle between him and the brit is more holloywood hype for the story line.

 

[JCA1776]

Higher than whom? The initial rebels that created America or the Mel character?

Mel's character. Sorry for the confusion. My comment is purely about this movie.

 

[T-rav]

I think he was talking about Mel's character, I could be wrong though. I really enjoy the movie. I think mix that movie with some real facts and you could turn some sheep into sheepdogs! There seems to be some translation from that time frame to whats going on now.

 

[jedi]

Mel's character. Sorry for the confusion. My comment is purely about this movie.

Gotcha! Well it is a hollywood movie and their must be some "internal" drama with the characters or else it would be a documentary which we all know are boring unless you are M. Moore.

 

[JCA1776]

Gotcha! Well it is a hollywood movie and their must be some "internal" drama with the characters or else it would be a documentary which we all know are boring unless you are M. Moore.

True. Sometimes I can overlook the "Hollywood" aspect to movies, but I have not been able to with this one.

Regarding the initial rebels that created America, I have the utmost respect and gratitude for them. I recently finished reading "The Real George Washington." Washington's perseverance throughout the Revolutionary War is inspiring to me. I also greatly admire the humility and dignity with which he conducted himself both as Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army and as our first President.

After reading the book, I came away with a deeper understanding and appreciation for the tribute to Washington at this death, "First in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen."

 

[T-rav]

True. Sometimes I can overlook the "Hollywood" aspect to movies, but I have not been able to with this one.

Regarding the initial rebels that created America, I have the utmost respect and gratitude for them. I recently finished reading "The Real George Washington." Washington's perseverance throughout the Revolutionary War is inspiring to me. I also greatly admire the humility and dignity with which he conducted himself both as Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army and as our first President.

After reading the book, I came away with a deeper understanding and appreciation for the tribute to Washington at this death, "First in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen."

Thats my next book to buy. I have the 5000 Year leap I need to start!

 

[Phil502]

One thing has always bugged me about this movie. Mel Gibson's character declined to join the war for independence at first. He only joined the fighting after his house was burned and his son was killed by British soldiers. It seems like he is seeking revenge more than independence.

To me, a better name for this movie would have been "The Avenger."

I hold in much higher esteem those in our military today who, with families at home and everything to lose, still volunteer to put their lives on the line in order to protect us here at home. Thank you to all of you!

He did decline at first but I kind of thought that maybe he did not want to get into battle again knowing that he had been so savage in the past, when he cut up the French and Indians and floated their peices down the river.

 

[Jack Ryan]

"Why should I trade ONE tyrant 3,000 miles away for 3,000 tyrants ONE mile away?"

Quite the prediction if it had been said at the time and it explains quite succintly why they set the government up as a republic rather than a democracy. It's a shame we lost it.

 

[CarmelHP]

"Why should I trade ONE tyrant 3,000 miles away for 3,000 tyrants ONE mile away?"

Quite the prediction if it had been said at the time and it explains quite succintly why they set the government up as a republic rather than a democracy. It's a shame we lost it.

It was:

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, MS Sans Serif, Times New Roman][SIZE=-1]The original quote is: "Which is better - to be ruled by one tyrant three thousand miles away or by three thousand tyrants one mile away?". It was made by Boston Loyalist Clergyman Byles Mather. Because of his Loyalist leanings, he was dismissed from his post as minister of Hollis St. Congregational Church following the British Evacuation of Boston in 1776. [/SIZE][/FONT]