A BRIDGE TOO FAR

October 14, 2016October 14, 2016 / Benn Bell / Leave a comment

Last night, Governor Chris Christo appeared on Billo Riley’s television show, Fear Factory, on The Fox Force Five Network. What follows is a partial transcript of the interview:

Billo Riley: Governor Christo, you have been described as a prince of a man and that there is no way that you would have done anything so sinister as to order the lane closings on the George Washington Bridge. Can you tell us what your view on life is in general and on politics in particular?

Chris Christo: Sure, Billo. That’s a great question. Thanks for asking. My view is this: A man who tries to be good all the time is bound to come to ruination among so many men who are not good. Therefore, a prince, such as myself, if he wants to keep his authority, must learn how to be not so good.

Billo Riley: And Governor, if I may be so bold to ask, if the situation requires gentle persuasion, what say you?

Chris Christo: Well, Billo, besides what I just said, it should be kept in mind that the temperature of a crowd is mutable. While it might be easy to persuade them of something, it might be difficult maintain their belief. Therefore, when the time comes when the public no longer believes of their own accord, they may have be compelled to believe by force.

Photo credit NICHOLAS KAMM/AFP/Getty Images)

Billo Riley: How would you go about this so called gentle persuasion?

Chris Christo: Well, you see, Billo, people are so simpleminded, and answer so completely to their immediate needs, when the need to deceive arises I never fail at finding willing dupes. Everyone sees what you appear to be, few really know what you are.

Billo Riley: Were you absolutely truthful in your recent press conference?

Chris Christo: Well, to tell the truth, Billo, sometimes words must serve to veil the facts. But this should only happen in such a way that no one becomes aware of it. If they do, I always have plenty of excuses at hand to be produce immediately.

Billo Riley: But in that case, how can we trust anything that you say?

Chris Christo: Well, Billo, the crowd always is taken by appearances. The public in general judge more from appearances than from reality. All men have eyes, but few have the gift of sight.

Billo Riley: I noticed you got rid of your deputy chief of staff and several other high ranking associates rather quickly. Would you care to comment on that?

Chris Christo: Sure. Any cruelty that has to be executed should be done so at once, so that the less it is tasted, the less it offends. Benefits, on the other hand must be given out a little at a time, so they will be appreciated more. We cannot flinch at the betrayal of one’s friends, and showing no loyalty, mercy, or moral obligation. These are the means that lead to power.

Billo Riley: Tell me Governor, is it better to be loved or feared?

Chris Christo: It is best to be both feared and loved. However, if one cannot have both, it is better to be feared than loved.

Billo Riley: Any other comments on human nature?

Chris Christo: Yeah, I’ll take a crack at it. I would say it is true in general of people that they are ungrateful, disloyal, insincere and deceitful, timid of danger and quick to line their pockets. Love is a bond of obligation that these miserable creatures break whenever it suits them to do so, but fear holds them in their place by the dread of punishment.

Billo Riley: Any final thoughts or words of advice?

Chris Christo: Yep! Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.

Billo Riley: Ok, Governor. Thanks!

Chris Christo: Thank you, Billo!

Sources: All of Governor Chris Christo’s answers were from “The Prince,” by Machiavelli.

A Bridge Too Far

May 3, 2015June 26, 2017 / Benn Bell / Leave a comment

Ghost Dog

Last night, Governor Chris Christo appeared on Billo Riley’s television show, Fear Factory, on The Fox Force Five Network. What follows is a partial transcript of the interview:

Billo Riley: And Governor, if I…

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Is Beyonce a Terrorist?

June 2, 2014 / Benn Bell / 2 Comments

I think it is quite extraordinary that author bell hooks and TV host Bill O’Reilly, could possibly come down in the same place on the same issue, but apparently that is what happened. Both have come out and criticized Beyoncé for her negative affect on young black girls. Bill from the point of view of an “imperialist, white supremacist, capitalist patriarch” and bell from the point of view of a radical black feminist. Bill accuses Beyoncé on his show, The O’Reilly Factor, on the Fox News Network, of providing a negative role model for black girls to follow with her so called libertine lyrics and sexual imagery in her videos and music which he says encourages black girls to engage in unprotected sex and by doing so become pregnant. bell calls out Beyoncé for perpetuating the stereotype of the young black woman who is always sexually available and asks the question, is she still a slave? She goes so far to say Beyoncé is an antifeminist terrorist. What gives? You know something is wrong when these two agree even if it’s for different reasons.

bell references the cover of Time Magazine by citing Beyoncé for wearing a white panties and bra set like what she used to wear when she was a young girl. It was actually a two piece bathing suit but it did have the intended illusion of looking like a white bra and panties and it was very sexy and provocative. Is it possible that Bill and bell cancel each other out? Or is it one of those you don’t get to make those kinds of criticisms unless you are one of us kind of things? I don’t know, but my head is spinning and about to explode.

I feel I must hazard a response and offer my opinion, such as it is. Full disclosure: I am a white male of a certain age. Now, I have a great deal of respect for bell hooks, but less so for Bill O’Reilly. I lost all respect for him years ago as he became the chief bloviator Fox News. I have read many of bell’s books, we are both from Kentucky, we share a name with each other, and I have actually met bell hooks, although I’m sure she probably wouldn’t remember. It was a few years ago, in Philadelphia, when I attended a lecture she gave and she was kind enough to autograph a book of hers I brought along for that purpose. It was a wonderful lecture and I remember thinking during the Q & A that she doesn’t much suffer fools. She was rather pointed with several of her questioners. But it was what you would expect from bell hooks.

I think bell has gone too far in describing Beyoncé an antifeminist terrorist and a slave. If anything Beyoncé is exploiting the slave mentality that still exists for her own personal gain. She demonstrates great personal agency in her creativity and has become rich in the process. bell asks the question, would we even be talking about her if she weren’t rich? Yes, I think so, because she is beautiful and talented, not to mention provocative.

Bill O’Reilly is off base with his comments because he is white and comes off sounding like a racist in the process. Actually, Beyoncé provides a positive role for black girls as an empowered, creative, talented, and successful black woman.

In my view there is nothing wrong with sexy or having sex. I need to take a long hard look in the mirror, however, at my own self to be sure my attraction to black women isn’t the product of my own master/slave mentality. I will have to give it some deep thought. Meanwhile, I will continue to enjoy Beyoncé and other talented black sexy women. For the record, I am a Rihanna man.