Comments on: The Killing Fields http://www.nine-moons.com/2008/03/31/the-killing-fields/ Sat, 30 Aug 2008 01:38:44 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: sokha http://www.nine-moons.com/2008/03/31/the-killing-fields/#comment-51099 sokha Tue, 01 Apr 2008 17:04:11 +0000 http://www.nine-moons.com/2008/03/31/the-killing-fields/#comment-51099 I am sorry for the lost of Mr. Dith Pran and the pain that the families have to go through. Our thoughts and pray for your families. I am thankful for Mr. Dith Pran as a journalist and human rights advocate that brought attention to Cambodia Genocide. Regards, I am sorry for the lost of Mr. Dith Pran and the pain that the families have to go through. Our thoughts and pray for your families. I am thankful for Mr. Dith Pran as a journalist and human rights advocate that brought attention to Cambodia Genocide.

Regards,

]]> By: sokha http://www.nine-moons.com/2008/03/31/the-killing-fields/#comment-51092 sokha Tue, 01 Apr 2008 15:31:41 +0000 http://www.nine-moons.com/2008/03/31/the-killing-fields/#comment-51092 Just want to say that Killing Fields as a movie can only portray or show the audiences just a fraction of the real starvation, sufferings and killings during the regime, but it is a great film to see. I was in the Pol Pot regime; I can still dream of the dreadful death sleepless nights of fear that the Mee Kong (Pol Pot installed leader) and his comrades come in the middle of the night to our stilt wooded sticks home that they built for the people in a remote jungle as a temporary shelters and take us away to the wooden area and slaughter us. I just want to thanks the people that helped us and god that I am here in the US today. Sokha Just want to say that Killing Fields as a movie can only portray or show the audiences just a fraction of the real starvation, sufferings and killings during the regime, but it is a great film to see. I was in the Pol Pot regime; I can still dream of the dreadful death sleepless nights of fear that the Mee Kong (Pol Pot installed leader) and his comrades come in the middle of the night to our stilt wooded sticks home that they built for the people in a remote jungle as a temporary shelters and take us away to the wooden area and slaughter us. I just want to thanks the people that helped us and god that I am here in the US today.

Sokha

]]> By: Lamonte http://www.nine-moons.com/2008/03/31/the-killing-fields/#comment-51082 Lamonte Tue, 01 Apr 2008 11:25:45 +0000 http://www.nine-moons.com/2008/03/31/the-killing-fields/#comment-51082 gst - I think you are way off in your interpretation of Lennon's song. He is not proposing an "outlawing of religion and possessions" he is asking us to imagine that we no longer need them. When we are all (hopefully all) in heaven in the next life, in the presence of God, there will be no need for religion, no need to distingish our beliefs from someone else's because we will be with God. In my opinion you could call the atheism of the Khmer Rouge a religion. Webster's give the traditional definition of religion (Worship of God) as their #1 definition but then includes other definitions - #2 a personal set or institutionalized system of religious attitudes, beliefs, and practices; #3 archaic : scrupulous conformity : conscientiousness #4 a cause, principle, or system of beliefs held to with ardor and faith - any of which could be used to describe the goals of the Khmer Rouge. The fact is, as we see everywhere today, "religion" (the quotations are meant for a reason) has been the cause of great suffering and turmoil throughout the history of mankind. To me, the gospel of Jesus Christ is not the same thing as the religion that distinguishes my beliefs from others. The gospel of Jesus Christ is about love and peace and service to others without regard to personal gain or the garnering of worldly possessions. I am miles from achieving that ideal but I think THAT is what John Lennon was writing about - not the evil destructive nature of political forces like the Khmer Rouge. gst - I think you are way off in your interpretation of Lennon’s song. He is not proposing an “outlawing of religion and possessions” he is asking us to imagine that we no longer need them. When we are all (hopefully all) in heaven in the next life, in the presence of God, there will be no need for religion, no need to distingish our beliefs from someone else’s because we will be with God. In my opinion you could call the atheism of the Khmer Rouge a religion. Webster’s give the traditional definition of religion (Worship of God) as their #1 definition but then includes other definitions - #2 a personal set or institutionalized system of religious attitudes, beliefs, and practices; #3 archaic : scrupulous conformity : conscientiousness #4 a cause, principle, or system of beliefs held to with ardor and faith - any of which could be used to describe the goals of the Khmer Rouge. The fact is, as we see everywhere today, “religion” (the quotations are meant for a reason) has been the cause of great suffering and turmoil throughout the history of mankind. To me, the gospel of Jesus Christ is not the same thing as the religion that distinguishes my beliefs from others. The gospel of Jesus Christ is about love and peace and service to others without regard to personal gain or the garnering of worldly possessions. I am miles from achieving that ideal but I think THAT is what John Lennon was writing about - not the evil destructive nature of political forces like the Khmer Rouge.

]]> By: gst http://www.nine-moons.com/2008/03/31/the-killing-fields/#comment-51066 gst Tue, 01 Apr 2008 00:56:52 +0000 http://www.nine-moons.com/2008/03/31/the-killing-fields/#comment-51066 I agree that it is a great movie, and a great, terrible story. Though I must say that (unlike you, apparently) I always thought that Imagine was a singularly poor choice for that movie, unless it was meant ironically, which I don't think it was. Among the many failings of the Khmer Rouge regime, you cannot include a failure to imagine a utopia. They were actually quite good at that, right down to Lennon's prescribed outlawing of religion and possessions. For some reason, the first thing that any Utopian visionary who gets any measure of political power does is establish killing fields. The song could practically be a Khmer Rouge anthem. I agree that it is a great movie, and a great, terrible story.

Though I must say that (unlike you, apparently) I always thought that Imagine was a singularly poor choice for that movie, unless it was meant ironically, which I don’t think it was. Among the many failings of the Khmer Rouge regime, you cannot include a failure to imagine a utopia. They were actually quite good at that, right down to Lennon’s prescribed outlawing of religion and possessions.

For some reason, the first thing that any Utopian visionary who gets any measure of political power does is establish killing fields. The song could practically be a Khmer Rouge anthem.

]]> By: Susan M http://www.nine-moons.com/2008/03/31/the-killing-fields/#comment-51053 Susan M Mon, 31 Mar 2008 19:13:59 +0000 http://www.nine-moons.com/2008/03/31/the-killing-fields/#comment-51053 Thanks for this post. I saw that movie in my high school journalism class. Thanks for this post.

I saw that movie in my high school journalism class.

]]> By: Lamonte http://www.nine-moons.com/2008/03/31/the-killing-fields/#comment-51048 Lamonte Mon, 31 Mar 2008 18:49:19 +0000 http://www.nine-moons.com/2008/03/31/the-killing-fields/#comment-51048 annegb - The articles talk about at least (2) wives - married one at a time ;-) - and I think 4 or 5 children. I'm not sure he was married at the time of his death but here is the article. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/30/AR2008033000754.html?hpid=sec-world annegb - The articles talk about at least (2) wives - married one at a time ;-) - and I think 4 or 5 children. I’m not sure he was married at the time of his death but here is the article.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/30/AR2008033000754.html?hpid=sec-world

]]> By: annegb http://www.nine-moons.com/2008/03/31/the-killing-fields/#comment-51047 annegb Mon, 31 Mar 2008 18:46:07 +0000 http://www.nine-moons.com/2008/03/31/the-killing-fields/#comment-51047 Thank you for this heads-up. This movie is a must-see in my opinion. Do you know if he left a family? Thank you for this heads-up. This movie is a must-see in my opinion.

Do you know if he left a family?

]]> By: Curtis http://www.nine-moons.com/2008/03/31/the-killing-fields/#comment-51045 Curtis Mon, 31 Mar 2008 18:30:07 +0000 http://www.nine-moons.com/2008/03/31/the-killing-fields/#comment-51045 Unfortunately, US influence in creating the environment under which Pol Pot could flourish is overlooked by the New York Times and most US media. Unfortunately, US influence in creating the environment under which Pol Pot could flourish is overlooked by the New York Times and most US media.

]]> By: Johnna Cornett http://www.nine-moons.com/2008/03/31/the-killing-fields/#comment-51038 Johnna Cornett Mon, 31 Mar 2008 15:49:42 +0000 http://www.nine-moons.com/2008/03/31/the-killing-fields/#comment-51038 It may be in the NYT, but I hadn't heard, so thanks for posting on it. I saw Killing Fields (and Swimming to Cambodia) in the late 1980s, and I've followed Dith Pran's work. It may be in the NYT, but I hadn’t heard, so thanks for posting on it. I saw Killing Fields (and Swimming to Cambodia) in the late 1980s, and I’ve followed Dith Pran’s work.

]]>