EJO: the UN part 2 (You guys, you guys I DO NOT UNDERSTAND IT).

[beccatoria]

Once upon a time, I would have been thrilled that my show was the first TV show ever to get invited to the UN. In retrospect, considering how faily I tought the finale was particularly on issues such as race, gender, religion, colonialism, etc., it wasn't quite as awesome for me as I wanted it to be (read: faintly embarassing) but I know that's both my opinion and hey, the UN couldn't have known that at the time?

So then EJO says things like, "There's only one race! The human race!" and some UN person - I apologise I can't remember the exact words, basically says something diplomatic along the lines of, "Yes, and that's a lovely thought but it's not useful to dismiss people's very real experiences of racism," to which EJO replied, profoundly, "When a bug doesn't like you, that's racism." TO THE UN, PEOPLE. TO THE UNITED. NATIONS.

Which was - UNTIL TODAY - my all-time all-encompassing symbol for everything I found off-putting about the guy's public persona.

YOU GUYS. EJO IS CLAIMING HE - OR RATHER HIS APPEARANCE AT THE BSG UN PANEL - IS RESPONSIBLE FOR CHANGING THE UN CHARTER.

This would not be so bad, if there were any evidence at all that it had been changed.

I do not even know what to do with this information, y'all. I just cannot process it.

I found this link through fandom grapevine; I believe it originated with greycoupon? I got it from asta77 in any event:

http://www.airlockalpha.com/node/6569

There's the link, though since it's written by Michael Hinman and I don't really want to increase his hits, the article is reproduced for posterity below.

"Battlestar Galactica" has been influential in the lives of millions of fans, but probably never like this.
Becoming the first television show ever invited to speak at the United Nations last March would be enough for some people. But not series star Edward James Olmos. Instead, he was out to change the very core of the United Nations itself. And he succeeded.

"The United Nations changed their charter three weeks ago after 'Battlestar' went and spoke at the UN," Olmos told G4's "Attack of the Show." "They changed the entire understanding of their charter that was written in 1947 so that they would never use the word 'race' as a cultural determinate again. There is only one race, and that is the human race."

The news of the charter change has not been made public until that announcement, Olmos said. A search for press releases over the past seven months on the United Nations Web site produced no results for "race" and "charter," and there are no other reports that such a change has been made.

"Nobody knows that the charter has been changed," Olmos said. "It's one of the hardest things that happened to me, and it would've never happened but if it weren't for 'Battlestar.' Did they invite 'The Sopranos?' Did they invite 'The West Wing?'

"'Battlestar and its writers decided to take on what was happening now. The reconciliation between the Cylon and the human being. How did that happen? How could it happen? If the Palestinian and the Jew could only see 'Battlestar,' they would understand how to reconcile."

Olmos did not explain how he was allowed to be the first to break the news, and why it seems that nothing about the charter change was made available through the United Nations. In fact, the charter that is still published on the UN's official site still uses the word "race" as part of its cultural determinant, so it's unclear why such changes have not been reflected in official documents.

The charter was not signed in 1947, but rather on June 26, 1945, and was put into full force in October of that year. Among its purposes listed for the United Nations in Article I, it continues to state that "to achieve international co-operation in solving international problems of an economic, social, cultural, or humanitarian character, and in promoting and encouraging respect for human rights and for fundamental freedoms for all without distinction to race, sex, language, or religion."

The power to amend or modify the charter is listed in Chapter XVIII has to take place after approval by a two-thirds vote of the members of the General Assembly as well as by a vote of nine members of the Security Council. Any alterations would have to be ratified by two-thirds of the members, including all the permanent members of the Security Council.

It is not clear if such a move was made, and if so, how such a massive undertaking was not previously reported in the media.

An attempt late Monday to reach the United Nations by e-mail is pending return, as is a message to G4 asking if they had verified the statement made by Olmos during the interview.

In the meantime, see Olmos' entire interview with "Attack of the Show" below.

So there you have it folks. Palestinians and Jews just haven't watched enough Battlestar Galactica.

I just. Text is inadequate to conveying the level of WTFery this engenders in me. There are no words, people. No. Words.

Comments

[frolicndetour.livejournal.com]

If the Palestinian and the Jew could only see 'Battlestar,' they would understand how to reconcile."

NO HE DIDN'T. NO HE DID NOT. YOU'RE LYING TO ME!

... Words fail me. I read your comment about "if a bug doesn't like you, it's racism" in asta77's journal, but I thought it was some inside joke between the two of you. THAT HAPPENED?!

*dies of embarrassment*

[reginaspina.livejournal.com]

HAHAHAHA! Yes, I am mortally embarrassed for him! Do you think he was actually drinking Scotch in all those drunk Adama scenes and maybe is now having some sort of alcoholic hallucinations or something? Or possibly a psychotic break. It is the ONLY POSSIBLE explanation for his inanity :P

[beccatoria.livejournal.com]

YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW MUCH I WISH I WERE LYING.

And how much I didn't have to admit that he ACTUALLY TOLD THE UN that racism was when humans were disliked by insects...

I mean, okay, thanks to greycoupon we now have the story slightly straighter, but OMFG a) he's still WRONG and b) OMFG there is NO EXCUSE for that comment about the situation re: Israel and Palestine. I just.

*dies with you*

[gonzo21.livejournal.com]

... whu? buh? duh? whu?

[beccatoria.livejournal.com]

More information has now come to light (see greycoupon's comment below) which indicates that he is a victim of massively blowing this out of proportion rather than inventing it wholesale, but...for fuck's sake, those comments about Israel and Palestine? NOTHING CAN MAKE THAT MAKE SENSE.

*cries*

[callmeonetrack.livejournal.com]

AH HA HA HA HAH HAHA HAAHA asdkjflsilwlgm **collapses in fits**

Oh god (or should I say Oh EJO?), we were chuckling over that "article" earlier today but I missed the delightful bit about the Palestinians and the Jews. *wipes tears from eyes* Beautiful. Just beautiful.

So...I wonder if his script for The Further Adventures of Bill Adama includes Bill time traveling to the future like some sort of political Superman who can leap buildings in a single bound and change government charters with a snap of his fingers?

SO SAY WE ALL, FOLKS, SO SAY WE ALL. *starts the slow clap*

[beccatoria.livejournal.com]

I seriously don't know whether I want to laugh or cry, you know? It's so ABSURD and yet so...ABSURD.

So...I wonder if his script for The Further Adventures of Bill Adama includes Bill time traveling to the future like some sort of political Superman who can leap buildings in a single bound and change government charters with a snap of his fingers?

Clearly he wrote four tablets, two for Moses and two for the United Nations!

[pellucid.livejournal.com]

I...really have NO WORDS!!!

Was he always this crazy?!?!? I mean, that is a seriously profound level of delusion right there.

[beccatoria.livejournal.com]

I KNOW.

I JUST.

I CANNOT TYPE THINGS THAT ADEQUATELY EXPRESS MY PROFOUND CONFUSION AT THIS EVENT.

greycoupon's sleuthing skills (below) have yielded a little more information, but frankly, I'm not sure that claiming credit for the a group decision at a global summit and the incorrectly understanding what that decision was even in relation to (i.e. NOT THE CHARTER) is all that much better? o_O

[sabaceanbabe.livejournal.com]

Step slowly away from the crazy man. O_o

[beccatoria.livejournal.com]

*flees the crazy man in terror!* O_o

[chaila.livejournal.com]

If the Palestinian and the Jew could only see 'Battlestar,' they would understand how to reconcile."

THAT IS A JOKE, THAT HAS TO BE A JOKE, PLEASE TELL ME THAT IS A JOKE. (And in some seriousness, despite the overblown, mockable, UNFATHOMABLE pomposity here, what exactly is it that anyone would learn about any of this from BSG? All bitterness aside, I don't understand what BSG even arguably said about reconciliation that was so profound. I didn't realize that they thought their boring clean slate was actually a practical solution. OMG why has no one thought of that before?!? Or is it that Israel and the Palestinians should unite in their focus on blowing up Cavil Iran? Or maybe that if their leaders only had cleaner teeth, it would have all have worked itself out by now?)

"Nobody knows that the charter has been changed," Olmos said. "It's one of the hardest things that happened to me, and it would've never happened but if it weren't for 'Battlestar.' Did they invite 'The Sopranos?' Did they invite 'The West Wing?'

I LOVE THIS PART TOO. Changing the UN charter was hard FOR HIM. (Have a nap?) Followed by digs at shows that WERE BETTER THAN HIS. Tell the UN, buddy. I'm sure that Hollywood actors who don't get the recogition they deserve are high up on their list, what with racism eradicated and all. All we have to do is kill all the bugs! Good thing we have actors to transform all of international relations. Whew.

That whole interview is a mockery of...anything that can be made a mockery of.

Oh my god.

ETA: EJO IS BILLY JOEL! Ahahahaha.

[pellucid.livejournal.com]

So yes, I, like you, thought, "SURELY THIS IS A JOKE!!! THIS CANNOT BE SERIOUS!!! Perhaps there is some level of satire or mockery in the interview that is not coming through in print, or perhaps the author of the article is picking and choosing in a way that misrepresents. SURELY, RIGHT???"

Uh, no. As far as I can tell from that, the original interview, EJO is absolutely serious. And absolutely fucking delusional. Because the UN announces a radical change to its charter via an actor at ComicCon being interviewed on Attack of the Show.

Has he always been this crazy???

[asta77.livejournal.com]

, I don't understand what BSG even arguably said about reconciliation that was so profound.

We have to start making babies? With robots?

Changing the UN charter was hard FOR HIM.

And I just thought it was ALL ABOUT BILL ADAMA. I have to rethink my bitterness now!

It's so nice that because Eddie never got the Emmy he felt he deserved, the UN decided to change their charter. Accept there is no evidence they actually did. And it would seem odd that the United Nations would choose Comic Con and G4, the geek network, to make the big announcement. Or is this a sign that the geeks are, in fact, taking over the world?

EJO: He didn't start the fire...or did he?

[beccatoria.livejournal.com]

OH GOD I DON'T KNOW, I JUST DON'T KNOW. I WANT SO DESPERATELY TO BELIEVE IT IS A JOKE. AND YET. I HAVE THIS HORRIBLE SINKING FEELING THAT I'M NOT WAKING UP FROM THIS ONE.

*cries*

As to your points about the practical solution I COULD NOT AGREE MORE. I mean, basically, back when I thought this show did a good job of portraying horrifying conflicts and the difficulties in reconciling, the reason I thought it did such a good job was that it didn't offer a magical solution. It didn't portray it as easy. And in fact, the only reason it occured at all was because everyone was so damn desperate they had no other choice if they wanted to achieve a goal as fundamental as surviving.

So like, from the good bits of the show, the POINT is there's no easy solution.

From the, um, end of the show, I guess that they should all hope that God magically shows up to throw all the "evil" people into a black hole, provide them with a brand new promised land, and make them all suddenly forget any objections they ever had about...anything because it's the season finale they wanted a blank slate?

That whole interview is a mockery of...anything that can be made a mockery of.

Yes. It's too much of a mockery to even have been anything, once upon a time, with mocking removed. IT WASN'T EVEN AN INTERVIEW. I REFUSE TO BELIEVE IT HAPPENED.

ETA: EJO IS BILLY JOEL! Ahahahaha.

...we really had no idea how right we were with that, did we? *shudder*

[greycoupon.livejournal.com]

TWAS ME, YES.

He also said they spoke to the General Assembly.

Not correct.

"The guy, head of the UN..." who used the word race... No, they didn't meet with Ban Ki-moon (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_Secretary-General)

[beccatoria.livejournal.com]

alkdlfsjdskslfj *flails*

EJO, EVEN I KNOW WHO THE HEAD OF THE UN IS, AND I'VE NEVER EVER BEEN THERE.

But thank you for finding this...treasure trove of WTF. Really. I just... Words, dude. I don't have them.

[nicole-anell.livejournal.com]

This would not be so bad, if there were any evidence at all that it had been changed.
Wait, WHAT?

I'll be honest, I heard this through my flist yesterday without reading the article, and I was like "Oh really? That's so sweet! Tiny and symbolic, but you know, if the message of the show can actually affect how people feel about the world that's beautiful."

BUT WTF, THAT ARTICLE. I really hate that he's gonna be at Dragon Con again this year. :(

[asta77.livejournal.com]

I was looking at likely having a lot of panel conflicts at DC this year; Eddie is making it so much easier for me to skip BSG panels now.

[heyiya.livejournal.com]

Wait, what? I've been reading/teaching about the Chicano movement this week and (much to my shame as I keep remembering when I described him as white in a blog entry), EJO is all over every film connected to it. Surely he knows the difference between acknowledging inequality and perpetuating racial determinism... SURELY THIS MUST BE A JOKE???

[beccatoria.livejournal.com]

I DON'T KNOW, I JUST DON'T KNOW. I WANT TO BELIEVE IT'S A JOKE BUT I DON'T THINK IT CAN BE. *cries*

greycoupon has found some more information. It seems to be a case of massive ego-driven exaggeration whereby EJO is mistaking the preamble of a recent big UN global summit on racism which argued against the idea of discrete human races with a) the UN Charter and b) something that happened solely because of him. o_O

Though to be honest, I'm not entirely sure how comforted I am by this. It was almost better when he was just bugfuck insane, you know?

As to your actual point I...bloody well hope so, but to be honest, I don't think he sees the hypocrisy of his statements? Like he's grandstanding on a nice soundbyte and as usual displaying a profound lack of subtlety?

(If it helps, I've seen a huge number of people thinking Adama's white due to the contacts and his white son. I would probably have made that mistake too if I hadn't watched the BSG mini series right after the first time I ever saw Blade Runner.)

[greycoupon.livejournal.com]

Working on a transcript.

[emmiere.livejournal.com]

You're braver than me AND awesome.

[greycoupon.livejournal.com]

Here. I made a transcript. http://greycoupon.livejournal.com/390057.html

I'm a little mad. Obviously, I should go call my coworkers in Israel and tell them all problems will be solves and there will be peace if only they air drop BSG DVDs and host some public screenings.

[beccatoria.livejournal.com]

OMG I AM AWED THAT YOU DID THAT!

It is, unfortunately, almost by bedtime (I have been out ALL DAY and missed so much time to mock EJO *woe*), but I'm definitely going to be reading through that tomorrow. With popcorn.

[greycoupon.livejournal.com]

So who wants go with me at D*C when I go up to EJO in the WoF and explain how offensive his idea for solving the mid east crisis is?

[beccatoria.livejournal.com]

I am, tragically, not going, but I sure as hell hope someone takes you up on your offer cus someone needs to point this out to him... o_O

[grey-sw.livejournal.com]

Gee, if the Palestinians and Israelis could only see BSG, they could reconcile, huh? With a singularity, perhaps? C'mon, "reconciliation" wasn't exactly the dominant theme of the finale. That might apply to most of the show, sure, but the last season took possession of the ball with just fifteen yards to go, and then ran it all the way back into Reconciliation's own goal line, thus putting Ignorance up by 2.

If only there were a convenient phrase I could use to illustrate this phenomenon... something about going the wrong waaaaaaaaay, perhaps?

Also, that video is beyond insane. Admiral, there's a wireless call from Earth for you: YOU ARE AN ACTOR AND THE SPACESHIP WASN'T REAL.

[beccatoria.livejournal.com]

Well, I don't know about you, but I always thought that what reconciliation actually meant was agreeing to live with a token number of your enemies because GOD HIMSELF INTERVENED TO DEMAND IT after making sure all the members of that group who weren't actively trying to "fit into" your way of living were conveniently killed, again, BY GOD HIMSELF, so that you didn't have to feel guilty.

The only thing left to decide is whether God should be killing 95% of the Israelis or the Palestinians. I say we toss a coin!

*facepalm*

Also, that video is beyond insane. Admiral, there's a wireless call from Earth for you: YOU ARE AN ACTOR AND THE SPACESHIP WASN'T REAL.

I want to print it on a T-Shirt and mail it to him. Possibly also the genius football analogy...

[nightxade.livejournal.com]

I think it would have been awesome if he'd had exhibits, featuring footage from the show. Perhaps re-enacted the paint scene? The Foxes speech?

[beccatoria.livejournal.com]

HE COULD DO THAT AT THE SAME TIME!

A GLORIOUS SCENE OF PAINTING USING DROWNED FOXES BEFORE FALLING OVER IN A MIX OF PAINT AND REALLY AUTHENTIC VOMIT!11!!1!

Then the Emmy's will HAVE to acknowledge him!

[greycoupon.livejournal.com]

Oh Becca.

Please play for me. They did a 23 minute interview with him.

I'm listening.

[beccatoria.livejournal.com]

...dear god woman, have strength!

After consideration, I've decided to pray to the Lords of Kobol rather than the One True God, who I liked much more when he was just the Cylon God. If I prayed to him now, he might, I don't know, throw us both into a black hole or something because we like technology...