Star Wars for Liberty

Calling Bush Darth Vader has always been a fairly weak joke (particularly since Cheney is obviously the real Darth Vader), except that it turns out that Darth Vader more or less is Bush as far as the Star Wars creators concerned. I am amazed to write that the buzz suggests that not only is the new Star Wars pretty good, it's a anti-Bush, anti-fascist metaphor, enough that the wee weeny whiny weasels on the right are already calling for a boycott. Kid Darth himself confirms it. The joke has been upgraded to metaphor.

"So this is how liberty dies, to thunderous applause," says the Princess as the Republic adopts dictatorial powers. Pray that this line resonates. Use this line right and we might be able to stop the Patriot Act renewal.

I suspect that the right-wing's early freak-out is a good sign. We might forget how big Star Wars is in the world, on gazillions of tweens and teens in the seats. If this movie gets every kid in America to ask uncomfortable questions about our government and its ever-growing cult of power for it's own sake, Lucas is officially forgiven for two terrible movies, and may be partly credited with saving the real Republic.