Two Towers under protest, please read!!!

http://www.twotowersprotest.org/index.html

These people are actually organizing a protest against the name of the second volume of The Lord of the Rings. Message boards can be very powerful so this cannot be taken lightly. These peopel actually believe that Peter Jackson named the movie the Two Towers in order to capitalize on the events of 9/11 to make more money for the movie. Completely disregarding the fact that this was the original title given to the book by J.R.R. Tolkein himself. You can email these idiots at
twotowersprotest@twotowersprotest.org

I happen to live less then 15 miles away from where the WTC was attacked. Because of that I can tell you what cooked flesh smells like. I woke up that morning to watch the towers fall and I have to say that I will live with that forever. It infuriates me to see a group of people use that just to get 15 minuetes of fame for themselves. I'm disgusted by what that site is trying to do. Please protest against this and don't fail to mention that they can very easily be sued for slander.

[Goldberry]

omg!!!!!!!!
what idiots!!!!
the LotR has nothing at all to do with 9/11!!!!! [img]smilies/eek.gif[/img]

[DaughterofVana]

There IS a thread like this somewhere, though I couldn't seem to find it. As for the above, I would ignore them. For people who can't figure out that it was a book before a movie, much less a book that was written over fifty years before September 11th, that's the best policy.

-'Vana

[ February 17, 2003: Message edited by: DaughterofVana ]

[Faye Took]

That is the most idiotic thing I have ever seen. I will most definatly be contacting them.

[MLD-Grounds-Keeper-Willie]

Well as much as I dislike PJ for the job he did, I'll back him up here. These people are so stupid. They have no right to claim that, and besides, if the movie was to be named in accordance to 9-11, it would be called the Twin Towers instead. So I think we should all talk about it here and you can email them the url adress so they can come see for themselves.

[ February 17, 2003: Message edited by: MLD-Grounds-Keeper-Willie ]

[The Saucepan Man]

Yes, I saw the other thread on this and I seem to remember someone saying that Jackson & co actively refused to change the name of the second film. Quite right too. Hadn't a large part of it been filmed before 11 September anyway? Let alone the fact that the book on which it is based was written over 50 years ago.

But, happily, these people failed. The film has come out, and lo, it is called the Two Towers. So, why worry about a bunch of idiots who clearly have a distorted view of the world and can't be bothered to check their facts?

[Arwen Imladris]

Along the same lines, some people try to paint TTT as an analogy between the US and Iraq.

The comparison has received a lot of press particularly in the U.S. where some have even gone so far as to suggest Christopher Lee's character — the evil Lord Saruman — looks like Osama bin Laden (does that mean George W Bush is Gandalf?)

What Viggo thinks.

[Faye Took]

People are starting to get a little too dramatic about LotR. Like Saucepan Man mentioned, its a book written over 50 years ago. I mean Saruman has a beard and so does Osama, thats about it. I think they look nothing at all alike. George Bush compared to Gandalf? Not at all right. Too dramatic

[The Saucepan Man]

Hey, Gandalf has a beard too.

Perhaps Sauron had a bushy moustache just like Saddam's. [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

Mind you, going by the reaction of the many who marched on Saturday, Dubya is the Sauron figure and our dear little Tony is his Saruman. [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

[XPhial]

People, this site is a joke. There is a petition online that is also a joke. Calm down.

[avarrogion]

Whoever started it is a loser...an idiot!

[Faye Took]

Yep, complete idiot.

[Coral]

It's a joke? Well, it's an old joke then...Actually, there was a real protest group, don't know what happened to them [img]smilies/rolleyes.gif[/img]

[avarrogion]

Almost evryone knows that PJ was merely following the books and not the event that stir this crap...it`s all plainly idiotic!

[LePetitChoux]

So am I the only person who finds this funny?
Seriously, the person who started this either needs help or is the best public joke player ever!
The bit that really cracks me up is this:

The creators of the movie have free speech, so what makes you think they should have to change the name of the movie?

We believe that Peter Jackson and New Line Cinema's actions are in fact hate speech. The movie is intentionally being named The Two Towers in order to capitalize on the tragedy of September 11. Clearly, you cannot deny the fact that this falls under hate speech. We believe that if they will not willingly change the name, the government should step in to stop the movie's production or to force a name change

,
the funny bit being:

The movie is intentionally being named The Two Towers in order to capitalize on the tragedy of September 11.

And the thing is, they are absolutely right! PJ named TTT TTT not because

• He really loves Tolkien and has done from an early age
• The book bearing that name was written 50 years ago

No, he just decided to cash in on a tragedy.
PJ! How self-centred of you!

Oh, by the way I was being sarcastic.

[The Saucepan Man]

If its a joke, it's a pretty sick one. Unfortunately, I think that they are being serious.

What about:

Clearly, you cannot deny the fact that this falls under hate speech.

Well, that seems not a little presumptious to me. Not only am I being told that I clearly cannot deny that the naming of the film is an example something that I have never even heard of. (Hate speech?? Perhaps some Orcish dialect?? [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img] ). I am also being told that I clearly cannot deny something which is plainly wrong. [img]smilies/mad.gif[/img]

[ February 18, 2003: Message edited by: The Saucepan Man ]

[Mattius]

"Hate speech"? The whole idea sounds like something from George Orwell's 1984 for God's sake. I can't really decide whether this is a joke or not, I found the URL a few months back and mailed them criticsing their view, you know, just incase they were serious. If it is serious then they are very small minded and ignorant individuals who should not be recieving this sort of attention.

[Andephelien]

thats stupid! [img]smilies/confused.gif[/img] First of all the move is the "TWO Towers" and not the twin towers. And tolkien write the book even before those towers were built! [img]smilies/mad.gif[/img]

[Inderjit Sanghera]

"Hate speech"!!!sounds like 1984.

Ahh....that website was ignorance and jingoism at it's finest.

[Merri]

[img]smilies/mad.gif[/img]

That says it all for me.

[MyPreciousGollum]

Cleary I cannot deny that this falls under hate speech.

The TWO Towers were wrote before the TWIN Towers were built!!!

Sure, they stopped FOX showing "Phone Booth",
but they can't stop the millions........and millions......and millions of Tolkien Fans.

[ February 18, 2003: Message edited by: MyPreciousGollum ]

[The Squatter of Amon Rûdh]

Calm down, chaps and chapesses.

Speaking as a software engineer for a web solutions company, even if the material on that site were 100% accurate it would still fail. The aggressively ultra-patriotic American imagery is quite threatening to someone brought up in the United Kingdom, where it is almost unheard-of to see the national flag plastered over anything so liberally. The site looks amateurish; it has little content and no supporting evidence; and what arguments there are could be annihilated by an average ten-year-old with a copy of The Lord of the Rings.

What we have, then, is a site that is aggressive, ugly, ill-informed, devoid of really meaningful content, and which appears to rely entirely on emotive patriotic imagery to garner support. This campaign would fail against a small rabbit sanctuary, let alone New Line Cinema.

Let them think that they are making a difference and being patriotic. That way it will be more amusing to watch their campaign fizzle out and die.

[Finnguala]

*sigh* some people are really pathetic...

Well, I think we shouln't care about this too much. There're already enough crazy people in the world [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

[Lossentilien]

Philistines! How ignorant do you have to be to event think of stuff like that? Maybe they have nothing better to do than make up excuses about why something as sucessful as LOTR is bad. You can count on them not being very intelligent, as they don't have any common sense. I think we should all feel very sorry for them. If I ever acted like that, my friends and family would probably shoot me, cause it'd be in my best interest. I'd rather die than be that stupid.

Maybe we should start a law suit against the people who named the TWIN towers, cause obviously they stole the name from Tolkien. [img]smilies/rolleyes.gif[/img]

[The Squatter of Amon Rûdh]

Maybe we should start a law suit against the people who named the TWIN towers, cause obviously they stole the name from Tolkien.

Clearly.

The Fellowship of the Ring: First published 1954

The Two Towers: First published 1954, second edition 1966

The Return of the King: First published 1955, second edition 1966

All publications George Allan and Unwin.

World Trade Center, NYC "The Twin Towers" (designed by Minoru Yamasaki): Built 1966 - 1977

[Legolas]

Say, they should have the publishers change the name on the book covers too!

We believe that Peter Jackson and New Line Cinema's actions are in fact hate speech. The movie is intentionally being named The Two Towers in order to capitalize on the tragedy of September 11.

rofl

I don't think you can put a price on sensitivity,

Maybe not, but you can put a limit on how much you're willing to cater to and proclaim "suck it up, baby" - that limit was surpassed the minute someone even thought about this concept.

The name of this movie will undoubtedly cause a return of the emotions felt on Sept 11th which left so many people in the nation feeling stunned and in a state of shock.

Oh yes; I was devastated. Cried all the way through the movie.

[Or was that because of Jackson's gruesome plot mutations? Yes, yes - that was it, sorry.]

[ February 18, 2003: Message edited by: Legolas ]

[Lossenorodion]

this guys are i!)¡0+$ they dont even know a thing about it. what does the TWO TOWERSTWO TOWERS have to do with TWIN TOWERS dam im contacting them right now.the only thing in comon is that they are towers and thats all.

and besides two towers is older by far lots of years and what about the other countries it isnt fair for the world.i know it really made great sentimen in us it also made in me but c'mon changing a great story for just this no way. [img]smilies/mad.gif[/img]

[propagandalf]

haha. comic relief? sorry, i didn't even bother clicking the link. sounds like fridgebuzz to me.

anyways,

The comparison has received a lot of press particularly in the U.S. where some have even gone so far as to suggest Christopher Lee's character — the evil Lord Saruman — looks like Osama bin Laden (does that mean George W Bush is Gandalf?)

this makes me wanna cry. bush = gandalf *mental breakdown*

I don't like hearing things like this. Sure, lotr says plenty about the real world and about life. But it's no allegory. Middle-earth= magic. Real world= crap. Mixing them together is just not right [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]. That is my opinion.

[Rynoah, the Overly-Happy]

*yawns* Boring. Old. Heard it before.

Does that mean the Book of Mormon is hate speech because it mentions trouble in New York and something about two towers falling?

Anyway, just ignore it (or laugh, however you cut the cake). It's already too late for a protest.

[avarrogion]

OMG a lawsuit againts all the Twin Towers would mean my country towers would have to be in it too...The Petronas Twin Towers... [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img] LOL
What will happen if we lose the lawsuit?

I would lmao if the name was changed to The "Two Towers, (not in anyway shape or form related to the Twin Towers.)"

[propagandalf]

post script

The movie is intentionally being named The Two Towers in order to capitalize on the tragedy of September 11. Clearly, you cannot deny the fact that this falls under hate speech. We believe that if they will not willingly change the name, the government should step in to stop the movie's production or to force a name change

Any idiot would know that J.R.R. Tolkien came up with that title ages ago. Clearly these things are being said for publicity's sake. And to provoke LOTR fans. (They got our attention didn't they?). They are the ones using the popularity of The Two Towers to further their cause (whatever it is). They're the ones who should be sued.

As for the press in the US (or anywhere) comparing the events in real life to the events in the book,

As for any inner meaning or 'message', it has in the intention of the author none. It is neither allegorical nor topical."

"I cordially dislike allegory in all its manifestations, and always have done so since i grew old and wary enough to detect it presence."

-J.R.R. Tolkien, foreword FOTR

So leave LOTR alone, yoo vooltoores. 'hate speech'? heh. Down with big brother.


edit: ermm.. sorry if i got carried away. that gandalf-bush comparison really freaked me out. heehee [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img].

[ February 18, 2003: Message edited by: propagandalf ]

[DaughterofVana]

Middle-earth= magic. Real world= crap. Mixing them together is just not right

Well said, 'mano, well said. [img]smilies/cool.gif[/img] This could be said for several other threads...

-'Vana

[the phantom]

I read through the site, and from what I gathered, they do actually acknowledge that the book was written first, it's just that they think PJ should've been "sensitive" and renamed the movie.

Well, that's still ritarded.

The movie is based on the book, so of course you keep the name the same!

You don't change the title of a literary masterpiece because of current events. That's akin to setting a precedent for history revision (a practice that was common in the communist USSR, and so it surprises me greatly that such an "American" site would identify with such a thing).

[ February 19, 2003: Message edited by: the phantom ]

[The Saucepan Man]

I don't know whether this has been posted anywhere else, but it certainly seems appropriate on this thread:

Return of the King Protest

If you saw the original Two Towers Protest website, go and have a look at this one. It's priceless. [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

I especially liked the e-mails that they have recieved from outraged Tolkien fans who didn't realise that it was a parody. (Warning: don't look at them if bad language offends you [img]smilies/eek.gif[/img] ) Classic examples of people reacting without engaging their brain. [img]smilies/rolleyes.gif[/img] This one is particularly good:

It was book that was written 100 years before elvis was even born , its just a damn movie , just get over it

Er, slight problem with the timing there ...

[img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

[Lossentilien]

Hahaha. I like this part;

We're hoping this will help us get chicks

How can anyone think it's serious??

[Galenfea of Mirkwood.]

all I can say is, that if "The Two Towers" had anything to do with 9/11 Tolkien was a prophet and I admire him a whole lot more.

[Meela]

This is such an old protest. They should get over themselves.

Love the Return Of The King Protest!!

[Annalaliath]

I just e-mailed the people. I just didn't fell up to alowing everyone to read that but basically i wrote a very offensive note. But i sent t from my msn account were they can send me soemthing back. If they are so poo poo about this issue then they have no bussness living in real life.

Also, the publisher named the books TTT not Tolkien himself, he just agreed.

[ May 16, 2003: Message edited by: Annalaliath ]

[GaladrieloftheOlden]

No, we do not believe this because we're a very closed minded type of organization.

Says it all in a sentence.

~Menelien