Not Goblins and Orcs This Time: ‘Gimli’ Defends Western Civilization

National Catholic Register ^ | 15 December 2003 | Steven D. Greydanus

[big'ol_freeper]

At a recent get-together with the cast of The Lord of the Rings, perhaps the most passionate observations came from John Rhys-Davies.

He’s the actor who plays the dwarf Gimli, the proud defender of the ancient ways of the dwarfs, who know or thing or two about the collapse of civilizations: The dwarf civilization was left in ruins, as The Fellowship of the Ring, the first Lord of the Rings movie, made clear as the company of the ring struggled through the Mines of Moria.

He’s also the actor who gave his voice to Treebeard the Ent in The Two Towers, the second Lord of the Rings movie. The Ents are also a dying civilization that is being attacked by the Orc forces of the wizard Saruman.

Now, as The Return of the King is poised for its Dec. 17 release, Davies warns that his own civilization is under attack. Only now, it’s the Western civilization he’s defending, and he sees radical Islam as the attacker.

[Lil'freeper]

Ping!

[Lil'freeper]

Pssst.

[ecurbh]

Ring Ping!!

There and Back Again: The Journeys of Flat Frodo

Anyone wishing to be added to or removed from the Ring-Ping list, please don't hesitate to let me know.

[BibChr]

Ping

[HairOfTheDog]

Great article....

I think he more than cancels out Viggo.

[Professional Engineer]

DOH!

[Alkhin]

Hear Hear!!! DITTOS

Mr. Davies, if you read this, THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART! WESTERN CIVILIZATION AND HISTORY IS MORE THAN WORTHY TO DEFEND. IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT WE UPHOLD IT.

It never ceases to amaze me that those who support communism and socialism and every antithesis to the ideals of Western culture while enjoying the benefits of Western culture are adamant to the point of nihilism. Do people hate themselves THAT much?

[Corin Stormhands]

But if it involves the replacement of Western civilization with a different civilization with different cultural values, then it is something we really ought to discuss — because, hang it all, I am for dead-white-male culture!

I would think that after this that dwarves will be shown a little more respect.

[Sam Cree]

Well at least there's one actor in the movie with a grain of sense in his head.

Go dwarves!
Or is it dwarfs?

[Professional Engineer]

The Dwarf is a suspect? GET THE DWARF!

[RosieCotton]

I love this article! My Dad gets NCR, so I actually read this last Friday, but I'm really glad you posted it for us!

JRD is one of the good guys, for sure.

[Faraday]

Gimli towers over Aragorn.

[Maigret]

And I bet he won't be invited on Charlie Rose's show to counter Viggo's 'no blood for oil' rants, but he's my hero :)

[MayDay72]

"It never ceases to amaze me that those who support communism and socialism and every antithesis to the ideals of Western culture while enjoying the benefits of Western culture are adamant to the point of nihilism. Do people hate themselves THAT much?" -Alkhin

I'm not so sure that it is a matter of "hate" so much as "envy"...

[Deb]

FYI: we were uninvited to the Paris premiere because Peter feared JRD would insult the French. A good bet.

[Siamese Princess]

Great piece! John Rhys-Davies is a brave man -- considering that Hollywood is dominated by intolerant liberals. He has the courage to say things that even so-called conservatives will not discuss.

“If it just means the replacement of one genetic stock with another genetic stock, that doesn’t matter too much. But if it involves the replacement of Western civilization with a different civilization with different cultural values, then it is something we really ought to discuss — because, hang it all, I am for dead-white-male culture!”

I don't agree here. I think that if you replace the genetic stock by definition you are replacing the civilization.

[Restorer]

I think that if you replace the genetic stock by definition you are replacing the civilization.

Quite incorrect, although you certainly have the right to be wrong. :)

Today Western civilization is being bravely defended in Iraq by Americans of European, East Asian, Native American and African ancestries, and various mixtures thereof. Are they any less members of that civilization because they are not all of pure European ancestry?

[BibChr]

<< FYI: we were uninvited to the Paris premiere because Peter feared JRD would insult the French. A good bet. >>

LOL; thanks for the first laugh of the day.

I wish I could get the chance to meet you guys some day. It's a pleasure "knowing" you!

Dan
(c8

[rightwingreligiousfanatic]

WOW!

I nearly skipped this article, but I am sure glad I didn't. Right On JRD!

“I think that Tolkien says that some generations will be challenged,” Rhys-Davies said, “and if they do not rise to meet that challenge, they will lose their civilization. That does have a real resonance with me.”

Resonance indeed! Exactly what we are living through right now....

sniff... makes me proud to be a dwarf.....

DEFENDERS OF CIVILIZATION