As loathe as my social liberal persona is to admit it, Newt Gingrich is right. North Korea's attack on SONY PICTURES amounted to cyber warfare and North Korea won that battle. SONY's unseemly - and pathetically rapid capitulation - amounted to an unconscionable act of cowardice. Worse, bowing to external pressure - especially threats of violence - emboldens anyone with a disagreement, grudge, or self-serving point-of-view, making life more difficult for SONY and any other company that chooses to offer an opposing viewpoint, promote, support or simply depict a differing lifestyle or even offend, deliberately or unwittingly, some group, faction or petty despot. Are we heading for a day when anyone with a peanut allergy can threaten to blow up peanut farms if Skippy refuses to withdraw peanut butter from the market? I am being glib and I hope my sarcasm offends SONY (though I mean absolutely no disrespect towards anyone living and suffering with a peanut allergy).
I have no interest in seeing "The Interview". It did not make my list even before "The Interview" and cyber-terrorism were inexorably linked. I do not believe I would watch even if SONY offered the film free of charge across cable and the internet but - since I do object to others being promised then prevented a chance to see the film (not to mention the whole giving in to bullies thing) - I would applaud such a grand gesture. Besides, if they did it right, SONY might even manage to cover costs.
Was that cynical...?
Probably was...but it doesn't change the fact that SONY should make this right.
