A Justifiable Representaion of a Man Hitting a Woman?; or, a Question that Has Been on Harrogate's Mind Since 1995

Lots of great things about 1995. Baseball was in a sense redeemed from the ignoble 1994 strike, by the Mariners' heroic playoff comeback against the Yankees, when Ken Griffey, Jr. rounded the bases all the way from first when Edgar Martinez heroically roped a double down the left field line (look closely at the end of the clip, you'll see that none other than a fresh-faced Alex Rodriguez was waiting in the on-deck circle to greet Griffey home). It was just the other day that Harrogate was arguing that Edgar should be inducted into the Hall of Fame, despite the fact that he was a DH. Except for perhaps paperweight, probably no better pure right-handed hitter has graced the plate in Harrogate's lifetime.

Phish was in their prime in 1995. Harrogate, firmly ensconced on Pete's Couch, did not like Phish at the time, though now, far from Pete's Couch, he loves Phish. [surprises lurk in the links, O Readers.]

Also in 1995, Harrogate rented the movie Drop Zone. Starring Wesley Snipes and the great, great, great Gary Busey, it appealed to Harrogate immensely, and still does. But one moment happens in that movie the likes of which Harrogate cannot for the life of him recall having ever seen in a movie. It is a moment in which a man hits a woman across the face with his fist, knocking her on her ass, and though the female in question is a wholly sympathetic character, the narrative fully supports the action. Indeed, it is a comedic moment. As a viewer, because of the Rhetorical Situation in which it happens, one may even want to cheer.

All Harrogate asks of those who would respond is, please don't invoke issues related to snuff, which we obviously reject, unless you are prepared to make the case that there is a substantive connection betwixt the scene in question, and snuff.

So, in the spirit of Elmo's goldfish Dorothy, Harrogate "has a question" for his fellow Board Members and Readers alike. When you watch the clip below, check out the action between the 1:00 mark and about 1:15. Tell Harrogate if you don't think Wesley does the right thing here. And what might the broader implications of our answers be?