The views and opinions expressed herein are certainly those solely of the authors and may not necessarily reflect those of the rest of the human race.

The night before the 2004 US Presidential Election, I happened upon our Boss, aka Sean Carless. What followed just went all over politics and wrestling and cultural divides and all that good shit.

After reading it a few times, I got Boss’s permission to edit it to the pertinent parts of the conversation and let it fly. Enjoy – and I promise I won’t make a habit of taking the cheap way out ...

seancarless1: What do you think they'll do with the "Arab" characters on Raw?

seancarless1: I have a bad feeling

MMelchor1974: Oh man, they'd better be careful with that shit...

MMelchor1974: ...I really like the idea they seemingly have for it; to have the character walk the fine line between an honest citizen and an obnoxious Muslim. But they need to tread lightly...

seancarless1: I can't see how you can book them as heels when it represents a true cross section of the population

MMelchor1974: ...if for no other reason than NOT to give WWE's detractors (especially mainstream ones) a reason to open fire.

seancarless1: They're being discriminated against

seancarless1: true...but...

MMelchor1974: And that's the BIGGEST reason WWE needs to be careful.

seancarless1: did you hear the BOOS when they mentioned Allah?

seancarless1: That's what I'm talking about

seancarless1: from a writing perspective this might be done very similarly to the Bret Hart storyline in 97

MMelchor1974: I'd LOVE to see this kind of forward-thinking character and idea play out well. But then I'm one of only a handful that'd be ready (read: open-minded) for it.

MMelchor1974: That's true. if they can strike again with that they have a winner...

seancarless1: in that they're truly "right" and the fans will be the "heels" but never know it

MMelchor1974: ...but that's a BIG "if". And this is a much more sensitive issue than Canada will ever be.

seancarless1: Very true

seancarless1: but the Allah gesture was cheap heat

seancarless1: John Q. Redneck watching is saying "well, fuck this!"

MMelchor1974: Yeah it was - right along with asking the crowd to be quiet so his manager could translate for their "Arab brothers"/

seancarless1: It's a great way for WWE to pass the buck on responsibility

seancarless1: exactly

MMelchor1974: And, I'm sure, one of the reasons they pulled the trigger on it.

seancarless1: However, the moment, JR or King take offense to them wanting "respect" it'll cave in on itself

seancarless1: it has to be booked that they're misunderstood

seancarless1: or it breeds the message that "All Muslims really are sneaky and Evil"

seancarless1: but WWE, will denigrate it into cheap nationalistic heat

seancarless1: mark my words, there will be a point where Hassan disowns America

seancarless1: it's the WWE way

seancarless1: It's too complex a character

seancarless1: for them not to stereotype

MMelchor1974: Precisely. Not only is John Q Public not ready for it, but Creative's track record shows that they may wind up pissing all over it, anyway.

seancarless1: very true

seancarless1: If they really wanted to try something revolutionary, they'd book him as a face

seancarless1: re-unite America

seancarless1: have him be a good guy

seancarless1: but they won't be able to resist the urge to settle into "USA is not OK!" type of schtick

MMelchor1974: Yep. And THAT'S the sort of thing I'd LOVE this to turn into – a true exploration of racism.

MMelchor1974: But from WWE? I doubt we'll ever see it, unfortunately.

seancarless1: That's a great point

seancarless1: Unfortunately WWE is promoted towards a very red neck, intolerant "good ole boy" type audience

MMelchor1974: Well, what has the stereotype of the :”wrestling fan” ever been? There are vast numbers of intelligent fans, but odds are we're still in the minority.

seancarless1: that's true

seancarless1: I'd love to see a gimmick worked towards intelligent people

seancarless1: one that doesn't disintegrate into stereotype

MMelchor1974: Aye, as would I. Let's see WWE prove how "sophisticated" they THINK their audiences are. Just to shove it in the rest of the media's face.

seancarless1: I have to admit, they handled the Eugene thing better than I expected

MMelchor1974: Aye, they have. Maybe that's a small sign of hope for them...?

seancarless1: but their track record on U.S. political issues is less than admirable

seancarless1: maybe

seancarless1: I hope so

MMelchor1974: See: UnAmericans

seancarless1: Exactly

seancarless1: or even La Resistance

MMelchor1974: The Quebecers 2.0

seancarless1: I bet the majority of people have no idea what the U.S.'s gripe with France really was

MMelchor1974: Of course not. What's important to Vince is that the American public still hates France. Damn the reasons why.

seancarless1: although, the poetic soliloquy of one Scott Steiner in his infamous debate had to fill them in....

seancarless1: You get the distinct feeling that Vince is very right wing in his political views

MMelchor1974: Oh, good Lord. We are talking about political storylines aimed at INTELLIGENT people, right?

seancarless1: lol

seancarless1: good point

MMelchor1974: But that doesn't stop Vince from fucking around with the Right Wing when the time and purpose suits him, either.

seancarless1: That's one thing I've never gotten is the close-mindedness of people when it comes to politics

seancarless1: everyone totes a party line

seancarless1: instead of picking and choosing what they truly believe for themselves

MMelchor1974: Well, they say that the 2 worst topics to discuss with anyone are religion and politics...

seancarless1: and soon the two MAY become one

seancarless1:... if you catch my drift

MMelchor1974: There's a simple answer for that - people are sheep. Especially in this country. They'd rather be blindly force fed something rather than to WORK for their beliefs.

seancarless1: which is funny because I'm actually quite religious believe it, or not, but Bush's politics I find alienating

MMelchor1974: And the 2 have been one for YEARS now.

MMelchor1974: Well, yeah...the idea of “go my way or get your guts stomped out” can be a little off-putting.

seancarless1: I've never understood the correlation of religion and big business

seancarless1: it doesn't go together

seancarless1: it's funny to me

MMelchor1974: Simple – see if you can brainwash the masses into buying something as well as believing something.

seancarless1: If anything, (despite your beliefs) I'd assume Jesus wouldn't be for the very wealthy

MMelchor1974: Good point. The man DID believe in GIVING everything away...

seancarless1: If anything, based on history, you'd assume that Christ would be more of a socialist

seancarless1: which is also funny

MMelchor1974: You didn't see his ass driving around in a BMW or anything...

seancarless1: because communism and spirituality don't go together either

MMelchor1974: Aye, definitely not a capitalist.

MMelchor1974: In the right hands they could. Obey ONE God and ONE Party.

seancarless1: It's like the parties are mixed up belief wise

MMelchor1974: Not unlike Hitler.

seancarless1: good point

seancarless1: regardless of a persons beliefs, religion and politics don't match

seancarless1: look at England

seancarless1: it's entire history is dealing with the shortcomings of combining the two

MMelchor1974: No, they don't. And the problem is that many Churches have tried to intervene anyway and the politicians are more than happy to let them so long as the masses fall in line with what they want.

seancarless1: It's really an America divided right now

seancarless1: a lot of alienation going on

MMelchor1974: Seems to be a mindset of “chocolate & peanut butter” when the combination tastes more like cow dung & lizard parts.

seancarless1: Hell, look at that bill Bush passed on faith based donations by the Government

seancarless1: Did you know, that NOT ONE non-Christian charity has been donated to under this bill?

MMelchor1974: Yeah there is. Those that don't necessarily follow “the American way” (church and blowing up everything that opposes us in the name of patriotism) are getting more vocal about what they believe is right...

seancarless1: very true

MMelchor1974: ...and those in power touting "the American Way" are rather upset about it.

seancarless1: I can understand completely

seancarless1: How does this make the Jews feel for one?

seancarless1: or the Muslims

MMelchor1974: Of course not. That goes against his - and “America's” – line of operating.

MMelchor1974: Buddhists

MMelchor1974: Pagans/Wiccans

seancarless1: exactly

seancarless1: there's a lot of ground there not having it's voice heard

MMelchor1974: Hell, pick a group that ISN'T Christian or Catholic.

seancarless1: exactly

MMelchor1974: But they're forcing themselves to be heard now, and that's where the unrest is coming from.

seancarless1: That's the thing

seancarless1: Bush may have fucked himself

MMelchor1974: Hopefully he'll be bending over in about 24 hours...

seancarless1: he's alienated anyone who isn't a whitebred Catholic or Pentacostal

seancarless1: LOL

seancarless1: exactly

MMelchor1974: And there's a LOT of those folk 'round these parts.

seancarless1: the funny thing is I have both liberal and conservative views on different things

seancarless1: but there's no party for people like me

MMelchor1974: Well, of course. Because you're a free thinker, and free thinkers are fucked.

seancarless1: that's true

seancarless1: History has proved it

MMelchor1974: Aye.

seancarless1: So, you're voting for Kerry?

MMelchor1974: At this rate, I'll be doing what I did in 2000...

MMelchor1974: ...Checking the "Other" box and writing in the name of Jesse Ventura.

seancarless1: LOL

seancarless1: "I ain't got time to bleed"

seancarless1: Jess rules

MMelchor1974: I'm dead serious! The entire idea of voting is to have our individual voices heard as to who we want to see run the country...

seancarless1: I'd vote for him just for his scruffy HGH James Lipton look he had at Mania 20

seancarless1: great point

MMelchor1974: ...and my choice is Jesse. And the main reason is his main tenet that the Government should STAY OUT of the private lives of its citizens.

seancarless1: I TOTALLY agree

seancarless1: That's a great point you made

MMelchor1974: If people were trusted to govern themselves and not be forced to fall in line with some talking head dipshit placed in office by corporate interests, we'd be a lot better off.

MMelchor1974: HOW many European nations have made that idea work?

MMelchor1974: England doesn't even have guns, for fuck's sake!

seancarless1: Too many people choose one of the two “main” candidates just because they look at it as a “lesser of two evils”

seancarless1: instead of voting who THEY want

seancarless1: which is true democracy

MMelchor1974: Right-o. And I'm sorry, but like NWA, I Ain't Tha 1.

seancarless1: lol

MMelchor1974: On that note, I'm going back to bed.

seancarless1: Ok, dude, you take care man,

MMelchor1974: Been a GREAT conversation. Thank you again.

seancarless1: no problem, thank you