“Sod the benefits and the heartpouring and the fundraisers for aid to Africa. They don’t work. Force is needed, you wimpy communists.” I’m not sure the show’s saying that financial charity doesn’t work, but to be sure throwing dollar bills at the rebel army probably wouldn’t be enough to stop them here any more than it would have stopped Hitler’s military actions.

Sometimes I wonder if the writers of 24 feel like they’re running out of acceptable targets. Arab terrorists? Politically incorrect even with frequent disclaimers that not all Muslims are like that (portraying Islamo-phobes in a negative light, having various good Muslim characters denouncing the terrorist actions, President Wayne Palmer saying the American Muslim community is the best line of defense etc.). Africans? Apparently that didn’t work perfectly either, even in the background of an African democratic nation.

What about white guys as villains? Maybe a white American that’s willing to start a war for oil? Or a white guy attacking America with numerous threats for political purposes? Or a corrupt white male President? Or a big name actor like Jon Voight playing a major white male American villain in the same season as the Sangala one? Problem is, they’ve actually done all that, and entities like Geek Pie don’t seem to notice.

Many are so bent on seeing 24 as show for conservatives that they don’t appreciate the diversity of its villains–or heroes for that matter (anyone remember David Palmer? The upright black Democratic President?).