If America Fails?

“Heroism and Gender in War Films,” co-edited by Karen A. Ritzenhoff and Jakub Kazecki

@ASoulAFire @JaniceOCG @HandmaidsOnHulu @handmaid_tales This is a book co-edited by @Ritzenhoffk who will join “If America Fails” for the 10/14 Sneak Peek – Heroism and Gender in War Films.

“A timely collection of essays, bringing together a cluster of historical and contemporary chartings of unmapped territory in the interface between cinema and representations of war.” — Elisabeth Bronfen, author of Specters of War: Hollywood’s Engagment with Military Conflict

“Filmic constructions of war heroism have a profound impact on public perceptions of conflicts. Here, contributors examine the ways motifs of gender and heroism in war films are used to justify ideological positions, shape the understanding of the military conflicts, support political agendas and institutions, and influence collective memory.” — The Publisher

“Brian E. Crim, Lynchburg College, USA Janis L. Goldie, Huntington University, Canada Tara Karajica, University of Barcelona, Spain Jinhua Li, University of North Carolina Ashville, USA Tiel Lundy, University of Colorado, Boulder, USA Rochelle Sara Miller, New York University, USA Lesley C. Pleasant, University of Evansville, USA Janet S. Robinson, Philipps University in Marburg, Germany Clémentine Tholas-Disset, Paris Est Créteil University, France Jessica Wells, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, USA Debra White-Stanley, Keene State College, USA Hye Seung Chung, Colorado State University, USA Charles-Antoine Courcoux, University of Lausanne, Switzerland Anna Froula, East Carolina University, USA” — The Publisher

Dr. Karen A. Ritzenhoff, Professor, Department of Communication, Central Connecticut State University. Co-Chair, the Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Program, as well as Cinema Studies and the Honors Program. Co-editor, The Handmaid’s Tale: Teaching Dystopia, Feminism, and Resistance Across Disciplines and Borders. — CCSU

CONTACT US “If America Fails?: The Coming Tyranny” for access to the Zoom chatroom—L. Michelle Odom, Senior Producer
LMOdom@OurCommonGround.com or TWN@TruthWorksNetwork.com
Watch Thursdays, 8 pm ET, January 13 to April 7, 2022, on the TruthWorks Network YouTube Channel. All Are Welcome!

READ | Heroism and Gender in War Films | Palgrave, 2014

White Support of Social Justice Issues Declining

@ASoulAFire @JaniceOCG In @AlterNet article @GeauxMeaghan reports on study that “finds white support of social justice issues has severely declined.” Given the challenges we’re facing, it’s an unfortunate development, and I hope those turning away from social justice, do not live to regret it.

More than ever, now is the time for clarity, for truth, for authenticity, and most importantly…this is the time for courage. Standing up to fascists, theocrats and other species of authoritarians, is challenging work – but as Dr. Timothy Snyder offers as the very first lesson in On Tyranny, “Do not obey in advance. Most of the power of authoritarianism is freely given…A citizen who adapts in this way is teaching power what it can do.” In other words, now is the time to teach authoritarians that our commitment to social justice is real, is deep, and will not be moved. Black folks have been holding up the banner for American democracy for a very long time, with unwavering commitment. It’s time for others to do their part.

“Congressional Black Caucus members are growing increasingly frustrated with Democratic lawmakers’ presumed passivity and apathy where social injustice, police brutality, and systemic inequality are concerned, according to a new editorial published by The Root…According to The Root, the disheartening findings make one thing very clear. ‘Black people are on their own,’ the publication emphasized. Another point of contention in the editorial highlights the growing frustration with the Democratic Party and its inability to remain proactive in pushing for the passage of legislation that promotes equality.” — Meaghan Ellis

READ | ‘Wide racial, ethnic and partisan gaps’: Study finds white support of social justice issues has severely declined | by Meaghan Ellis | AlterNet | 9/29/2021

Paxton Smith: A Profile in Courage

@ASoulAFire @JaniceOCG @MMFlint interviewed @TexasQBElite (Paxton Smith), the h.s. grad who used her speech to speak out on proposals to limit a woman’s right to choose what happens to her body. A real profile in courage!

It may seem like @HandmaidsOnHulu is simply a fictional, dystopian story, but we are seeing the ways in which “truth is stranger than fiction” in the Texas anti-abortion law that frees vigilantes to hunt down women (and all who assist them) in exercising control over the decision to bring a child into the world. It’s hard to say which evokes more fear and shame at the human condition – the horrors presented in “The Handmaid’s Tale,” or the real world young people are coming into. Paxton Smith brings clarity to the world she is facing as she graduates high school, and we would do well to hear her.

“In Dallas, Texas last week, 18 year-old high school valedictorian Paxton Smith decided at the last minute to throw away her school-approved graduation speech to address a new Texas law signed [by] Republican Governor Greg Abbott that would make all abortions illegal as early as six weeks into a pregnancy. Video of her 3-minute speech has gone viral and caused a rumble – so she joins Rumble with Michael Moore to explain how she summoned the courage to deliver that speech, how positive the reaction has been, whether she defines herself as ‘politically active,’ and the best advice she’s received since going viral.” — Rumble with Michael Moore

LISTEN TO | “Ep. 195: The Graduate (High School Valedictorian Speech Edition) (w/ Paxton Smith)” | Rumble with Michael Moore, a podcast | 6/8/2021

THE HANDMAID’S TALE Season 4 Trailer

@ASoulAFire @JaniceOCG @HandmaidsHBOPH @onewm put together this trailer on Season 4 of @HandmaidsOnHulu which is a good way to prep for 10/14, 8 pm ET sneak peek of “If America Fails?” that brings the story into the real world. Join us!

WATCH 1:42 | THE HANDMAID’S TALE Season 4 Trailer (NEW 2020) TV Show HD | ONE Media | Jun 24, 2020

“Sex and Sexuality in a Feminist World,” co-edited by Karen A. Ritzenhoff and Katherine Hermes

@ASoulAFire @JaniceOCG @HandmaidsOnHulu @handmaidstvshow This is a book co-edited by @Ritzenhoffk who will join “If America Fails” for the 10/14 Sneak Peek – Sex and Sexuality in a Feminist World.

“Sex and sexuality are topics that have defined feminism since its inception. What has changed is that there is now a generation of feminists and scholars who are comfortable not only to write in their own disciplines but who incorporate feminist ideas in their research. This book assembles a variety of essays, most of which were written especially for this collection, that negotiate sex and sexuality in historical contexts as well as in contemporary times. There is a common ground of history and (popular) culture among the articles. While different theories of feminism operate in these essays, feminist lenses have allowed the reevaluation of familiar topics from early religious practices to medieval literature to current films and advertising.

“The authors represented in this collection range from established feminist and gender scholars to those who employ feminist theoretical frameworks in their respective disciplines.” –The Publisher

“Katherine A. Hermes is an Associate Professor of History at Central Connecticut State University (CCSU) and has published in the fields of Native American law and Native American women’s communities of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. She coordinated the Women, Gender and Sexuality Program (WGSS) at CCSU with Karen A. Ritzenhoff from 2005-2007. Dr. Hermes earned her J.D. from Duke University School of Law and her Ph.D. in History from Yale University. She was a lecturer in history at the University of Otago from 1992 to 1997. Karen Ritzenhoff is an Associate Professor in the Department of Communication at CCSU and also a member of the Program for Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies (WGSS). She teaches courses on women and film, mass media, visual communication and television production. Her most recent work focuses on international documentary films, the German-Austrian director Michael Haneke as well as new editing conventions in Hollywood movies. She is the founder and Chair of a biennial ‘women and film festival’ that takes place at CCSU as well as the New Britain Museum of American Art. A book project on Screen Nightmares in German is under contract with the Schueren Verlag, Marburg for 2009.” –Amazon

READ | Sex and Sexuality in a Feminist World, co-edited by Karen A. Ritzenhoff and Katherine Hermes | Cambridge Scholars Publishing | March 1, 2009

“Election Subversion: Is American Democracy in Danger?”

@ASoulAFire @JaniceOCG @handmaidfans In lead up to 10/14, 8 pm Sneak Peek of “If America Fails: The Coming Tyranny,” relating current events to The Handmaid’s Tale, we’re doing our homework. Here’s the full conference by #UC-Irvine Law, “Election Subversion: Is American Democracy in Danger?” where election officials, scholars, lawyers & political strategists look at what can be done about this problem.

“This half-day virtual conference considers a new danger to American democracy that emerged during the 2020 election season: the risk to the fair counting and certification of votes…The Fair Elections and Free Speech Center at UCI Law brings together leading election officials, scholars of democracy, lawyers, political strategists, and legal scholars to consider both problems and solutions to the risk of election subversion. What risks do those who administer elections and study authoritarianism and democratic backsliding see in the current U.S. political process? What can Congress, states, and courts do to assure that election results reflect the will of the people and that everyone respects fair election results and the rule of law?” — UC-Irvine Law

WATCH | “Election Subversion: Is American Democracy in Danger?” | UC-Irvine Law | 9/27/2021

American Democracy on the Ropes: Election Subversion

@ASoulAFire @JaniceOCG @HandmaidsTaleOx We’re prepping for the 10/14, 8 pm Sneak Peek of “If America Fails: The Coming Tyranny,” relating current events to The Handmaid’s Tale. Join us! @alexvhenderson interviewed @rickhasen for @AlterNet on election subversion, a current threat to democracy. #FightFascismNow

“…Hasen is even more ‘scared’ about the state of U.S. democracy than he was when he wrote that Slate article a year ago… Hasen explained, ‘I’m even more frightened now than in those past months because of the revelations that continue to come to light about the concerted effort of Trump to try to alter the election outcome: Over 30 contacts with governors, state legislative officials, those who canvass the votes; pressuring governors, pressuring secretaries of state; having his lawyer pass out talking points to have Mike Pence declare Trump the winner even though he lost the election. I mean, this is not what we expect in a democracy.’”

“…The 2020 election, Hasen warned, may be a ‘dress rehearsal’ for an even more dangerous “power grab” in the 2024 presidential election. And he believes that Democrats are facing an even bigger problem than voter suppression: voter subversion.” Hasen explained the difference between voter suppression and election subversion, concluding: “Election subversion is not about making it harder for people to vote, but about manipulating the outcome of the election so that the loser is declared the winner or put in power. It’s the kind of thing that I never expected we would worry about in the United States.” — Alex Henderson

READ | ‘I’m even more frightened now’: Election expert says voter suppression isn’t the biggest threat to democracy | by Alex Henderson | AlterNet | 9/29/2021

The Handmaid’s Tale: Season 4 Teaser • A Hulu Original

@ASoulAFire @JaniceOCG @handmaidpredict This is the Season 4 Teaser by @HandmaidsOnHulu. We’re prepping for the 10/14, 8 pm Sneak Peek of “If America Fails: The Coming Tyranny,” relating current events to The Handmaid’s Tale. Join us!

“Let freedom reign. The Handmaid’s Tale, the 15x Emmy-winning series, returns for Season 4 on April 28, 2021, only on Hulu…About Season 4: The cultural phenomenon picks up where we left off, with June’s fight for freedom against Gilead. But the risks she takes bring unexpected and dangerous new challenges, and her desire for justice and revenge threaten to consume her and destroy her most cherished relationships.” — Hulu

WATCH 1:31 | The Handmaid’s Tale: Season 4 Teaser • A Hulu Original | Hulu | Feb 25, 2021

Troll Farms Leading the Way: Are You Following?

@ASoulAFire @JaniceOCG @Handmaids_s3e6 “Troll farms reached 140 million Americans a month” according to @_KarenHao in @techreview. They are marching us straight to Gilead!

Are you being led by a troll? Check out these lists to see if you follow any of these troll-led sites which target Christians, African Americans, Native Americans and women. — LMO

“In the run-up to the 2020 election, the most highly contested in US history, Facebook’s most popular pages for Christian and Black American content were being run by Eastern European troll farms. These pages were part of a larger network that collectively reached nearly half of all Americans, according to an internal company report, and achieved that reach not through user choice but primarily as a result of Facebook’s own platform design and engagement-hungry algorithm.” — Karen Hao

READ | Troll farms reached 140 million Americans a month on Facebook before 2020 election, internal report shows | by Karen Hao | MIT Technology Review | 9/16/2021

“Anthea Butler on White Evangelical Racism – by Ruth Ben-Ghiat – Lucid”

@ASoulAFire @JaniceOCG @ruthbenghiat interviewed @AntheaButler on her recent book “White Evangelical Racism: The Politics of Morality in America.”

I believe all relationships bear many of the same dynamics. Whether we’re thinking of two lovers or friends, an employer and employee, or even groups, like blacks and whites, it’s possible to see some of the same elements at play. That’s why I believe when we understand things in one arena, there’s a way to extend that insight to other areas of our lives.

So when I think about this Replacement Theory, where some whites are acting out of their fears of annihilation, I wonder what conclusions we might reach if we made the problem smaller and examined it from the perspective of two individuals.

To be in relationship with an insecure person can be a terrible thing. The insecure person may seek to exert excessive control or manipulation, seemingly because they fear being left alone. The fearful person may start arguments or fights over nothing, in an effort to push the other away or to see how far they can push the boundaries. Or the fearful, insecure person may seek constant reassurance they are loved. What a burden! Ultimately, the insecure person may succeed at pushing the other away, for what is missing in their lives, is something they must find and provide to their self. More tragically, the insecure person may harm the other in some emotional or physical way, up to and including death.

To be in relationship with an insecure person is to always be on the lookout for the exit sign. There’s no fixing this person – and the risk of harm to one’s self is great. So, when I think about this Replacement Theory and the fear and insecurity it exudes, I am looking for the way out. Are you? — LMO

Of the Evangelicals, Butler said, “You can say, oh, they’re just religious people who have high morals. But the reality is, they’re religious people who use morality to get power…Abortion has always been there, but now abortion is not simply about ‘don’t get an abortion because God doesn’t want you to,’ it’s about ‘we’re going to be replaced.’ The idea that migrants are going to come in and White Christians will become fewer, there’s that fear. There’s also the reaction to Covid-19 and the fear of losing your ‘pureblood’ status if you take the vaccine. And the huge shift of Evangelical attitudes toward Russia. They have put themselves together with Orthodox Christians in Russia for authoritarian purposes.”

Ben-Ghiat pointed to non-denominational churches, and said, “Some of these mega-churches rival Evangelical ones in their commitment to Trump and the GOP and to spiritual warfare.”

For more of this probing dialogue, see the link below.

READ | Anthea Butler on White Evangelical Racism | by Ruth Ben-Ghiat – Lucid | 9/29/2021

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