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America D'Souza's movie

Posted by $ rockymountainpirate 9 years, 8 months ago to Movies
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I saw America after my Atlas Shrugged book club meeting today. It was excellent with a lot of information to help refute many of the common lies being told and taught these days. It was a 4pm movie, so there were about 30 people in the theater, non under the age of at least 50. After the movie there was dead silence and no one even moved. I started clapping and everyone joined in. They seemed relieved to be lead. I was disappointed that I didn't see the ASIII trailer on the 50' screen, although they have several postits in the ladies room now.


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    Posted by $ AJAshinoff 9 years, 8 months ago
    D'Souza's America was a very good expose, very informative. My son, thank God, learned a bit about our land that he's been too stubborn to believe coming from me.

    The audience applauded twice - once at the movies end and again AFTER the hard rock revision of the Star Spangled banner. My wife suffered information overload (her words not mine).

    My family no longer thinks I'm crazy or overzealous.
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    • Posted by RonC 9 years, 8 months ago
      Like the ten year old that had never worn glasses, the young and the low information voters can't imagine a world without regulation and government assistance. Information overload is, perhaps, a vaccine for the under informed.

      When I look through the "Bill of Rights" it's hard to believe that we started out with three branches of Government to tend to the Nation's business and 10 amendments to clarify our actions. All else was left "to the separate States or to the people". Today, it is often in the news when a Patriot is told he cannot fly his flag in the community where he resides. Ruled by the collective where he lives, the only choice is to comply or move.

      To touch the poor vision metaphor again; if all we have known or can remember is some degree of collectivism, then AS enthusiasts, TEA party candidates, and Libertarians of all stripes look like revolutionaries.
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      • Posted by $ katrinam41 9 years, 8 months ago
        RonC--I agree. I've been trying to tell people for years that a concept cannot be explained or understood, or even exist without the vocabulary to express it. At one of my writers' group meetings, the main criticism of my work came from the younger members--they had no idea why I used such long words. These are college kids! If collectivism is all these kids have known, then words like "freedom" and "responsibility" have no real meaning to them. Fellow revolutionary, I salute you!
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  • Posted by professorbean1942 9 years, 8 months ago
    Yes the Civil War or otherwise known as "The War of Northern Aggression" was about "states rights" thus the hated "Stars and Bars" Southern battle flag. Lincoln and his new Republican Party were cleaver enough to turn the issue into their own primary plank of "freedom for all" as "called for in the Constitution and Declariation of Independance. Lincoln turned lemons into lemonade. Therefore as D'Souza says we did fight to free the slaves. I love his exposure of the history of slavery and the "white" slaves kidnapped in England and indentured to long servitude in America. Also the fact that there were "many" freed black slave owners in the Southern states who supported the rebellion to maintain their wealthy station. I have discovered these truths before but never has it been told in film that I know of.
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    • Posted by bassboat 9 years, 8 months ago
      Let's not forget that Vermont is a state today that has a movement to secede. It was a movement very popular in the northeast during the early 1800's as they did not agree with the overaggressive actions of the federal government. Secession, State & Liberty, a book prepared by the Ludwig Von Mises institute is an excellent read about states rights, secession, slavery, and events leading up to the War. The winners got to write the history while the losers got nothing but Reconstruction which set the South back by several decades. Maybe that would be a case for restitution?
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    • Posted by Hiraghm 9 years, 8 months ago
      There has never been a civil war in the United States.

      The war you refer to as the War of Northern Aggression would properly be called "The Confederate War" per our (at least recent) habit of naming wars after our antagonists (Korean War, Vietnam War, Iraq War...)

      There's a book I got a long, long time ago called, "The South Was Right". I found it in an old filing box as I was digging around looking for 4 gig or less IDE hard drives. I need to reread it.

      (The hard drive on my MS-DOS desktop went south while in storage, and I need a replacement drive plus re-install of everything that was on there... sigh)
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  • Posted by peterchunt 9 years, 8 months ago
    My wife and I went to the movie on the 5th of July at a 1:35 PM showing. Small crowd, but no one left until all the credits were completed, and spontaneously broke out in clapping at the end of it. No ASIII either. We are going to buy the book as well. We thought that we would invite a Democrat “friend” of ours to the movie to see how he would react!!
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  • Posted by neilevan 9 years, 8 months ago
    I'm glad to see that some people were educated by the film, and at our 7:15pm showing in Boca Raton we had nearly 100 in attendance. Still, I can't believe people are still worshiping Lincoln and misrepresenting the War of Northern Aggression as a means to end slavery. Other than that, the movie was pretty much a rehash of stuff most of us libertarian/objectivist types already knew.
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    • Posted by $ jbrenner 9 years, 8 months ago
      Lincoln is a very complex figure. Some things he did I agreed with, and others I detest. The War of Northern Aggression was somewhat misportrayed as well.
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      • Posted by Hiraghm 9 years, 8 months ago
        I hate him because not only was he tall, but it rubbed it in by wearing that ridiculous hat.

        Oh, yeah, and he was responsible for the unnecessary deaths of over half a million men in arms and countless more civilians. There's that, too.


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  • Posted by professorbean1942 9 years, 8 months ago
    I also went to afternoon presentation. Sat through about ten trailers but was dissapointed that one was not AS 3. Excellent and honest presentation of history through the lens of an intellectual outside analyst. This is the first movie that I actually sat through ALL the credits and the are extensive! Well done Sir! I am proud to call you my fellow American Patriot.
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  • Posted by ISank 9 years, 8 months ago
    My folks saw it in upstate NY and they enjoyed the AS3 trailer. They have not read the book but are enjoying the movies. They also thought the film America was pretty good, and encouraged me to go. Way to lead!
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  • Posted by edweaver 9 years, 8 months ago
    I look forward to seeing the movie. Sad that the young people, who really need to hear what is going on did not attend but it is no surprise either.
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  • Posted by nicktheitguy 9 years, 8 months ago
    I took my 14 year old son to see it yesterday. 7/7 @ 4:45pm...only five other people in the theater. Great flick, and my son and I had a great talk afterwards. He indicated that he understood about 1/2 of what was presented (information overload), but what was presented was much more that all the documentaries that he watched all year in History class. Being that both his mother and father are 100% Mexican (I'm his step-father), the fact that Dinesh covered the topic of the U.S. "stealing" Mexico from the Mexicans really opened his mind. He was so engaged that he wanted to go to Barnes and Noble next door and pick up one of Dinesh's books. We got "What's so Great About America". I hope I can keep him engaged and awake to what is going on in the U.S.
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  • Posted by kathywiso 9 years, 8 months ago
    We went to the 11:15am showing and there were about 15 people in attendance and we are over 50 and the youngest one's there. The movie was very informative as you described it Pirate but he was wrong about the reason we fought the Civil War.. it was about state's rights...not slavery..as it is portrayed by people today. Hillary's college days were very interesting also... And they played Madison Rising's Star-Spangled Banner at the end and the band was on a Pirate Ship...Love that part also...
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    • Posted by $ AJAshinoff 9 years, 8 months ago
      The Civil War was about taxation more than slavery. Recall that prior to Lincolns Presidency the South has already established its nation: had a president, a constitution of its own, a currency, treaties, and (if memory serves) was comprised of 8 States. Lincoln pushed the issue (not on my watch) when additional states sought to break away and started a war over thin pretense (Sumter). Lincoln did use the hot-button of slavery to keep the Northern units from leaving and going home after repeated losses.
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      • -1
        Posted by Hiraghm 9 years, 8 months ago
        There has never been a civil war in the United States.

        Either the Confederacy had a right to secede, or we are all still British subjects and the DoI is meaningless.
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  • Posted by mspalding 9 years, 8 months ago
    I saw it yesterday at Belmar in Lakewood, CO. They did have AS3 trailer. At the 2p showing it was all elderly white guys. They applauded at the end. This needs to be shown on college campuses. This needs to get out to counter the anti-America rhetoric.
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  • Posted by Riick 9 years, 8 months ago
    I looked for location where I could see this film, and came up with this review from the Peoples Commune of San Francisco newspaper The Examiner of Pravda.

    Aside from being manifestly biased
    (So what else did I expect from this source?)
    I was struck by the author's citation of 90% of the methods the Media uses to get across it's messages, he hates it when someone from the Right uses the Left's methods.
    How strange that what's good for the Goose is *not* good for the Gander. :)

    I've had great joy using the Saul Alisky's "Rules for Radicals" to undermine some Lefty's screwy world view.
    If you're unacquainted with the rules/methods, have a look:

    Summary Rules:
    http://www.bestofbeck.com/wp/activism/sa...

    Some Analysis:
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rules_for_...

    The Book itself (PDF download link)
    http://callidorabeach.wordpress.com/2013...

    .
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  • Posted by bonitacar 9 years, 8 months ago
    My husband and I saw it today in Oviedo FL. About 30 people, all over 50. One lady yelled, "God Bless America," as she was walking out. He was wrong about the reason for fighting the Civil War - it was States' Rights, like now!
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  • Posted by lostsierra 9 years, 8 months ago
    Went with the family on July 4th. Whole family liked it. Am stilling getting questions from my 16 and 13 year olds. My wife is Asian national. My 13 year old son has already gotten a taste of "God damn America dogma in his 7th grade history class. I asked him if the film reminded him of his history teacher. "Yes." Small crowd for an evening show in Folsom, CA.
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  • Posted by $ jbrenner 9 years, 8 months ago
    No AS3 trailer for my showing at the Carmike Cinema in Viera, FL - a total of 10 people at our 10:30 AM showing on 7/4.

    Friends of ours went on 7/5 to the same morning showing. There were only 7 people, including the 5 of them.
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  • Posted by Lnxjenn 9 years, 8 months ago
    My dad saw America and enjoyed it. I won't get to see it in theatres. :( I plan on purchasing it when it comes out on DVD! I've read several reviews that echo what you all have said about America! I look forward to getting my chance to view it.
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    • Posted by $ AJAshinoff 9 years, 8 months ago
      You'll be missing a truly heartwarming experience if you wait for it on DVD. The experience is sitting in a theater packed full with like-minded Americans who applaud the principals of the United States and recognize what is jeopardy of being lost. Plus, movies like America need to be supported to ensure they continue to be made. Even liberal Hollywood will not long turn a blind eye or dismiss those movies that Americans are willing to pay to see.
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  • -3
    Posted by CircuitGuy 9 years, 8 months ago
    I had never hear of D'Souza, but the Wikipedia page about him makes him sound like Ellsworth Toohey with a slightly different artifice for distracting people from living their own lives, collaborating, and excelling. I wouldn't judge someone based on that, but I can't imagine wanting to see a film produced by him.
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    • Posted by $ 9 years, 8 months ago
      I guess I'm not understanding the point of your comment. The reviews from other Gulch members have all been positive about this movie D'Souza has made, yet you put something you read on Wikipedia above their value judgement. I have to ask again CircuitGuy, why are you here?
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      • Posted by CircuitGuy 9 years, 8 months ago
        "I have to ask again CircuitGuy, why are you here?"
        One short reason is I have five (5) boards in progress, and this is a way to relax similar to TV or Facebook for some people. The other short reason is Fountainhead changed my life in some ways, and AS was close behind.

        I had heard about how horrible Rand was since college. In '11 or '12 I was at a UU (that's "church" for atheists with children) event on healthcare. I said something about the good and bad of PPACA, and someone basically said, "but we're _for_ the 'ACA'". The congregation is technically a church and not allowed to have a political position. Even if it weren't, I reject the idea of an orthodoxy. So do the Seven Principles of UU. It wasn't a very UU attitude. I can't recall whether it was that night or an earlier event where someone condemned Rand. I decided to read it. I picked the first one I saw at the library, which by chance was Fountainhead. I expected to hate it. I loved it so much that it's not hyperbolic to say it changed my life, mainly for painting archetypal villains that many of us have elements of at some points, elements that are truly evil. So I read AS. I eventually left that congregation, although I would _never_ judge all 2000 families by a few anti-Rand quips I heard. At the new UU congregation (my town has three of them), I met people who were more open to Rand, including one strong fan.

        This website does not always follow my interpretation of the two books I've read. I just checked the top 25 Hot posts. 11 of them are supportive of my view of Ayn Rand, 9 say things that directly oppose my view of Rand, and 5 are interesting tidpids unrelated to Rand's philosophy. That's 36% directly opposing my interpretation. (It's a free country and actually a good thing to challenge my views.) But maybe I should not relax on this website. Maybe one interpretation of Rand is it's all politics, and we just pick a side and shoehorn it hamfistedly into a philosophy that IMHO stands for reason, against politics, and against making up your mind based on a group orthodoxy. In this case you start with two package options of views on all issues. Then you start looking for any evidence to support your assertion. Instead of focusing on the process of critical thinking, it's just hooray of any of the idea on the list and for any attempt to belittle and condemn people, even people you've never met, who disagree. Any failures in life where you didn't accomplish what you set out to aren't opportunities to grow but rather things to blame on some supposed political battle, supposedly like the one in AS where evil forces really were kidnapping and torturing people to try to force them to produce.

        This is not about the Republican view. Some Democrats do an amazing job explaining how President Bush is the source of their problems and they can't go out and find productive work b/c of CEOs, right-to-work laws, foreign trade, and general greed/selfishness. I loved the Rand view condemning this. Just go do your own thing, it says, and don't focus at all on this. Find the things you really like in this life. Don't be Gail Wynand driving through upstate NY looking at the leaves changing and still repeating "I don't run things? I f#(&ing do. I guess I'm happy now. I wonder how many more autumns I will see. Who cares? My boat's named 'I do', so there!" Don't be Peter Keating, mindlessly living for a reaction, any reaction, out of other people. Don't be Jim Tagart and do nothing but politics and surround yourself with people, even marry one, who you hope will stroke your ego.

        But if AS is about politics, a packaged orthodoxy, then I'm just a pain in the neck. I wouldn't want a world where everyone agrees with me. I'm free do whatever I want, but I don't want to be a gadfly; it's not my interest. I'd rather figure things out, solve problems, and ideally sometimes do it in trades in which both parties are thrilled, the happy and rare cases when someone's amazed at what a board can do and I'm amazed they're paying me to play as I did with those 50-in1 electronics projects kit.
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