Monday, September 25, 2006

View "Right to Life" on YouTube.com


You can now view my short film, "Right to Life", at YouTube.com

A few years ago, as I watched and read the early reports on the Iraq War, I wondered: If the media and our government are reporting victory, then why are American soldiers still fighting and dying? Victory means the conflict ends. So, why are we still there?

While searching for answers, I was taken far, far from the mainstream media where I was horrified by pictures of American and Iraqi casualties. Children with limbs in shreds; mothers pulling out their hair in anguish. And the brave, young and tragically misled American soldiers, lying in the streets, mortally wounded. These images would never be allowed to appear anywhere in the mainstream media. Yet, they truly do need to reach us. Why? Because Americans need to understand what we are doing, why we are increasingly hated by so many, and how we are suffering. So I created a short film that juxtaposed images from the Iraq War with two evangelists’ views on the value of life; I chose this perspective because many members of the religious right are fervent Bush supporters. But, in order to support him, they must ignore their faith. I asked these evangelists preaching on a street corner, a few questions about their beliefs, the war, politics – I was surprised by their answers.

I have so many more questions to ask. I feel that as a “nation under God” we have lost our bearings. Human suffering results when forcing one’s own religious beliefs on others and the evidence can be found in world history. Christianity's teachings of peace, love and tolerance are too easily subjugated by those who crave power.

By exposing the truth, my hope is that we will put the significance of our actions in context so that we can get out of Iraq and heal our wounds. We have created a horrific image of America - the killing needs to end or else it will continue to be what defines us to the rest of the world.

"I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use."

- Galileo Galilei

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I commend you for showing these bush supporters confronted with the truth., An iraqi child's death is not equal to an Americans in their eyes, and to call themselves christians is an outrage. To see the dumbfounded looks on their face, like they never considered iraqi kids die too, and thats bad. This abortion issue is the most hypocritical thing these republicans use. They want war, they kill troops, iraqis, babies, women, but they dont want abortion. Hypocrites! Real christians follow the road of PEACE. Peace in every situation, love and kindness, those are christian values that must be applied to ALL People. The golden rule: love one another has evaded their minds and hearts and God will judge them for this. Bush is not a real christian, he just plays one on tv.