DISPATCHES

Bigotry, Ignorance and Arizona’s New Law

2010-06-16T23:03:00.000-07:00

Bigotry, Ignorance and Arizona’s New Law
(An Immigrant's Take on SB1070)

Arizona law SB1070 will go into effect on 29 July 2010, unless one of the numerous challenges that have been filed against it is upheld. The law's aim is to:

"make attrition through enforcement the public policy of all state and local government agencies in Arizona. The provisions of this act are intended to work together to discourage and deter the unlawful entry and presence of aliens and economic activity by persons unlawfully present in the United States."

The sixteen page document does not explain the reasons for wanting to accomplish such a feat; however, the proponents of this law have made their points disturbingly clear as to why it is a good idea to not have these so called persons unlawfully present. Though I am certain there are some who have their own unique reasons, the majority of the proponents have some or all of the following reasons:

The crime rate is much higher due to undocumented aliens.
The undocumented aliens take away jobs from legal workers.
The undocumented aliens get paid, but do not pay taxes.
The undocumented aliens use medical and educational services for which they do not pay.

Before I delve into these points, I would like to confess that I am biased against this law-to-be. I think it is prejudicial, short-sighted and against the economic interests of the USA. I too am against having undocumented aliens in the country, however, I believe that we need to be humane and understanding. We need to treat these people with dignity and respect and not as common criminals. Having stated my bias, I will let you be the judge as to whether I am honest in the information I am going to present.

The crime rate is much higher due to undocumented aliens:

The first question which comes to mind regarding all the reasons that these people have against the undocumented aliens is how they know these claims are correct? How do they know if the crime rate is higher due to undocumented aliens (here, of-course, one has to disregard the misdemeanor crime of being an undocumented alien - otherwise 100% of them would be criminals). How do they know that undocumented aliens do not pay taxes. Is this all based on some Bush-like gut feeling that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction or is there some real intelligence behind this?

Turning this question to acquaintances that are both for and against the bill resulted in a wide variety of answers: crimes are generally committed by those who are poor or without any resources - and these undocumented aliens are more likely to be poor; drugs come from Mexico (no they don't, they pass through Mexico for consumption in the US); Mexicans are always getting into trouble (bigotry); I heard that over the news (sheep mentality); and let's not forget my favorite - well, it's just obvious (intellectual laziness). Even some people who are against this bill seem to believe that the problems listed above are true at least to some extent; showing how well propaganda does its job.

I did not provide a quip for the very first answer about poor people being more likely to commit crimes, because it defies a short response. First of all, it is simply not true that poor people commit more crimes. Perhaps we hear more about them because of the fact that they are the more ordinary crimes, but much bigger and serious crimes are committed by the rich. The millions and billions of dollars that are stolen by the rich have much more of an impact on the lives of ordinary people. If these monies were not stolen and instead were used for public good, the quality of life for all would improve considerably, just as the quality of life would improve if the other types
of crimes, such as pick-pocketing, theft, burglary, etc. were eliminated or reduced.

Lets look at the crime aspect of this issue. According to the Department of Homeland Security; the violent crime rate in Arizona in 2008 was 0.477%, while in 1998 the rate was 0.578%. During this time Arizona's undocumented alien population grew by 70%. The number of violent crime in Arizona dropped by almost 1,500 from 2005 to 2008 and the number of property crime dropped by 8,000. Again the population of undocumented aliens increased during this time.

But the crime rates dropped all over the USA during this time, not just in Arizona. The trend toward a lower crime rate started in the early 1990's and has continued up until 2008 (the latest year for which the statistics are available). The rate for violent crime fell from the height of 0.76% to 0.45% and for non-violent crime from 5.1% to 3.2%. Looking at these numbers it seems that the rate of crime dropped much more steeply in Arizona than other states in the nation, which was accompanied by a much higher increase of the population of undocumented aliens in Arizona compared to the rest of the nation. And hence exactly the opposite of what the proponents of this law are saying.

Lets look at the prison population. Starting in 2000, the percentage of inmates in state prisons who were non-citizens was 4.6%. This number remained pretty much the same for the next five years. During this same time the undocumented alien population in the USA was around 4%. Here there is a higher rate of non-citizens in prisons than the actual population percentage. But before you say aha!, let me point out that the 4.6% rate is for non-citizens and hence it includes legal and undocumented aliens. The non-citizen population is around 12% (11.7% in 2003). So from these numbers it is clear that the prison population in state prisons is much less represented by undocumented aliens. This despite the fact that the non-citizens will not have as much protection provided by our legal system as citizens would and hence would tend to have a higher conviction rate.

The mix is somewhat different in federal prisons due to the nature of crimes. For example, illegal immigration is a federal crime and hence one would suspect that more of those undocumented aliens will be incarcerated in the federal prisons. And that turns out to be the case. But again before you say aha!, lets look at the numbers. this number is misleading—as a good number of non-citizens are residents or other non-citizens with valid visas like student, B-1 and so forth and therefore it does not really reflect the undocumented alien population. The combined rate of prisoners (both in federal and state prisons) was 6.4% in 2005 which was down from 6.8% in
2000. During this time, the number of undocumented aliens increased in the USA.

The percentage of non-citizens who are incarcerated in federal prisons is much higher than their total population percentage in the US. The percentage of inmates in federal prisons who are non-citizens was 20% in 2005. This has been dropping from 27% in the year 2000 to 24% in 2001. Now the rate of non-citizens is about 12% and hence it seems that a higher percentage is incarcerated. But the problem with this number is that it is for non-citizens and it does not break down the undocumented and documented aliens. Further, this number also includes people incarcerated due to being in the USA for immigration violations; which I stated earlier that I will be disallowing (it is akin to stating that if guns were made illegal, then only criminals would have guns).

There are those who have claimed that undocumented aliens could be terrorists. All of the 9/11 hijackers were in the USA legally.

After this law was passed, numerous police chiefs, including the Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck. ("Laws like this will actually increase crime, not decrease crime") And Tucson Police Chief Roberto Villasenor; have expressed how this law will undermine the trust between the Hispanic community and the police; and how the Hispanic population will be hesitant to cooperate with the police and will be less likely to come forward and provide information to the police.

There is an old saying about statistics; There are lies, damn lies and statistics - in that particular order. The data above shows clearly that there is no correlation between a higher crime rate and the population of undocumented aliens. However, Lou Dobbs; bigot extraordinaire and the original angry-white-man; has used the same data to claim the exact opposite. There are plenty of other studies out there which twist the data to show that there is some correlation between the increase in crime with undocumented aliens. I can't disprove them all by citing these above numbers, specially when I did not even do these above studies myself, but am just quoting from other sources. However, I think the majority of the people who claim that there is an increase in crime associated with undocumented aliens; have not done their home work and hence are just spreading a rumor at best and are being bigots at worst.

Undocumented aliens take away jobs from legal workers:

It seems obvious that if there were a job to be done, and if no undocumented aliens were there to do it, then legal workers would be doing it; as after all the work has to be done. The crops have to be picked, the ditch has to be dug, etc. There are studies that state that the undocumented aliens have a negative impact on the lower stratums of society; mostly on the poor black population, but there is also a positive impact on the middle class.

Lets look at a particular low end job; something in construction or agriculture. This is where the majority of undocumented aliens are working. They certainly provide a ready force for the employer who can pay them less than what a legal worker is willing to accept and hence they tend to reduce the overall wages. The estimates are that the impact is about 7% reduction for the poorest 10% of the work force. There is a corresponding profit to the rest of society as they get the services and products at a reduced rate. Further these undocumented aliens also contribute to the economy. They eat and consume. They buy clothes, and some even take their children to some amusement park when they can afford it. All of these contribute to the local economy.

There are some jobs which would not exist if the low end wage earners were not available. Take for example a home owner who wants some brush cleaned up in his back yard or have the lawn mowed every other week. He can and would do this himself, but if the price were low enough he would prefer to watch his favorite team play instead of sweating out in the yard. However, if the cost is too high, he will certainly do this himself. Thus a job is created just because the wage is low enough for it.

There is an argument that these undocumented aliens fill some jobs which Americans are just not willing to take; mostly in low end, low paying jobs. Just the other day I heard a passionate speaker on the radio who had rhetorical questions and asked which job? He continued and stated that Americans clean their own homes, they work in their own yards, they wash their cars, they do all sorts of jobs and hence to him this argument was vacant. This being a right-wing radio station, where the fair and balanced means right is balanced with neo-rights and hence there was no counter response provided. I did wonder as to how many Americans did I ever see at the Home Depot parking lot looking for any odd job. From my personal experience, I have never ever seen an American there. Not even a black American. Yes, Americans do all sorts of jobs, but they do it for a certain price. Not below that. These undocumented aliens are willing to take those jobs which no one else will. And they do them at much lower cost and provide the rest of us with an economical benefit.

There are studies which claim that there is close to no net effect on jobs due to undocumented aliens. They do take jobs at the lower end, but they in turn create jobs by consuming. Jorge Borgas, Kennedy School of Government at Harvard; states that in actuality the average American's wealth is increased by just under 1% because of illegal immigration.

The undocumented aliens get paid, but do not pay taxes:

That certainly is true in the case of the undocumented alien who is getting paid in cash for doing some menial task for some home owner or some small business employer. But the majority of the employers only hire someone (even if they know he/she is illegal) if they can provide a social security number. A vast majority of the undocumented aliens are on regular payroll and get their taxes taken out of their paychecks. This is not only payroll federal taxes, but also Medicare and state taxes. Just the Social Security taxes are estimated to be at $7 billion per year. Not chump change. Payroll, Medicare and state taxes are on top of that.

There are some who argue that in actuality as these aliens earn very little, they do not pay that much in taxes and in actuality they file for earned income credit and get extra money back from the government. I wonder from what planet they get their logic. These are undocumented aliens. They are afraid of the government. They do not file for taxes. They do not have a real Social Security number. They are using someone else's number. They do not file to get a refund back or to get earned income credit. Those sorts of frauds are better left for the real white collar rich professionals.

The reason the undocumented aliens pay little in taxes is because they make very little. And in reality if they were legal, they would get all of that refunded back to them. But of-course they can't file for taxes and so the government gets to keep all of that and we as society benefit from it. The federal government gets extra from them, the state government gets extra from them and the Medicare gets extra from them.

The undocumented aliens use the medical and educational services for which they do not pay and hence are a burden on the rest of the society:

I would agree that some of them do. However, I would temper that the cases of abuse are just way too overblown. The undocumented aliens do not have health insurance or employer paid benefits. They do not get paid if they do not work. Hence they do not go to hospital unless they have to. And then they return to work soon as they can so that they can earn money. Certainly there are those who abuse the system and I have heard enough anecdotal stories. But they are by far the exception and not the rule. One only has to use common sense and logic to see that the undocumented aliens can't afford to go and be sick.

I personally know of quite a few doctors who see nothing but abuse from the undocumented aliens and hence their view of undocumented aliens is very negative. I think that there are certain segments of the society who see one side of an issue due to their personal involvement and despite the fact that they are quite intelligent (such as doctors); they just fail to see the big picture. Their view is too skewed by their own personal experience. However, I think if one were to just apply logic on this and note that undocumented aliens just can’t live on getting medical attention at a hospital. They have to feed themselves and others and hence must work. Hospitals give them medical treatment, but do not pay for rent, food or clothing. They have to return to work at their earliest opportunity, even before they are really ready and able to go back; to earn a living.

Here I am not trying to pick on doctors, but rather trying to prove the point that one’s perspective is skewed by one’s personal experience. I happen to know quite a few doctors and the majority of them expressed the opinions as stated above. But of-course that does not prove that all doctors think that or even a majority of them think that, and I used the doctors in this example just to prove that particular point.

Further the costs of treating undocumented aliens is off by light years. The treatment which the hospitals are required to provide is in the emergency room for emergencies. This cost is based on full charge that the hospital lists for emergency services. So a bandage is listed at perhaps few hundred dollars which in fact costs the hospital few pennies. The same goes for all of the other associated costs. Yes, one can look at the cost of what the hospital would have charged but there is no sane insurance company or citizen who would pay that amount and what the cost to us the tax payers is not what the hospital would charge, but rather what the hospital actually paid. And that cost is off by factor of thousands.

It is certainly true that the children of the undocumented aliens use the education system and hence are an added burden on the society. Most right wing estimates put this cost of education for K-12 children of the undocumented aliens at $12 billion. That is a huge number and this is the low side of the number. I saw at least one number from a right wing congressman‘s office which put the figure at $29 billion. Lets see how and from where does this number comes from.

There are no, let me repeat no; statistics which tell us how many undocumented alien children are in the US school system. There are statistics which tell as what the average cost per child is and there are statistic telling us the total number of children, but no survey or census for actual number or even close estimate of number of undocumented aliens’ children. In a report to the Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, the General Accounting Office submitted a report in 2004 titled “Undocumented Alien School Children: Issues in Estimating State-by-State Costs”. The report details efforts of the GAO to try to get some hard numbers for the number of undocumented alien children in schools. The report starts with the statement; “Current Government information is not sufficient to directly estimate the state by state costs of educating undocumented alien school children.” It goes on to point out that “State and local areas record data on school enrollment and on costs but not on immigration status.” And that, “the Department of Homeland Security developed State-by-State estimates of the undocumented alien population, but the estimates do not break out age group and are subject to methodological limitations.”

The GAO sent the request for information to 22 different states for estimates of their costs of undocumented alien children. Three states responded. Texas used a non-governmental organization (details not provided) to get a number of undocumented alien children under the age of 18 and then multiplied their average cost per student. Note here that this estimate by the non-governmental organization is for the number of children under age 18 and not of the estimate of the number of children actually going to school.

Pennsylvania used the estimate from Department of Homeland Security of the number of undocumented aliens in their state and then assumed that about 10 to 18 percent of this number would be school aged children and used an upper and lower limit and multiplied this with the average cost per student.

North Carolina used voodoo magic or at least they did not bother to tell GAO as to what method they used. And as I noted above the rest of the states did not bother to reply.

So where are these right wingers getting this number of $12 billion or $29 billion? Well I am sure stumped. Even if it is $12 billion, still the total amount of taxes which are taken from the payroll, social security and Medicare are higher than that and hence there is a net benefit to our society. But the real point here is that these right wingers have no basis for their figures. They are just making them up.

Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR - I am surprised they did not add balanced in here somehow as well) suggest that Arizona’s cost of illegal immigration exceeds $2.7 billion annually. Six years ago, the organization put that cost at about $1.3 billion. Hmmm. OK, based on what? Just saying so don’t make it so.

Another right wing web site has this to say, “The calculation of the number of children of illegal aliens in the K-12 public school system indicates that more than 15% of California’s students are children of undocumented aliens, as are more than ten percent of the students in Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Nevada, and Texas. More than five percent of the students are the children of undocumented aliens in Florida, Georgia, Kansas, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Utah, and Washington.” Based on What? Yes, based on some gut feeling. But the real bigotry is shown by including the US Born children of undocumented aliens in the cost totals! Come on now. If you are born in the USA, then you are a US Citizen.
Right? You can’t even pretend to include that child with some undocumented alien statistic.
But never mind that. Lets see how we can inflate the numbers and never mind the fairness.

I certainly think that the undocumented aliens should not be here. We have laws in this country and if we just let anyone just trample them by walking across the border, then where will this stop? However, throwing the book on some poor hapless but hardworking person who is trying to improve his/her lot in this world is not the kind thing to do.

There should be some mechanism for converting the undocumented aliens status’ to legal residence where they can become part of the society. We should also come up with proper mechanism to discourage future waves of these undocumented aliens . Instead we should encourage ways to bring more educated aliens to the USA so that they can contribute to our society and make us richer; not just financially but also with their cultures.

Having said that; there are certain other problems with the bill which need to be addressed. I think the bill is the wrong way to go about fixing this problem; which as I outlined above has been blown way out of proportion by the ignorant and the bigot. Treating fellow humans with this sort of random stopping and asking for papers is not part of a civilized society. This is more like I-got-in-and-I-am-closing-the-gate-behind-me. Yes, all of us, unless you are Native American; are immigrants and their off-springs. Some of you got here on the Mayflower and the others took the June or perhaps July or even later boat. And I ask you to have a heart. Just like you or your forefathers left their homelands to find better for their children; these undocumented aliens are trying to do the same as well. And no, the people in Mayflower did not come with some special green card or other sort of legal papers. Remember the Thanksgiving tradition? Perhaps we should consider extending that tradition not just by eating turkey in November, but rather by offering a chance to these hard-working aliens.

Prejudicial Bill:

Besides the mostly false accusations of the negative impact of undocumented aliens, I believe this bill is prejudicial. The bill states that the police have the right to stop anyone with reasonable suspicion and ask for their papers. The law clearly states that the police is not to use race in this process. But there is no other mechanism provided for identifying the undocumented aliens. The police is not going to be stopping a blond-haired, blue-eyed white person, regardless of the fact that he is a Swede who is here illegally (here I pick on Swedes as everyone in Europe picks on them - and they are quite good natured about it and actually pick on themselves as well.) But the chances of anyone with brown skin of getting stopped and getting asked for papers are much, much higher. That is prejudicial; plain and simple. There is nothing in the bill which will provide some special training to the police officers to make the identity of undocumented aliens on some factor other than the color of their skin.

There are those who say so what if one gets stopped and asked for papers; Just produce them and move on. True that maybe but what of the person who happens to be out jogging and just does not feel like carrying his papers or has forgotten to carry them? Certainly he can prove that he lives at such and such place, but he has to go through the hassle based solely on the color of his skin. What about the cop who happens to have his own agenda against undocumented aliens or against people with brown skin (Oh, yes, they certainly exist and if you are denying that, then you live in some parallel universe of lily whites). This law gives this type of cop a license to abuse and mistreat certain segment of the society, mostly the brown skinned folks. Right now, there is a no-fly list. There are names on there which are there erroneously. These persons are unable to have those names removed from the list. The process is closed and secretive and no one knows how their names got on the list but now they are stuck. This sort of heavy-handed one-sided bureaucratic problem will be created for others of brown skin in the state.

I am certain there are people out there who believe that is a small price to pay to get rid of the undocumented aliens. And I am willing to bet that a large majority who say that are white skinned and a large majority who will not agree with this are not of the white skin. There are actually plenty of surveys which state exactly the same. So it occurs to me that the people who are not going to be effected by the troubles of this law care much less about how this law will effect others. It reminds me of the odd example which I read somewhere as to why our country is not a democracy but a republic. Because if we were a true democracy, then 51% of the populace could vote to make the other 49% of the populace their personal slaves. Luckily in our republic the rights of the minorities are protected and a large majority, not even 99% can vote to make the other 1% suffer the consequences of some law which the majority thinks benefits them.

One other excuse I have heard is that there are undocumented aliens in Mexico; from El Salvador or Honduras, etc. and that the Mexicans treat them worse than we treat the undocumented aliens here in the USA. Like two wrongs would make it right? And if we think they treat them bad then by definition we think it is not good of them to do that, then why are we doing a bad thing? Should not we behave better than the others?

Let me try and put the shoe on the other foot. I would think the much bigger problem in the USA and in the World is bigotry (just humor me for a minute, I will come to the point presently.) And I think we would be willing to pay at least the same price for getting rid of it or curing the people who exhibit this bigotry; just as the people of brown skin have to pay as per this bill. So let me propose that whenever anyone goes in to Walmart or shops on Amazon.com for white sheets, the FBI gets to do a background check on the person to see what sort of prejudicial past he has or if he/she has any connection to Ku Klux Klan. Now FBI will not be able to discriminate based on skin color, and will have to check on someone with black skin just the same.

I know the chances of getting a black skinned person caught in this will be rather slim and most white people will think it is a sham to even state that the law is for all; regardless of the color of the skin. I think most white skinned people will find this sort of law rather insulting and now I would ask, how does it feel? It is exactly the same if the police were to stop me and ask me for my papers.

In reality, there are plenty of white skinned people who are against this law; some 30%. And I am proud of them. I do want to ask the other 70% to look in the mirror and if a little bit of ignorance or bigotry stares back, then see if you can get rid of it. And if my words seem harsh, well wear them if the shoes fit.

Written by Major (Retired, USAF) Shiekh, an airline pilot, concerned citizen and brother to Dr. Irum Shiekh of Progressive Films. He has a Masters degree in Mathematics. He writes occasionally on topics of concern to our society. He lives near Los Angeles. Mr. Shiekh can be reached at: spervaiz@aol.com

Support cancer patients and their families and receive a discount.‏

2010-01-29T18:15:00.000-08:00

Receive 10% off your purchase at Progressive Films and help support cancer patients and their families.

From now through the end of February, just enter the code LAZAREX into the "Redemption Code" box upon step 2 of the checkout and a 10% discount will be automatically applied to your order. This discount is good for Institutional as well as Individual orders of any size.

In addition to the discount, we will also track each order and contribute another 10% to the Lazarex Cancer Foundation.

The Lazarex Cancer Foundation builds a bridge to hope, dignity and life for cancer patients and their families. They provide financial assistance to defray the costs associated with patient participation in FDA clinical trials. Additionally, they help patients navigate their clinical trial options and provide community education and outreach services. Their mission is to provide resources for cancer patients who've been told they have no other options, but who are not yet done with their journey in life and refuse to give up now.

For more information about Lazarex or to make a direct donation, click here.

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Birthright-Best Feature Documentary

2009-11-10T12:30:00.000-08:00

Birthright just won Best Feature Documentary at the 7th Annual BigMiniDV Fest in New York!

If you're in or around Brooklyn this Friday 11/13, check out a screening at the BigMiniDV Fest!

Rent "New World Border"...just $1.99

2009-11-01T11:39:00.000-08:00

"New World Border" is now available for rental at Amazon for just $1.99

"New World Border":

A film documenting the rise of human rights abuses along the US-Mexico border since the implementation of border walls (such as Operation Gatekeeper) that have been erected in populated areas throughout the border region during the last decade.

"A must-see documentary for the American society of the 21st century...this documentary has powerful and graphic explanatory power: why so many people have been crossing the border into El Norte, the repressions and brutalities they have experienced, their fears but also their hopes and dreams, and their reaffirmation of our identity as a nation of immigrants and the human rights embedded in our country's founding principles"

--Ronald Takaki, Professor of Ethnic Studies, University of California, Berkeley

Support the production of "Enemy Alien"

2009-07-27T12:25:00.000-07:00

Support Konrad Aderer's production of "Enemy Alien." and get a discount on DVDs. When you use coupon code: KONRAD upon checkout at Progressive Films, you'll get 10% off any size order and an additional 10% of the purchase will be sent to the completion fund for "Enemy Alien"

To browse DVD titles, visit www.progressivefilms.org

"Enemy Alien":
The dramatic, intimate story of the two-year struggle to free Palestinian activist Farouk Abdel-Muhti, who was detained in a post-9/11 roundup of Muslim immigrants, told from the perspective of a young Japanese filmmaker born to a family interned during World War II. This intimate, revelatory film takes on profound personal and historical implications as Farouk, his son and the filmmaker each pay a personal price for resisting wartime policies.

For more information about the documentary visit http://www.lifeorliberty.org/enemy_alien.html

Summer DVD Sale: 15% off ALL ITEMS!

2009-07-16T21:23:00.000-07:00

Progressive Films is offering a special 15% discount on all titles!

This offer applies for both individual and institutional prices.

From now through the end of August, when you choose one or more items through the online store, you can receive 15% off of the entire purchase.

Just enter the code SUMMER into the "Redemption Code" box upon step 2 of the checkout and your 15% discount will be automatically applied.

"SUMMER" Sale is good for all items in the store and ends on August 31st.

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All Present in the Universe of Guns

2009-07-03T12:15:00.000-07:00

Kari Ann Owen, a Ph.D. level scholar in religion, theology and literature, writer of conscience and poet, recently shared a video poem with us. "All Present in the Universe of Guns," while created as a message to President Bush, reminds us to stay vigilant in the pursuit of nuclear disarmament.

Her article, "Facing Nuclear War" can be found at OpEdNews.com.

The Making of "Birthright"

2009-06-26T17:25:00.000-07:00

Director Celine Parreñas Shimizu talks about the making of her new film, "Birthright," at Flow TV.

“Birthright" World Premiere June 24

2009-06-04T23:00:00.000-07:00

“Birthright” will have its world premiere in the Reelheart Film Festival in Toronto on June 24.

2009-05-25T17:18:00.000-07:00

Progressive Films on Facebook:

"Translations from Silence" by Clifton Ross

2009-05-21T15:25:00.000-07:00

Clifton Ross, creator of VENEZUELA: Revolution From the Inside Out, has come out with a new publication: "Translations from Silence"

President Barack Obama Supports Hotel Workers Rising Indianapolis

2009-05-21T15:06:00.000-07:00

Michael Biskar, an organizer with Hotel Workers Rising, sent us a video they've put together about their afternoon and dinner with President Obama:

Public Screening of "Birthright: Mothering Across Difference"

2009-05-20T12:47:00.000-07:00

Birthright: Mothering Across Difference,” a film by Celine Parreñas Shimizu, will debut at UC Santa Barbara on May 27.

From 93106, the UCSB Faculty/Staff newsletter:

MCC Presents First Public Screening of Professor’s New Film on Mothering

By Andrea Estrada

“Birthright: Mothering Across Difference,” a film by Celine Parreñas Shimizu, associate professor of Asian American studies, will have its first public screening at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, May 27, in the MultiCultural Center Theater.
The film features interviews with 50 women from diverse backgrounds, all of whom live in the Santa Barbara area and are raising young children who range in age from newborn to four years. Whittled down from over 42 hours of footage, the film intersperses individual interviews with those of small and large groups of women who share the highlights and challenges of mothering. It explores how the act of mothering transforms womanhood, friendship, family, and home.
“When I had my first child, I faced some unexpected challenges to my personal and professional identity,” Shimizu, who is also an affiliated faculty member in the Departments of Film and Media Studies and Feminist Studies, said of new motherhood. “It changes your perspective on time, space, intimate relationships, even places.
“As we live in the moment where mothering is celebrated and idealized in popular culture, my film intervenes with a more complete story of the joy and pain of becoming a mother. Ultimately, I interrogate how mothering brings women together, as well as challenging existing institutions of family, marriage, work, and friendship.”
Women have traditionally been the primary caregivers for young children in the United States, but their needs often go unspoken in our society, she continued. “Women often have to go back to work after only three months or so, and it can be devastating for some of them. For working women who endure the challenge of work and parenting, sometimes the two don’t mix. The film opens up the need for society to develop a sustained vision for women and their children in ways that support their needs.”
The film juxtaposes women from varying socioeconomic, cultural, and ethnic backgrounds, and focuses on their similarities while acknowledging their differences.
“We see a wealthy woman speak immediately after a poor woman and we hear various women’s racial and ethnic experience,” Shimizu said. “And in opening their lives to each other and to us, connections are made. The film shows how mothers live in difference and mother differently while also sharing certain commitments. They don’t belittle each other’s worries and concerns.”
In the month since it was completed, “Birthright” has been screened in preview version at Ohio Wesleyan University. It will have its world premiere in the Reelheart Film Festival in Toronto on June 24.
“Birthright” is Shimizu’s fifth film. In 2002, she wrote, directed, edited, and co-produced the award-winning experimental documentary “The Fact of Asian Women.” Other films include “Super Flip”; “Her Uprooting Plants Her”; and “Mahal Means Love and Expensive.”

2009-05-13T18:42:00.000-07:00

Here at Progressive Films, we are big fans of The Center for American Progress. In addition to "improving the lives of Americans through ideas and action," the Center also sponsors a Progressive Film series called Reel Progress. Through the series, Reel Progress aims "to advance a progressive agenda through innovative films that connect the arts to campaigns for social change and progressive public policy." In a tip of the hat to Reel Progress, Progressive Films now carries the all-time top 25 Progressive Films, as voted on by Reel Progress!

From Reel Progress:

Reel Progress' Top 25 Progressive Films

February 19, 2008

These 25 films serve as cultural barometers; each of the films, in its own way, influenced public discourse and shed light on important progressive ideals such as workers’ rights, equality in education, civil rights, national security, the environment, and the betterment of our society as a whole.

This list is meant to spark debate about what films have had the greatest influence on our political identity. So read through the list, and then vote for your favorite progressive film!

12 Angry Men (1957)

What is supposed to be an open-and-shut case of murder becomes much more complicated as a jury is rendered deadlocked by one member’s “not guilty” vote. As the story unfolds, each character’s virtues, flaws, and prejudices are revealed as the defendant’s life hangs in the balance.

All the President's Men (1976)

Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman portray the real-life Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein as they put everything on the line to uncover corruption at the highest levels of government during the Watergate scandal.

The American President (1995)

This Aaron Sorkin-penned romantic comedy highlights the politics of perception as President Andrew Shepard, a widower and a father, falls for an environmental lobbyist, which despite their best efforts, causes quite a controversy—much to the delight of Shepard’s political rivals.

Brokeback Mountain (2005)

Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger play two men who fall in love in 1950s Wyoming. Over the course of two decades, their tortured love affair continues and neither is able to be open about his feelings for the other in the midst of a society that disapproves of their relationship.

Chinatown (1974)

A lowly private detective takes on the power structure in 1930s Los Angeles by slowly uncovering a vast conspiracy centering on water management, state and municipal corruption, land use and real estate, and murder.

Crash (2004)

Written and directed by Reel Progress favorite Paul Haggis, this Academy Award-winning drama takes a revealing look at racial and cultural tensions that exist within Los Angeles’ multicultural landscape. The film follows a diverse cast during a 36-hour period as their different paths collide, changing each of them forever.

Do the Right Thing (1989)

Capping a decade of heightening racial conflicts throughout New York City, Do The Right Thing captures the tense atmosphere by taking us to Bed-Stuy, a neighborhood in Brooklyn, on the hottest day of the year.

Dr. Strangelove (or How I Stopped Worrying and Love the Bomb) (1964)

Released two years after the Cuban Missile Crisis, this satirical farce follows the chain of reactions that unfold after an insane general deploys a squadron of bombers to attack the U.S.S.R.

Erin Brockovich (2000)

The story of real-life heroine Erin Brockovich, who went from being a down-on-her-luck, unemployed single mother to an intrepid legal assistant who uncovered a California power company’s history of polluting the city’s water supply and almost single-handedly brought them down.

Good Night, and Good Luck (2005)

David Strathairn takes an Oscar-nominated turn as Edward R. Murrow, the pioneering broadcast journalist who defied corporate and political pressure to expose the lies and scaremongering of Sen. Joseph McCarthy and his anti-Communist hysteria in the early 1950s.

The Grapes of Wrath (1940)

Based on the epic John Steinbeck novel, this film exposed the public to the migrant labor problem by following the Joad family’s hopeful journey to California in search of work during the Great Depression.

Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (1967)

Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn play a couple whose views are challenged when their daughter brings home a black fiancé. This groundbreaking film was released the same year interracial marriage was legalized throughout the United States, following the Loving v. Virginia case.

High Noon (1952)

Blasted by John Wayne, as “the most un-American thing [he]’d ever seen,” blacklisted co-screenwriter and producer Carl Foreman wrote this Western as an allegory for the cowardice endemic among intellectuals, as well as many of his Hollywood colleagues during the dark years of McCarthyism.

Hoop Dreams (1994)

This documentary gives audiences a glimpse into black life in the inner city. Made over five years, the film chronicles the lives of two African-American teenagers who dream of becoming college basketball players on their way to professional basketball stardom.

An Inconvenient Truth (2006)

What started out as a PowerPoint presentation led former vice president and longtime environmental advocate Al Gore to an Oscar and a Nobel Peace Prize for this wake-up call and rallying cry to protect the earth against the damaging effects of global warming.

Lean on Me (1989)

A driven principal goes to unprecedented lengths to save his school from being declared a failed academic institution. After being arrested and alienated from the community, the principal finds vindication when his students rally behind him and pass their minimum basic skills test.

Matewan (1987)

Set in a small West Virginian town in 1920, coal miners strike and attempt to unionize in response to the abhorrent working conditions. The mine owners use threats, violence, and “scabs,” but a union organizer convinces the workers that forming a coalition would force the company to meet their demands.

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)

Frank Capra and Jimmy Stewart go for the heart in this story about a naïve idealist named Jefferson Smith who is appointed to serve in the U.S. Senate. It is not long before Smith starts ruffling the feathers of the corrupt political establishment, headed up by his own state’s intimidating political boss, Jim Taylor.

Network (1976)

In this satire of the growing genre of “trash television,” Union Broadcasting Station axes its veteran anchor Harold Beale, citing low ratings. Beale announces his impending suicide on live national television, which makes him a ratings sensation and gets him his own show where he rails against corporate media, among other things.

No End in Sight (2007)

This documentary exposes the Bush administration’s massive missteps and a myriad of missed opportunities in those crucial first moments of the war in Iraq. Lack of experience and long-term planning have led to grave consequences for the United States and the stability of the Middle East.

Norma Rae (1979)

Sally Field won her first Oscar for Best Actress in the title role as a dependable and feisty young Southern textile worker who, in the face of potentially dangerous consequences, agrees to help unionize her mill.

Roger & Me (1989)

Michael Moore takes on the not-so-simple task of trying to get a meeting with then-CEO of General Motors Roger Smith in this breakthrough documentary that examines the economic devastation left in the wake of a GM plant closure in Moore’s hometown of Flint, MI.

Shut Up and Sing (2006)

This documentary about the Dixie Chicks follows the enormous backlash that the band faced—particularly from conservative groups, talk and country radio, and some members of their fan base—after lead singer Natalie Maines, made an off-hand criticism of George Bush at a London concert in 2003.

Taxi to the Dark Side (2007)

Building on the story of an innocent taxi driver in Afghanistan who was tortured and killed, director Alex Gibney details the use of torture by U.S. military and intelligence forces in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Guantanamo Bay.

To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)

Based on a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, two children watch as their principled father, Atticus Finch, takes a stand against intolerance in the rural, segregated American South during the depths of the Depression by defending a young black man who is falsely accused of raping a white woman.

MILK

2009-05-08T17:51:00.000-07:00

Get your own copy of MILK

DVD now available at Progressive Films

Funny new ad on health care...

2009-05-07T13:59:00.000-07:00

Check out this new ad from Moveon.org!

New Additions to Progressive Films

2009-05-06T00:10:00.000-07:00

Check out these new titles just added to Progressive Films!

Beyond Elections: Redefining Democracy in the Americas

Representative politics in the Americas is in crisis. Citizens are now choosing to redefine democracy under their own terms: local, direct, and participatory.

The Jena 6

Two nooses are left as a warning to black students trying to integrate their playground, fights break out across town, a white man pulls a shotgun on black students, someone burns down most of the school, the DA puts six black students on trial for attempted murder,and the quiet town of Jena becomes the site of the largest civil rights demonstration in the South since the 1960s.

Deserter

Deserter is the journey of Ryan and Jen Johnson--a deserting soldier and his young wife--as they flee across the country to seek refugee status over the Canadian border.

The War of 33

The War of 33 is an intimate, personal and powerful telling of the story of the 2006 war in Lebanon. A series of letters written by Hanady Salman--a mother living through the war in Beirut--carve a narrative arc through the intense and haunting images of conflict.

Black and Gold: The Story of the Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation

In 1994, the Latin Kings--the largest and most powerful street gang in New York--became the Latin King and Queen Nation. They claimed to have abandoned their criminal past and to be following in the footsteps of the Black Panthers and the Young Lords.

www.progressivefilms.org

Video reports on May Day 2009, from San Francisco, Venezuela, China...

2009-05-03T14:09:00.000-07:00

Click on: San Francisco: May Day 09 for more video reports from around the world.

VIDEO BY : MARNETTE FEDERIS AND STEPHANIA ROUSELLE FOR THE MAY DAY PROJECT.

Here Mission Local reporter Marnette Federis talk with May Day participants gathered at San Francisco's Dolores Park about what May Day means to them.

May Day Project:
In more than 140 countries, May 1 is celebrated as a workers’ holiday. May Day commonly sees organized street demonstrations and celebrations by hundreds of thousands of working people throughout the world. In the United States May Day has become a day to mobilize undocumented workers for immigration rights. Amanda Martinez and Alba Mora-Roca talked to observers in Russia, Venezuela, Mexico, China and elsewhere to find out how those celebrations differed according to geography.

Hotel Workers Rising Indianapolis

2009-05-03T13:35:00.000-07:00

Michael Biskar, an organizer in Indianapolis, just sent us an inspiring video that documents the struggles of hotel workers:

Michael: "Indianapolis hotel workers are engaged in a struggle of historic proportions. There are no union hotels in the city. Housekeepers routinely clean 30-40 rooms per day for $7.25 an hour. Jobs are being outsourced every day while the conservative political establishment continues to give millions of tax dollars to these hotel corporations to come in, build their hotels, make lots of money, and then take the money back out of the city.
We've just put together a 10-min video documenting our workers' stories and some of the actions we've taken....it's a great look at what's possible in middle America when you build grassroots organizing teams of working people."
Part 1

Part 2

Thanks Michael

Digital Downloads!

2009-04-19T14:16:00.000-07:00

"Eyes on the Fries" and "Hidden Internment" are now available as digital downloads for home viewing, just $ 8.94, or for 7 day rental, just $1.99. Two minute previews are free.

For Institutions and Colleges, two minute free previews are available or the entire films can also be rented as digital downloads for just $1.99. This is an inexpensive way for Institutional customers to preview the entire films in high quality video before purchasing DVDs for classroom use or libraries through the Progressive Films website. To preview films, check them out online at Amazon.com.

View Eyes on the Fries at Amazon.com

View Hidden Internment at Amazon.com

More titles will be made available as digital downloads soon!