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“An honest dialog about who we are”
Christopher Renner of the Manhattan Alliance for Peace and Justice held a community screening of “What’s the Matter with Kansas?” on October 13, and he reflects on it in the Kansas Free Press. Kansas Farmers Union President Donn Teske, who is featured in the movie, addressed the packed auditorium after the screening.
From Christopher:
The film explores [...]
Playing to both sides of the aisle in Kansas
In the wake of Michael Moore, Sasha Baron Cohen, and their counterparts on the right, Non-fiction filmmakers are often accused of preaching only to the choir. Here at “What’s the Matter with Kansas?” we suffer from an even more vainglorious ambition – we want our movie to be seen by people who disagree with each [...]
Mr. Ibbetson begs to differ
Paul A. Ibbetson, a radio show host from Manhattan, Kansas, has done the extraordinary: he’s published a lengthy review of a movie he has not seen–ours.
What’s the Matter with Glenn Beck?
The Opinionator on the New York Times web site has a good rundown of the buzzing commentary about Glen Beck and the current revival of right wing populism. Now that Time has featured Beck on the cover, its official: after a quiet spring of Obama Honeymoon (and shock from the disasters of 2008) the conservatives [...]
Great opening weekend in Chicago
We were excitedly looking forward to our home town premiere at the Gene Siskel Film Center, and certainly were not disappointed. Our post-screening Q & A’s played to packed houses, and as always, you in the audience kept us on our toes.
They were rewarded for sticking around, as we shared with them how we met [...]
Operation Rescue is out of money, may shut down
“We’re so broke, we can’t even pay attention,” quipped Troy Newman, head of Operation Rescue, speaking to the Associated Press. The Pro-Life activist group based in Wichita, KS is apparently on the brink of shutting down, for lack of funds. He’s just sent out a desperate letter to supporters, adding that he’s working without pay. [...]
Anti-abortion protester shot and killed in Michigan
A member of Operation Save America (a splinter group of Operation Rescue), Jim Pouillon, age 63, was shot and killed at 7:20 am Friday morning, while protesting against abortion outside a high school in Michigan. Authorities say the suspect, Harlan James Drake, age 33, was offended by anti-abortion material that the activist had displayed across [...]
Thomas Frank: the backlash returns
Thomas Frank, who coined the term “the Great Backlash,” and made it famous in his book, “What’s the Matter with Kansas?” notes in his column in today’s Wall Street Journal that it didn’t take long for the Obama Honeymoon to end.
A scary new populism made the cover of Newsweek back in March.
But then we skipped [...]
Tiller’s murderer considering “justifiable homicide” defense
Scott Roeder, who’s accused of shooting Dr. George Tiller to death in his own church, is hiring lawyer Michael Hirsch to present a “justifiable homicide” defense, according to the Associated Press.
Common ground on evolution?
Robert Wright, in a fascinating essay in today’s New York Times, Charles Darwin channels his inner Barack Obama and looks for common ground on the conflict between believers in Creationism/ Intelligent Design and the mainstream scientific community.
Voice of America interview (in Russian)
A journalist from Voice of America interviewed Joe after the Lincoln Center screening (in English), and his article is available in Russian on the Voice of America web site. No one on the production team is fluent in Russian, but Joe remembers the interview as having been a good done. If anyone out there wants [...]