No Peace in the World Unless There is Security At Home

Dorinda Fox

Location: Orlando, Florida, United States
Birthday: May 20

Bio: I teach writing at several universities. My two daughters are five and 16. I adore my children, have trouble raising them, and you will read more about them than you care to. I am a cancer survivor. I was born and raised in Arkansas. I am addicted to Starbucks black iced tea. "What if it's boring... or if it's not boring, it might be too revealing, or worse, it might be too revealing and still be boring." Lily Tomlin referring to her teenage diary, in an interview in Movie magazine (July 1983) "The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent are full of doubt." -- Bertrand Russell "I'm teaching myself to live without sleeping because I don't trust my dreams." -- Jon Stewart on the Daily Show

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OCTOBER 10, 2009 7:34PM

Rate: 17 Flag

I just saw Capitalism: A Love Story and like most Michael Moore movies the thought and energy that go into his movies inspires me. His righteous anger that can inspire also tends to lead him to film sequences that stick it to those who anger him. Such sequences can sometimes drive those on the fence not to join him. I hope that does not happen with this film as Moore's previous films concerning General Motors and healthcare were prescient. However, in many ways he became an unheeded Cassandra due to some of those scenes.

He did not run me off and in fact introduced me to something I never learned about in school. And you are reading the posts of the Outstanding History Student at Hall High School in 1979 here ;0)

During his last year of office President Franklin Delano Roosevelt proposed a Second Bill of Rights for Americans. These rights were put into practice in some ways through the new constitutions enacted in the defeated countries of Italy, Japan, and Germany that were recepients of the Marshall Plan. If those rights are working in the laboratory that is those countries then they should be implemented here.

I wrote earlier that I found President Obama's Nobel Prize to be appropriate.

Mr. President the world is calling to you to concern yourself more with implementing what those who voted for you wanted rather than concerning yourself with re-election. Please let that prize make it possible for you to wake up tomorrow and work to make what we voted for happen. Your place in history is set. You don't need a second term for that. Please do not let that drive your decisions.

I want you to have a second term but I want you to not abandon what you stand for-- which is the hopes and dreams of people some previously in power have called peasants. It was an unfortunate term for those in power to choose for it reveals much about their mindset.

Ironically FDR proposed many of those same rights 60 something years ago.

Here is the Second Bill of Rights as proposed by an old dying rich white guy democratically elected as a United States president. Mr. Moore implies in his movie that you now serve as the voice of the people not often heard.

For those who have not heard of FDR's Second Bill of Rights here they are.

For unless there is security here at home, there cannot be lasting peace in the world. --FDR

What Moore implies in his movie that might offend fence sitters is that President Obama's presidential campaign received contributions from Goldman Sachs and others Moore identifies as villians in Capitalism: A Love Story,

If you have time rent a copy of a movie that came out a few years ago called Thank Your For Smoking. The movie is basically a rhetoric text turned movie script and I use it in class as a semi-humorous way for students to learn about appeals to emotion, logic, and character and how those appeals interact with each other. There is an amazing scene in which Sam Elliott plays a dying cancer ridden Marlboro Man cowboy who made commercials for the fictional company's product. The main character of Thank You For Not Smoking is a lobbyist sent to the dying actor's home to give him a large cash "gift" in exchange for his silence. The lobbyist makes masterful appeals to emotion and character to get the man to accept the "gift." At the end of the scene the actor says, "I can't really take the money and denounce you can I?" The lobbyist tells him he can't. The lobbyist has put himself in the lead position on ethics.

It is at that point that I stop the movie and ask the student if the actor can or can not accept the cash. How strong is the ethical appeal?

President Obama it is OK with me if you took that money since much of it was taxpayer money anyway. That money may have helped get you to a posiiton in which you can bring change. It is OK if you took that money ONLY IF you denounce those who gave it you and do whatever it takes in the next three years to push that Second Bill of Rights.

For unless there is security here at home, there cannot be lasting peace in the world. --FDR

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I didn't know about the Second Bill of Rights, but there we have it, the summation of ALL the is wrong in America. Thanks for sharing this, Dorinda. I don't think Capitalism, A Love Story is going to be played in local theatres. Why bother, they don't want to learn anything anyway...it has been a LONG weekend.

lalucas

October 10, 2009 07:51 PM

I saw this movie this afternoon as well. I didn't know about the Second Bill of Rights and appreciate Moore's educating me. But, as you point out, his outrage does alienate many who would benefit by watching his films. I don't agree with his premises as a whole cloth, but found this film interesting and disturbing.

Julie Delio

October 10, 2009 08:03 PM

Excellent post.
rated

micalpeace

October 10, 2009 08:25 PM

The read was great and forthright.
I'd love to hopscotch with people.
Politico's remind me of:` finicky!
Finicky. Miserable. The old sops!
Thee so-called-well to do? Drips!

Art James

October 10, 2009 08:41 PM

I'm with you, D. Hope Obama is listening. I just don't know if four years is enough time to do much more than undo some of the Bush damages. I am hopeful. This sounds good. doing the right thing never goes out of vogue.

Michael Rodgers

October 10, 2009 09:34 PM

FDR's 1944 speech should be played over and over again on Capitol Hill until the politicians get the idea.

old new lefty

October 10, 2009 09:46 PM

I don't agree with his tactics, but I am hoping his motivation is more real. Yes, he does turn people off, and he offends me with his style...but the substance is hardly something I question. I doubt I'll spend my money to see this film, but I won't escape it :)

Good posting, and informative.
R

BuffyW

October 11, 2009 12:47 AM

Dorinda, this writing is really inspirational, your teaching is really inspirational - I've always considered Thank You For Smoking to be a jingoist movie that poses the most incredibly complex questions about ethics and morals. If it was intended its a masterpiece but if not it is still a significant book and movie for all the reasons you state - what a remarkable teacher you are, to direct young minds to this level of questioning. I wish I'd had a teacher like you.

Sandra Stephens

October 11, 2009 02:33 AM

Good post, Dorinda and thanks for sharing the piece about FDR.

Patie

October 11, 2009 07:56 AM

Lisa, Julie and Mical,

Thanks. I hope that many people will see it and will give him some slack for just erupting at points. He makes a good detailed argument. There were some scenes my daughter had a hard time with as did I.

Dorinda Fox

October 11, 2009 08:37 AM

art, Michale, and oldnew,

I would hope that playing that FDR sequence would create some Do the Right Thing but so far not so much.

Dorinda Fox

October 11, 2009 08:38 AM

Sandra,

It is an excellent movie as is Wag the Dog but that was too political for class given the atmosphere in the air these days. I only show the first half before the beginning of the congressional hearings when it is more about homelife and Hollywood. It irks them when I skip over or fast forward through the odd Katie Holmes sex scenes ;0)

Patie,

Thanks.

Dorinda Fox

October 11, 2009 08:40 AM

"I ask the Congress to explore the means for implementing this economic bill of rights - for it is definitely the responsibility of the Congress so to do. Many of these problems are already before committees of the Congress in the form of proposed legislation. I shall from time to time communicate with the Congress with respect to these and further proposals. In the event that no adequate program of progress is evolved, I am certain that the Nation will be conscious of the fact."

Thanks, Dorinda. This is important and so presently applicable. It seems FDR had faith in the a nation that was "conscious," and, perhaps, a Congress that was concerned with these basic economic rights. I'll be posting this on my Facebook page.

As for Moore, he makes me cringe, but I watch his movies with my fingers splayed over my eyes. He's a provocateur, but maybe we need more of those. Rated.