Review of America: Imagine the World Without Her (2014) by J. Scott F — 28 Jun 2015

I had to see this film for myself to see if it really is as bad as critics say - despite the fact that it apparently has a fan base that really loves it. It begins with an interesting premise . . . what if George Washington had been killed during the Revolution, and what would the world be without America? The historic re-enactments are similar to short films shown at historical sites featuring local "talent" that tapped into a lot of money for big production values and soaring patriotic music.

Dinesh firmly inserts himself as the film's narrator, everyman, and all American hero - and builds a polemic against the idea that America should feel any shame for anything that has happened over the past 500 years. He blames the narrative of shame on Howard Zinn's book "A People's History of the United States" which frames our history through the eyes of the underdog - providing the viewpoint of the oppressed that are so often left out of our official version of US history.

So . . . Dinesh shows clips and soundbites from those that say everything hasn't always been as sunny as we've been told in patriotic stock footage of happy families and blissful workers. He builds the case for American shame, including our national sins of annexing Native American and Mexican lands, slavery, war & foreign policy, and the inequalities of our capitalist system. His presentation for the reasons for shame are actually well presented and accurate - but his reasons why there should be no shame boil down to, "well, everybody else did it" or "that's just how it is - but we weren't actually as bad as some others".

He suggests that slavery wasn't really about race because there were white indentured servants that worked alongside the slaves, and there were some brutal black slave owners - so, slavery was wrong, but not racist . . . therefore everyone should just shut up about it.

His defense of America's annexation of Mexico's land is probably the most profound - proclaiming that the people in Texas rebelled, we fought a war and took the land fair and square . . . and since ALL Mexican's really want to be here anyway, what's their problem? They would have all been happier if we annexed it all.

He also presents a dramatization of Madam C.J. Walker as an example of a happy, hard working black American - saying that you won't hear that story in history books because liberals don't want her included due to the fact that she defies the narrative of inequality. She did it, why can't you? Of course, he says nothing of her struggles, and the institutional racism she fought against. There is a strong theme of pulling oneself up by their own bootstraps.

He does present a couple of good points about America's advancement and prosperity derived due to our freedom, liberty and entrepreneurial spirit. He quotes positive things MLK and other social liberals have said about America. However, he doesn't seem to get the fact that critics of America's inequality and greed don't hate America, or even hate capitalism - they just don't like those that abuse the system for their own gain. They are for honesty and transparency rather than white washing, denying and platitudes of blatant propaganda such as that found in this film. No one, not even Howard Zinn, would criticize the actual freedom & liberty of the US - they criticize how it is abused, and often unrealized by many due to institutional and socio/economic barriers. Dinesh can't seem to understand that, or is willfully ignoring it.

The film then moves into somewhat of a science fiction narrative about who he obviously deems as the most evil man to ever walk freely in America - Saul Alinsky - and builds a case against him. The tone changes into one of snark and dread as he tells the story of how Alinsky created a radical narrative on how to destroy America. He lays out the prime objective of dismantling the way things are in order to rebuild America into a socialist hellscape . . . recruiting such people as Hilary Clinton and Barack Obama to do his bidding. Alinsky also influenced most of our media and educators, establishing an expansive liberal world view with a goal towards destroying this great country. However, no motives are really provided other than pure evil . . . and a desire to emulate Lucifer, the first rebel against God.

I'm glad I watched it because it blatantly reveals the simplicity of thought and acrobatic leaps of logic needed to believe this white and black perception of the red, white and blue. I'm not sure if Dinesh is being purposefully short sighted to appeal to his audience - or if he really does not have the ability to grasp anything more than a 3rd grade level of patriotic apologetics.

As I was watching this film it was clear that he either did not understand (or was pretending not to understand) basic principles of right & wrong, justice, fairness, and equality. The excuses given are similar to the 3rd grader who says he's not really bad for stealing candy at the store because other kids stole more than he did - or that he's not a racist for beating up a black kid, because he beats up white kids too. His entire premise seemed to hinge on ignoring & denying our sin because we're bigger and better than that.

One of the most puzzling parts of the film is his diatribe against felonies . . . claiming that the average person commits felonies every day because of all the restrictions the Alinskyites have placed on our liberty. He also appears to be suggesting there shouldn't really be felonies because - well . . . because it's America and we should be able to do what we want without any consequences. This leads into his personal story with this unfair system that convicted him for Campaign Finance fraud - because, he proclaims, he did a film that told the truth about Obama and the evil government shut him down.

He leaves us with the dire warning that if you try to speak up or be a freedom loving patriot that the Government is coming to get you. Oh yes, Saul Alinsky's plan worked and now they are coming to get us all. Why? Well . . . because, evil. Yeah, that's the ticket. What's the motive for all this evil? Um . . . you know, power - so they can punish good people and make everyone feel national shame for things our forefathers might have done that weren't really that bad because, you know, others did it too. We're good by comparison - but only as long as we ignore the root causes of poverty & inequality and blame it on Alinsky. We're essentially good - so, we can do whatever we want.

This film had about as much depth as dinner talk with Sarah Palin after several glasses of wine, and will greatly appeal to those that get teary eyed during GOP Presidential commercials.

Dinesh might feel he's being punished for his beliefs rather than his actual felony - but no, he is actually a felon. It's not a felony to parade this propaganda as Patriotic . . . but I'm kind of thinking it should be. However, no - I believe in free speech so that he can call other free speech advocates evil. I believe in calling out evil wherever it hides it's ugly head - and I found this film to have a sinister vein of denial, revisionism, attack, blame and paranoia.

So, if you don't read books, don't do your own research, and didn't pay attention to anything in school past the age of 8 - you may love this film, and feel a delightful paranoia, fear of Hilary, and hatred for Matt Damon when it's finished.