So Florida's legislators are continuing to make fools of themselves

Dopameme · March 30, 2015, 05:04:35 PM

Come this July, all 8th and 11th grade students in the public school system will be required to watch the film "America" before they graduate. Here's an excerpt straight from the bill itself:

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1003.447 Patriotic film screening.—Each district school board shall ensure that each middle school and high school within its jurisdiction requires its 8th grade and 11th grade students, respectively, to annually attend a screening of the film “America: Imagine the World Without Her.” The school board shall require each such student to attend the screening unless the student’s parent requests in writing that the student be excused. Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2015

I don't know how there hasn't been a single thread on this issue yet, you'd think at least one liberal would rip it to shreds by now. Anyway, what do you all think of this? Keep in mind that the legislator who wrote and pushed this bill through congress, Senator Alan Hays, is the same guy who tried making it illegal for public buses to stop on the side of the road to pick up passengers because he had to wait behind one that stopped traffic for a few minutes.

More Than Mortal · March 30, 2015, 05:08:23 PM

I really don't see a problem with it.

So the kids get to see a movie that offers a different perspective on America. Big fucking deal.

Flee · March 30, 2015, 05:09:23 PM

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More Than Mortal · March 30, 2015, 05:13:11 PM

Quote from: Flee on March 30, 2015, 05:09:23 PM

This would be funny if it weren't so sad. Country of the free indeed.

Having kids see a conservative movie is now a violation of their freedom?

They're seeing a movie with a certain slant on American history, not attending the Two Minutes Hate.

maverick · March 30, 2015, 05:25:22 PM

If it's just blatant propaganda and serves no educational benefits, I don't see how anybody could agree with this.

challengerX · March 30, 2015, 05:28:12 PM

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More Than Mortal · March 30, 2015, 05:29:18 PM

I'm actually going to watch the movie right now.

EDIT: Scratch that, Youtube upload is a bust.

Flee · March 30, 2015, 05:32:39 PM

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Flee · March 30, 2015, 05:34:39 PM

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More Than Mortal · March 30, 2015, 05:36:39 PM

Quote from: Flee on March 30, 2015, 05:32:39 PM

Have you seen this movie? The fact that it's a terrible movie completely aside, calling it a "conservative movie" is quite the understatement. The entire movie has been critiqued for being a massive straw man, a piece of propaganda with the sole purpose of casually ignoring any sort of critical thinking and providing a staggering display of twisting facts. It is a populist appeal to emotion that has no place in an educational program without there being a proper counterweight.

As if that doesn't already exist, and kids aren't already exposed to that.

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For comparison's sake, would you have the same reaction if this was a pro EU film?

I wouldn't care. I'm actually capable of making up my own mind. I used to have a science teacher in Middle School who would relentlessly show us The Day After Tomorrow and, essentially, present it as a factual account of what would occur if global warming weren't dealt with.

It's not a good idea, but it's absolutely nothing to begin calling authoritarian. I think you're massively underselling the extent of conversation and discussion among intelligent people, and overselling the power of a movie to influence the way people think.

maverick · March 30, 2015, 05:42:22 PM

Quote from: Meta Cognition on March 30, 2015, 05:36:39 PM

I think you're massively underselling the extent of conversation and discussion among intelligent people, and overselling the power of a movie to influence the way people think.

I don't know how it goes in the UK but here in America, that couldn't be more untrue.

More Than Mortal · March 30, 2015, 05:45:52 PM

Quote from: Maverick on March 30, 2015, 05:42:22 PM

Quote from: Meta Cognition on March 30, 2015, 05:36:39 PM
I think you're massively underselling the extent of conversation and discussion among intelligent people, and overselling the power of a movie to influence the way people think.
I don't know how it goes in the UK but here in America, that couldn't be more untrue.

We have a pretty politicised education system here.

Most teachers are unionised, openly critical of the current Conservative government, my history teacher is pretty anti-UKIP and my politics teacher has a big problem with Israel and Republicans.

But, nobody really cares. It's not supposed to be politicised, but teachers are people too and everybody I know seems willing enough to look past the obvious left-wing bias among teachers here.

Flee · March 30, 2015, 05:53:45 PM

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maverick · March 30, 2015, 05:53:48 PM

Quote from: Meta Cognition on March 30, 2015, 05:45:52 PM

Quote from: Maverick on March 30, 2015, 05:42:22 PM
Quote from: Meta Cognition on March 30, 2015, 05:36:39 PM
I think you're massively underselling the extent of conversation and discussion among intelligent people, and overselling the power of a movie to influence the way people think.
I don't know how it goes in the UK but here in America, that couldn't be more untrue.
We have a pretty politicised education system here.

Most teachers are unionised, openly critical of the current Conservative government, my history teacher is pretty anti-UKIP and my politics teacher has a big problem with Israel and Republicans.

But, nobody really cares. It's not supposed to be politicised, but teachers are people too and everybody I know seems willing enough to look past the obvious left-wing bias among teachers here.

I've never had a teacher that talked about politics before and I think over here people don't see opposing viewpoints very often. I'm sure this movie will be extremely influential on students, so that's why I'm not into this idea.

Dopameme · March 30, 2015, 07:30:54 PM

Quote from: Meta Cognition on March 30, 2015, 05:08:23 PM

I really don't see a problem with it.

So the kids get to see a movie that offers a different perspective on America. Big fucking deal.

It's not just simply a different perspective, though. The director portrays events in America's history that's looked down upon (slavery, genocide of native Americans, etc) and tries to justify how those occurrences shaped the world into what it is today. There are countless critics and historians alike who say the movie is mediocre right-wing propaganda at best and that it serves no legitimate educational purpose.

I must also include that the director of the movie, Dinesh D'Souza, is heavily conservative and barely missed prison time for violating election laws.

Not Comms Officer · March 30, 2015, 07:33:29 PM

Oh look, more "Patriotic Education" bullshit.

Nationalism is fucking cancer.

There's a similar thing in Oklahoma where they want to remove AP History courses since its education about the US is "unpatriotic".

Not Comms Officer · March 30, 2015, 07:37:36 PM

Quote from: Meta Cognition on March 30, 2015, 05:45:52 PM

Quote from: Maverick on March 30, 2015, 05:42:22 PM
Quote from: Meta Cognition on March 30, 2015, 05:36:39 PM
I think you're massively underselling the extent of conversation and discussion among intelligent people, and overselling the power of a movie to influence the way people think.
I don't know how it goes in the UK but here in America, that couldn't be more untrue.
We have a pretty politicised education system here.

Most teachers are unionised, openly critical of the current Conservative government, my history teacher is pretty anti-UKIP and my politics teacher has a big problem with Israel and Republicans.

But, nobody really cares. It's not supposed to be politicised, but teachers are people too and everybody I know seems willing enough to look past the obvious left-wing bias among teachers here.

You have no idea how politicized the education system here is. Even where I live (one of the most Liberal and progressive cities in the country), the History classes are pretty biased. In other parts of the country, the History is borderline propaganda. Like, Nationalist propaganda. The sort of stuff which says "America is special and is better than all other countries on Earth." And people just believe that without second thought or question.

Turkey · March 30, 2015, 08:03:58 PM

Can we watch the video? Do we actually know what its contents are?

rC · March 30, 2015, 08:48:15 PM

Quote from: HurtfulTurkey on March 30, 2015, 08:03:58 PM

Can we watch the video? Do we actually know what its contents are?

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2785390/

Mattie G Indahouse · March 31, 2015, 05:17:09 PM

It's only a matter of time until the US becomes like North Korea were there's things like forced mourning and forced paying respect in front of our leaders statues.

Mattie G Indahouse · March 31, 2015, 05:18:07 PM

Quote from: Meta Cognition on March 30, 2015, 05:08:23 PM

I really don't see a problem with it.

So the kids get to see a movie that offers a different perspective on America. Big fucking deal.

The problem is that the kids are being forced to watch a propaganda video. Something like that is something Nazi Germany or North Korea would do.

Raw Sugar · March 31, 2015, 09:12:49 PM

The Lord Slide Rule · March 31, 2015, 09:18:12 PM

I could never take that sort of thing seriously, when I still believed we watched a similar film at church about what would happen if christianity were illegal. . .it was awful.