Movie Review

I would like to start out by saying that I do not feel comfortable putting all of my views about this 'documentary' online because there are people out there who might react in a bad way to my comments. I have a freedom of speech, but I have a responsibility to keep myself safe.

With that being said, I took notes that total 500 words throughout most of the movie, but I stopped not too far after a few of the 'experts' in the movie justified terrorism. I have been formally trained to recognize and disassemble propaganda, and this movie would be one of the best to show for training purposes. The first issue I take is how some of the experts consulted are heavily biased against Israel; Noam Chomsky is not only frequently criticized as anti-Israeli, but also often seen as so far left that I'd the the Weather Underground would have feared him.

I add to this that only one of the consulted experts shown were Arab or Palestinian; there were plenty of Muslims and Jews, but they were all white, non-threatening types -- in fact, the one "non-white" person shown was a Muslim who could only BARELY be out of his teens, if that, and had an American accent, thus making him very non-threatening as well.

The movie also often contradicts itself, such as saying the American journalists only report from Jerusalem, and then later show DAN RATHER reporting from occupied territories. In the case of the American Media neglecting to put the reports into context, the movie doesn't have ANY EXAMPLES to show, while it bombards viewers with other so-called examples of media bias.

I take no issue with the Palestinians and their wish to be sovereign; Israel has even started trying to let them have their own government. I take issue with their elementary use of propaganda instead. Propaganda is not evil, but it works best when it is subtle at first, and this movie is far from that. It does not make me look twice at the news media, because the examples it uses are shoddy, and I have seen plenty of prime examples of pro-Palestinian stories. For example, the story of Israeli retaliation for "a few" rockets fired (try nearly one hundred the last I checked) and how devastating and terrifying it was for the Palestinian innocents. There was no mention of how the Israelis were destroying buildings that enemy fire came from and also leveling known stockpiles. Instead, the Palestinians merely fired a few rockets out of anger over a blockade while the Israelis bombed school-children and "peace officers."

I do not want this post to be seen as bias, but there is little I can do about it. I try to give all sides credit, but only when it is due. PS: I will be sending my other notes in an e-mail to the Professor, in case she wishes to read them.