Film
May
8
A Special Screening of "The Good Soldier," the documentary film featuring Veteran Will Williams
Directed
by award winning filmmakers Lexy Lovell and Michael Uys, "The
Good Soldier" follows the journeys of five combat veterans from different generations of US wars as they sign up, go into battle, and eventually change their minds about what it means to be a good soldier. One of those featured is Madison's irrepressible Veteran for Peace, Will Williams. Williams will introduce the film. "It's hard to imagine watching a more affecting movie than "The Good Soldier" ... because it may be as affecting a movie as I've ever seen. It took one seemingly simple question---What makes a good soldier?---and reduced the answer to its essence. That being, the ability to kill other human beings. Using the voices of veterans from WWII, Vietnam, the Gulf War, and Iraq, each gave this exact same answer, and they all spoke not only of their guilt and regret, but also of how at some point during their time in the military they needed to kill. Their reasons were different, but the training that gave them the skills and permission was not. I found it both hard to watch and hard to turn away from, and I know I'll never look at the words 'collateral damage' in the same way again. Really powerful stuff." - Jason Albert, the Onion "...a wonderful film...with great emotional power. It was a brilliant idea to hear veterans of the various wars -- World War II, Vietnam, the first Gulf War, the Iraq War -- because the net effect is to deal, not just with one odious war, but with the phenomenon of war as a universal evil. It is especially important, if we are to ditch forever the idea of 'good' wars, to tackle head on the war which is generally considered morally unassailable -- World War II." - Howard Zinn, author of A People's History of the United States. |
||
Feb
23
Why are We in Afghanistan?
MAPC is showing 'Why are We in Afghanistan?' at our second general meeting in February. The presentation lasts only about 28 minutes so that should give ample time for discussion. A brief description from the website 'whyareweinafghanistan.org' is listed below. U.S. military action in Afghanistan originated in response to the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon. That was then. This is now. Reasons for the war have become more cloudy as other factors have developed. This film looks at domestic pressures and geo-strategic interests that keep the U.S. in the region, and the long history of U.S. foreign interventions that forms the broader context for this war.We also see today peace movement continuing another long tradition-popular resistance to war. Why Are We in Afghanistan? is an educational resource for communities, unions, veterans and active duty military, classes, and anyone who wonders why we are in Afghanistan, and what to do about it. |
||
Dec
1
Obama's Speech & Discussion
TV viewing of Obama's speech about decision on Afghanistan with other peace activists. Check local viewing times. After the speech, there will be an open mike and discussion. |
||
Nov
30
Film: "Rethink Afghanistan"
Screening of the new Robert Greenwald documentary. |
||
Dec
12
"Rethink Afghanistan", a screening and discussion of the new documentary by award-winning filmmaker Robert Greenwald
Based on extensive interviews with area specialists, counterinsurgency experts, soldiers, former CIA agents, Afghans, Pakistanis, and others, this ground-breaking 75-min. documentary questions both the alleged aims and the methods of the expanding U.S. war in Afghanistan/Pakistan. |
||
Nov
11
The Good Soldier Film at Sundance
Opening nation-wide on Veterans' Day, November 11th, Good Soldier, the
incredible anti-war documentary featuring Madison Vet for Peace, Will
Williams will be showing at the Sundance
at Hilldale. Don't miss
this
important film which should be shown in every high school in the land! Showtimes for the film will be 3:30 pm, 5:35 pm, and 7:40 pm. Tickets are on sale now. (Will will be speaking at the 1st and 3rd screenings.) From a recent film festival revue: An astounding film, The Good Soldier directed by Lexy Lovell and Michael Uys should be mandatory viewing for every President and member of Congress who is willing to make the decision to send men and women into war. In a culture where many veterans do not speak back home of what they witnessed and participated in battle, this film portrays five combat veterans from different wars ranging from WWII to Vietnam to the Gulf War to Iraq who emotionally lay it on the line. The sheer humanity of such inhumane situations is astounding and riveting and heartbreaking. The courage it takes for these soldiers to speak of their darkest moments and moral dilemmas with such brutal honesty is to be commended and brings up questions of our government supporting those they would send to die who did not die but came home. War puts you at odds with what is right and wrong, one veteran explains. Their training as soldiers is to become killers without remorse, but as one asks, "How do you turn that off? One day you're killing then the next you're sitting at a bar in New York City." In wars where the enemy looks just like the innocent civilian, collateral damage leaves its mark on the psyche of the soldiers which haunts them for the rest of their lives. As one veteran who is a founder of Veterans for Peace states, "War is not the way to settle a disagreement." For a trailer, go to: http://www.uslaboragainstwar.org/article.php?id=20590 |
||
Oct
27
Film: The War at Home
This will be the historic 30th anniversary screening of Glenn Silber’s
1979 film about the anti-war protest movement in Madison in the 1960’s
and ‘70s. Following the film there will be a panel discussion with
filmmaker Silber and others. Advance tickets or day of show. |
||
Nov
6
"The Good Soldier" film highlights on Bill Moyers Show
Bill Moyers' TV show is scheduled to discuss the film "The Good Soldier," a documentary featuring five combat veterans from different generations, all of whom eventually changed their minds about what it means to be a good soldier. Will Williams is featured in the film. Will is a member of the local Veterans for Peace chapter and a Vietnam War veteran. This film screened at the 2009 Wisconsin Film Festival. |
||
Oct
7
Film: "Rethink Afghanistan"
Join us to view the brand new Robert Greenwald film on the situation in Afghanistan and what the U.S. options are now. |
||
Apr
1
Film: "Stratcom: The Gun That's Still Loaded"
Free Screening: Documentary Film on U.S. Militarism: StratCom: "The Gun That's Still Loaded" This one-hour documentary reveals how the Bush administration has restructured Strat Com, the U.S. military's central command structure in response to the so-called "war on terror". The film was proudced by peace activists Frances Mendenhall, Sung Hee Choi and R. Addision for Independent Television Omaha. The film examines StratCom's secretive and destabilizing mission, how it operates outside U.S. and international law,and why building global awareness about it is important to prevent nuclear war or catastrophe. |
||
