I attended a film festival this weekend. The Tiburon International Film Festival, to be exact, which I have my Aunt Lisa to thank for this great opportunity. Saw a lot of great short films. Saw one with my next door neighbors in it, which was a pleasant surprise. Laughed out loud. Things changed though, as they always do, when the controversial piece comes along. In this case it was
“Concerned Lady for America.” For those of you who don’t know about the film, I’ll let the website
explain the plot a bit:
Debbie Anderson is just an "ordinary decent American" on a mission to make Rio Blanco a more god-centered community. When a local shopkeeper persists in selling Cosmopolitan and other "morally corrosive" magazines, she sets out to educate him just as Christ would have done--lovingly, with a gracious but relentless boycott.
Or if it happened in his church, Christ would probably backhand him black and blue. As the plot continues, the shopkeeper slowly loses his business due to lack of interest from the community, dies from a heart attack and the folks who protested his store, “Concerned Ladies for America,” thank Jesus for that this evil man died. My two cents: Started out funny, ended as crap.
You see, I could let this go. After all, it’s only a short film. However, the director who spoke at the end of the festival said it was a satirical look at what was really happening in our world. Once again, I’ll let the website speak:
No Joke, It's Really Happening
CONCERNED LADY FOR AMERICA is a darkly satirical short film on the tactics of the Christian right. The characters and the storyline are not exaggerated and are actually based on real things happening in the United States right now.
Not exaggerated? Bullshit. As a Christian, I can tell you that if a film portrays my people as people who wish death on people who sell porn mags, then it is definitely exaggerated. We do not wish death upon people we simply disagree with. And once again, incorrect usage of the term “based on.” Hollywood types seem to like to use that term on works that should more properly called “inspired by.” This about as based on a true story as “The Lion King” is based on “Hamlet.”
Right wing religious organizations are executing a systematic plan to "reclaim" American culture. These groups often seek to impose their ideology and values on a community without regard for more fundamental American values like liberty, tolerance, and freedom of expression. They are well organized, well funded, and determined to remake America in their own image. The People for the American Way has a comprehensive list of right wing organizations that we encourage you to explore. There is no better response to their tactics than information and open debate.
Boohoo to you. I’m sorry, but if a community doesn’t want porn mags sold in their area, then so be it. There’s another fundamental American value they seem to have forgotten and that is to put things to a vote.
Christian Right
Although our film is a satire of the Christian right, our target is not Christianity. We strongly believe in the sanctity of everyone's religious beliefs and religious liberties. What we are satirizing is the politicization of religion, and the attempt to turn religious beliefs that some people follow into laws by which all must abide.
Unless the politician in question is a Democrat, in which case it’s not an issue.
Concerned Ladies
The name of our film is a take off on the name of real-life right-wing Christian organization, Concerned Women for America. They are the nation's largest public policy women's organization claiming over 500,000 members. Their mission is to protect "traditional values that support the Biblical design of the family" which means that they are anti-gay, anti-choice, anti-feminism and anti-sex education. They have national offices in Washington DC as well as 500 regional groups across the country (check your state) In 2002 their reported finances were 11.9 million dollars.
Sounds good to me. I wouldn’t know so much about the sex education part. Besides, I’m willing to bet some people who allow sex ed to be taught in school are the same ones who want to keep religion out of school, even though sex ed can be taught in a church setting. So if anti-choice means no abortion, then that sounds great to me. If being anti-gay means not letting gays force Christian and Catholic churches to wed them, I’m all for it. And if anti-feminism means not letting women walk all over men, then once again, I’m all for it.
Boycott Strategies
The fictional boycott that Debbie and the Council for American Freedom conduct in the film is based on the beliefs and methodology that is advocated by the American Family Association. They even have a downloadable brochure on their website educating people on how to conduct such a boycott. (Production note: in the final scene of the film, it is these very brochures that Beverly and Margaret are folding and stuffing into envelopes). This organization has about 100 employees and state directors in 21 states. In 2000 their reported finances were 11.4 million dollars.
And if the film has anything true to say, it is that standing outside a store holding a sign that says “Satan shops here” makes you look goofy. There, they do have a point. That is why I stay out of protests in genera, because anyone who carries a sign tends to look goofy.
And the rest of the site is about Chroga (Christianity based yoga, which is wrong to them somehow) and Christian Goth (Which actually does freak me out.) Let me end with this thought: After I watched this movie, I was treated to another one, which was an hour long documentary on the Muslims living in Africa. This is Marin County: It’s ok to bash Christians, but if we did the same to Muslims, it would be politically incorrect. That, and it seems that Muslims in certain areas of the world protest violently when they’re mad fun of. Make fun of us, though, because we won’t burn your theatre down.
Filmmakers of “Concerned Lady for America,” if you ever read this, let me tell you something. You can make fun of us all you want, but we Christians ARE concerned. We’re concerned for you and the people of our beloved planet and we will do what we see fit to better the world, which is more than we can say for you.
