Starting a Conversation
Hello Everybody and Welcome to our website. Presumably you’ve found your way here because you have some interest in our movie, Red State. A quick perusal of the buttons at the top of the page will give you plenty of information about the film including the opportunity to purchase it.
But the point of this site, and the film, is hopefully more than commercial. The film was created with a simple premise; knowing what was known in 2004 why would anybody vote for George W. Bush? And while the movie gives us some insight into this question it was never intended to be an end in itself but a beginning.
A beginning of a conversation.
A conversation that will take us away from objectifying and demonizing others so that we may see our problems and differences clearly. A conversation that acknowledges the humanity of “the other side” and hopes to find compromises and solutions, where possible. But a conversation that does indeed see the threat to liberty that some among us present and has as it’s ultimate goal the eradication of this threat.
So, we’ve made this film as the beginning of our contribution to this conversation. If you like what you see stick around, leave a comment, watch the clips, spread the word. And if you wish to host a screening we’d be happy to oblige.
Thanks for stopping by.
August 29th, 2006 at 8:13 am
Aloha “Red-State-Busters”,
Job well done!!! And now that we know and have seen with your help what we already knew about our “fellow Americans” what can we do about it?
Here is one “Hillary-ous” alternative…(additional alternatives are respectfully and desparately requested!!!)
Please let me know what you think about this one: Click here: http://www.michaelhodges.com/missing.html
Mahalo and Aloha,
Al An
August 30th, 2006 at 6:34 pm
Congratulations!
I’m listening to Air America radio, as I write this, which directed me to the site. What an ambitious undertaking!
I will certainly be ordering the DVD very soon, and will advise my friends that they will want to see “Redstate the Movie”!
Keep up the good work !
August 30th, 2006 at 7:09 pm
Just heard the bit on Seder’s program…and it sounds like an interesting, albeit discouraging, endeavor. I was born, raised, and currently reside in one of the “blue” bullseyes - Seattle, WA, and it is a recurring conversation among my cohorts regarding the alternate reality which exists beyond this island of sanity. Is it an issue of education (or lack thereof), or would that even make a difference? More education and/or less organized religion is the key, I guess. Obviously they (the red staters) share the same genetic material as the rest of us…ugh, it’s hopeless. Thanks for depressing me even more, but I’ll still watch the documentary.
August 30th, 2006 at 7:09 pm
Heard your interview on Air America tonight. I feel your pain. I finally found solace and understanding by reading George Lakoff’s little book “Don’t think of an Elephant.” He’s a Cognitive Linguistics professor who heads up the Progressive think tank, www.rockridgeinstitute.org . I am working now to support Progressives who understand the metaphors that the neocons are triggering. As he shows, people vote their “values” that are framed in their “metaphors.” You have to understand the metaphor values of the Right and realize your own values as a Progressive. Until we do, we are driven crazy and lose the debate over and over.
Thank you for doing this wonderful documentary. It can be a wake up call for Progressives who see it. Sorry to say, the most crazy sounding movie interviewees are coming from the metaphors purposely triggered by the Right. Their think tank on this is run by Luntz who gives the frame and key words to the Right regularly. Bushes speeches are full of them.
Good luck to all of us and to taking back at least the House. We must get accountability and save our country and our Constitution.
August 30th, 2006 at 7:13 pm
I heard about this on Air America tonight. Should be interesting and scary to watch. I put in a request with Netflix to carry this documentary, so hopefully they’ll buy a few copies.
August 30th, 2006 at 7:23 pm
I heard about it in an interview with Sam Seder on Air America also. Can’t wait to share this with all my friends & relatives, conservative and liberal. I only wonder if the conservative ones will take the time to fully understand that the effort was all about trying to find something all Americans can agree on.
August 30th, 2006 at 7:23 pm
Great Idea!
I am too listening to your interview with Sam Seder. Unbelievable idea and kudos to you to have the “chuzpah” to just go out and make this happen.
Just by viewing the limited clips you have available here on your site, it is truly painful to see what has become of many of the areas called “red states.” Speaking as a “refuge” from Missouri living in the Chicago area, the one difference I can point to between living here as opposed to there is Education and Experience. When you are knowledgable and have, through Education, the development of a highly enlightened and informed Conscience, you find it impossible to be hateful of your fellow human beings, no matter what the race, creed or color.
The only way out of this quagmire we find ourselves in is to reverse this “by design” dumbing down of our rural populace, which, fueled by “religious” fundamentalist self-righteousness, based on our differences and what divides us instead of what unites and what we have in common. As a Human Race, we need to REALIZE that the only way out of this is with compassion and wisdom, putting people first and profit second at least. You shedding light on these poor people, who really do not know any better - you have become a part of the solution. Keep it up!
August 30th, 2006 at 8:57 pm
I was listening to Air America and was intrigued by this documentary. I am a progressive and a lesbian living in rural Alabama. I teach at a university and am so very familiar with the ideas presented on Sam Seder’s show. I share the belief that compassion can only come through understanding and embracing differences, but I have to say that on a day-to-day basis (in my teaching) that becomes so difficult if a discussion challenges students’ fundamentalist Christian beliefs. And since I teach literature from the ancient world, this is just about every day.
Recently, I was listening to a political analyst arguing that the whole concept of red state/blue state is a construction dreamed up by folks like Rove. I wonder if it is to anyone’s benefit to continue with this divisive language, but I imagine that you’ve given this some thought as you’ve titled your film this way.
August 30th, 2006 at 9:37 pm
Hi Guys, and thanks for stopping by. I had a great time doing Sam’s show tonight and I just wanted to say hello to those of you who took the time to come by. If you like what you see here please share the site with friends and neighbors.
As may be obvious, my idea for this film began with the notion that instead of seeing and hearing pundits and politicians it might do some of us some good to listen to “real” bush voters speak in their own words.
This is what I have attempted in Red State.
I originallly hail from Seattle, presently live in California and have spent most of my time in this country living in “Blue” areas. It was invaluable for me to travel around and meet, talk with and listen to Conservative folk. I hope you might find value in it as well.
Thanks again,
Michael Shea
August 30th, 2006 at 9:52 pm
Another Sedar listener.
As a son of Red State culture, I’m always frustrated with liberals who, while claiming to be inqusitive, educated and broad minded, just can’t understand the winger mindset. These liberals are quite ignorant of the range of human perspectives in the real world. Just because Bush supporters believe and say ridiculous things doesn’t mean they’re crazy or stupid, ( although many are below ave intel. )
Liberals: America is a *huge* nation. Spend some time wrapping your head around the number 300,000,000. All we can know about 99% of America comes from mainstream media. We watch the tube and think we understand the nation. We don’t.
We know ( on average ) about 1200 people, 0.0003% of America. No one’s friends and associates are representive of America. Very few people will tolerate people in their lives whose opinions are significantly different, so most shut out those from who they could learn to understand alien thoughts.
People are much more influenced by emotions then they are knowledge ( myself included, ), but it can’t be admitted because our culture denegrates emotions, so emotions are repressed, especially in Red State culture. People who repress emotions are more easilly manipulated.
And repression leads to obsession, and denial and a ton of other pathologies. I’m telling yall, Red State culture is a sick world full of some very nice and screwed up people.
Enough. To recap: I’m sick and tired of hearing “I can’t believe these people… ” or “How can anyone think that way?” “Liberals”, please start acting like liberals.
August 31st, 2006 at 5:56 am
Hi Nancy,
The Red State/Blue State thing is, in reality, a canard. But I do think it can be illustrative, of a present political state of mind. This is why I have chosen”Red State” as the title for my film. That and the fact that it is evocative, catchy and easy to remember. By the way, I agree with you about compassion. It is the base atitude I tried to experience the filmmaking process through.
I didn’t always succeed, but I hope the effort comes through in the film.
August 31st, 2006 at 6:02 am
Hi Joey,
I agree with you. I fact I think that this is one aspect of my film that might not be popular with some on the left. I went through a personal process while making the film and it’s all there on the screen. I learned about my penchant for objectifying those with whom I do not agree and discovered what little real value that objectification and demonization holds. Calling Bush stupid, while perhaps satisfying, is ultimately not very fulfilling. And it certainly has been counter productive politically.
August 31st, 2006 at 4:01 pm
Joey does make a good point regarding how few people we really know, and that are a lot of different perspectives out there…obviously. But, for the most part, at the most basic level we are all exposed to the same (albeit media biased) headlines and “Page 2″ stories, and yet the conclusions we draw from that narrative are so wildly different.
The EU has, I guess, around 300,000,000 citizens, and for some reason their range of personal interpretations seems to be much narrower and centered, at least from my perspective, around reality/sanity. I mean, if you went to the most rural backroads of Sweden and talked to their equivalent of “red-staters,” viewpoints on many issues (especially social) would not deviate crazily from the urban “elitists.” Again, I think much of this has to do with education, poverty, and organized religion, but I’m sure the issue is as hyper complicated as most human things.
And, I certainly don’t think “red-staters” aren’t nice folk…like many people, I have “red-state” family members and friends and their (seemingly) bizarre social/cultural opinions don’t correlate with their “niceness.” Ultimately, though, nice people with red state voting habits can have some very negative effects on personal choice and liberty for certain other “nice” people.
August 31st, 2006 at 4:18 pm
Hi Michael
Heard about this on Air America all the way from little old Wellington, New Zealand. Is the DVD region free?
Cheers
Scott
September 1st, 2006 at 9:27 am
If possible, I’d recommend putting a link to Sam Seder’s interview with Michael Shea on The Majority Report here in the Blog.
September 2nd, 2006 at 6:01 am
Hi Scott,
Yes, the dvd is region free. Glad to hear from you in Wellington. Thanks.
September 2nd, 2006 at 6:03 am
Thanks, toosin. We are in the process of putting up the interview.
September 20th, 2006 at 10:44 am
Joey G. I can’t agree with you more.
I hate the labels Liberal and Conservative. We’re all a bit of both depending on the topic. Pollsters and politicians continue to shove us in these pigeonholes so they can pitch to our fears and emotions, certainly not to our sensibilities.
When we stop being afraid of life and the future, then maybe we’ll be able communicate with intelligence.
I’m looking forward to seeing the film.
September 20th, 2006 at 6:11 pm
Very well done guys, excellent movie! Having never visited the south, I had no idea creatures like this still exist. Very unnerving, in a “Deliverance”, dueling banjos kind of way. Seems like the red states east of the Rockies are in a 1950’s time warp. It’s unfortunate that rather than condemn the hateful ignorance showcased in this movie, some politicians exploit it for personal gain. And make no mistake, they are exploiting it.
Presidents, congressmen and women, and Senators, are almost all well educated, and only a very few subscribe to the thoughts, feelings, and attitudes that the people in this movie articulate. Yet, almost all pols seem to pander to this lowest common denominator, creating fear and loathing in the ignorant, in order to further their own personal careers of graft and corruption.
Two women you interviewed, the one from Concerned Women of America, and the other who carefully explained in detail her Leave it to Beaver world, were truly hysterical, I thought they were joking. Sadly, they actually believe what they were saying.
In 2006?! What a country.
September 25th, 2006 at 12:41 pm
Have any of you thought that maybe fly-over states just act like this just to piss you liberals off. You do everything you can to make us miserable. It’s amazing anyone listens to you elitists. You have denegrated your own constituants in almost every post. Maybe this is why the African-American vote is turning away from democrats. As their education level increases they appear to realize how it benefits the democratic party to keep them poor and uneducated. This would probably happen with the Hispanic vote also if there weren’t so much pressure from the left to unite Mexico and the U.S.
Sorry if my rambling is over your heads.
September 25th, 2006 at 12:47 pm
I need to finish that thought. It just seems to me that you simply need a new block of voters to exploit.
September 27th, 2006 at 4:48 pm
Very well done! I am left with the same kind of puzzlement you expressed at the end of the film –
and I certainly don’t intend to abandon the Constitution for the Bible.
September 29th, 2006 at 9:39 am
If anyone with a TV and DVD player would like to host a screening near 10001 zip code, please let me know. I have the DVD and would be glad to share it.
Email me at nesspa43@yahoo.com.
September 30th, 2006 at 4:23 pm
Im very sad right now,very sad. I watched the clips you provided and the remix made for youtube by “The General”. Ive looked over the blog comments and subjects and in all of this Ive looked to see understanding, consideration and reconcilliation. I haven’t seen it thats why Im sad. So So much works to tear us apart, put every american on a “side”. Why? This is a big fucking country, we have a wide range of veiws.
Let’s try this on for size:
- Liberals are more aware of the world, smarter and just understand issues better than lesser minded folk who just can’t seem to.
- Conservatives are more spiritual, patriotic, love “their” country and generaly work harder.
I say if you buy either side of this bullshit argument your a short sighted a-hole.
I will try to locate and view this movie but I fear that it has ended up as another exercise in see how simple minded and racist these folk are. I trulllllly hope not. You have a very special opportunity to bring together our fractured nation, or at very least start the process. Don’t waste it.
Thank you, good luck and be well.
Steve from NYC
October 8th, 2006 at 6:01 pm
It takes more than taking people’s comments out of context and making fun of them and insulting them to have a conversation or convince people. When it comes down to logical arguments and facts I think it is apparent that the so-called blue states are no more informed nor logical than the red states. After over five years of hearing how stupid republicans are and seeing no proof, I am very disappointed and angry at my Democrats, who in order to make the world more easy to digest have to simplify everything into being the same, like how many days it might take in the US to get an abortion versus how many women in the middle east are killed because of the islamic government and thinking that it has no connection to the west for these things to exist in the world.
I am not exactly a Bush supporter, but I do think he has correctly gauged the threat of radical islam to the west, and what I hear on the other side is if we just say sorry and leave them alone they will like us. I am just not convinced and not listening to the Democrats anymore since they have had so much time to say ANYTHING, and have remained silent, except for complaining.
October 8th, 2006 at 6:08 pm
Steve, I agree and made a similar post. People are so concerned about winning or being on the winning side they are unwilling to discuss anything, and unwilling to demand facts. 52% (big majority) of the American people today think Bush mislead us about the war. Well what are we? We did not even demand that our government and politicians do their job, supplying, digging, analysing information. I do not feel anyone fooled me. I figured the chance was low, but possible, and other factors indicated it could potentially be a very positive thing to depose Saddam. I favored a different mode, but no one even discussed it. If we are going to elect our government and leave it to them, and then whine about it if we do not like it, that is not democracy, that is a joke. The people need to take some responsiblilty for this, and to do that they need to educate themselves and discuss analytically what is going on. And if we cannot do that, then we elect a government that has that on their agenda and work towards it.
Right now we seem to care only about the most outrageous of acts of accusations about these people. This is not entertainment, it is our lives.
October 8th, 2006 at 6:13 pm
Interesting post … pretty emotional and broad brushed. It is the “LIBERALS” who ever they are. Well, I can tell you as smart as you think you are and as far above all of our heads, you simply cannot define a liberal let alone blame what a Liberal is. A Liberal as I read right wing radio is someone who is responsible for anything you do not like about life or the American government. Yet you expect the country to what? Cede you total power, or even had a discusssion when you use language and ideas like that? People, citizens are kept in the dark by our government and media … except as far as who to get mad at and who to blame, then it is all over the place. We all have stood for this, let it happen, and gotten isolated and hostile at each other, and it does no one any good, except if you just love to get all worked up and write rants about the bad guys.
October 8th, 2006 at 6:21 pm
Maybe you are “culturally unaware”, you open minded liberal you, that there are lots of human beings who live in the
southern united states that have as many rights as you have … and that as you think they may be subhuman morons
in need of enlightenment there are just as many sad stereotypes that blue state people fit into that are just a sad.
If we had a computer program that would filter all the message boards in all the country of all the insults, cultural,
emotional bullshit you could put the content of the last 6 years on one screenful of information … maybe half of
one.
We have developed an isolated appeasement based, catering to individual delusions culture that simple does
not know how to work anymore … and any more effort expended on trying to gain power at the expense of the
other bad side … 50% of the population is a total waste in my opinion and will just lead to the opposite happening
every few election cycles.
We as a country have to decide our values, our goals and metrics to measure them that we all can agree on.
The fact that we have not had a terrorist attack in 5 years means to red that we are doing a good job, and to
blue that it was our own government that caused the attack. The country cannot exist with a national mental
illness forever.
November 4th, 2006 at 1:22 am
As one of the “un-educated” individuals that was interviewed on the film I’m a little disturbed by what I read on these blogs. I am not a bigot, nor do I think that Christianity endorses bigotry. Christianity, not religion. I do not agree with abortion, I believe that a baby is a baby from the very moment of conception. I do not agree with homosexuality. But I do not believe in bombing abortion clinics or screaming “God hates fags” at people either. I sure don’t believe that Jesus Christ taught that people of different races deserve to be treated badly. I will not apologize for what I believe any more that you will apologize for what you believe. You are as dangerous with your generalizations about “us” as the worst of “us” with our beliefs. Fanaticism in any form is dangerous. Read what Christ really taught. That woman spouting racial slurs does not represent all of us. We are in an election right now where it is a matter of voting for the lesser of two evils. I don’t believe either party is right, but I do have to vote according to what I believe. What I believe is that the Bible is the truth. That doesn’t mean that I am an un-educated bigot. It simply means that I believe in something. Is the Republican party capable of pandering to my beliefs to get my votes? Absolutely. But you are fools if you don’t believe that the Democrats are capable of the same thing. Fact is, none of us know as much as we like to think we do. Gues that is part of why I take comfort in believing in someone bigger than all of us. God Bless!
December 6th, 2006 at 6:00 am
Linked
Wisdom is not wisdom when it is derived from books alone
December 20th, 2006 at 12:40 am
I consider myself an Orthodox Darwinian Materialist (follower of Richard Dawkins). I fully subscribe to the notion of a naturalistic origin. But if the blue folks really feel the way they seem to do about the red folks (I’m only going on the information provided via this blog), then I can only wish them utter demolition and eradication. I only have the capacity to hate because I’ve experienced hate towards me and my own people first, and within that context I feel that it is only retaliation of the same nature.
If they can’t tolerate us, then why should we be expected to tolerate them? They’ve been ramming their culture down our throats for over 130 years; what more do they want? Extermination? Fuck that! I love my family and the red states and the South! If they have a problem with my love then they can all just fuck off and die. We’re human beings too! Our culture has a right to exist … even if that means independently from theirs … and by every honorable means necessary!
If they can’t respect our right to exist as a people…well, then…on what basis do they have to expect the same courtesy in return?
December 20th, 2006 at 1:12 am
In all fairness…I have only one question:
Why should those not affiliated with the military be permitted citizenship? If one isn’t prepared to die for his/her family, then why should one deserve to even have one?
And if America isn’t a family, then on what basis does it exist? On what basis should we fight and die, if not for family?
Why do we let non-military folks vote and be citizens? Seriously!?!? So they can use as cannon-fodder in THEIR wars? Why not rule the country ourselves?
December 20th, 2006 at 8:56 am
“Donald Miller lives in the state of Washington and is a cardiac surgeon in Seattle.”
I think he feels the same way about red folks that I do….
http://www.lewrockwell.com/orig2/miller1.html
December 20th, 2006 at 9:09 am
“One of the great goals of education is to initiate the young into the conversation of their ancestors; to enable them to understand the language of that conversation, in all its subtlety, and maybe even, in their maturity, to add to it some wisdom of their own.
The modern American educational system no longer teaches us the political language of our ancestors. In fact our schooling helps widen the gulf of time between our ancestors and ourselves, because much of what we are taught in the name of civics, political science, or American history is really modern propaganda. Our ancestral voices have come to sound alien to us, and therefore our own moral and political language is impoverished. It’s as if the people of England could no longer understand Shakespeare, or Germans couldn’t comprehend Mozart and Beethoven.”
http://www.sobran.com/articles/tyranny.shtml