"Right America: Feeling Wronged" Review

I touted this documentary a few days ago and I finally watched it last night. It was very powerful.

I spent the entire 45 minutes with my hand clapped over my mouth, stunned by what I saw, unable to comprehend it. Before I start I need to say that there was a disclaimer at the beginning of the film "This film is not representative of all Republicans but is only capturing the feelings of the faithful that showed up to the McCain/Palin rallies" (or something to that effect), and based on my experience with my Republican friends, I have to agree. That being said, the people on camera were not paid actors, imaginary or fictitious in any way. They were expressing their thoughts and feelings, and some of those feelings were bone-chilling.

Several feelings came to mind as person after person would express a deeply held belief on a well-known and long debunked untruth:

1) I felt sorry for them. Not for their ignorance, but because they were so afraid. So many people were afraid of what would happen to them, the country, western civilization (yes, someone said that), and the world if Obama was elected. Many believed that his election would be the end of everything we hold dear, and I imagine they still do. It saddens me to think that every time they see Obama on TV they are fearful. Now, I too experienced fear at the thought of the Republican ticket winning, but that fear was based on their policy positions. Some of this stuff was pure rumor...

2) I wondered how people in the same country could end up so far apart. Most people I know would have a hard time finding a common stone to stand on with these people, and I'm not sure how that happens. Alexandra, the producer/director/camerawoman, asks in the film (and in subsequent interviews) "are we becoming two Americas?". And its hard to come to any other conclusion when you see this kind of thing.

3)I was disappointed in how emotionally volatile our politics have gotten. I saw a man who was holding up an anti-McCain sign tackled to the ground and put in a head lock by a McCain supporter so that his sign could be taken away. Its nuts! We need to be able to disagree with out the vitriol.

Again, I urge you to watch it. Regardless of your political bend, you will learn something. I ordered HBO for one day so I could record it, you could do the same if you don't have it now.

Pray for our country.