I have another iron in the fire.
Check out one of the latest projects I’m involved in:
Earlier this year, independent filmmaker and photographer Bill Goehring of Sioux Falls, Republican activist and blogger Pat Powers of Brookings, and Democrat activist and blogger Todd Epp began discussions of producing a film on South Dakota’s Fallen–the killed and wounded South Dakotans who as soldiers, sailors, Marines, airmen, and guardsmen–have paid the highest price or a very high price in defense of their nation.
With a nod from South Dakota Public Television, we three native South Dakotans have decided to produce an hour long documentary that tells the stories of our state’s fallen. While the interview subjects might discuss politics, this will not be a political film. The three producers have three different views about the war on terrorism. What we share, however, is a belief that the stories and memories and sacrifices of these South Dakota servicemen and women should be honored and never forgotten.
We hope to let the servicemen and women, their families, and their friends tell their own stories of heroism, loss, heartache, victory, and duty.
Just like the 2 memorial dedications I worked on during my time in state government, I thing it’s vitally important to preserve the experiences, the memories, and the stories of our men in uniform. And to remember.
I look forward to this project, and hope that it can do adequate justice to our men and women in uniform.
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Comments
Pat, I think this is a very cool project and I look forward to seeing it. I hope you keep us updated.
As director/editor of South Dakota’s Fallen and with Todd on my left and Pat on my right, I see it as my responsibility to keep the documentary from falling into the trap of becoming a political vehicle of either perspective.
And, with all due respect, being “honest with the families and let[ting] them know that their lives were wasted on a war based on Bush lies” is not exactly my idea of neutrality.
I think all three of us agree that “war is hell,” but our intent is to allow the soldiers and their families tell their stories, not ours.
You should walk up to one of those families and tell them that Wiken. I’m sure you’ll get the response you have coming to you.
Well, spent the morning talking to a WWII veteran who was a tailgunner on a bomber. He shares my opinion on this issue. Glorification of the soldier victims glorifies the war.
The people who have died hauling their kids to school and getting hit by a drunk driver are just as heroic and serving just as good a purpose.
It is possible to recognize the bravery and heroism of people in the service, but it primarily benefits the politicians who can exploit citizen loyalty to expand their own sense of power and in the meantime make sure that everybody realizes the power the government with its military arm has over all of us.
The people soothing the sorrow of relatives are doing one job, but it is not telling them the truth.
The relatives and friends of those victims of Bush war should be some of the most ferocious opponents of Bush and his oil war instead of being intent on killing the messengers telling them the truth.
Those who died in Afghanistan are a different case than those who died in Iraq. A case can be made that those who were wounded or died or became mentally ill from service in Afghanistan provided a very real service to all of us and they deserve our thanks and veteran services in actuality rather than in Bush speeches as he slashes the budget.
There is no realism in manipulating myths and symbols in the service of corporations.
I suppose you guys will all be honest with the families and let them know that their lives were wasted on a war based on Bush lies.
The lives of all humans are valuable. The continued exploitation of sorrow in service of political perfidy is wearing a bit thin however.
The sad fact is that all adoration of soldiers, sailors, and airmen’s valor and dedication becomes spiritual basis for the next unjustified war.
Think very seriously of how a film of the fallen can avoid the traps of implicit and explicit support of failed and fraudulent policies.