Academia, Media, Politics

Florida Lawmaker To Propose Bill To Make D’Souza Film Required Viewing For Students

s11_4787Republican state Sen. Alan Hays really really liked the film “America.” So much so that he wants to make viewing the film by conservative filmmaker Dinesh D’Souza required viewing for all students. Hays seems entirely unaware of the inherent conflict in responding to what he views as the dangerous influence of liberal views by seeking the mandatory viewing of conservative views.


Hays reported that “I saw the movie and walked out of the theater and said, ‘Wow, our students need to see this.’ And it’s my plan to show it to my colleagues in the legislature, too, before they’re asked to vote on the bill.” He would make every student, absent parental objections, watch the film in middle and high schools. That would cover 1,700 Florida public high schools and middle schools. For many of us, such a law seems a tab Orwellian.

D’Souza has become a rallying point for conservative due to a federal investigation that was launched while he was marketing the movie. He pleaded guilty in May to a charge that he made improper donations to a Senate candidate in 2012, though he insists that the case was the result of selective prosecution.

In fairness to Hays, he said that he would not object to a pairing of the movie with Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth (which is already shown in many classes) or some of Michael Moore’s left-leaning films. However, mandating such films through legislation is a dangerous and destructive path for politicians. These classes should be left to teachers and school administrators — not dictated by the shifting alliances of the legislature. These children are not a captive audience to be tossed about by our increasing rapid political debate. While I have been a long critic of administrators over the application of zero tolerance rules and lack of accountability, this intrusion into the classroom is menacing and ill-considered.

On the slippery slope of politically mandated education, we could see a race to the bottom as liberal and conservative states implement their own agendas of education. The result will be the further reduction of educational standards in the United States and the replication of the same intolerance that we see across the country in our political discourse. I have not see D’Souza’s movie or read his book. However, I am opposed to politicians picking reading or viewership lists for students. Indeed, politicians may be the least suited for such a role. There has to be some limit on the mutually assured destruction of the two parties — some protected zone that can be free of this self-destructive internecine struggle. We should at least be able to tell politicians to keep their hands off the kinder.

Source: Hollywood Reporter

112 thoughts on “Florida Lawmaker To Propose Bill To Make D’Souza Film Required Viewing For Students”

  1. “D’Souza has become a rallying point for conservative due to a federal investigation that was launched while he was marketing the movie. He pleaded guilty in May to a charge that he made improper donations to a Senate candidate in 2012, though he insists that the case was the result of selective prosecution. ” – JT

    All prosecutions are fundamentally selective.

    Select.

    Then prosecute.

    Like Spinny does on a thread.

    It is a lot better than thinking about the issue.

    Anyway, I would be surprised if any political prosecution was not selective.

    Nevertheless, prospecting for gold entails processing the tailings, and other work.

    The issues involved are the gold.

    Let’s do JT a good and deal first with the legal, constitutional, and bigger issues.

    In due time we will deal with Spinny PI issues such as Bubba, in due time, Bubba, in due time.

  3. nick:

    It says in the letter I provided (that Mr. D’Souza signed with his attorney present) that he “pled guilty because he was in fact guilty.” District Judge Richard M. Berman rejected your right-wing talking point that D’souza was treated unfairly stating, “The court concludes the defendant has respectfully submitted no evidence he was selectively prosecuted.”

    D’Souza did tell Judge Berman, “I knew that causing a campaign contribution to be made in the name of another was wrong and something the law forbids. I deeply regret my conduct.”

    So, nick your ideological obfuscation aside, D’Lieza (as I call him) was neither innocent nor selectively prosecuted. He was however likely an appropriate poster child for all those Lee Atwater wannabes out there on the right.

    BTW, I wanted to express to you my utter contempt for your loathsome and cowardly verbal attack on Elaine M on a recent thread where she had not even bothered to comment. It was despicable and unmanly.

    1. Mespo and Nick,

      I am not going to delete any comments but, before this thread descends into name calling and tit for tat, I would like to return to the subject of the blog. You were both arguing about the selective prosecution issue which is a fair debate. Indeed, I was finding the debate interesting until it started veering into personal observations.

      JT

  4. Sen. Hays is basically around the corner from me. He is from Umatilla and represents a highly rural and highly conservative district that provides virtually no Democratic opposition. He is also another fundamentalist theocrat who would love to mandate a lot of things if it were possible.

    His proposal won’t be adopted, but nice try, Senator.

  6. FRACK, “Less stupid.” That says it all. Is he less stupid than Al Sharpton. Al Gore. Nancy Pelosi. I could go on.

  7. I am a liberal, and concur that D’Souza is less stupid-sounding in interviews than most conservatives. However the rhetorical trap he (and other conservative thinkers like Sowell, and a few liberals as well) tries to use is the straw man tactic. He sets up a case where there appears to be a popular advocacy in, say, “equality of outcome,” when in fact nobody wants that. I can listen to D’Souza (etc.) until I see the outlines of the trap, and then they lose me.

  10. Why is it ok to let non-elected state school personnel out pick required text books and not let elected representative sponsor films as required viewing?

  11. Since people are apparently not reading carefully, please note I think this is a stupid proposed law, but silly me, I like to provide context and background. D’ouza did a film critical of Obama and that would be the reason for selective prosecution by Holder, a disgrace to the office.

  12. The filmmakers conviction is part of what JT wrote, but great scoop mespo!!

  13. mespo, You ideology trumps your professional training. There is a good case this was a selective prosecution. I know you would find that impossible w/ Eric Holder, your hero.

  14. This is a stupid proposal. That said, there is a very revealing UCLA Study. The following is how US professors identify themselves;

    Far left 5%

    Liberal 42%

    Moderate 34%

    Conservative 17%

    Far Right .3%

    These are the people who educate the educators. I taught. Teachers are overwhelmingly liberal, they vote Dem 80% the last time I checked. This stupid proposed law originates from frustration. I’ve not seen D’ouza’s flicks but have read him and seen him interviewed. He’s a helluva lot smarter than Gore or Moore. Although, that is damning w/ faint praise.

  16. Keep politicians/politics out of the classroom.

    Look what politicians have accomplished with the centrally planned state/federal mandated testing curriculum’s found across the US.

  17. I’ve seen the movie. As a Libertarian I found it refreshing to see a more positive perspective from someone that has come to this country from a pretty poor background. To see America as an idea. The Constitution as a set of Principles.

  19. ‘Hands off the kinder?’ How laughable. The left has indoctrinated children from kindergarten right through undergrad and grad schools for years. Of course, we wouldn’t want to allow another viewpoint, now would we? Instead, you’ll continue to force feed the liberal/socialist views. Our country has been taken over by this clap trap even while you run this country down rather than building her up. How sad.

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