Nothing But Fear, Anger in Dinesh D’Souza’s ‘America’

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CHICAGO – Dear Dinesh D’Souza: Why are you afraid of alternate narratives in American History? History, as we know, is written by the winners, and you seem all sad and angry that one man, Howard Zinn, wrote a History of the United States by defining the desperation of the people left behind in the American dream. Why is that so awful? You define it as “progressive left wing” narrative, but what is your propaganda film – blithely called “America” – but a distillation of your view of history?

You see, Dinesh, you seem to have no empathy for those in a lower station than yourself. You have determined that the power in America is in its ability to accumulate entrepreneurs. And also, all that historic pablum in the beginning – in which you leave out key facts and stage reenactments that are riddled with inaccuracies – are just the set up to reiterate the same tired propaganda against Barack Obama and now Hillary Clinton (your film “financiers” had to make that suggestion since President Obama won a second term despite your fact-challenged film rant in 2012, “2016: Obama’s America”). It’s all about the propaganda with you, Dinesh, and I will assume you’ll gladly take the money to make it.

According to you, America is in trouble. We’re just not the nation we were, according to you – but the point is that we never were what you think we are. You can reenact George Washington on a battlefield – after of course setting it up with a fake letter home from a soldier who sounded like he was from a PR think tank – but you fail to recognize that America not longer lives in the 1700s, nor the 1950s, nor the fake Reagan years. Our lives are a reflection of now, and the type of propaganda you foment makes it impossible for “America” to have another “great leader.” If it’s your opposition party, you’ll lie like hell to make sure everybody stays hateful towards them, and then when your “side” has a chance it’s unpatriotic to do so. How does that work out?

Dinesh D’Souza
Dinesh D’Souza Flies Over Mount Rushmore in ‘America’
Photo credit: Lionsgate

Your supposed “takedown” of the “progressive left attitude” that America is not so great presumes that everyone thinks the same. It riles up your “side” by telling them, see, all of the progressive left hates America and doesn’t want to abide by its greatness. Of course you left out mass communication, the globalization of the world through the internet and America’s newfound fascination with the World Cup, but that doesn’t fit your narrative, so the why-isn’t-America-like-it-was crowd will be very pleased to note that America isn’t like Lincoln’s time.

You know what book I just read, Dinesh? “Dreams from My Father” by Barack Obama. You know, that book that “proves” Obama is an anti-colonialist (that’s what you said in your last film). What I got out of it – and this is anecdotal like your films so bear with me – is that ‘how the heck did this guy become President?’ Every fate was against it…and yet he made it. THAT is the greatness and promise of America, not a petty propaganda and takedown film that picks and chooses anecdotes that have nothing to do with overall reality.

And what is the result of all these anecdotes? That Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton are disciples of a boogeyman – Saul Alinsky – that nobody has ever heard of, and that proves that the America that you want (which never existed) is no longer present. It’s just another petty attack on Obama – who was a child when Alinsky was at his peak – using the same one sentence, out-of-context, lines that you used in the previous film.

I would think that you would have more in common with Obama than the oligarchs that pay you large sums of money to produce your propaganda, but I don’t know anything about sellouts. I presume because of your immigrant past from India, that you were maybe called some bad names when you were first in America? Why are you taking it out by lying about Obama, another man who has a third world lineage? Is this the only way you can make money?

America
That’s Young Hillary Clinton (Jennifer Pearson) in a Reenactment in ‘America’
Photo credit: Lionsgate

I’m not a petty man, Dinesh. I don’t want to mention that you were convicted of a felony, in which you made campaign contributions through other people’s names, a perfect “first world” crime. In “America,” you imply that your prosecution was caused by the Obama administration in retribution for your first film. The judge in the case said there was no evidence to back that up. But that didn’t prevent you from showing yourself in fake handcuffs in the film, implying your victimhood. And hell, I won’t mention the adultery scandal that got you fired from a Christian college. That would speak too much about the type of person you are, which implies the sadness and fear in the film. The subtitle – and subtext – of the film is “Imagine a World Without Her.” I’d like to imagine a world without sadness and anger, but that is what “politics” have become.

We are all part of melting pot, Dinesh. You, me, Hillary, Barack Obama, even Ted Cruz (featured in the film) was born in Canada. We have searched for the American dream, and found it in ways that have nothing to do with the “America” you pretend that was, but never existed. Why get mad and scared over nothing? The Dow Jones Industrial Average is flirting everyday with 17,000. Isn’t that what really matters in America? Chill, my brother. Love, the Über Critic.

“America” continues its limited release. See local listings for theaters and show times. Featuring Dinesh D’Souza, Ted Cruz, Rand Paul, Michael Eric Dyson and Noam Chomsky. Written by Dinesh D’Souza, John Sullivan and Bruce Schooley. Directed by Dinesh D’Souza and John Sullivan. Rated “PG-13”

HollywoodChicago.com senior staff writer Patrick McDonald

By PATRICK McDONALD
Senior Staff Writer
HollywoodChicago.com
pat@hollywoodchicago.com

© 2014 Patrick McDonald, HollywoodChicago.com

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