A Defense of Liberalism Through Film
battle to protect his free speech right, to produce a pornographic magazine. You may not agree with what he publishes, but in America, the truest freedom is freedom of speech, and the biggest difference between conservative and liberal philosophy is contained in this film ... liberals value much more an individual's personal choice and freedom, where an individual can make the choice whether or not to buy and view a pornographic magazine. A conservative wants to ban all things they find offensive or morally objectionable. On that ground alone, the liberal philosophy is the more true to what America is all about ... we are a land of the free.
Pleasantville -- This wonderful film from 1998 has a much more subtle theme showing why the liberal philosophy is truer to what we are as human beings. It shows what essentially starts out as a repressed and rigid conservative society (the idealized black and white world of the 1950's) and what happens when people begin to accept change, and accept the true nature of themselves, freeing themselves from whatever is repressing their true natures. To me, conservatism represses freedom and being true to our real nature as human beings and as mammals. We are stronger and bolder when we challenge ourselves, when we accept things that are sexy, dangerous, exciting ... we are truer to ourselves.
If These Walls Could Talk -- This made for HBO movie honestly portrayed why the right to have an abortion should be every woman's right in America. One should only have to watch the first segment with Demi Moore to see why that right must be protected. And one only has to watch the horrifying contemporary segment starring Cher and Anne Heche that ends the film to see why pro-lifers are so hypocritical, as they'll go as far as killing a doctor or bombing an abortion clinic to show they are pro-life.
And the Band Played On... -- Another powerful film made for HBO, this one came out in 1993, and was based on the equally stunning novel written by Randy Shilts. One only has to see how AIDS grew unchecked in the 1980's while President Reagan continued to ignore it, and also see the true faces of those who were stricken and died from the disease, to see why President Reagan should be hated for what he allowed to happen. This film also honestly portrays gay men
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