I was reminded today of yet another semantic shift caused by 9/11 - the broad re-purposing of "domestic terrorism". Specifically, in what constitutes such an act. It is such a loaded label. But I suppose it is like the famous definition for obscenity ("I know it when I see it"). Whether or not people think about it much, there are groups upon which the terrorist tag has since 9/11 been applied broadly and with lasting impact. Which brings me to my first movie recommendation in the short arc seen thus far on this blog. A very good, rather small documentary came out in theatres this summer - it will continue to be shown at a variety of film festivals through the Fall. It's titled "If A Tree Falls" and I've been fortunate to start a dialogue with one of the filmmakers (Marshall Curry) regarding this particular work. To see the people on screen who had been labeled as such was truly interesting, given how ineffective and sad they were shown to be in their current state of affairs. Even though they were tagged as terrorists in most of the cases shown before 9/11, the ante was surely upped on them after the tragic events of so-nearly ten years ago. That's neither here nor there. Maybe I'm just trying stuck in the loop of my own current research finding its way into most conversations. This film is still worth a solid - please check it out if you're close to a screening.
Until the next page turns...I hope your own school year kick-off BBQ has all the kids in your house buzzing with excitement right up to the moment they fell fast asleep.
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