I’ve just come home from having a delightful dinner with neighbors, Rita and Tasha. After our delicious repast, we watched a movie, “White Bird.” It is a new movie starring Helen Mirren and others. I think she is one incredible actor and, so, was pleased to be in the audience.
“White Bird,” the movie, is taken from a graphic novel by the same name (White Bird, A Wonder Story) by R. J. Palacio. It is not for the faint of heart. About the Nazi occupation of France, it details the lives of the persecuted, the fearful, tormented, and those stolen away from their families, as well as the creatures who perpetuated the holocaust. The tragedies are dealt with in a delicate manner; very little gruesome detail. During the movie, the tension is high and compelling.
Throughout the movie, I found myself feeling the fear expressed by the characters in my bones and muscles. My physical state during the movie was one of tightness in every fiber of my being, knowing what was probably going to be the outcome of the actions of the Nazi occupiers and converts.
I believe our current situation in the United States is very similar to the situations shown in the movie. If what the incoming president says is really what he plans to do, we are in for similar occurrences. Threats to the very fabric of our society, our Constitution – indeed, to our Democracy.
Watching this movie, I was reminded of our own experience during World War II, when citizens of our country of Japanese heritage were rounded up and forcibly taken to internment camps (today, many of us call them concentration camps). I’ve met many of those imprisoned in those camps. No, they were not deported; rather, they were held against their will, lost their homes and other property, and were, finally, released. Many were United States citizens, born in the United States! Is this what our friends and neighbors who may not look like Anglo-Saxon people will be up against?
Repeated several times in the movie, “Vive L’Humanité” is almost the last dialogue in the movie and is said by Granmere. Now, I only speak English, but have looked for a translation into English and can’t find one. The best I can do is to understand that it means “long live humanity.” We must believe that we can go forward – we will survive!
We are living in desperate times. And, we need to have some guidance in our response(s) to these desperate times. If I could, I would make this movie required viewing by every person, teenage and older, who lives in this country.
I’m including information about advice written by Daniel Hunter. Pull it up, if you wish. Or, don’t. Read it if you decide to do so. Or, don’t. Your choice. If you do, it may help you weather this dark storm that is coming our way.
My computer will not let me copy the link for the article here. So, if you want to see what I’m talking about, put Daniel Hunter into your search engine. The first thing that should appear is this article: 10 ways to be prepared and grounded now that Trump has won: The key to taking effective action in a Trump world is to avoid perpetuating the autocrat’s goals of fear, isolation, exhaustion and disorientation. He quotes several people; look them up, too.
Hunter wrote this article before the election; he revised in on November 6.
Be Safe and Be Well
The Cranky Crone
Thoughtful comments are appreciated.