华氏11/9

I’ve always thought of myself as a non-sentimental person, for there usually have been very few situations where my emotion moves up and down. But now I guess I’ve gotten a clearer understanding of myself as a very politically emotional person. I couldn’t help sobbing several times when I watched this documentary. At last, I still chose to give this documentary film full marks though it’s far from perfection, not only just because of Moore's denunciation against Trump, which indeed is in accordance with my standpoint, but also his cogent and compressive analyses on a few momentous social problems in the states and more importantly, the systematic problems behind them.

Some comments criticized the director being too biased and provocative. These kinds of comments are quite baffling, but also very common. There’s never been a rule saying whether a documentary is good or not is bound to its objectivity, except biographical films. This film aims to convey the director’s thoughts and reflections on how and why this catastrophe—Donald Trump becoming the president of the United States, happened and what can we do about it. His bias against Trump is just as tendentious as my personal rating for this film. You can criticize his arguments, way of telling a story, etc. But criticizing him for not being objective just simply makes no sense at all.

Once you get to know more about America, you’d find out it’s not really the same country portrayed in many commercial Hollywood big hits. It has so many issues like the uprising right-wing power, white supremacy, gun violence, racial conflicts, immigration and refugee problems, corruption, bureaucracy, and so forth, which isfrustrating especially for those who used to think highly of and believe in America. But the rebellion of those who choose to stand up to defend their rights and uphold justice also got me deeply touched and feeling sanguine about this country’s future.

Yes, there are many corrupted and capitalistic people like Rick Snyder, taking advantage of system bugs for benefits regardless of justice or even other people’s lives. But there also are countless courageous Americans who keep protesting, again and again, never stopping making a stand for the basic rights we all deserve to own. There also are whistleblowers like April Cook Hawkins who choose not to be an accomplice to the evil by uncovering the truth.

Citizens Protesting in Flint

The gun violence and school shooting are getting severe and severe.Children are at risk of being shot dead every day at campus. Meanwhile, Trump and other politicians who oppose stricter laws on gun control are receiving funds and donationsfrom the National Rifle Association every year, saying ridiculousBS like"a good guy with a gun stops a bad guy with a gun", telling people not to make these shootings political.

Victims in Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Shooting

A group of teenagers said, "Well, that's the end of that."They decided to make it political, because it was political.The survivorsofschool shootingswent outinthe streetmaking demostrations,deliverdpublic speeches, demanding change. Rightafter one month ofMarjory Stoneman Douglas High SchoolShooting,they've alreadyestablishedan well-functioninginternationalNGO. And820marches intoalwere made by adolescents allcrossthe countryonly withinone month.

On March 24, 2018, with over 880 sibling events throughout theUnited Statesand around the world, and was planned byNever Again MSDin collaboration with thenonprofit organization. The event followed theMarjory Stoneman Douglas High School shootinga month earlier, which was described by several media outlets as a possibletipping pointforgun controllegislation.

Protesters urged foruniversal background checkson allgun sales, raising the federal age of gun ownership and possession to 21, closing of thegun show loophole, a restoration of the1994 Federal Assault Weapons Ban, and aban on the sale of high-capacity magazinesandbump stocksin the United States. Turnout was estimated to be between 1.2 and 2 million people in the US, making it one of thelargest protests in American history.(Wikipedia)

Crowd on Pennsylvania Avenue (Washington, D.C.) On March 24, 2018

By the way, whenever some adults, especially from places where even adults can't elect their leaders to represent the people and make their voice heard, hear the news that somewhere some teenagers are on strick for climate change or other social issues, they'd act like prophets, saying BS like "Oh, these kids's homework are so little", "They know nothing. Just a bunch of juvenile little fools made use of by politicians" Yes, statistically speaking, children are indeed less knowledgable than adults. So what? Children are supposed to sit there doing nothing and wait to die from the dangers caused by adults? There are tons of adults less wise and knowledgable than children. So, the only reason why they are more qualified to take action is their age? The future always belongs to the younger generation. Is every young generation supposed to wait there till they finally grow up to adults and only by then will they be qualified to repair the world that already been f**ked by the previous generations?

The main reasonwhy this documentary isn’t referred to as one of those sameold cliches only scolding Trump is that Moore explicitly pointed out that Democratic Party itself was also one big contribution resulting in getting Trump in the saddle. He indicated that Democrats and the entire liberal establishment actually become more like Republicans, catering to big business, minimizing social movements like occupying Wall Street, and cheerleading every war America got into. Under these circumstances, many Americans chose not to vote. What's worse, the Democratic Party also tried to dictate elections.

In the 2016 general election, Bernie Sanders won every single county of West Virginia. However, at the Democratic National Convention, the West Virginia Democratic Party ignored the will of the people, voting Hillary Clinton who was picked by the party hacks as the delegate of the Democratic Party. And so did other states. This kind of things not only happens during the election for president but also every other big or small election like the mayor or the governor of a state, where the party hacks compel those who are very likely to win the election to drop out, leaving the seat to the candidate they think are more proper. The result that Hilary is going to run for president representing the Democratic Party is also a big discouragement for the supporters of Bernie, many of whom later chose not to vote out of disappointment.

When Bernie Sanders Lost to Hillary Clinton

Nevertheless, a great many Americans do not surrender, including grassroots democrats. Richard Ojeda is a veteran who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Coming back home in West Virginia, seeing clearly that those hypocritic politicians are doing nothing but self-serving, he decided to be a candidate dor Congress, dedicating to promoting universal health care, homelessness, opioid epidemic issue. Kathy Wiejaczka, inspired by listening to the speech at the Women's March, chose to run for State Representative in Michigan. Lissa Lucas, a professional backyard chicken farmer......All those people, all those ordinary individuals, are the real representatives of the United States of America.

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty......But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate — we can not consecrate — we can not hallow — this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us — that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion — that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain — that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom — and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

—Excerpt of Gettysberg Addressby Abramham Lincoln

Washington Crossing the Delaware by Emanuel Leutze (This one was shot by me at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC a few weeks ago)

I sincerely hope, those who hold the same essential spirits with America's founding fathersthat establishedthatgreat nation, those who uphold the basic human rights and universal values, will triumph, and not just in the states but also every corner of theworld.

Imagine by John Lennon

Imagine there's no countries

It isn't hard to do

Nothing to kill or die for

And no religion, too

Imagine all the people

Living life in peace

You, you may say I'm a dreamer

But I'm not the only one

I hope someday you will join us

And the world will be as one

Imagine no possessions

I wonder if you can

No need for greed or hunger

A brotherhood of man

Imagine all the people

Sharing all the world

You, you may say I'm a dreamer

But I'm not the only one

I hope someday you will join us

And the world will live as one