Citizens for Justice in the Middle East, a KC-area organization, will show the film “The Occupation of the American Mind” on May 3, Thursday, at 6:15 pm. The film documents the US media’s presentation of Israeli viewpoints, not Palestinian perspectives, and calls for balanced reporting. CJME hopes to incorporate both Palestinian and Jewish voices in the panel following the film at All Souls Unitarian Universalist Church, 4501 Walnut, KC MO. CJME welcomes everyone to the film and panel—free.
Ian Munro, a leader in CJME and a member of PeaceWorks-KC, says CJME is covering costs related to showing the film and appreciates the All Souls offer of its church space at no charge. Munro provided the following commentary from the film’s producers.
Israel’s brutal military occupation of Palestinian territory, its continuing seizure of Palestinian land, its repeated invasions of the Gaza Strip, and its general disregard for human rights and international law have caused a strong backlash almost everywhere in the world—except in the US.
“The Occupation of the American Mind” is a powerful documentary that explores the reasons for this exception, focusing on pro-Israel lobbying and public relations efforts in the US. Narrated by Roger Waters, the film examines how the Israeli government, the US government, and the pro-Israel lobby influence American media coverage and American perceptions of the conflict in Israel’s favor.
The film provides a picture of Israel’s battle for the hearts and minds of Americans, and for the financial backing of the US government and taxpayers to the tune of more than $3 billion a year.
