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Movie: Good Night, and Good Luck - A Tutorial for our time
Originally Posted on March 25, 2017
We just posted Good Night & Good Luck as a Resource here.
This Storyline, from IMDB
In the early 1950's, the threat of Communism created an air of paranoia in the United States and exploiting those fears was Senator Joseph McCarthy of Wisconsin. However, CBS reporter Edward R. Murrow and his producer Fred W. Friendly decided to take a stand and challenge McCarthy and expose him for the fear monger he was. However, their actions took a great personal toll on both men, but they stood by their convictions and helped to bring down one of the most controversial senators in American history.Written by Brian Washington <Sargebri@att.net>
Good Night, and Good Luck provides a kind of tutorial, from an earlier era in American History, about how to confront, resist, and eventually take down a leader who deals in slander, innuendo, and a near total lack of evidence to smear his enemies and get his way.
Joe McCarthy was that leader. He conducted a vicious campaign that under the guise of rooting communist influence out of American life - swept up many Americans through innuendo, association, or just trumped up charges against anyone who opposed him. These attacks were ruthless.
Edward R Murrow was a journalist and later pioneer broadcast journalist. He first covered the the March 1938 Anschluss, in which Adolf Hitler engineered the annexation of Austria by Nazi Germany. Later he reported live from London as German bombs rained down.
Murrow had become a prominent journalist for CBS News by the time this movie is set.
In the movie Murrow uses McCarthy's own images and footage against him, knowing that McCarthy will attack him back.
In the end, Murrow and his team use discipline, tactics, and resolve to bring down McCarthy and bring an end his reign of terror.
I believe this provides a model of the kind of courage that is required to turn aspects of the current tide.
More about the movie itself in the Civic Direct Resource.
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