OntheWilderSide

Before there was Recount – which will start airing this Sunday on HBO – there was “American Blackout”. American Blackout is a movie that tells the story of the stolen presidential elections of 2000 and 2004. The movie gives insight into all the various ways that the powers that be can swing elections: electronic voting; clearing the voting roles based on purposefully faulty information; exploiting election loopholes such as open primaries; creating havoc, such as not ordering enough voting machines in minority districts; and much more.

The movie is seen through the eyes of former Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney, perhaps the only character in the 2000 and 2004 elections willing to tell the truth about what happened. (When will Al Gore speak up for the disenfranchised voters who gave him their vote?)

HBO’s movie, Recount, which tells the story of the stolen election in 2000, has been called a “political thriller.” Guess it might be fun to see Laura Dern try to make sense of the character of Katherine Harris. Though, in American Blackout, the viewer sees the real characters, and follows the very personal story of McKinney’s campaign. Watching American Blackout, you get to see the genuine drama of fighting an unjust system; setting up massive poll watching systems; and having lawyers banging on doors, trying to gain access to the polling places they are supposed to be allowed to monitor. And, you learn what it takes to win the day–as Cynthia McKinney did in 2004.

American Blackout has been on the scene awhile. There are trailers and many tributes on youtube. Everyone from poets to politicians will want to see the opening scene where Taalam Acey performs spoken word, with a backdrop of surrealistic animation, describing in detail how our country is smothered in oil, and our elections are stolen while we are distracted by video games and F-16’s.

If you like American Blackout, get a copy for yourself (click on graphic above or text below), or look on line for ways to share it with a group. (If you admire Cynthia McKinney, you are in luck. Cynthia McKinney is one of the candidates running for President of the United States with the Green Party.) Here’s a peek of American Blackout from youtube:

Short Trailer:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8_3Lk3x8fA]

First part of movie, includes poem, “True Lies” by Taalam Acey:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-GrvaIX6co]
To buy the movie, American Blackout, click here.

Filed under: cynthia mckinney, democrat, election, elections, Electronic Voting, film, grassroots democracy, green, Green Party Websites, media, Political Websites, president, presidential race, progressive politics, third party, US Politics, video Tagged: | 2000, democrat, Electronic Voting, HBO, Katherine Harris, Laura Dern, recount, spoken word, Taalam Acey, television, third parties, tv