Experience Critical Thinking and Gratefulness with America the Movie

Dinesh D’Souza is a conservative political and social commentator, whom I have respected over the years in reading his books. I have appreciated his clear sound thinking in declaring his arguments which he backs up with researched evidence. In my book, Living More Than OK, I present some information from his book, Godforsaken, in my chapter on spirituality. Recently my family and I went to see his new movie, America: Imagine the World Without Her (Click on the title to see a preview clip of the movie). The thought in watching it comes across that if the liberal progressives hate America so much, what would the world be like if America did not exist. This week I want to share some of my thoughts on the movie and encourage you to go see the movie for yourself.

As I watched the movie Dinesh’s ideas were thoughtfully engaging. He gave liberal progressive professors a hearing of what problems they saw in America. Having worked in higher education, they were familiar problems, such as the slavery issue, America’s stealing of Indian and Mexican land, and income disparity. Dinesh presented their arguments in their own words and highlighted valid concerns they had. Then he went point by point through their arguments with facts that have been overlooked in history showing the fallacies of the liberal progressive thinking. A thread of the argument also shows how the ideals and values of America have been more of a help to progress in the world.

The movie gives an example of critical thinking in action and it stimulates the viewer’s critical thinking. Several of the historical points he brings out I searched for on the internet after watching the movie. My questioning mind wanted to know if he was correct in his examples. Not surprisingly, he was correct in every instance. I am not going into specifics as I want you to go see the movie for yourself and not spoil any of it. Be active with your mind as you view it and think over the arguments and the historical evidence that is presented.

Dinesh and the production team also present a heart stirring level of emotion that brings out a gratefulness for the good things about America. Beautiful scenic photography reveals the beauty of our country. Historical examples show how America has been a force for good in the world. His own story of being an immigrant from India, who came to this country gives a glimpse of a fresh look at the liberties and the good America has done in the world compared to other countries around the world. We as a family saw the movie on the 4th of July weekend so emotionally the movie had an impact of my being thankful for being an American and appreciating the history of the country. Some liberal movie critics who are trashing the movie state that he glosses over the problems of America. This shows either their level of pure ignorance or they were high on drugs while watching it. Dinesh from the very beginning presents the problems using liberal socialist professors own words and even agrees on some levels with them. What bothers the liberal critics of the movie is that he speaks the truth from historical facts that have been ignored and shows the fruit of progressive liberalism for what it is – failure. We see this is the recent events in our country that has turned into what Dr. Ben Carson likes to say a “what can you do for me country, instead of a can do country”.

I was hoping to see a packed theater, especially with July 4th one would think the populace would like a movie about America that instills pride in our country. Instead the masses flocked to movies such Transformers (isn’t this the 100th Transformers movie) and Tammy, a comedy of which looking at the trailer for the movie is not even funny. Maybe the movie critics with their campaign to trash the movie had an effect. Usually I find that if a movie critic says a movie is bad you can count on it being a good movie. I would wonder why the critics are so against such an amazingly great movie but I know why. Most of the critics follow the liberal agenda that America is the problem because that is what their liberal professors told them in their university education. Since they had no critical thinking skills and still do not, they blindly follow the liberal agenda to be anti-American, while they are enjoying all the freedoms of this great country.

I would highly encourage you to go see this movie and go with a few people so you can discuss the movie afterwards. I would encourage liberals to use a little critical thinking and stop blindly following what your leaders tell you and go see the movie for yourselves. It is obvious from the liberal movie critics their desire is to shut this movie of truth about America down as it does not fit with their narrative that America is the cause of the world’s problems. We even saw this week further evidence of this in that Costco pulled Dinesh’s book by the same name out of their stores. They used the lame excuse that it was not selling although it was. Once customers complained about their censorship they quickly switched back to putting the book back in their stores. So again I say this is a movie that everyone should see and discuss. Whatever your political persuasion there are things to learn from seeing America: Imagine the World Without Her.

Reflection – What are three things you are thankful for about living in America? After you see the movie what was one historical fact about America that stood out to you?

What is Thanksgiving About? Thankfulness, Relationships, or Shopping?

I recently heard on the news that a number of retailers were opening on Thanksgiving Day this year. It saddened me as I thought “can’t people take one day out of the year and enjoy family friends, relax and be thankful instead of bowing down to the almighty dollar?” I thought it bad enough over the years as right after Halloween Christmas displays go up to start making money out of Christmas as if that is the meaning of Christmas! This year there were Christmas items, one aisle over from the Halloween decorations. Now the marketers for retailers are saying no to Thanksgiving and trying to turn it into another shopping day!

Thankfully there are some retailers that are keeping their doors closed so there employees can have a united day off to be with family and friends. Some of them are: Nordstrom, Dillard's, Home Depot, Costco, BJs, T.J. Maxx, Marshalls and Ross stores. They are showing a priority of allowing their employees to enjoy a day of relaxing and building relationships with the important people in their lives. What are the names of those stores that are opening? I don’t want to waste my breath on them.
This should make us think in our hearts and minds of what is Thanksgiving all about? For years Thanksgiving has been one day that most everyone could take a day off to gather with family and/or friends to enjoy a day together. As you know with my belief system there is a strong spiritual element to the day for me. Not that I believe that a person has to be spiritually minded to be thankful. Gratefulness research shows that an attitude of gratitude can be found in all people and all belief systems.

This year I would like to share some thoughts from Dr. Robert A, Emmons. He is a professor at the University of California at Davis. His research in positive psychology has been focused in on thankfulness and gratitude. I had been wanting to read his book Thanks: How Practicing Gratitude Can Make You Happier and finally this past Summer had the opportunity to read it.

One section of the book I want you to reflect on is his discussion of how spiritual thankfulness often comes out of suffering trials, and loss in the life of followers of God. He uses the pilgrims as an example. “We need look no further for exemplars of grateful living in the midst of trials than the lives of the Pilgrims. More than half of those courageous souls who crossed the Atlantic died after one year in their new home. All but three families had dug graves in the rocky soil of New England to bury a husband, wife, or child. But they knew about ancient Israel’s harvest festival: how Israel, at the end of a successful harvest, thanked God for the bounty of creation – also for delivering them from their captivity, giving them freedom as a people. And so they did the same. They understood their God to be a God who is to be thanked and praised when times are good and when times are tough. Their gratitude was not a selective , positive thinking façade, but rather a deep and steadfast trust that goodness dwells even in the face of uncertainty. Their thanksgiving was grounded in the actuality that true gratitude is a force that arises from the realities of the world, which all too often include heartbreak, sometimes overpowering heartbreak.” (Emmons. pages 116-117). It is easy to be thankful in the good times but what about the hard times? Learning gratitude during difficulties, aides in a better overall attitude rather than a bitter attitude. We live more abundantly when we live with thankfulness in all areas of our lives. That is one thing we can learn from the pilgrims as we go into our Thanksgiving Day experience.

What will happen on Thanksgiving with the stores that are opening? I would hope that people across the land will keep the priority of family, friends, thankfulness, and I cannot forget those who will be watching football; with the result, that those stores will remain empty of shoppers until the traditional midnight madness sale time. Yet knowing the Pavlovian nature of the words,”store open” to the American public, I am not holding my breath. It will be sad to watch hordes fillings the stores on Thanksgiving.

Reflection: On Thanksgiving enjoy your time with family and friends. Be thankful. If someone says to you “Let’s go shopping. I heard this store is open on Thanksgiving!” Kindly remind the person what Thanksgiving is all about.