Common Sense

Why We Fight premieres in Waco, Aug. 10

On Thursday, August 10, Friends of Peace will present the Waco premiere
of Why We Fight, a documentary feature about the American war machine.
The film weaves unforgettable personal stories with commentary by a
“who’s who” of military and beltway insiders: John McCain, Gore Vidal,
William Kristol, Chalmers Johnson, Richard Perle and others.

Inspired by President Dwight Eisenhower’s legendary farewell speech (in
which he coined the phrase “military industrial complex”), filmmaker
Eugene Jarecki (The Trials of Henry Kissinger) surveys the scorched
landscape of a half-century’s military adventures, asking how – and
telling why – a nation of, by, and for the people has become the
savings-and-loan of a system whose survival depends on a state of
constant war.

The film moves beyond the headlines of various American military
operations to the deeper questions of why – why does America fight? What
are the forces – political, economic, ideological – that drive us to
fight against an ever-changing enemy? And leaves the viewer with a
haunting fact:“It is nowhere written that the American empire goes on
forever.”

Why We Fight won the Grand Jury Prize at the 2005 Sundance Film
Festival, the Seeds of War award at the 2005 Full Frame Documentary Film
Festival, and was nominated for the IDA award at the 2005 International
Documentary Association. It received glowing reviews from critics across
the country, including The Dallas Morning News, many noting its balance
in giving both sides’ views a fair hearing.

The screening will take place in the private side room of Poppa Rollo’s
Pizze, 703 N. Valley Mills Drive. The event, which is free and open to
the public, will begin at 6 pm with a half hour for chat and food
ordering (optional), and the film will begin about 6:30. There will be a
short, informal discussion period afterward.

Friends of Peace is a group of citizens of various faiths dedicated to
promoting nonviolence and social justice.

For more info: www.friendsofpeace.org or 254.744.1682.

Why We Fight premieres in Waco, Aug. 10

On Thursday, August 10, Friends of Peace will present the Waco premiere
of Why We Fight, a documentary feature about the American war machine.
The film weaves unforgettable personal stories with commentary by a
“who’s who” of military and beltway insiders: John McCain, Gore Vidal,
William Kristol, Chalmers Johnson, Richard Perle and others.

Inspired by President Dwight Eisenhower’s legendary farewell speech (in
which he coined the phrase “military industrial complex”), filmmaker
Eugene Jarecki (The Trials of Henry Kissinger) surveys the scorched
landscape of a half-century’s military adventures, asking how – and
telling why – a nation of, by, and for the people has become the
savings-and-loan of a system whose survival depends on a state of
constant war.

The film moves beyond the headlines of various American military
operations to the deeper questions of why – why does America fight? What
are the forces – political, economic, ideological – that drive us to
fight against an ever-changing enemy? And leaves the viewer with a
haunting fact:“It is nowhere written that the American empire goes on
forever.”

Why We Fight won the Grand Jury Prize at the 2005 Sundance Film
Festival, the Seeds of War award at the 2005 Full Frame Documentary Film
Festival, and was nominated for the IDA award at the 2005 International
Documentary Association. It received glowing reviews from critics across
the country, including The Dallas Morning News, many noting its balance
in giving both sides’ views a fair hearing.

The screening will take place in the private side room of Poppa Rollo’s
Pizze, 703 N. Valley Mills Drive. The event, which is free and open to
the public, will begin at 6 pm with a half hour for chat and food
ordering (optional), and the film will begin about 6:30. There will be a
short, informal discussion period afterward.

Friends of Peace is a group of citizens of various faiths dedicated to
promoting nonviolence and social justice.

For more info: www.friendsofpeace.org or 254.744.1682.