As ordinary citizens frustrated with the economic crisis are making their presence known across the United States, by joining burgeoning social movements, “Heist: Who Stole the American Dream?” provides a primer for this year of resistance.
“Heist: Who Stole the American Dream?” is a feature documentary that investigates the roots of the current economic crisis and the continuing assault on working people in the United States. “Heist” reveals who created the slide that has left the middle class reeling, exposing how corporate leaders worked with elected politicians of both major parties to create the largest transfer of wealth in history. Heist posits that a fair economy requires that those responsible for the crisis be held accountable; rigorous reforms must be enacted into law; too big to fail corporations must be dismantled; progressive taxation must be restored; and a fair, sustainable local model of economic resilience must be accelerated. It is a call to re-imagine America. The filmmakers have provided a 22 minute extended trailer of the film to the 99% Spring and SpringAwakening 2012 as part of their trainings.
We’re not backing down in the face of Trump’s threats.
As Donald Trump is inaugurated a second time, independent media organizations are faced with urgent mandates: Tell the truth more loudly than ever before. Do that work even as our standard modes of distribution (such as social media platforms) are being manipulated and curtailed by forces of fascist repression and ruthless capitalism. Do that work even as journalism and journalists face targeted attacks, including from the government itself. And do that work in community, never forgetting that we’re not shouting into a faceless void – we’re reaching out to real people amid a life-threatening political climate.
Our task is formidable, and it requires us to ground ourselves in our principles, remind ourselves of our utility, dig in and commit.
As a dizzying number of corporate news organizations – either through need or greed – rush to implement new ways to further monetize their content, and others acquiesce to Trump’s wishes, now is a time for movement media-makers to double down on community-first models.
At Truthout, we are reaffirming our commitments on this front: We won’t run ads or have a paywall because we believe that everyone should have access to information, and that access should exist without barriers and free of distractions from craven corporate interests. We recognize the implications for democracy when information-seekers click a link only to find the article trapped behind a paywall or buried on a page with dozens of invasive ads. The laws of capitalism dictate an unending increase in monetization, and much of the media simply follows those laws. Truthout and many of our peers are dedicating ourselves to following other paths – a commitment which feels vital in a moment when corporations are evermore overtly embedded in government.
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