Showing posts with label films. Show all posts
Showing posts with label films. Show all posts

Sunday, June 21, 2020

Twitter Bans Award-Winning Circumcision Documentary Filmmaker


At the beginning of the year, I posted about how Twitter has permanently banned me.

Four days ago, I was scrolling through my Facebook news feed to discover that filmmaker Brendon Marotta, author of the award-winning circumcision documentary film American Circumcision has also been banned. He wrote about his situation in his blog.

Brendon's circumstances seem to be similar to mine; I feel as though I didn't break any rules, at least intentionally, and whenever I try to appeal to Twitter or contact someone there, all I get are automated responses.

I feel that I was censored for daring to question organizations such as the AAP, ACOG, PEPFAR, the WHO, UNAIDS, USAID, JHPIEGO, and the like regarding male infant circumcision and the mass circumcision campaign happening in Africa under the purported pretext of "HIV prevention."

Now, there are many reasons why I dislike our president. I honestly can't believe he is in office, and would like nothing more than to see him be removed this November.

However, even a broken clock is right twice a day, and I find I actually agree with him taking on social media platforms on censorship, threatening to remove their protections if they keep censoring people.

Censoring dissent for daring to question and criticize authority and/or otherwise sacred cows is what China and North Korea do. I feel our country may be headed in that direction, and I commend the president for bringing attention to this and trying to do something about it.

Male circumcision being a case in point, it is completely possible for what are supposed to be respected medical authorities to disseminate misinformation that results in needless harm and the violation of the most basic of human rights.

That platforms like Twitter and Facebook are taking the liberty to censor any individual or organization that dares question authoritative medical organizations such as the WHO and AAP, and demonstrably prove that they are disseminating misinformation ought to concern intactivists.

Social media platforms are mistaken if they think they've won, though.



"Shit floats," as the saying goes.

Circumcision advocates may have won a temporary battle in silencing us by banning us from social media platforms, but the truth can't be hidden forever.

The truth is like the sun and the moon; they can't be hidden forever and eventually make their existence known, plain and obvious for all to see.

Being banned from Twitter means more people will want to see Brendon's film.

More people are going to find out about this, America's little secret, thus raising awareness of what goes on 3,000 times a day in this country.

If anything this actually helps our cause.

It's truly sad to watch those fond of upholding lies as they are eaten alive by the mouth of the truth.

While currently lies prevail regarding male circumcision, sooner or later, the truth must be known.

And then, like the sun and the moon, it will be plain, obvious and undeniable.
“Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth.”
~Buddha
 "Truth suppress'd, whether by courts or crooks, will find an avenue to be told."
~Sheila Steele
"You can fool some people, some of the time, but you can't fool all the people all the time."
~Unknown

"Do nothing secretly; for Time sees and hears all things, and discloses all."
~Sophocles


Related Posts:
The State of Affairs for Joseph4gi

Twitter Censoring Joseph4GI

Circumcision Censorship at Twitter?

"American Circumcision" Wins Best Documentary Film Award at the Lone Star Film Festival

Circumcision Documentary Making Waves on Netflix, Twitter

American Circumcision: A Reaction to a Documentary on Circumcision in America

External links:
Brendon Marotta Blogs About His Twitter Ban


Official American Circumcision Film Website

#i2  #circumcision

 

Thursday, November 16, 2017

"American Circumcision" Wins Best Documentary Film Award at the Lone Star Film Festival


It had been a long time coming.

When I first heard of this film, it was in the making, and I was excited to know that yet another film was being made to raise awareness of the issue that is male infant circumcision, this time focusing on secular circumcision as it is performed by doctors on male infants in America.

The first such film that I ever heard of and I followed was CUT: The Film, by Eliyahu Ungar-Sargon, which examines the subject of male circumcision from a religious, scientific and ethical perspective.


Eliyahu Ungar-Sargon wearing tefillin in protest against the latest AAP Statement


The particular thing about Eliyahu Ungar-Sargon is that grew up in an Orthodox Jewish home, and he criticizes the practice of male infant circumcision as a Jewish male.

This time, the film "American Circumcision" is a film written by a secular, non-Jewish male, who criticizes male infant circumcision as it is practiced in America; 80% of American males are circumcised from birth, and they are overwhelmingly non-Jewish males circumcised at hospitals by doctors.

When I first mentioned Brendon Marotta and his film to other intactivists, their reactions weren't very encouraging.

The reactions tended to be something along the lines of:

"Oh that guy? He's been saying he has a film in the work for years. I wish him the best, but he keeps saying he's about to release his film every year and nothing."

My heart sank.

Something inside me told me that I should still root for this film, though I should not hold my breath.

I joined the relevant groups on Facebook and even became friends with Brendon Marotta on there. Sure enough, updates that the film was "almost finished" always found their way on my news feed. I very recently joined Twitter, where I noticed there was a profile for Brendon, his film and every thing.

As on Facebook, I kept seeing updates that the film was "almost finished," and that they were just getting ready to release it. Little by little, these updates began to blend in with the background as I started to tune them out.

That is, until my eyes caught an update that not only was the film screened at the Lone Star Film Festival, "American Circumcision" won the Best Documentary Film Award!!!


Brendon Marotta holding the Lone Star Film Festival Best Documentary Film Award.

 I couldn't believe my eyes. Could it be true?

I waited for a little longer, and this news was followed by Tweet after Tweet of congratulations, and finally a personal note on his experience with the film's reception.


That's when I decided this news warranted a blog post, especially since the film is scheduled to be screened again at the Social Justice Film Festival in Seattle, Washington, this Sunday, November 19th, appropriately International Men's Day.

And so with this blog post I shout out to Brendon Marotta; congratulation on the completion of your film, and on receiving the Best Documentary Film Award. Your long hours of patient, hard work have paid off. I wish your film much success. May thousands be reached as a result of your work.

Readers interested in viewing the film at the Social Justice Film Festival can purchase admission tickets here. I include the trailer below:




External links:
Official American Circumcision Film Website

Official Social Justice Film Festival Website

#LSFF #SocialJustice #FilmFestival #InternationalMensDay #i2