A Love to Hide
In the wake of Herman Cain laughing at Anita Hill and calling black people racist if they did not support him, in the wake of Republican Presidential candidates signing a pledge to further discriminate against the LGBT community, it is clear that Americans tend to conveniently forget the lessons we were to have learned from history.
Last night my husband and I had dinner and watched a movie (part of the gay agenda). We watched the French film A Love to Hide, based on the book Moi, Pierre Seel, déporté homosexuel by Pieere Seel. The movie tells the story of two lovers who are gay hiding a young Jewish woman during the Nazi Third Reich, or the Third Holy Roman Empire (gentle reminder that Hitler, who was elected Chancellor of Germany believed that it was the will of God to perform ethnic cleansing). The movie is reminiscent of Martin Sherman’s 1979 play Bent, which depicts the persecution of gays during Nazi Germany. Bent was turned into a movie in 1997.
The movie, A Love to Hide, was a very difficult watch, but a most necessary one if you believe, as I do, that we must never forget the atrocities we are capable of performing. I reflected on the Holocaust of the Native Americans, and then the Holocaust of the Jews and Gays, which brought me to the current crop of Republican Presidential candidates in the United States. I wonder if any of them have picked up a history book? Probably safe to say that Bachmann and Perry can’t even spell history.
I strongly recommend you watch both A Love to Hide, and Bent, and read two of my favorite books: Stones From the River, and The Book Thief. After reading these books and watching these movies there is no way one can justify voting for a political monster that runs on a platform of hate and discrimination, which are the two basic tenets that bind the Republican party.
Social Justice For All 
Your mention of the holocaust perpetrated against the Native Americans brought to mind the movie “Little Big Man.” I have great affection for the film–it deftly combines comedy and tragedy, and features terrific performances from Dustin Hoffman and Chief Dan George (and Faye Dunaway is memorable in a smaller role).
It may not be to everyone’s taste–the portrait of George Armstrong Custer is over-broad, and it flirts with some stereotypes–but there can be no doubt that the film’s sympathies lie with the Native peoples, and it even includes a positive representation of an LGBTQ character, unusual for 1970.
Jay, that was quite lovely to read. Yes, “Little Big Man” does play into some stereotypes, but I agree that is has a very supportive message regarding the Native peoples. (I am also a huge fan of Faye Dunaway–have loved her since “Network.”
OMG! Network rocks. It not only turned me on to Bill Holden (Stalag 17, Sunset Boulevard, The Wild Bunch), but Dunaway! Besides the camp classic Mommie Dearest (No wire hangars!), we’re talking stone-cold classics like Bonnie and Clyde, Chinatown and Three Days of the Condor.
That was such a great era for cinema–and some of her later work (The Handmaid’s Tale, Gia, Don Juan DeMarco) is also quite enjoyable.
Who knew how prophetic Network and The Handmaid’s Tale would be? I need to see Bonnie and Clyde.