Ubiquitous as camo at a BBQ, the militarization of popular culture is now so prevalent it’s near invisible. Nowhere has the war drum beat more incessantly, and arguably more effectively molded public opinion, as at the movies.
Take a look at the mayhem playing this week in your town and the marshal presence is obvious, but the influence of the Pentagon and its A-lister cohorts in the acronym-ed intelligence agencies is by degrees more subtle, going far beyond the war flicks, first-person shooter adaptations, and super hero franchisees.
Tom Secker is a UK-based private researcher, journalist, frequently featured commentator on security and intelligence issues, host of the popular podcast, ClandesTime, and principal behind spyculture.com, “the world’s premier online archive about government involvement in the entertainment industry.”
He’s also co-author, with Matthew Alford of the newly released book, ‘National Security Cinema: The Shocking New Evidence of Government Control in Hollywood‘.
Tom Secker in the first half.
And; in a tale Kafka would shrink from, the case of Canadian teenager, Omar Khadr resurfaced in the Canadian political and media consciousness recently. On it’s face, the renewed interest in the fate of the former Guantanamo Bay inmate surrounds the recent settlement of millions in damages due, to be paid by Canada for the abrogation of its responsibility to protect Khadr’s rights, and much worse, its collusion with the agents of his torture.
But the apoplexy expressed by, and grandstand political haymaking coming from, the conservative party and their fellow travellers in the press reveals a desperate attempt by the Tories to find purchase against a seemingly Teflon-coated, prime minister Justin Trudeau.
Garth Mullins is a long-time Vancouver-based DTES activist, writer, broadcaster, musician, and trade unionist whose weekly column appears at 24 Hours Vancouver, and a contributor to CBC Radio one’s program ‘Ideas’. He’s also been at the fore, working with VANDU, the Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users, in responding to the city’s overdose crisis.
Garth’s recent article in 24 Hours Vancouver takes apart the prominently placed Tory “outrage” against the government’s decision to settle rather than fight Khadr further, questioning the motives of both the party and the press.
Garth Mullins on Omar Khadr and Canada, the Torturer’s Apprentice in the second half.
And; CFUV Radio broadcaster, Janine Bandcroft will be here with a Left Coast Events update at the bottom of the hour to bring us up to speed with what’s good going in and around here in the coming week.
But first, Tom Secker, raising a curtain on ‘National Security Cinema: The Shocking New Evidence of Government Control in Hollywood’.
Chris Cook hosts Gorilla Radio, airing live every Wednesday, 1-2pm Pacific Time. In Victoria at 101.9FM, and on the internet at: http://cfuv.ca. He also serves as a contributing editor to the web news site, http://www.pacificfreepress.com. Check out the GR blog at: https://gorillaradioblog.blogspot.ca/