Conor Oberst is taking on the immigration debate in full force: Not only has the Bright Eyes mastermind hosted a concert, recorded a new song, and written an open letter to raise awareness, but now his label, Team Love Records, is set to distribute a new documentary on the issue, as well. The Other Side of Immigration, which is based on over 700 interviews in Mexican towns, seeks to provide "a perspective on undocumented immigration rarely witnessed by American eyes, challenging audiences to imagine more creative and effective solutions to the problem." The hour-long film was written, directed, shot, edited, and produced by Roy Germano.
Pre-order a DVD copy of the documentary, which also features music from
My Morning Jacket, Oberst, and Cuarteto Latinoamericano, over on Team Love's website right now and check out the trailer below:
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gh8biWzG0Wo
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Words cannot express how much I love Conor and MMJ for getting involved with projects like this. [ch9829]
Thanks for the shout out for an important issue SaraBananaBear (and thanks MMJ for the san diego show). Sorry to get vitriolic, but I must...
As a resident of AZ, I am embarrassed by our politicians' grandstanding and exploitation of the immigration "issue" in order to maintain their privileged status through the next election cycle. Mexican immigrants are human beings who risk their meager life savings and their lives to get here, with some leaving their families behind for extended and unpredictable periods of time. We should all ask ourselves just how horrible conditions would need to be before we could ever make such a decision...take such a leap of faith.
Our immigrants in the 19th and 20th century had a defined path towards citizenship. The system today is purposefully confusing and deeply veiled in red tape. There is no Ellis Island to provide a defined system for these humans to gain a safer situation for their families.
The lack of such a system has allowed the opportunity for human smugglers, one of the most despicable 'brands' of criminals, to prosper...with a proper system, they would be unnecessary. We have maintained a cold shoulder towards the situation, and as a result, the best option for truly desperate and poor people is placing their lives in the hands of those who brutally prey on the most vulnerable.
Politicians are all becoming fake tough guys. To be truly tough, we must lead without compromising the humanitarian ideals that are so ingrained into who we are supposed to be.
I hope that AZ can restore some dignity by voting out Jan Brewer (who intentionally and publicly tried to create hysteria by manufacturing the lie that Americans are being beheaded by illegal Mexicans within our own country...she later recanted, but her ratings actually went up...unbelievable!) and Russel Pearce, who are poster children for the fear mongering, chest pounding, hate spewing ways of today's new breed of politician.
Great post blucas!!!!!!! i agree wholeheartedly with everything you said.
8-)
I agree, great post indeed. I've only just now started to read more about the Arizona situation, so it's very interesting to hear more about the issue and the opinions of those living in AZ! :)
i just watched the trailer to this movie. seems really interesting, and i'm hoping the locally owned movie rental store will carry this.
For those interested, read the following 2 part story by npr...shocking, disgusting, etc...
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=130833741
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=130891396
QuoteFor those interested, read the following 2 part story by npr...shocking, disgusting, etc...
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=130833741
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=130891396
Oooh, will check that asap. I got the dvd a while back and watched it and it was really good. I think it gives a further understanding of the complexity of the situation and shows the human side of it up close and personal. The music fit in really well too, enhancing the experience (but then again, when doesn't MMJ music enhance something?).
Thanks for the links Blucas. Sadly, this is standard operating procedure for federal and state governments alike now, but the topic is what makes it that much more disgusting.
Privatization of government functions was accelerated by the Clinton administration in the 90's to maximize efficiency in government. Trimming the fat was the goal. Unfortunately, the undesirable yet inevitable result was the blurring of the divide between private and public, thus resulting in compromised intentions. The Arizona example is a perfect model for this, kind of a mini Haliburton if you will.
Typically, when a government function was privatized, a long time bureaucrat who specialized in that function would leave his/her post then start a company that fulfilled the same function or become a consultant for some big corporation that was looking to fill the vacuum created by the now defunct public arm. Many of these functions were areas where there existed little to no private competition due to the previously existing government monopoly. So some new company or new arm of a corporation with a former insider with them gains a huge upper hand in becoming a single source contractor. I mean, where else is the competition gonna come from?
This brings me to the Corrections Corporation of America. I don't know the history of this company but it fits this aforementioned model. I'm not familiar with too many private correction facility creating companies. The lines are blurred and the question of who generates legislation is even shadier at best. Everybody wins right? The jails are cheaper than they would have been, CCOA makes money, and all those politicians get health campaign donations. Democracy at work in 2010 baby! Hooray Safe Neighborhoods Act. [smiley=vrolijk_26.gif]
(http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x6/pwnzunub/AmericaFuckYeah.jpg)
I'd rather just listen to MMJ and not talk about immigration. If I want to hear about shit like that I will go watch the news.
I think the band would appreciate the dialogue. MMJ's fall 2010 tour skipped AZ (for the first time since I have been a fan) in protest of the human rights issues surrounding immigration. I can't quote the source, but that was the buzz anyway.
I agree that politics can get hairy/divisive and this site is about music and harmony :-) but based on the band's position and the fact that I had to travel to see them this time... it is certainly relevant to this site.
If you don't want to discuss and/or read about immigration, this thread is probably not for you. I think the title is pretty clear about the subject though... so maybe just not read this thread? :-? I think it's a very important subject and I'd like to learn more about it and discuss with others now and then :)
QuoteIf you don't want to discuss and/or read about immigration, this thread is probably not for you. I think the title is pretty clear about the subject though... so maybe just not read this thread? :-? I think it's a very important subject and I'd like to learn more about it and discuss with others now and then :)
ok, well that is not what "The Music" forum is for....maybe try the "off topic ramblings." K, thanks.
QuoteQuoteIf you don't want to discuss and/or read about immigration, this thread is probably not for you. I think the title is pretty clear about the subject though... so maybe just not read this thread? :-? I think it's a very important subject and I'd like to learn more about it and discuss with others now and then :)
ok, well that is not what "The Music" forum is for....maybe try the "off topic ramblings." K, thanks.
I would agree, but it's about the music being featured in the movie, so that's why I thought it fit better here.
QuoteQuoteQuoteIf you don't want to discuss and/or read about immigration, this thread is probably not for you. I think the title is pretty clear about the subject though... so maybe just not read this thread? :-? I think it's a very important subject and I'd like to learn more about it and discuss with others now and then :)
ok, well that is not what "The Music" forum is for....maybe try the "off topic ramblings." K, thanks.
I would agree, but it's about the music being featured in the movie, so that's why I thought it fit better here.
Fair enough...what MMJ songs are in it?
QuoteQuoteIf you don't want to discuss and/or read about immigration, this thread is probably not for you. I think the title is pretty clear about the subject though... so maybe just not read this thread? :-? I think it's a very important subject and I'd like to learn more about it and discuss with others now and then :)
ok, well that is not what "The Music" forum is for....maybe try the "off topic ramblings." K, thanks.
Dude, we get that your politics don't align with the majority of this board or with the band. That's cool. I just think it's sad that nowadays you come on this board just to say negative shit and give a hard time to one of the nicest people on this board. Go share your hate elsewhere.
QuoteQuoteQuoteIf you don't want to discuss and/or read about immigration, this thread is probably not for you. I think the title is pretty clear about the subject though... so maybe just not read this thread? :-? I think it's a very important subject and I'd like to learn more about it and discuss with others now and then :)
ok, well that is not what "The Music" forum is for....maybe try the "off topic ramblings." K, thanks.
Dude, we get that your politics don't align with the majority of this board or with the band. That's cool. I just think it's sad that nowadays you come on this board just to say negative shit and give a hard time to one of the nicest people on this board. Go share your hate elsewhere.
for realz!
QuoteQuoteQuoteIf you don't want to discuss and/or read about immigration, this thread is probably not for you. I think the title is pretty clear about the subject though... so maybe just not read this thread? :-? I think it's a very important subject and I'd like to learn more about it and discuss with others now and then :)
ok, well that is not what "The Music" forum is for....maybe try the "off topic ramblings." K, thanks.
Dude, we get that your politics don't align with the majority of this board or with the band. That's cool. I just think it's sad that nowadays you come on this board just to say negative shit and give a hard time to one of the nicest people on this board. Go share your hate elsewhere.
Cool....anyway, I was asking what songs did they contribute. I was trying to get the thread on track to "music." No hate.
QuoteQuoteQuoteQuoteIf you don't want to discuss and/or read about immigration, this thread is probably not for you. I think the title is pretty clear about the subject though... so maybe just not read this thread? :-? I think it's a very important subject and I'd like to learn more about it and discuss with others now and then :)
ok, well that is not what "The Music" forum is for....maybe try the "off topic ramblings." K, thanks.
Dude, we get that your politics don't align with the majority of this board or with the band. That's cool. I just think it's sad that nowadays you come on this board just to say negative shit and give a hard time to one of the nicest people on this board. Go share your hate elsewhere.
Cool....anyway, I was asking what songs did they contribute. I was trying to get the thread on track to "music." No hate.
I was going to post that sooner, but I didn't write it down when I was watching it and then it took me a while to get around to watching it again. I remember which songs of course, but they highlighted certain parts of the lyrics, so wanted to get that right.
The songs played was The Way That He Sings (x2), Strangulation (x3) and I'm Amazed (x1).
The Way That He Sings was played in the background while people were talking, but brought back full on during these parts of the lyrics:
Why's it so strange when they say that the world's movin upwards?
Why's it surreal when my hands feel they cant roll the dice?And:
Why's it so soft when the cannons unload on the others?
Why're we so loud when we say it won't happen to us?Which really fitted in well with the movie and the themes of the stories told, they had one Bright Eyes song (Four Winds) and one COMVB (Cape Canaveral) song which fitted in perfectly as well. For me it kind of gave the songs another meaning or a expanded... elaborated... ? (okay, my english fails me here, I hope you understand what I mean anyways) meaning.
Strangulation was also played in the background, but not the whole song, I think it was mostly the end of the song, the only lyrics heard was:
And you won't feel a thing. You won't feel a thing.At the end of the movie the whole of I'm Amazed was played, all lyrics included, which again, fits perfectly.
Was it live or studio versions? Strangulation live is the shit.
QuoteWas it live or studio versions? Strangulation live is the shit.
Could you be a bigger dick? K, thanks.
QuoteQuoteWas it live or studio versions? Strangulation live is the shit.
Could you be a bigger dick? K, thanks.
?
QuoteQuoteQuoteWas it live or studio versions? Strangulation live is the shit.
Could you be a bigger dick? K, thanks.
?
Hmm, okay, I guess you didn't realize you were being a dick when you commented about not wanting to read about immigration in a thread specifically titled as such, then accused Sara of being off topic even when the post is about MMJ's music being featured in a documentary about immigration, then asked her to cite where the music came into play, and then when she did, your response was not, "Oh, okay, I see," or "I think immigration is bullshit," instead you attempted to divert attention from your shenanigans by giving an example about how badass Strangulation is live, which it certainly is. Maybe you should make a new thread so-titled, and then you wouldn't have to read about musical acts getting involved with immigration in this one when you really just wanted to talk about Strangulation the whole time?
Sorry for the confusion.
QuoteQuoteQuoteQuoteWas it live or studio versions? Strangulation live is the shit.
Could you be a bigger dick? K, thanks.
?
Hmm, okay, I guess you didn't realize you were being a dick when you commented about not wanting to read about immigration in a thread specifically titled as such, then accused Sara of being off topic even when the post is about MMJ's music being featured in a documentary about immigration, then asked her to cite where the music came into play, and then when she did, your response was not, "Oh, okay, I see," or "I think immigration is bullshit," instead you attempted to divert attention from your shenanigans by giving an example about how badass Strangulation is live, which it certainly is. Maybe you should make a new thread so-titled, and then you wouldn't have to read about musical acts getting involved with immigration in this one when you really just wanted to talk about Strangulation the whole time?
Sorry for the confusion.
No, I was trying to get the subject back to music. And when she did, I was curious as to whether the Strangulation was one I had heard. My whole point from the beginning of this thread was that I was more into MMJ's music....that is what they do right...than I am in what their stance on immigration is.
By the way, if you read this thread, you will see that people were debating the immigration issue, which, ummmm, as I said, I don't give a shit about. That can be talked about somewhere else.....go post a comment on a cnn thread. Sara is a nice poster...and I was a little bit of a dick in the way I talked to her ("k, thanks") but I am honestly sooo sick of politics in my music. The 24 hour news cycle is so tiring and music and sports are a good getaway from the bullshit. Next thing I know, I'm going to come on here and see that MMJ is boycotting the NSA for frisking people in airports. So Sara...sorry if you were offended. I think you are cool...I was just taking out my frustration on you a little.
So whatever guys...I love you all but I hate politics!!!!! Truce? :D
QuoteQuoteQuoteQuoteQuoteWas it live or studio versions? Strangulation live is the shit.
Could you be a bigger dick? K, thanks.
?
Hmm, okay, I guess you didn't realize you were being a dick when you commented about not wanting to read about immigration in a thread specifically titled as such, then accused Sara of being off topic even when the post is about MMJ's music being featured in a documentary about immigration, then asked her to cite where the music came into play, and then when she did, your response was not, "Oh, okay, I see," or "I think immigration is bullshit," instead you attempted to divert attention from your shenanigans by giving an example about how badass Strangulation is live, which it certainly is. Maybe you should make a new thread so-titled, and then you wouldn't have to read about musical acts getting involved with immigration in this one when you really just wanted to talk about Strangulation the whole time?
Sorry for the confusion.
No, I was trying to get the subject back to music. And when she did, I was curious as to whether the Strangulation was one I had heard. My whole point from the beginning of this thread was that I was more into MMJ's music....that is what they do right...than I am in what their stance on immigration is.
By the way, if you read this thread, you will see that people were debating the immigration issue, which, ummmm, as I said, I don't give a shit about. That can be talked about somewhere else.....go post a comment on a cnn thread. Sara is a nice poster...and I was a little bit of a dick in the way I talked to her ("k, thanks") but I am honestly sooo sick of politics in my music. The 24 hour news cycle is so tiring and music and sports are a good getaway from the bullshit. Next thing I know, I'm going to come on here and see that MMJ is boycotting the NSA for frisking people in airports. So Sara...sorry if you were offended. I think you are cool...I was just taking out my frustration on you a little.
So whatever guys...I love you all but I hate politics!!!!! Truce? :D
I'm not offended, no worries about that. The thing is though, that this thread isn't just about music, so when you're trying to get the subject back to music, you have to understand that the subject was never about the music, it's about the music AND immigration. If you want to discuss music and only music, there's lots of other threads for that. And even if you're only into MMJ's music, there are other of us who are interested in BOTH MMJ's music and immigration and I would ask you to respect that. I think MMJ's stance on immigration is very interesting and I think it should be okay to dedicate at least one thread to that. And as previously discussed, I can't see that it's off topic, so no reason to put it anywhere else and I don't think any CNN threads have the same knowledge of MMJ's music that this forum has, so that wouldn't work for me.
QuoteQuoteQuoteQuoteQuoteIf you don't want to discuss and/or read about immigration, this thread is probably not for you. I think the title is pretty clear about the subject though... so maybe just not read this thread? :-? I think it's a very important subject and I'd like to learn more about it and discuss with others now and then :)
ok, well that is not what "The Music" forum is for....maybe try the "off topic ramblings." K, thanks.
Dude, we get that your politics don't align with the majority of this board or with the band. That's cool. I just think it's sad that nowadays you come on this board just to say negative shit and give a hard time to one of the nicest people on this board. Go share your hate elsewhere.
Cool....anyway, I was asking what songs did they contribute. I was trying to get the thread on track to "music." No hate.
I was going to post that sooner, but I didn't write it down when I was watching it and then it took me a while to get around to watching it again. I remember which songs of course, but they highlighted certain parts of the lyrics, so wanted to get that right.
The songs played was The Way That He Sings (x2), Strangulation (x3) and I'm Amazed (x1).
The Way That He Sings was played in the background while people were talking, but brought back full on during these parts of the lyrics:
Why's it so strange when they say that the world's movin upwards?
Why's it surreal when my hands feel they cant roll the dice?
And:
Why's it so soft when the cannons unload on the others?
Why're we so loud when we say it won't happen to us?
Which really fitted in well with the movie and the themes of the stories told, they had one Bright Eyes song (Four Winds) and one COMVB (Cape Canaveral) song which fitted in perfectly as well. For me it kind of gave the songs another meaning or a expanded... elaborated... ? (okay, my english fails me here, I hope you understand what I mean anyways) meaning.
Strangulation was also played in the background, but not the whole song, I think it was mostly the end of the song, the only lyrics heard was:
And you won't feel a thing. You won't feel a thing.
At the end of the movie the whole of I'm Amazed was played, all lyrics included, which again, fits perfectly.
Okay, continuing with this subject again, I was reading the text written on the inside of the dvd cover and I think it ties in with the highlighted parts of the lyrics to TWTHS, especially;
Why's it so soft when the cannons unload on the others?
Why're we so loud when we say it won't happen to us?The filmmaker Roy Germano writes that:
Clearly migrating to another country without proper documentation is illegal. Mexican or American, I think we can all agree on that much. I wonder, however, how many Americans wouldn't hesitate to violate the immigration laws of a foreign country if doing so meant vastly improving the life chances of their children. Would you think twice about migrating illegally to Canada, for example, if the U.S. economy was in ruins, your children were destined for a life of poverty and there were plenty of high-wage jobs to be done in Canada?
I feel a bit responsible in helping to shift the topic from music towards pure politics. That said, I offer no apology for sharing my views on an important topic and appreciate that Sarah BB started the thread (and I appreciate her contributions throughout the site on other topics as well!).
Onigokkin, it might be valuable for you to consider opinions and views on the world around you from sources other than the news and mainstream media. I for one, love the fact that I can come to a site of relatively like minded people and understand their views on a varity of issues, regardless of whether those views agree with mine (and no onigokkin, your posts don't constitute constructive sharing of views).
That said, as you claim to "not give a shit" about the topic...JUST STOP... stop clicking on this thread, stop repeating your opinion, stop trying to dictate what people have to say and where they say it , stop offering empty apologies with "yeah but" clauses...
QuoteI feel a bit responsible in helping to shift the topic from music towards pure politics. That said, I offer no apology for sharing my views on an important topic and appreciate that Sarah BB started the thread (and I appreciate her contributions throughout the site on other topics as well!).
Onigokkin, it might be valuable for you to consider opinions and views on the world around you from sources other than the news and mainstream media. I for one, love the fact that I can come to a site of relatively like minded people and understand their views on a varity of issues, regardless of whether those views agree with mine (and no onigokkin, your posts don't constitute constructive sharing of views).
That said, as you claim to "not give a shit" about the topic...JUST STOP... stop clicking on this thread, stop repeating your opinion, stop trying to dictate what people have to say and where they say it , stop offering empty apologies with "yeah but" clauses...
Oh I didn't think that was a problem at all, your post was definitely more than relevant to the subject. I've been meaning to write a response to the npr stories you posted, but I've been busy with school and also it's sometimes a bit hard for me to phrase it in English... But some quick thoughts would be that it was very interesting to read, mostly sad though. And prison for children? They send children to prison? If I understood this correctly then I'm shocked. I mean sure, the US is the only country in the world other than Somalia to not have signed the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, but really? :-?
Oh and also I've been meaning to say, thanks for all the kind words in this thread, peaches and love to you from Sweden. :)
QuoteWas it live or studio versions? Strangulation live is the shit.
Oh and I think it was the studio version.