| Comments: |
Hi FFS Crew,
So I have to be honest, I'm a little disappointed by the absence of diversity in the current nominations. I can of course appreciate the use of phrases such as "holiday edition", as well as the inclusion of movies that explore alternate universe versions of beloved historical figures, as attempts to promote inclusivity in our Esteemed Society. However, after reviewing the list of films that have been nominated up to this point, I can comfortably say that each and every one of them is a film that explicitly celebrates the Christian tradition at the expense of marginalizing the lived experiences of the entire human family.
As global citizens, we bear the honor and the responsibility of constantly asking ourselves, "Am I doing enough to empower my fellow person? Yes, I tell them that I love them, but do I speak from an ivory tower, or do I also plant my feet in the soil with them, and listen?"
When we muster up the courage to ask ourselves these and other uncomfortable questions, and even more, to accept that, no, we haven't done enough, we may then find the resolve to say that, yes, we will do more!
Please know that this is not a lecture! I recognized and felt compelled to speak out about this shortcoming not because I am above it, but because I have made similar mistakes.
In recent holiday seasons, I have made efforts to broaden my horizons and deepen my understanding of my fellow persons (and myself) by studying celebrations of the holiday season across the world. While some of these traditions are as well-known as Christmas, others have hardly reached those of us in the so-called "Western world" (and rest assured, we are the poorer for it).
The celebrations of the Jewish festival of "Hanukkah" stand out as uniquely well-suited to the needs of this FFS. I think we can all benefit immensely from viewing a film that dives into the origins and history of this tradition, and I'm confident that such an experience will teach us how to celebrate more inclusively.
It is with these thoughts in mind that I present my nomination for the FFS viewing scheduled for Saturday, December 19th, 2020 |
