For our reading this week we were given various articles about the movie Salt of the Earth (Biberman 1954) and the controversy it caused. The actual film was about a mine in New Mexico that was going through strike because of racial issues and there was a twist of fighting for gender equality because the wives wanted to stand up and fight with their men. Go women!
Salt of the Earth came about in the time of the 'red scare.' This film was produced by blacklisted members of the film field as well as financially supported by a union that was deemed communist. The main argument that I could take from all the articles is "was Salt of the Earth a form of communist propaganda that was rightfully feared or was it a piece of art that America's fear tried to diminish?
Some questions that popped up from the reading. I wondered if the creators meant it to be communist at all. Where they trying to make a point other than gender and race equality? I found it incredibly fascinating that the fact that the in all attempts to make the film stop happening the film became stronger for it. Was this film really that big of a deal in the whole sceme of things according to
There were a few issues within this article that absolutely screamed at me. The theme of gender equality that was apparent throughout the film would be a fantastic jumping off point for a discussion. From there we could explore the race issues that the Mexican Americans faced throughout the film as well. The issue that most stands out is that of America's reaction to communism.
This film was highly fought, bringing a high interest, for it's supposed communist ideals. America was so afraid of Communism that it turned on it's own people? The union that supported the film was "expelled from the CIO [...] for their alleged Communist-dominant leadership." Hollywood took sides with the government in order to stay in it's good graces, thus bringing about the "10 unfriendly witnesses." I've had a few discussions about communism after learning about "the ten" in my American History class. A huge issue to discuss is the fact that America, which is supposed to be the melting pot of all races and ideas, went so far in attempting to exile all with a different (and somehow frightening) political ideal.
I didn't really know how to fit this in, but I loved the article that discussed the Czechoslovakian's attempt to use the film Salt of the Earth. To give America a bad rep. Ha ha! Didn't work. The gender and race issues and problem in the workplace didn't faze them at all. Why? Because they were enthused by the fact that Americans, even poor, still drove to work in their cars, were ALLOWED to go on strike, and the workers won! This would be an interesting discussion to have indeed.
What's my opinion on the matter? I feel like what I am going to say will be highly uneducated and ignorant since I have little education on the 'red scare' and have not lived through the times. In my opinion, Hollywood and America overreacted. They were afraid and took it out on those that were different. This film, though possibly a communist film, might have had a separate opinion than that of the government was condemned because a difference of opinion. I am excited to see this film because it brought up so many issues and quite possibly informed many that had no idea what opinion to make. I'm mainly interested in the fact that H'wood tried so hard to shut this film down, yet it's lived through the ages to tell a story and to reveal that America is not quite as open minded as we would like it to seem.
I am what you would call a mild feminist. Ever since attending the women's college, Cottey College, and then transferring to Stephens I have had a little fire of passion sizzling for the idea of women empowerment. Now, even though I have various feminist literature laying around my room and created my own TV show centered around women, I still call myself a mild feminist. Why? Because I am not what you would call an activist. That and I obviously don't read enough literature because when I read the article that discussed the issues of gender equality I came across the sentence "most Americans had never heard of Elizabeth Cady Stanton. Here is a woman who contributed to woman equality and I didn't recognize her name! So, she became the subject of my new terminology.
What did I do to right my wrong? I googled Elizabeth Cady Stanton of course! According to Wikipedia (sorry to all those opposed to using this as a source. It gives me info. in a format I can understand) Elizabeth Cady Stanton was a "leading figure in the women's movement" as well as a abolitionist, and social activist. Lizzie was not only fighting for woman's right to vote, but their right to birth control, property rights, employment and many other issues that women had to face every day. She was definitely a trouper and one I will have to read up more on later.
Until next time my friends. Hopefully I will have figured out a better way to do these response blogs. Enjoy the snow! He he he...
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