What if campus Republicans sponsored showings of the Death of Stalin?

Bill.in.PA · 2018-04-30T03:37:29.659Z

Yes, it looks like most high-school kids learn that Stalin was the leader of the Soviet Union during World War II, but few know much beyond that.

The fact that so many appear to be clueless about the true nature of Communism under Stalin is frightening. Those who forget history are doomed to repeat it.

Bill.in.PA · 2018-04-30T03:42:31.391Z

Bill.in.PA:

My class was both sickened and startled. Many come forward after reading it asking why the real Stalin isn’t revealed in other history classes (the most disturbing and perhaps revealing of one of their comments was that “America isn’t perfect either”). But all agreed that Stalin was rarely mentioned, except in the context of fighting Hitler.

Earlier quote from professor teaching Soviet history to college students:
My class was both sickened and startled. Many come forward after reading it asking why the real Stalin isn’t revealed in other history classes (the most disturbing and perhaps revealing of one of their comments was that “America isn’t perfect either”). But all agreed that Stalin was rarely mentioned, except in the context of fighting Hitler.

Borgia · 2018-04-30T03:45:55.514Z

We are worried about education yet a poster here seems to think 1/3 represents a majority. That does indicate a fundamental failure of education.

Blackwolf · 2018-04-30T03:55:57.155Z

Borgia_dude_dude:

We are worried about education yet a poster here seems to think 1/3 represents a majority. That does indicate a fundamental failure of education.

And don’t get me wrong - that 1/3 is bad enough as it is. There’s no need to embellish it, however, except to reinforce right wing media’s narrative that “ERHMAGERD MOST COLLEGES ARE FULL OF AMERICA HATIN’ LEFTISTS WHO ARE JUST SO IGNORANT”

margaretms2 · 2018-04-30T13:39:12.871Z

Bill.in.PA:

My point is that the movie could be breath of fresh air in the stifling leftist atmosphere on many college campuses. What is your point?

Two things, among others:

As you note, the (relatively low-budget) film is being shown in a “a few arts theaters around the country” (well, more than a few actually). If we grant that what you’re saying is true re: it’s release, who do you think makes up a majority of the audience of “arts theaters around the country”? What kind of neighborhoods are they usually in, with residents and visitors who sustain that kind of culture? I’ve seen the film: it’s good. It’s playing in one of those “arts theaters” a few blocks from where I live, which is also around multiple “liberal” colleges and universities (with students, faculty, and others who frequent this theater). Somehow, like almost all arts and foreign movies, from The Lives of Others to this one, it’s surviving that “stifling leftist atmosphere.”
It’s hard to secure the rights to first-run movies, as they’re running, but it took me about a minute to find colleges that are showing the movie or organizing events to see it:
https://hop.dartmouth.edu/online/the-death-of-stalin
'The Death of Stalin' | Mississippi State University
International Activities | University of Kentucky College of Arts & Sciences

Oh, and hey look, it’s playing at the Shattuck theater (2230 Shattuck Avenue one block from UC Berkeley)https://www.landmarktheatres.com/san-francisco-east-bay/shattuck-cinemas/info

Do you think they have to set up barricades to keep all the leftists and Stalin-loving Antifa hordes from terrorizing and destroying the theater? If not, why do you think that is? Why would the film’s distributors and the theater management choose to show it in such a “stifling leftist” area? They must not know what they’re doing.

Illegal_Alien · 2018-04-30T14:17:56.027Z

I took Russia History in AP High School and then in college I did a run on Russian Revolution History and on.
Even with my professor was pretty much a Socialist in College he didn’t sugar coat that Stalin was a Mass Murder.
So I have to agree with the OP that many people don’t get the real history of Stalin and his rise to power in the party. Russia would have been better with Trotsky than Stalin.

lulubee · 2018-04-30T14:21:26.770Z

Based on reading posts on this message board by Trumpaneze - it’s laughable you should be criticizing anyone for not knowing something,

SaysWho · 2018-04-30T14:58:27.531Z

Any institution that values or promotes critical thinking is going to skew left. Fighting liberals in college is futile.

carlspackler · 2018-04-30T16:23:34.996Z

I graduated over 30 years ago, but I don’t remember much being taught about Stalin, other than he was the Soviet leader during WW2. Somehow, I managed to learn all about the holodomor, forced collectivism, the show trials and purges and the destruction of the kulaks, among the many other atrocities perpetrated by Stalin.

There’s a lot more to learn than “Stalin Bad!”, “Communism Bad!”, etc…

I don’t think I’ve ever encountered anyone in real life that praised Stalin.

Like I stated above, I doubt that unless you are a history major you are probably not going to learn a lot about Russian history, without reading and researching for yourself.

I’ll ask my highschool age son tonight what he knows about stalin from school.

carlspackler · 2018-04-30T16:25:20.073Z

I will try to watch this movie, just because I am a huge fan of Steve Buscemi. Probably will have to wait for it be on netflix or amazon though.

conan · 2018-04-30T16:30:22.716Z

The fact that 21 percent of millennials would vote for Stalin should tell you something is seriously wrong with our educational system doesn’t it?

TheRedComet · 2018-04-30T16:31:51.108Z

I can’t necessarily blame some of them for being open to socialism.

Me personally I’m politically opposed to the idea.

But I’ve been fortunate to have landed a good job and I don’t have any debt other than my car note.

A lot of other millennials got screwed by the economy. Can’t blame them for being angry.

conan · 2018-04-30T16:33:46.739Z

So you think critical thinking is left leaning?

Forcefield · 2018-04-30T16:36:32.984Z

Bill.in.PA:

My point is that the movie could be breath of fresh air in the stifling leftist atmosphere on many college campuses. What is your point?

https://hop.dartmouth.edu/online/the-death-of-stalin

Mississippi State University

'The Death of Stalin'

Mississippi State’s Department of History has secured the rights to release the comedy film “The Death of Stalin” for a public viewing on campus. The Institute for the Humanities is partnering with the history department to present a free screening...

news.unl.edu

'Death of Stalin,' 'Loveless' open at the Ross

Two films — "The Death of Stalin" and "Loveless" — opening March 30 at the Ross offer audiences two very different Russian adventures.

Well I guess we will never know. I mean no college is ever going to do it. I mean, except that they are. Or something.

margaretms2 · 2018-04-30T16:51:37.258Z

Hey, beat you to it! As I always say, mediocre minds think alike.

What if campus Republicans sponsored showings of the Death of Stalin? Politics

Two things, among others: As you note, the (relatively low-budget) film is being shown in a “a few arts theaters around the country” (well, more than a few actually). If we grant that what you’re saying is true re: it’s release, who do you think makes up a majority of the audience of “arts theaters around the country”? What kind of neighborhoods are they usually in, with residents and visitors who sustain that kind of culture? I’ve seen the film: it’s good. It’s playing in one of those “art…

SaysWho · 2018-04-30T17:04:08.381Z

yes of course it is.

Forcefield · 2018-04-30T17:20:16.573Z

If you could delete yours so i look smart that would be great.

Cratic3947 · 2018-04-30T17:21:56.314Z

Leftism is the largest mass murderers in history. They killed nearly 100 million people less than 100 years ago… Lynchings in the old south killed about 4000 people, which is terrible, but nothing compared to leftist history.

… The death continues to this day in Venezuela. I don’t think they even teach about the massive leftist holocaust in college or high school.

conan · 2018-04-30T17:32:07.122Z

So much for critical thinking on YOUR part then.

Bill.in.PA · 2018-05-03T03:17:01.135Z

My observation is that leftists on campus may ignore the movie at an arts theater but are likely to freak out if a conservative group sponsors the same movie.

For an example how perceived context matters, here is a clip showing how liberal students react completely differently to the same plan when told it came from Sanders instead of Trump: