FAIR News: Standing up for free expression in documentary filmmaking
FAIR News: Standing up for free expression in documentary filmmaking
Film Screening and Q&A with Bari Weiss and Meg Smaker
Meg Smaker’s new documentary film Jihad Rehab tells the story of several former Guantanamo Bay detainees as they navigate their lives at the world’s first rehabilitation center for Islamist extremists. The documentary was by most measures a great initial success, attracting enough positive attention to make it into the storied Sundance film festival. Yet soon after it premiered, scathing criticism from activists, and the resignation of two Sundance staff members, led to lengthy apologies from Sundance’s CEO and Festival Director, as well as Jihad Rehab’s executive producer, Abigail Disney. Much of the initial criticism of the film centered on it being directed by a “white” non-Muslim woman.
Following the Sundance apology, a group of filmmakers published an open letter detailing other reasons for opposing Sundance’s decision to platform Jihad Rehab, which ranged from the film’s alleged silence on the topic of extrajudicial detention, to the claims that it “recycles harmful and Islamophobic narratives.” At the end of the letter, the list of suggested structural changes for Sundance to be more accountable included “Mandatory anti-Islamophobia training alongside existing anti-racism initiatives for all Institute staff.”
Smaker linked up with the Foundation Against Intolerance & Racism to help fend off the cancellation campaign against her film. Together, Smaker and FAIR in the Arts are standing up for free expression, and against the small group of activists trying to censor Jihad Rehab, while also showcasing the film to audiences who are eager to learn more about the important issues it touches on.
Our next promotional event will be on Wednesday, July 20th, in Los Angeles, where we will host a special screening of Jihad Rehab, followed by a Q&A discussion with Smaker and author, journalist, and FAIR Advisor Bari Weiss. We hope you can join us.
FAIR stands up to institutional intolerance at CU Denver
On June 8th, FAIR sent a letter to the Dean, Provost, and Chancellor at the University of Colorado, Denver regarding their approach to diversity, equity, and inclusion. The letter was based on reports submitted to FAIR Transparency, one of which alleged that the university forced employees to adopt “land acknowledgement” statements that included accusations of genocide. Reports also mentioned a chilling effect on free speech that has arisen because of these initiatives.
FAIR encouraged the university to amend its practices so that it can be truly inclusive of diverse viewpoints and freedom of speech, as it is required to do as a recipient of state funding.
FAIR pushes back on school’s “microaggressions” policy
On June 17th, FAIR sent a letter to the Board of Trustees at Hamilton Southeastern Schools in Fishers, Indiana. The letter came in response to a report on FAIR Transparency about the board’s vote to amend the K-12 Student Handbook to include “microaggressions” on the list of behaviors that "may result in the student being suspended, expelled, or excluded from the regular school day." FAIR summarized its position as follows:
As an advocate for pro-human anti-racism, FAIR respects educators who undertake efforts towards positive change and greater fairness. Such efforts, however, must be consistent with constitutional rights protections. We are concerned that the microaggression policy referenced in the report (the “Microaggression Policy”) will lead to free speech rights violations of HSE students.
Announcing the FAIR Book Club
Calling all FAIR book lovers! The FAIR Fellows in Education invite you to our new FAIR Book Club, where all FAIR-minded readers can explore books that challenge and deepen our understanding of what it means to be pro-human.
We will be kicking off the club with our first book—Kaffir Boy by Mark Mathabane—with a Zoom session on July 27th at 7 p.m. ET, followed by a second discussion at the same time on August 17th.
We hope you’ll join us as we dive into this powerful memoir about the author’s coming of age as a black youth under apartheid in South Africa.
Have Something to Say? Write for Us
We want the FAIR Substack to be the go-to publication for diverse perspectives on culture and civil rights. Whether you’re a seasoned author or an amateur writer with a story that can contribute to our mission of promoting fairness, understanding, and humanity, we would love to receive your stories, opinions, investigations, reviews, interviews, and more!
Please send your piece to submissions@fairforall.org along with a short personal introduction and a brief, one-paragraph summary.
Submission guidelines:
Complete articles only (i.e., no “works in progress”).
No previously published submissions—this includes personal blogs as well as online or print publications.
We have no hard word count limits, but prefer submissions between 1,000 and 2,500 words.
We hope to hear from you!
FAIR in Medicine July Open House
Join FAIR in Medicine on Thursday, July 14th at 7:00 p.m. CT for our July Open House with special guest, FAIR Advisor Fred Luskin, PhD.
Dr. Luskin founded and currently serves as Director of the Stanford University Forgiveness Projects, where he teaches classes on Positive Psychology, The Art and Science of Meditation, Forgiveness, Wellness, Flourishing and The Psychology of Storytelling to undergraduate and graduate students. He is the author of the best-selling books Forgive for Good: A Proven Prescription for Health and Happiness and Forgive for Love: The Missing Ingredient for a Healthy and Happy Relationship.
Chicago Pro-Human Classroom Workshop
K-12 Educators, please join us on July 28th, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. CT at the The Skyline Conference Room in Chicago, Illinois, for an in-person workshop focused on how to create a culture of fairness, understanding, and humanity in the classroom. You'll learn to assess and improve classroom climate with the pro-human teaching rubric, support student viewpoint diversity, and help students build connections and understanding across cultures.
The workshop will include methods practice and scenario planning with FAIR’s classroom support tools.
FAIR Perspectives Episode 21: There’s Hope for the West, with Douglas Murray
Last week on FAIR Perspectives, we spoke with FAIR Advisor Douglas Murray. Douglas is a journalist and author of The Strange Death of Europe, The Madness of Crowds, and most recently The War on the West: How to Prevail in the Age of Unreason. Douglas is a columnist for The Spectator and has also written regularly for numerous other outlets including The Wall Street Journal, The Times, The Sunday Times, The Sun, The Evening Standard and The New Criterion.
We discussed how Douglas labels himself, the utility of labels in general, the difference between the British and the American Right, his book The War on the West, how self-criticism in America has become self-loathing, dog whistles, noticing the good and the bad in all societies, whether there is hope for the future, and whether Douglas has any praise for the left.
Tune in on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts!
FAIR Perspectives Has a New YouTube Channel
We're excited to announce our show is moving to a new YouTube channel. Thank you to all of our listeners who have helped make FAIR Perspectives the success that it is, with enough content to need its own home. Keep following the show at our new channel, FAIR Perspectives.
Please subscribe there to make sure you don't miss our upcoming episodes. We're thrilled to have you as part of the FAIR community.
FAIR News Podcast
For audio versions of our FAIR News and FAIR Weekly Roundup newsletters, subscribe and listen to FAIR News Weekly on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or via RSS feed.
FAIR Chapter Events
Chapter Events
FAIR’s Austin Texas chapter and Braver Angels of Central Texas are hosting an in-person “depolarizing within” workshop on Saturday, July 9th from 9:00 AM to 12 PM. Click here to register.
FAIR Educator Alliance ‘Happy Hour’
Teachers often feel isolated and alone in their schools, but FAIR is here for you! The FAIR Educators Alliance brings together educators from all levels to share experiences and concerns and work on developing resources that can support teachers, community members, and FAIR chapters.
We have an informal “happy hour” every Thursday evening at 8:00 p.m. ET, and hold more formal monthly meetings that will address issues based on your interests and needs.
We welcome all teachers and hope you will get connected.
For more information, contact educators@fairforall.org or, for Canadian educators, contact educators-canada@fairforall.org.
Join the FAIR Community
Become a FAIR volunteer or join a FAIR chapter:
Join a Welcome to FAIR Zoom information session to learn more about our mission, or watch a previously recorded session in the Members section of www.fairforall.org.
Sign the FAIR Pledge for a common culture of fairness, understanding and humanity.
Join the FAIR community to connect and share information with other members.
Share your reviews and incident reports on our FAIR Transparency website.
Meg Smaker needs to make a second film : one about this controversy.
Why don't you make the documentary film event on line too? I'd like to see the film and hear the discussion but I'm on the east coast.
Please, please, please link books to bookshop.org instead of the evil amazon
Love you -