Here in Austin we have a local radio-nut, Alex Jones, that promotes various conspiracy theories such as FEMA concentration camps and that socialist eugenicists are planning to kill us (specifically the gun-loving free-market Christians that don't like abortion). So he was telling his followers to check out the "Camp FEMA" screening at an alternative book store near the UT campus. So I decided to go, realizing that a movie titled "Camp FEMA" may require a tin-foil hat to view, much like the new "A Christmas Carol" requires 3-D glasses to fully appreciate. Little did I know that I was actually stepping into an Alex Jones/Ron Paul Libertarian Persecution Cult. Follow below for a very entertaining, disturbing and enlightening true story.
The book store is about the size of Subway shop, split up into a screening room for around 40 people and a book area, containing many valid books mixed in with Freemason and 9-11 truther b.s. It has a dedicated "Ron Paul's selected reading" shelf that contains (in his defense) very sane books, a couple of which I have have, such as Illusion of Victory.
Around 30-40 people were in the audience. The film itself is factually worthless, making no attempt to substantiate the extraordinary claims that it is making- that there are concentration camps here in the US designed for US citizens based on thier political beliefs. There are no locations sited, just pictures of watchtowers and double-fenced barbed wire and the camera won't even pan over to see if it's just the corner of a prison or a military base, ever. No mention of the Popular Mechanics and Glenn Beck debunking, etc.
The movie featured Alex Jones, Ron Paul and other "Constitutionalists".
But Michele Bachmann was featured several times, explaining how the 2010 Census, run by ACORN of course, was going to use the information to weed out all the victims destined for these FEMA camps.
The movie obsessed over the Department of Homeland briefing that mentioned Vets, gun-owners and militia members. The director knew his target audience, people sure that the UN, foreign troops and socialist/facist (check Alex Jone's websites shop, they sell t-shirts with both labels not realizing the contradiction) were coming to take thier guns away.
So when I raised my hand and pointed out the flaws in the movie, like no mention of the nationally televised debunking by Popular Mechanics, the director responded that "there are a lot of fans of Glenn Beck, and we didn't want to offend them" I shot back "sounds like journalistic bias to me."
I also pointed out that the film ONLY mentions the POSSIBLE inclusion of right-wing militia nuts but NEVER mentions the very real spying done on anti-war activists, PETA, environmentalists and other leftists. The director response was that hadn't even thought about it, obviously so concerned with government intrusion to make a film but not look at the last administration. What selective amnesia bullshit.
"WHO SENT YOU?" the guy behind me asked.
"Sir, I know what your motives are [to the director], BUT what ARE YOUR MOTIVES? [directed at me, personally]" and then the old man followed up with "Agent provacateur, do you know what an agent provacateur is?!?!"- towards me.
I wanted to respond "Yeah, I just took a red-eye flight from Langley, the CIA boys are all over this film, it's big time".
This crowd needed to feel like they were being persecuted. I've been to anti-war meetings, even gasp Socialist meetings in DC shops. This crowd cranked up the crazy knob and ripped it off.
The director or producer (they were both there at the screening) started to answer a question (from the audience) about the mysterious towers being put up.
The director said "they are there to project holographic images..." (quiet pause over the room)
I laughed out loud and said "Ahh- you started to believe it though, didn't ya'll" (I am a Texan, btw)
But the director calmly continued to state that it was for the holographic projection of an alien invasion and that the towers can put voices in your head. I'm not joking. I wish I was joking.
A guy in the audience explained that that is why "V" the TV series is coming out, to prepare us mentally for this fake alien invasion.
There was 10th Amendment Secessionist talk after the movie too and I pointed out that if they were so against tyranny and corporate control, then they should also consider that large multi-nationals and corporations push around States and little cities way easier than they push around the Federal government. A poultry producer or mine owner can basically hold and entire small town hostage, basically create a concentration camp by suppressing all workers rights, and threaten to leave. The entire audience had no rational response just "Why don't you go to the UN then!", which was meant as an insult.
There is a very paranoid element in our society, needing conspiracy theories and false persecution narratives to justify and reaffirm thier world-view. This audience thought the Constitution provided them with the right to buy big guns, big trucks, shoot people who crossed thier property and round up all the immigrants and that those rights were in jeopardy. You could tell that the foundations of our Constitution such as due process, civil rights, freedom from cruel and unusual punishment, or much less a well-regulated militia were the furthest things in their minds.