Crossposted on ePM.
Immigration, health care and minimum wage / living wage, 'teh gays' and Christians vs. Muslims in America.
All hot-button issues. All issues that the rabid right are woefully uninformed about.
And all issues that can be explored through a little bit of work...or the right sources.
I found a source that I'd forgotten about, one that may help educate some folks -- particularly those folks who are prone to falling for the fear-mongering bogeyman-like attack ads popping up with the intent of inciting and fomenting people against things they have been intentionally under-informed on: the cable series 30 Days by Morgan Spurlock, whose initial big claim to fame came from hit "Super-Size Me."
Check out some of the episode titles below the fold, and also the two video episodes that I've included. If you have any questions, criticisms or suggestions for additional informative stuff, please leave 'em in comments.
Thank you.
The series was effectively cancelled when the hosting network, FX, decided not to renew it for another season. Here are the episodes that are "in the can" and which have aired (Episode tables pulled from the Wikipedia page about the series.):
First season
Episode No. | Topic | Original airdate |
---|
101 | Minimum Wage | June 15, 2005 |
102 | Anti-Aging | June 22, 2005 |
103 | Muslims and America | June 29, 2005 |
104 | Straight Man in a Gay World | July 6, 2005 |
105 | Off the Grid | July 13, 2005 |
106 | Binge Drinking Mom | July 20, 2005 |
Second season
Episode No. | Topic |
Original Airdate |
---|
201 | Immigration | July 26, 2006 |
202 | Outsourcing | August 2, 2006 |
203 | Atheist vs. Christian | August 9, 2006 |
204 | New Age | August 16, 2006 |
205 | Pro-life, Pro-choice | August 23, 2006 |
206 | Jail | August 30, 2006 |
Third season
Episode No. | Topic | Original Airdate |
---|
301 | Working in a Coal Mine | June 3, 2008 |
302 | Living in a Wheelchair | June 10, 2008 |
303 | Animal Rights | June 17, 2008 |
304 | Same Sex Parenting | June 24, 2008 |
305 | Gun Nation | July 1, 2008 |
306 | Life on an Indian Reservation | July 8, 2008 |
Here are two episodes I recently embedded elsewhere as part of a discussion regarding same-sex marriage and the concept of a living wage (tied to a discussion re: reforming health care):
30 Days -- Minimum Wage
The day after the Oscars, nominee Morgan Spurlock and his fiancée Alex uproot themselves from the financial security of their fabulous New York City lives and work at multiple minimum wage jobs for 30 days.
30 Days -- Same Sex Parenting"Aired 6/24/2008
A wife and mother who is a strong proponent of the traditional family unit will have her beliefs challenged when she agrees to spend 30 days with the new face of alternative parenting - that of a same sex couple with adopted and foster children."
There are several other episodes that look promising -- have you seen them? Perhaps plopping embedded selections on blogs in other spots could help spread some better information and counter some of the insane ad wars... What are your thoughts?