The Cat's Dream

American Voices of Dissent

The book from “XXI Century”, a real independent documentary film by Gabriele Zamparini & Lorenzo Meccoli. Foreword by William Blum

“Absolutely indispensable! An important resource in the struggle.”
- Ken Loach

From the Foreword by William Blum: You are holding in your hands a book that would make an excellent time capsule; one to be opened, one would hope, in a future time when the United States was no longer on a rampage of imperial war and oppression around the world, no longer acting like a police state at home.

From the Introduction by Gabriele Zamparini and Lorenzo Meccoli: We wanted to tell the story of the American anti-war movement from the voices of its protagonists. The result was far behind our expectations. The picture that comes alive is—to paraphrase James Baldwin— “longer, larger, more various, more beautiful, and more terrible than anything anyone has ever said about it.” In times of danger and madness, voices of reason are voices of dissent.

Synopsis: With contributions by five Nobel Peace Prize winners, former government officials, scholars, religious leaders, journalists, activists, and prominent cultural figures, the documentary film XXI Century explores American reactions to recent global events captured through the lens of interviews and political rallies. This book presents selected excerpts from the filming of prominent U.S. citizens voicing their views on Bush administration policies in the new century. These events include the much-contested 2000 election, the September 11, 2001, attacks, the impact of the USA Patriot Act, the accelerated growth of peace movements, the recruitment of U.S. soldiers, U.S. policy and attitudes toward the Middle East, sanctions and war in Iraq, and human rights violations. The speakers also consider how the rise of media spectacle and punditry at the expense of quality journalism inhibits the ability of Americans to react to these events as informed citizens. The voices of Americans, both ordinary and famous, resonate with passion and urgency in response to the injustice and far-reaching effects of the current U.S. foreign policy. American Voices of Dissent highlights the other side of the story and makes a case for global solidarity against U.S. imperialism.

Featuring: Noam Chomsky, Gore Vidal, Howard Zinn, Arno Mayer, Amy Goodman, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Scott Ritter, Susan Sarandon, September Eleventh Families for Peaceful Tomorrows, Nelson Mandela, Jesse Jackson, Desmond Tutu, The Nation, Ramsey Clark, Danny Glover, Angela Davis, Jessica Lange, Greg Palast, Ossie Davis, American Civil Liberties Union, Indymedia, Al Sharpton, Pete Seeger, Harry Belafonte, Democracy Now!, Vetera

XXI CENTURY: PART 7 of 7 – Pax Americana

In the last part of “XXI CENTURY” we try to regard the problem from a new angle.

Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, historians and international scholars will deconstruct the arguments relative to human rights and bringing democracy to Iraq that were brought by the Bush Administration as the main reasons to go to war.

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict; the connections between the Bush Administration and the Sharon Government; the geopolitical scenario after the war in Afghanistan and Iraq are discussed by Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, historians and international scholars. The Israeli filmmaker Udi Aloni will add his passionate point of view.

We also take a look at who’s who in the Bush Administration and beyond and propose an interesting point of view on the “Old Europe business.”

Noam Chomsky recalls the 80s and reminds us that in Washington now there are the same people. Howard Zinn, Gore Vidal, Noam Chomsky, and Arno Mayer will try to see and foresee the century that has just – and so tragically – started. The XXI Century has begun.

XXI CENTURY: PART 6 of 7 – Blood and Oil

While the war against Iraq was approaching, many international organizations were working to foresee the effects of a new conflict on the civilian population and the Iraqi economy. Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War tell us about the possible scenario of this recent war. What was the price? And who paid it?

UN and the International Criminal Court. Weapons of mass destruction and the inspections. Oil, US military bases in the Middle East and the doubts of part of the American Establishment.

What’s the connection between Iraq and Venezuela? Why did BBC investigative reporter Greg Palast go to Venezuela?

Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, historians, free thinkers and the former UN weapons inspector Scott Ritter tell us “the other version” and help us to question and deconstruct the lies which we have too often been told.

Gore Vidal, Noam Chomsky and Howard Zinn share their critiques and propose their point of views. Finally the historian Arno J. Mayer opens new horizons and talks about a missing link.