This Wednesday: Community Screening of "Casino Jack," Followed by Campaign Finance Reform Discussion

This Wednesday, you will have a chance to view award winning Director Alex Gibney's new film, "Casino Jack and the United States of Money," for free at San Francisco State (just need to rsvp). Following this special community screening, there will be a discussion on campaign finance reform with Mark McKinnon of Maverick Media and Heather Smith of Rock the Vote.

DETAILS: Wednesday, May 12, 2010 

                   6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

                   San Francisco State
                   August Coppola Theatre
                   1700 Holloway Ave
                   San Francisco, CA

Share this event with your friends on Facebook: 

http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=117960578222377

Campaign Finance Reform is one of the most meaningful topics we can be discussing if we want to get to the root of the political system. There is no doubt that Gibney's film will jolt the audience into a fascinating discussion (Remember, Gibney's previous films include these journalists gems: "Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room" and "Taxi to the Dark Side"). Don't miss this chance to join the community and watch this important new film! 

If you can't make it, there will be a live stream of the event online at www.mobilize.org. You will be able to participate in the discussion by asking question via twitter (#CasinoJack).

Photojournalism: Is Violence Necessary?

 

(Photo: Pietro Masturzo, Italy)

NPR blogger Claire O'Neill poses a great question in lieu of the recent winner of the World Press Photo contest: Is violence necessary for photojournalism to make an impact? Apparently not, as this year's winner is a very stylistic photograph of women in Tehran shouting the election results from a rooftop on June 24th. This beautiful photograph is imbued with subtle meaning as the lights in all the windows are turned on below and the shouting implies that there are ears across the city on the receiving end. The photo is pregnant with the events that are about to unfold, yet is distinctly different in tone then the majority of photos of protesting and violence that followed.

Some commenters took issue with O'Neill's question because of it's implications that she was blaming the messenger for producing violence. "In terms of senseless violence, any amount is too much. In terms of photographic documentation, there is apparently not enough," wrote commenter Robert Lee.

While I agree that photojournalists are an integral messenger of the catastrophes that occur around the world, it is integral to document an array of images that communicate across a large emotional landscape. It is also interesting to question what values we place on winning photographs.