QAnon-embraced film pulled from screening on-base at SOUTHCOM

LTC Eugene Chu Good! Thank God!

LTC Eugene Chu
"U.S. Southern Command planned, and then canceled, two showings of the Christian-faith-based thriller “Sound of Freedom” at its headquarters this summer. The movie’s been a runaway hit, grossing more than $200 million, but its lead actor has publicly linked the film’s anti-sex-trafficking plot to baseless QAnon conspiracy theories.

By playing the movie on a federal base, some critics have questioned whether SOUTHCOM’s leadership is following a policy that requires troops to remain apolitical at work – as QAnon followers have spread false rumors about and bashed President Joe Biden’s administration – and to maintain a separation of church and state, considering the film’s heavy Christian narrative.

“What is the idea and the ideology behind putting this on a military installation? Is this some form of indoctrination into an ideology of extremism?” asks human trafficking and exploitation consultant Sunnetta “Sunny” Slaughter, referring to the anti-government QAnon tropes being doled out by the film’s main actor Jim Caviezel, while promoting the film. According to the Associated Press, Caviezel has denied QAnon ties yet spoke at a QAnon-organized convention in 2021 and espoused several of the theory’s talking points on conservative talk shows hosted by Steve Bannon and Charlie Kirk."...

If we pull movies because of the beliefs of the actors or the producers (as compared to the actual content of the movie), we will have nothing left.

Tom Cruise, John Travolta, Woody Allen, Mel Gibson, Mel Brooks, Katie Holmes, Anne Heche, Seth Rogen, Jonah Hill, Adam Sandler, Meryl Streep, Gary Busey, Jim Carrey, Charlie Sheen, Jessica Biel, Matthew McConaughey, and many MANY more.

None of their movies can be shown, as every one of those has either publicly discussed their faith (many within actual movies, not just on TV or pressers) or embraced conspiracy theories.

And that is just the top of my head. I am sure if we look hard enough we can find someone in pretty much every film, either in front of the camera or behind it, whose beliefs are problematic.

Does the movie ITSELF embrace QAnon? Nope. Does the movie tell other people to be Christian? Nope. Does it have a strong Christian character who embraces his faith? Yes. But that is absolutely nothing new. Faith of characters has been woven into most movies. Some it plays a more integral part than others, but it is there in many many movies. As long as the movie isn't trying to convert people, it is fine. If not, again, we will have little left to watch.

Pixar movies and little else. But wait... every Pixar moxie has John Ratzenberger in it (seriously, I am not making this up). And as Cliff Claven, his long-time role on Cheers, John spouted some of the craziest conspiracy theories ever. So I guess Pixar is out, too.