Old South

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“Free State of Jones,” directed by Gary Carr. T Civil War story, a little known story, be­ he Free State of Jones is based on a true cause its subject matter is in a controversial gray area.

Here we have Newton Knight (a spot-on Mat­ thew McConaughey at his scraggly, unkempt, bearded best), a Confederate soldier—a nurse, no less—who deserts. Although married to Serena (Keri Russell, in a thankless role) with a toddler, he comes to live with and eventually marry “in the eyes of the Lord” a Black wom­ an, Rachel (a believable Gugu Mbatha-Raw), a house slave and healer.

At one point, Knight is being chased as he runs through the wilderness by what one character tells him are “nigger dogs,” dogs that slave catchers use to hunt down runaways (the “N” word is used profusely throughout). He ends up hiding out in the swamp in an area oc­ cupied by runaway slaves who come to accept him. “Horses can’t handle the swamps,” Moses, ... Socialist 2016 platform (continued from page 7: “The 2016 socialist platform”) vestment in restorative justice, mental health, and drug treat­ ment services. • End “zero tolerance” school policies. Cops out of the schools! • Abolish racist “moneyball” extortion schemes including defendant-funded court proceedings, mandatory court sur­ charges, fines and fees. • Abolish all racist exclusionary election laws. • For Black and Latino-organized control of Black and La­ tino communities. Police out of Black and Latino neighbor­ hoods! • Reparations for African-American, Puerto-Rican, and Mexican-American communities in compensation for wealth stolen over centuries. 6) Immediate amnesty, legalization and equal rights for all immigrants. End the racist, Islamophobic “War on Terror!” • End all deportations now! Repeal all anti-immigrant leg­ islation. Close down ICE. • Demilitarize and open the borders. • No to the surveillance, persecution, demonization and government-orchestrated frame-up trials in Muslim com­ munities in the U.S. and worldwide. 7) Abolish all racist, sexist, and homophobic discrimi­ natory laws and practices! • Equal pay for equal work. • Affirmative action with quotas to remedy past discrimi­ 10 SOCIALIST ACTION JULY 2016 izes that poor men are fighting for the rich so that the rich can stay rich and the poor poor, which resonates today. People are people, and all people should be free. He does something about it by leading poor white farmers and slaves in an extraordinary armed rebellion against the Confederacy.

In effect, he launched an uprising that led Jones County, Miss., to secede from the Confed­ eracy, creating the Free State of Jones. Knight continued his struggle into Reconstruction, distinguishing him as a compelling, if contro­ versial, figure of defiance.

Carr created an interesting, but whip-lashing change of scene by suddenly fast-forwarding 85 years to a Mississippi courtroom where his very white-looking grandson, Davis Knight (Brian Lee Franklin) is being tried for misce­ genation as he is married to a “pure” white woman. Court records had revealed that he is the son of Knight and Rachel’s offspring. The law was not repealed until 1967.

This is a suspenseful, well acted, beautifully shot film about a little known segment of histo­ ry and of one man’s futuristic vision regarding human beings and their ability to live together freely and peacefully. n nation and prevent future discrimination. • To assure economic independence for women, govern­ ment-financed, free 24-hour child-care centers and mater­ nity leave with full pay. Guarantee the right of every mother to raise a healthy child. • End violence against women and the LGBTQI commu­ nity. • Repeal the Hyde Amendment. Free unrestricted abortion on demand. Reproductive justice now. End coercive contra­ ception projects targeting low income women and women in prison. End the criminalization of pregnant women. • Free Purvi Patel. • Ban workplace and housing discrimination and adoption restrictions based on sexual orientation or gender identity • Outlaw discrimination by businesses or employees based on sexual preference or gender identity Repeal all local, state and federal discriminatory laws against LGBTQI people. • Quality safe housing for youth and workers facing dis­ crimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. 8) Defend civil liberties! Abolish the “national security” state! • End all government surveillance. Abolish the National Security Administration and all other secret and repressive government spy agencies. Stop the persecution of all whistle blowers like Chelsea Manning and Edward Snowden! • Repeal the Patriot Act and all other anti-democratic legis­ lation. End all restrictions on the right to organize, assemble, and protest. 9) For a democratically-planned socialist economy in which the banks, basic industries and all natural re­

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website: http://socialistaction.ca Socialist Caucus and Momentum in Toronto, Cheri DiNovo summed up her political platform: “Our New Democratic Party looked more like the ‘old’ Democratic