Progressive Cinema presents
(Astro)TurfWars
with an Introduction by
Adam Blakester
on Astroturf groups’ attempts to undermine New England Wind
at 7:30pm on Wednesday, 27th February,
at the Armidale Club, 91 Beardy Street.
Join us for dinner, Turntables Restaurant will be open from 6pm.
From the “Tea Parties” to the “healthcare war” and “climate war”, America’s conservative citizens have revolted against the Obama agenda. But are these grassroots actions or are they, in fact, examples of ‘astroturfing’ – the practice of fabricating citizens groups for the purpose of broadcasting corporate messages?
Curious to find out, Australian filmmaker Taki Oldham went undercover to investigate.
As the journey unfolds, it becomes apparent that the so-called “Free Market Movement” and, in particular, two groups called “Americans For Prosperity” and “Freedomworks” are lurking behind much of the “uprising”. Investigating whether it is mere ideology or corporate investment driving these groups, Taki uncovers the most startling and unnerving evidence yet of the scale of this practice of astroturfing.
(Astro)Turf Wars is both a journey through a critical phase of American history and a thoroughly researched piece of investigative journalism. The examination of astroturfing and disinformation shows how citizen democracy has been captured by powerful corporate interests.
By now astro-turfing has reached Australia. Adam Blakester, Executive Director of Starfish Enterprises, will introduce the film by giving a snapshot of astro-turfing in Australia. Adam has worked in the environmental and social justice movements for more than 15 years, including senior roles with Greenpeace and as CEO of NAPCAN, Australia’s national child abuse prevention body. He will talk about the engagement of astro-turf groups to undermine New England Wind, a local initiative working to establish NSW’s first community-owned wind farm right here in the high country.
All are welcome and screenings are free. For further information call Bea Bleile on {mobile prefix oh four}58 752 680.
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Last Wednesday night, an audience of around thirty people gathered at the Armidale Club for a Progressive Cinema screening of ‘[Astro] Turf wars’.
Adam Blakester, a former director of Greenpeace International, introduced the film which explored the growth of pseudo ‘grass-roots movements’ in the United States.
Astro-Turf’, as Blakester explained, refers to an internationally organised, corporate-funded movement which has successfully mobilised masses of people unwittingly serving the purposes of special interest groups.
In the United States; BP, Exxon, Mining Companies, the Tea Party … are just a few organisations cynically manoeuvring large-scale movements into doing their bidding on such issues as climate change, health care and lowering taxation for the richest in America.
Blakester has been investigating this phenomenon for the last fifteen years on his own turf. Most recently, he has detected a ‘local variety’ in his own backyard. A passionate environmentalist, committed to an ecologically sustainable planet for ourselves and future generations, Blakester has been a part of (genuine) grass-roots movements concerned with renewable energy, especially wind farming.
Blending humour, with obvious seriousness, Blakester not only demolished misleading claims and blatant fallacies against wind farming, but also struck at the source of such misinformation. Astro-Turf movements, such as ‘Landscape Guardians’ and the ‘Walborough Foundation’, have been responsible for unabashed attempts at misguiding the public and, as the following documentary made clear, this is in keeping with the focus of such enterprises. These fraudulent operations, like many others, are funded by corporations with vested interest in maintaining the status quo. We were reminded of the same tactic employed by the cigarette companies over many decades. Indeed, the documentary revealed the very same propaganda machine and PR companies, funded with some of the same money, is responsible for blatant misrepresentation today.
However, the stakes are much higher today, and the capital funding reflects this. When it came to tobacco, it was mainly smokers who lost their lives. Today mankind’s very survival is at risk. Yet with the same nihilistic logic as the cigarette companies employed, the great polluters grab at every cent they can without compunction or the least compassion for those not serving their immediate interests.
But what is the difference between genuine grass-roots movements and their fabricated imitations?
Blakester suggested that genuine grass-roots movements really do spring from local concerns and can be traced back to real live local people. What’s more, their existence is not a controlled affair. Their members are people who have agreed to come together in good faith to investigate, discuss and, if necessary, act upon an issue which directly affects their community.
On the other hand, tracing the money trail of pseudo grass-roots movements usually reveals vested corporate interests at work.
The problem is, as Blakester pointed out and the documentary support, those involved in the two sorts of movements cannot be easily distinguished. The effectiveness of Astro-Turf movements lies in having successfully mobilised large numbers of sincere citizens, no less convinced of the righteousness of their cause than those engaged in the genuine article.
The film presented a large range of passionate Americans taking to the streets, utterly convinced they were engaged in the same patriotic struggle for freedom as their heroes of the American revolution, while nearby, a cynical elite smuggled in catch-cries devised to manipulate the multitude with misinformation, misdirection and mistrust.
Blakester proposed some ways to counteract this: we, the people, should strive to be GENUINELY INFORMED. This, of course, requires more of us than falling for shallow showmanship, and has become especially difficult with the unprecedented deluge of data and imagery via the modern media and the internet. However, we also have access to genuine sources, which can filter out the momentous bullshit factor. Blakester suggested making regular use of Sourcewatch, SNOPES and the Australian Sceptics.
It was this lack of scepticism and laziness in pursuing genuine information, even in the face of glaring corporate self-interest, which formed the bulk of the film’s content.
Many of us are afraid, and rightly so! The future is frightening, especially for our children and grandchildren. The question is, will we confront real fear about the fate of humanity on our planet and strive for genuine action, or will we retreat into pathological disengagement? Blakester spoke of the fear Astro-Turf movements exploit – our reluctance to embrace change, our clinging to conspiracy theories, or our immature distrust of ‘authority’ – even if that be the evidence of science. There is a much greater threat to our freedom than any of this, the ‘freedom’ to embrace servitude to powerful corporate interests, and following this, the increasingly more likely freedom to make ourselves extinct …