Democracy Now! film opens

Amy Goodman, the voice of Democracy Now!, made a strong case for the importance of independent journalism as she participated with the audience in a conversation after her documentary “Steal This Story. Please!”opened May 7 at the Main Cinema in Minneapolis. The first two days of the film’s run, which included Goodman’s attendance, were co-hosted by KFAI and SPEAK MPLS. KFAI broadcasts Democracy Now! daily.

Goodman, a journalist who is renowned for her ability to get at the heart of a story, is touring the country with the film, directed by Carl Deal and Tia Lessin.

“We don’t talk to the pundits who know so little about so much,” she said. “We talk to the people who are closest to the story.”

She cited as an example the woman in Minneapolis who was pulled from her car by ICE as she was on her way to the doctor. The woman had told ICE that she was disabled, but her pleas were ignored. She attended the State of the Union speech in Washington as a guest of Rep. Ilhan Omar, and the woman stood in silence as people from Minneapolis were denigrated by President Trump, according to Goodman.

“We had booked her to be a guest on the show the next day, and she had been arrested and not released until 4 a.m. She showed up at our studio and apologized that she had not been able to change her clothes since she has been held in jail,” Goodman recalled.

“The woman said she had a commitment to now tell us two stories about her experiences, and she was speaking for herself.”

Goodman noted that Jane Fonda is reviving the Committee for the First Amendment, founded in 1947 by her father, actor Henry Fonda, and other Hollywood stars in defiance of the House on UnAmerican Activities.

“The First Amendment is about freedom of the press, but it is mostly about your right to know,” Goodman stated. “We believe we have to go to where everyone is. Being fair and accurate and talking to the people who are closest to the story is what a model of independent media looks like.”

Goodman said that what is needed is a media that stretches across the world, that is a cable that reaches across the globe. “Anything less is a disservice to democracy,” she added.

“We are a map of trusted media sources at ‘Democracy Now,’ “ Goodman continued. “And you have to find the trusted voices. It is terrifying how much pressure is being brought on the media.” Goodman said that the more correct the media is, the more (their critics) will push back.

She explained that “Steal This Story, Please!” means just that. She wants the stories reported on at Democracy Now! to be picked up by other media.

“Repeat it and tell it over and over and over again,” she said. “It really does make a difference.”