President Barack Obama to Introduce USA Network's 'To Kill a Mockingbird' Airing

The Hollywood Reporter ^ | April 3, 2012 | Jethro Nededog

[Free ThinkerNY]

President Barack Obama will provide a special introduction to USA Network’s airing of the 1962 film adaptation of Harper Lee’s novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, Saturday at 8 p.m.

“I’m deeply honored that President Obama will be celebrating the 50th Anniversary of To Kill A Mockingbird by introducing it to a national audience,” Pulitzer prize winner and famously media-shy Lee says. “I believe it remains the best translation of a book to film ever made and I'm proud to know that Gregory Peck's portrayal of Atticus Finch lives on — in a world that needs him now more than ever.”

The film stars Peck as a lawyer in a small Alabama town who takes the tough case of a black man accused of raping a white woman. Told from the point of view of the attorney's daughter, the novel is heralded as one of the first to portray America’s race issues frankly and remains on many schools’ mandatory reading lists.

[MNlurker]

Having some fun with the old rumors that he actually gifted it to harper lee.

Truman would have likely asked when they could get a drink ;)

[Eldon Tyrell]

I suppose that is why I used the term “IF” -

[mrsmel]

Barf indeed. It isn't evil whites persecuting pitiful black victims in record numbers and hasn't been for a long time. If it ever was, statistics-wise. Before desegregation in Detroit, blacks still committed more violent crime against whites than vice versa. They were 30-something percent of the population yet committed 60-something percent of all crimes-this was during the days of the "oh so evil" segregation. I'd bet that little factoid would surprise most people. Blacks commit vastly more rapes against whites than whites against blacks. What the world needs more than ever is someone to speak that truth.

[mrsmel]

No Black is ever guilty in the movies and no White woman is ever raped by a Black man.

While back in the real world, the exact opposite is true, in spades.

Just another dose of white guilt in case the last one's wearing off. Having been innoculated by real life, I'm immune.

[bard simper]

Um, there was no rapist in “To Kill a Mockingbird”. It’s a pretty important plot point in the book and film.

[bard simper]

I’m pretty sure “To Kill a Mockingbird” was about race before Obama agreed to introduce the film. I could be wrong, however. Maybe one of us could contact the author and ask her.

[Gaffer]

Reread what I wrote and think about it. (clue: a lie
on both counts)

[Gaffer]

Reread what I wrote and think about it. (clue: a lie
on both counts)

[Gaffer]

Reread what I wrote and think about it. (clue: a lie
on both counts)

[JewishRighter]

“I’m pretty sure “To Kill a Mockingbird” was about race before Obama agreed to introduce the film. I could be wrong, however. Maybe one of us could contact the author and ask her.”

Good morning, troll. By your comment, I’d judge you to be either stupid or craven, take your pick. You may not have noticed this before, but before this President, the Commander in Chief did not insert himself into every cultural event and local news story where the sins of the white man are involved. Obama “just happens” to do this, from the confrontation with the Harvard professor to the Trayvon Martin tragedy, he is right there, pouring gas on the fire. It is not whether TKAMB was about race before, it is about Obama inserting himself into everything to do with racism. Will he be introducing The Patriot, Saving Private Ryan, Apollo 13 or other films about American greatness any time soon? I don’t think so.