Hidden in Plain Sight

The documentary Hidden in Plain Sight will be screened in English followed by a discussion as part of the Eyes Wide Open Film Series presented by U.S. Citizens for Peace & Justice - Rome.

Film Synopsis:
Hidden in Plain Sight is a feature-length documentary that looks at the nature of U.S. policy in Latin America through the prism of the School of the Americas (renamed, in January of 2001, the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation), the controversial military school that trains Latin American soldiers in the USA.

Every November, thousands of people from across North America gather outside Fort Benning, Georgia to form one of the largest anti-war demonstrations in the U.S. since the Vietnam War. The issue is the controversial U.S. Army School of the Americas, where over 60,000 Latin soldiers have been trained, among them dictators like Manuel Noriega of Panama and death squad leaders like Roberto D’Aubuisson of El Salvador.

Demonstrators denounce the SOA as a “School of Assassins,” but Army officials argue that the school has played a crucial role in bringing democracy and stability to Latin America. On this issue, the U.S. Congress is sharply divided. Enter noted scholars Noam Chomsky, Eduardo Galeano, Christopher Hitchens, and Michael Parenti, who broaden the debate to include such subjects as militarism, globalization, national security, and international terrorism. Personal accounts from victims of the violence and repression in Latin America raise questions and concerns about the true aims of U.S. foreign policy.

Informative and provocative, this documentary presents different points of view which illuminate the turbulent reality of Latin America, demystify the policy-making process, and shed light on some of the most complex and urgent problems facing U.S. citizens today.

A short history, a spirited debate, a personal story, and a call for accountability, “Hidden in Plain Sight” is a bold, unflinching look at the nature and consequences of U.S. policy in Latin America.

Featured Speakers: Sandra Alvarez, Hector Aristizabal, Rep. Sanford Bishop Jr. (D-Ga.), Maj. Joseph Blair, Father Roy Bourgeois, Noam Chomsky, Rep. Mac Collins (R-Ga.), Ana Chavez Fisher, Eduardo Galeano, Christopher Hitchens, Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Ca.), Maj. Gen. John LeMoyne, Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Ma.), Sister Dianna Ortiz, Michael Parenti, Col. Glenn Weidner.

Hidden in Plain Sight
April 26, 8pm
Linux Club
Via Giuseppe Libetta 15c
(Ostiense, Metro Garbatella, see map)

Screenings are free, donations appreciated. Space is limited, arrive early to guarantee a seat.

Upcoming films include:
May 10 - Brothers and Others
May 24 - What I've Learned About US Foreign Policy: The War Against The Third World

For more information, see our web site: http://www.peaceandjustice.it