Gordon Arnold

Errol Morris and Persisting Questions about the JFK Assassination

2011-11-27T08:48:00.005-05:00

Almost a half century has passed since John F. Kennedy died one sunny day in Dallas, Texas. His assassination was a national trauma and left many people with lingering questions.

Distinguished filmmaker Errol Morris, whose The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons From the Life of Robert S. McNamara won an Academy Award, recently wrote about a new project in which he looks at the Kennedy assassination. In a New York Times piece entitled ‘The Umbrella Man’ (which includes a link to a short film), he explained his interest in the subject this way:

"I believe that by looking at the assassination, we can learn a lot about the nature of investigation and evidence. Why, after 48 years, are people still quarreling and quibbling about this case? What is it about this case that has led not to a solution, but to the endless proliferation of possible solutions?"

Widespread traumas have a way of not only persisting in cultural memory, but of morphing over time. Layers of intervening experience and shifting recollection can cloud our understanding of an event. This is best countered by going back to the source to understand not only the exact details of an event, but also the context in which the event occurred.

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Image (above): Public domain photograph, WikiCommons

The JFK assassination continues to fascinate

2011-11-16T08:31:00.009-05:00

As the anniversary of John F. Kennedy's assassination on November 22, 1963 approaches, various news sources are reporting the "discovery" of an audio tape that was made on Air Force One immediately after that tragic event. Long thought to be lost, according to these reports, the tape recording reveals a few new details about circumstances right after the assassination. But the new revelations do not seem very dramatic and will not likely change very much of our understanding of history. The tape is apparently a longer version of a recording already known and in the collection of the Lyndon Johnson Presidential Library.

This "new" tape, which is up for sale by a firm in Philadelphia, is in private possession and not the property of the U.S. Government. The legal basis for this circumstance has not fully been explored in news accounts so far.

Regardless of any new details, it is doubtful that the tape will do much to dampen JFK assassination conspiracy theories, which are numerous and durable.

You can read more about this story in USA Today here, or watch an Associated Press report via The Washington Post (below):

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Image (above): U.S. Government official presidential portrait of John F. Kennedy, painted by Aaron Shikler. Public domain.

A Modern Relic

2011-10-05T07:57:00.012-04:00

A scarred section of steel girder was recently displayed in the center of my town. Unremarkable as a physical object, it nonetheless attracted the attention of passersby. Many people stopped and looked and pondered. There's a good reason because this is more than a piece of scrap metal. It is a remnant from the World Trade Center that was destroyed a decade ago on September 11, 2001.

Remnants of the towers, such as this piece of steel, are imbued with meaning. Like ancient relics, they serve as reminders not only of the the historical moment, but also of the emotion of that moment. For those old enough to remember that fateful day, this piece of steel can be enough to bring the feelings of that time rushing back. It is an object that causes us to reflect on how our perceptions of the world changed even as the towers fell. For those too young to remember first-hand, the object probably means something else. Perhaps it is a symbol of a trauma that helped create the world that they know.

Whatever meaning a person does or does not take from encountering reminders such as this, it is a humbling to realize that even mighty towers of steel and concrete can come tumbling down in an instant. Reflecting on the their impermanence is a sobering reminder of our own fragility.

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Image (above): Recovered fragment of a steel girder from the World Trade Center, photographed in 2011

2011-09-08T21:14:00.000-04:00

New York City, September 11, 2001, as seen from space.

(NASA photo)

No Shelter

2011-09-05T07:52:00.005-04:00

No Shelter from the Past

In the days of the Cold War, the pervasive anxieties that haunted Americans found many forms of expression. A common question was: How does one plan for a dangerous and uncertain future in which nuclear annihilation seemed a distinct possibility?

Building a bomb shelter was one way that people sometimes answered that question. The government gave advice about how best to accomplish this, and many people took advantage of it. But it was an ostrich-like approach, mostly just suggesting that you should hide your head in the sand until the danger had passed. It was never very realistic.

We tend to think those days are over. Let’s hope so. But in the globalized world, it’s hard to know if we can ever really stow away the doomsday fears that were once more out in the open.

Modern life -- like life in an earlier era -- is filled with danger of all kinds. Certainly in the post-9/11 world, it is tempting to think about creating spaces to which we can withdraw and can shut out the danger. This makes us feel better psychologically.

Yet, no amount of precaution and seclusion can keep up totally safe from some ill fate. Perhaps we can reduce the chances of calamity, but we can never completely eliminate the possibility, no matter how thick we build walls and no matter how many times we scan passengers at the airport.

That's not much comfort. But it's reality. As we go about our lives, the choices we make in how we live with that reality may sometimes tell us more about ourselves than we wish to acknowledge.

- G.A.

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Image (above): A bomb shelter drawing distributed by the U.S. government in the late 1950s.

This is an edited version of a previously published item.

For the Record

2011-08-20T18:53:00.012-04:00

For the Record: Searching for Objectivity in Global Conflict is an exhibition that I co-curated with Rob Roy and Leonie Bradbury of Montserrat College of Art. It's on view from August 22 until October 22, 2011 in Beverly, Massachusetts. Featuring works from artists in the United States and Europe, it's a new look at what art tells us about our war-dominated era.

A catalogue for the exhibit, wonderfully designed by John Colan, is available from the college. It has images, plus essays -- one entitled "Art, War, and Meaning," which I wrote with Rob Roy, and another that was written by Leonie Bradbury.

More information about the exhibition, and background to it, is available here.

Who has time for art and culture?

2011-07-17T10:35:00.011-04:00

Here's an op-ed about the arts that I recently prepared for a consortium of newspapers in the Boston area...

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We live in a world of crises. With economic meltdowns, wars, uprisings, natural disasters and a major nuclear accident, the list of problems seems to grow longer every week. With so many calamities surrounding us, who has time for the arts?

But it is exactly in such times that the arts are most important. When the world is confusing and chaotic, the arts have much to offer us. That’s partially because the arts do something that no other human endeavor can do. They shake us out of the commonplace, make us see and hear things in new ways and help us envision new possibilities. Whether employing imagery, words or sounds, the arts can open our eyes and our minds.

Art can be a powerful cultural barometer that illuminates the hopes, dreams, fears and anxieties of an era. During the Great Depression, for example, two young men created a powerful new myth. They told their story in words and pictures in the almost throwaway form of a comic book. Few people took it seriously or regarded it as art. Over time, however, the Superman story became an enduring American narrative that revealed much about America’s ever-changing moral climate.

In other instances, art draws attention to overlooked aspects of our world. The monumental photographs of Edward Burtynsky, for example, portray acres of cargo containers, recycling yards, refineries and quarries. These vast and often forgotten wastelands are the byproducts of modern life. Burtynsky regards these images “as metaphors to the dilemma of our modern existence.” His photographs prompt us to think about humankind’s dependence on nature, even as we are immersed in a lifestyle that tirelessly consumes nature’s resources.

In another realm, an upcoming exhibition at Montserrat College of Art will explore what contemporary art can tell us about global conflict. Entitled “For the Record,” the exhibit, which will be on display this fall, aims to discover what’s missing from the heated debates we usually see in the media. Including work from artists across the United States and elsewhere, it will be an opportunity to reconsider assumptions about war in the contemporary world.

So, who has time for the arts? Maybe that’s the wrong question. Far from being a luxury, the arts are essential. They’re for everyone. By helping us make sense of the world, they can be a powerful source of inspiration for the future.Don’t have time for the arts? Make time.

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This and more in The Beverly Citizen.

"For the Record"

2011-07-17T10:11:00.009-04:00

"For the Record: Searching for Objectivity in Global Conflict" is the title of an international art exhibition that brings together artists whose work sheds light on how we make sense and meaning of the global conflicts that are an important part of our present world. My colleagues Rob Roy, Leonie Bradbury, both of Montserrat College of Art, and I have organized this upcoming exhibit to explore some of the questions raised by this topic.

Artists in the exhibit include: Fiona Banner, Nina Berman Matt Ernst,, Harun Faroci, Benjamin Lowy, Steve Mumford, James O'Neill, Gerhard Richter, Sophie Ristelhueber, and Rob Roy

"For the Record" will run from August 22 to October 22, 2011. Accompanying the exhibit, there will be a symposium and other pulblic outreach opportunities.

You can learn more about the show at its website or from Montserrat College of Art.

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Image (above): "Witness # 37" by Rob Roy, a participant and co-curator of "For the Record."

Conspiracy and the Media Environment 2010: A Comment

2010-01-25T07:45:00.008-05:00

Some of the great conspiracy theories of our time -- meaning those with the largest impact -- seem to focus on 9/11 and everything surrounding it. The theories that question official American government accounts of the September 11 destruction get a lot of attention, especially from people with a skeptical attitude about government.

But ironically, although the role of al Qaeda is prominent in most 9/11 accounts, there is little critical examination of the claims made on its behalf. Each new "claim" of support or responsibility is taken at face value, at least in mainstream accounts appearing the the Western press. Few people even ask if the people issuing messages are who they claim to be. If, for example, a report emerges that Osama bin Laden has said this or that, the press pays attention mostly to what is said and very little thought appears to be given as to who did or did not say it. Yet, it would appear that verifying the authenticity of such stories would be important if we wish to understand the big picture. This would especially appear to be so since some reports suggest that bin Laden is no longer alive. (The BBC has a story about that question here.)

A perhaps a slightly related item appearing recently in USA Today. The story reported how psychologists argue that "propaganda works better than you think." (Read the story here.)

Most of us assume that propaganda and other forms of media manipulation work only on other people. As individuals, we assume that we're mostly immune. But if the findings in this story are correct, then we should take another look at that assumption.

In fact, we need to be critical consumers when it comes to information and opinion that we receive through any of the media sources that surround us. Modern news organizations, challenged by eroding audiences and declining revenues, too often take short cuts when it comes to confirming the information and analyses they pass along. What we, as news consumers, see is too often incomplete or even in accurate. In such times, we need to use caution in assuming we know the whole story.

"Movies Worth Seeing" series: Conspiracy Theory films

2010-01-02T10:12:00.006-05:00

MOVIES WORTH SEEING

Happy 2010! If you're interested in viewing ideas for films with this theme, there's an updated version of my article "Ten Conspiracy Theory Movies Worth Seeing" now posted at the Winter Street Review site. You can access it here.

The article continues the occasional "Movies Worth Seeing" series, which has appeared every so often for the past few years. You can find more from the series in Winter Street Review or in the online magazine Bread and Circus, where most first appeared.

If you have ideas or suggestions on this or on other movies worth seeing, please be in touch.

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Image (above right): DVD cover to Seven Days in May (Warner Home Video, available from Amazon.com and other sources), one of the best, but least known, conspiracy films. Even if you are not that interested in conspiracy movies, it's worth seeing for the great performances by Burt Lancaster and Kirk Douglas.

Welcome 2010

2009-12-23T07:07:00.006-05:00

With 2010 just a few days away, I'd like to send everyone best wishes for a happy and safe New Year.

2010 will be a busy year. In January, I'll be joining several other writers for an “Authors Night,” which will be hosted by the Westborough (MA) Public Library on January 25, 2010. I’ll briefly discuss the books Conspiracy Theory in Film, Television, and Politics and The Afterlife of America’s War in Vietnam, as well preview the new book that is currently in process. Details about the event will be posted here when available.

I'll also be collaborating with artist Rob Roy on a project to organize a multi-artist exhibit on the perennially important subject of war. The project recently received funding support from Montserrat College of Art, and we'll be firming up details over the next few months. More about that soon.

If you're interested in more information about any of the books or projects, or in scheduling a lecture or talk, please send an email.

Best wishes to you, and good luck with whatever you've got coming up in 2010!

--GA

Thanks to Beverly Public Library

2009-11-02T16:15:00.001-05:00

Thanks to the folks at Beverly Public Library in Massachusetts for hosting a visit earlier today. I enjoyed speaking with the people who attended about Hollywood and conspiracy theory, and I especially was interested in the many insights and observations.

Conspiracy and the news

2009-10-29T13:23:00.005-04:00

One of the main themes followed in Conspiracy Theory in Film, Television, and Politics is the gradual expansion of a conspiracy-minded culture in American society. Especially since World War II, numerous ambiguous or hazy events have encouraged the growth of this outlook. Hollywood's frequent use of the theme has reinforced the idea that we are surrounded by conspiracies.

The mixture of fact, conjecture, and fiction makes the truth hard to sort out. Whether focusing on recent controversies -- such as the debates about Barack Obama's birth certificate

and questions about mass H1N1 flu vaccinations -- or on questions from the past, there seems little question that conspiracy theories are thriving in modern America.

The news is a steady source of new material for conspiracy arguments. For example, Fidel Castro's sister -- a U.S. resident -- recently confirmed that long ago she cooperated with CIA efforts to overthrow her brother. (See a CNN report here.) Of course, the U.S. government’s long and convoluted struggle against the Castro regime in Cuba has fueled conspiracy theorizing on many occasions. The American desire for regime change there is well known, and details about some activities -- most notably the disastrous Bay of Pigs invasion -- have been documented in much detail. But much has yet to be revealed, which adds to suspicion and speculation. The new revelations from Castro's sister will surely add an interesting dimension to those conversations.

And earlier this month, the controversy, murkiness, and questions raised by the assassination of President Kennedy in 1963 were also in the news once again. A New York Times article reported how the CIA continues to be vague and ambiguous, especially in terms of being completely forthcoming about the circumstances that surround the events of November 1963.

It seems likely that attention such as this will only fuel more conspiracy theorizing in America for some time to come.

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Image credit (above): Lee Harvey Oswald. Government photo, National Archives

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Lecture -- Monday, November 2 in Beverly MA

2009-10-29T13:21:00.001-04:00

On November 2 at 9:30 I'll be speaking at the Beverly (MA) Public Library's Monday Morning Book Discussion series.

More details are available form the library.

Welcome to Beverly, MA - Beverly Public Library

Source: www.beverlyma.gov

Mon. - Thurs. 9:00 AM - 9:00 PMFri. - Sat. 9:00 AM - 5:00 PMSun 1:00pm - 5:00pm (September - May)CLOSED SUNDAYS Memorial Day - Labor DayCLOSED LEGAL HOLIDAYS

Thanks to Berkshire Community College

2009-10-29T13:17:00.001-04:00

Thanks to everyone at Berkshire Community College in Pittsfield, MA for hosting a talk on conspiracy theory in American culture and for the feedback and interesting discussion earlier this month. I enjoyed hearing new perspectives and appreciate the opportunity to meet you. Please feel free to email me or to post a comment on this blog if you have any follow-up questions or suggestions. Thanks!

Fall 2009

2009-08-29T09:47:00.003-04:00

A new book is in the works, which again will explore American film's reflections and influences on the broader culture. The project, being prepared for Praeger/ABC-CLIO, will cover a wide range of movies from the 1950s until the present. More information will be available going forward.

In the meantime, I'm looking forward to discussing topics covered in Conspiracy Theory in Film, Television, and Politics at Berkshire Community College on Thursday, October 15, 2009, at the Koussevitzky Arts Center. (The listing is here.) Contact the College for more details.

Booking Fall Speaking Engagements

2009-07-20T18:36:00.004-04:00

I'm presently booking a few speaking engagements for the fall. It was great to met people around New England in the spring, and I'm looking forward to seeing more people beginning in September.

If you're interested in booking a talk at your library or institution on the subjects of either of my last two books -- The Afterlife of America's War in Vietnam (2006) or Conspiracy Theory in Film, Television, and Politics (2 008) -- please contact me.

Thanks!

-GA

New article about alleged moon landing conspiracy

2009-07-20T18:28:00.003-04:00

With the 40th anniversary of the NASA moon landing, there's been renewed talk about how that event was faked and the deception covered up by a vast conspiracy. All of this reminds me and some other people of the movie "Capricorn One" from the late 1970s. You can read my article about that at Bread and Circus, the online culture magazine.

Click here to read "Hollywood and the Moon Landing Hoax'."

-GA

Lecture in Northampton, MA

2009-04-14T07:09:00.003-04:00

I'll be speaking on the topic of "Hollywood, History, and Conspiracy Theory" at the Forbes Library in Northampton, Massachusetts, on Wednesday, April 15, 2009 at 7:00 p.m. The lecture is free and open to the public.

The presentation will be followed by open discussion and conversation about this fascinating aspect of American culture.

Directions and more information is available from the Forbes Library.

Review News

2009-04-14T07:02:00.003-04:00

Conspiracy Theory in Film, Television, and Politics is "recommended" in the April 2009 issue of Choice, the respected review journal published by the American Library Association.

The book is cited for placing "seeming conspiracies in the context of the histories of the social and political cultures that harbor them or invoke them as explanations of otherwise inexplicable events.”

Author Talk -- Newton, Massachusetts

2009-03-18T07:44:00.004-04:00

Writer Gordon Arnold will be speaking about his latest book Conspiracy Theory in Film, Television, and Politics in an upcoming lecture at the Newton Free Library (Massachusetts) on Thursday, May 21, 2009. The lecture, to be held in the library's Druker Auditorium, will be followed by an open question and answer session with the author.

About Conspiracy Theory in Film, Television, and Politics (Praeger Publishers)
Considering productions as varied as Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Dr. No, The Manchurian Candidate, JFK, and The X-Files, Arnold's book discusses Hollywood's role in the evolution of conspiracy culture in America since the 1940s. (More information is available here.)

Gordon B. Arnold, Ph.D., is Professor of Liberal Arts at Montserrat College of Art in Beverly, Massachusetts.

"Conspiracy Theory in Film, Television and Politics" on public radio

2009-02-24T15:54:00.005-05:00

Listen to Gordon Arnold in conversation with host Mark Lynch on WICN’s “Inquiry” program. The 30-minute segment is now available online and as a podcast. Access it here.

Gordon B. Arnold’s most recent book is Conspiracy Theory in Film, Television, and Politics (Praeger Publishers). Read about it here.

90.5 WICN public radio is the Worcester, Massachusetts, NPR affiliate.

Hollywood & Conspiracy Theory -- Upcoming Lectures in new England

2009-02-24T15:43:00.004-05:00

Hollywood, history, and conspiracy theory will be the topic of upcoming public lectures offered later this spring.

Author Gordon B. Arnold will discuss how the film industry’s interest in conspiratorial themes that reflected and shaped American political visions from the Cold War to 9/11 and beyond. Included in the discussion are such films as Invasion of the Body Snatchers,The Manchurian Candidate, JFK, The X-Files and more.

These events are free and open to the public. Come hear and discuss. The schedule is as follows:

Forbes Library in Northampton, Massachusetts, on Wednesday, April 15, at 6:30 p.m.

Brooks Memorial Library in Brattleboro, Vermont, on Wednesday, May 13, at 7 p.m.

Thomas Crane Public Library in Quincy, Massachusetts, on June 3, at 7 p.m.

Gordon Arnold is the author of Conspiracy Theory in Film, Television, and Politics (Praeger Publishers, 2008) and a professor of liberal arts at Montserrat College of Art in Beverly, Massachusetts.

Book Review: Midwest Book Review

2009-01-04T10:03:00.006-05:00

Midwest Book Review recently posted a review of Conspiracy Theory in Film, Television, and Politics, the 2008 Praeger Publishers book by Gordon B. Arnold, in its Social Issues Shelf section.

The book was described as "an excellent in-depth survey" with "a strong historical overview."

Established in 1976, the Midwest Book Review publishes monthly book publications designed for community and academic librarians, booksellers, and the general reading public.

Access the January 2009 Midwest Book Review post here.

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Image (above): Midwest Book Review logo.

-- Site Administrator

Briefly Noted

2009-01-04T09:58:00.004-05:00

PRESS

Conspiracy Theory in Film, Television, and Politics (Praeger 2008) appeared in Scholarly Books column of the December 12, 2008 edition of The Chronicle of Higher Education.

-- Site Administrator

Around the Media: BBC World Service article

2009-01-04T09:53:00.002-05:00

If you read Vietnamese, you may be interested in a piece I wrote in mid-2008 for the BBC, which they translated for their audience.

The article, which has the title “Cuộc chiến Việt Nam và chính giới Mỹ,” discusses the continuing effects of the Vietnam War on American presidential politics. You can find it on the BBC World Service’s Vietnamese website.

Click here to read “Cuộc chiến Việt Nam và chính giới Mỹ” at BBC.com.

-- GA

Book review from "The Southwest Journal of Cultures"

2008-12-29T08:19:00.004-05:00

The Southwest Journal of Cultures recently published Laurence Raw's review of Conspiracy Theory in Film, Television, and Politics. You can access the full review online by clicking here.

The Southwest Journal of Cultures is interdisciplinary venue for culture studies book reviews and is based at Northeastern State University.

"Conspiracy Theory 101"

2008-12-29T08:09:00.006-05:00

A recent newspaper interview focused on the book Conspiracy Theory in Film, Television, and Politics. Reporter Scott O'Connell's interview with the author asked questions such as:

How does a conspiracy theory usually get started?
What makes a conspiracy theory stick in the public consciousness, like the JFK assassination?
What role does the media/entertainment industry have in propagating conspiracy theories?
What does the prevalence of conspiracy theories say about modern America?

Read the answers to these and other questions in the Boston-area Wicked Local media by clicking here.

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Image (above): Wicked Local logo, copyrighted by GateHouse Media

Conspiracy Theory Q & A

2008-12-18T07:02:00.004-05:00

Around the Media

An interview about conspiracy theory and movies was recently published in the Boston-area MetroWest Daily News. You can access the article, which appeared in the December 18, 2008 edition of the paper, by clicking here.

Review from Blogcritics Magazine

2008-12-02T08:47:00.004-05:00

BOOK REVIEW NEWS

The popular web-based Blogcritics Magazine recently published a review of Conspiracy Theory in Film, Television, and Politics. You can read the full review here.

Blogcritics is an online magazine, a community of writers and readers from around the globe. Originally founded by Eric Olsen in 2002, it is now part of Technorati.

Upcoming radio interview

2008-11-30T19:57:00.003-05:00

I recently taped an interview for the Inquiry program on WICN, the Worcester, Massachusetts NPR affiliate. The conversation with host Mark Lynch covered many films that influenced the development of the conspiracy theory theme in American culture since the late 1940s.

The interview will be broadcast sometime soon. When the details are available, the exact date and time will be posted on this blog, so check back soon.

After the show airs, it will also be available as a podcast. Details about that will also be posted when available.

--GA

Images: (top) WICN Public Radio, Worcester, MA; (lower) National Public Radio

Books

2008-11-30T19:50:00.000-05:00

Books --

Conspiracy Theory in Film, Television, and Politics (Praeger 2008).
The Afterlife of America’s War in Vietnam (McFarland & Company, 2006).
The Politics of Faculty Unionization (Bergin & Garvey, 2000).
Revitalizing General Education in a Time of Scarcity by Sandra Kanter, Z.F. Gamson, H. London, G. Arnold, and J. Civian (Allyn & Bacon, 1997)

The New Book

2008-11-30T12:24:00.001-05:00

Conspiracy Theory in Film, Television, and Politics has just been released by Praeger Publishers. The volume surveys the development of the conspiracy-theory theme on screen since the early days of the cold war.

The widespread growth of conspiracy-theory thinking is one of the most startling developments in American popular culture and politics. Hollywood played an important part in this story, issuing scores of movies and TV shows that often mirrored the mood of real-life politics and events.

The book includes discussion of many of these productions. Some are well-known, such as The Manchurian Candidate, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, All the President’s Men, Conspiracy Theory, The Twilight Zone and The X-Files. Other productions, suh as Rambo, Get Smart, Men in Black, and The Truman Show, have less obvious connection to the theme but were instrumental in promoting it.

Read all about these and other influential conspriacy theory films in the new book.