Jo Ann Skousen – Guest Speaker
Founding Director
Anthem Film Festival
Jo Ann Skousen is the co-producer of FreedomFest and the founding
director of the Anthem Libertarian Film Festival. She also serves as the
entertainment editor and chief reviewer of Liberty magazine (www.libertyunbound.com)
and teaches English literature and composition at Chapman University
and Sing Sing Correctional Facility, where she has encountered some of
the finest students of her teaching career. She is featured in the HBO
documentary Zero Percent, about Sing Sing’s college program (www.zeropercentfilm.com).
Jo Ann has a master’s degree in English literature from University of
Florida, and has taught English at Rollins College in Florida, Mercy
College in New York, and Chapman University in California. Jo Ann is
also the author of Matriarchs of the Messiah: Valiant Women in the
Lineage of Jesus Christ, which offers a bold new perspective on women in
the Bible as intelligent, courageous problem-solvers who used their
agency to make wise and often clever choices.
Joanne does a great job of addressing the current civil rights movement and her thoughts on the Black Lives Movement. Joanne is a huge advocate for making a positive difference but what is so amazing is that her well meaning intentions can be misperceived as racist. Things have become crazy!
Joanne is an advocate for making a better world and in her scholarly manner she addresses what is happening with today’s civil rights movement and many of the dangers in this current movement. Joanne discusses similar historic civil rights movements and then points out the limitations of the BLM movement, that the BLM movement is ‘political’ and while she agrees with the BLM as she describes it in “small letters” she takes the stand that the BLM in “Capital Letters” is an organization that every American must be concerned about.
There are old customs that are under siege as we are in lock down. We
are missing out on many events that are key to maintaining our culture.
Habits are being replaced with overeating, drinking too much which is
leading to depression. Freedom of Speech and Freedom of Assembly are
no longer American Rights. Even hateful speech must be allowed in this
environment and now many forms of speech as now being attacked as Hate
Speech. She points out that – In the same way as someone can write an
opinion that involves hate we have the right to disagree and express our
own opinion as to why we do not agree. But we cannot take away the
Right of Free Speech.
The mask is a sign of executive power going too far. We are losing our
personal liberties, which is what America is founded upon. The laws are
changing daily, and she describes it as psychological torture. It is
causing confusion and depression. Lockdowns are meant to force people
into compliance. It is time to reclaim our Freedom.
Joanne does an incredible job on outlining that Americans must realize
we are losing our Freedom and that power-hungry Governors are repressing
citizen freedoms. This meeting was a strong voice that we must not
comply, and Liberty and Freedom must be protected and fought for by all
Americans.
“Persuade Americans and don’t force us” was her message.
After Joanne speaks Mike Lathigee asks – how is it that a person like
Joanne, who deeply cares for humanity and is on the front lines helping
people, can be called a racist? Then Mike discusses the insincerity of
corporate and high-profile individuals who support BLM due to compliance
to pressure rather than what they really believe.
Mike does express one positive aspect of the BLM moment which is – much
needed changes to the judicial system. Those charged with Federal Crimes
are bullied into taking a pleas bargain deal -even if they are
innocent. Judges will rule routinely in favor of their ‘employer’ (the
government) as they do not want to “rock the boat”. Overzealous
prosecutors have been known to withhold information that can vindicate a
defendant. Mike uses Lori Laughlin as a great example of the
governments bully tactics.
| ICOA July 14 meeting video 3 Jo Ann Skousen |