+
popular

The Reunited States asks what is really dividing Americans and what must be done to fix it

The Reunited States asks what is really dividing Americans and what must be done to fix it
image via Reunited States film

Susan Bro in the Reunited States

At first glance, Ben Rekhi's new documentary The Reunited States is an optimistic, love-letter with a message about hope, unity and piecing back together our tattered political landscape. But underneath that feel-good surface is a hard truth: Our dysfunctional politics is only a reflection of the culture it represents. And if we want to fix it, we have to fix ourselves first. Achieving any sense of unity means letting go of our own prejudices, and most challenging of all, actually listening to those we disagree with.

"The political divisiveness started as a grassroots movement that became reflected in the actions and positions of elected officials," Rekhi told Upworthy in a phone interview. "Not only do you have rights as citizens you have responsibilities."




THE REUNITED STATES - Trailerwww.youtube.com


Rekhi chose four real life stories to help make his point in the film:

Susan Bro, whose daughter Heather Heyer was murdered in the Charlottesville protests against white supremacy, picks up her daughter's mantle of advocacy to explore the roots of racism, all while processing her grief in the lead up to trial of her daughter's killer.

Erin and David Leaverton leave behind their comfortable suburban lives to travel with their young children in an RV across America to have sometimes uncomfortable dinners with people who are different from them politically, racially and culturally to find out what's really driving a wedge between us. Part of that answer stems from David himself, a former Republican political operative who says he decided to get out of politics after seeing how his own work was explicitly designed to push Americans further apart in the pursuit of power.

Greg Orman, a political independent who runs for governor and the U.S. Senate in Kansas, fighting against the pressures of a two-party system.

Steven Olikara, founder and president of the Millennial Action Project. MAP's stated goal is to bring together young leaders from across the political spectrum in order to "transcending the tribalism" that has created a seemingly insurmountable divide in our modern politics.

"We really wanted to spotlight the everyday heroes who are doing this work," Rekhi said. "This is a citizens' movement and those of us taking responsibility for our thoughts, words and actions. That kind of self-awareness is something we hope comes of that."

The film was inspired by the book The Reunited States of America, written by Mark Gerzon, who also appears in the film.



Greg Orman campaigns during The Reunited States


To its credit, one of the major obstacles the film challenges head on is the idea that what divides us can be cured by something as simple as a conversation and a hug. It's not that there are "two Americas" as the political cliche goes: there are seemingly countless Americas, separated by economics, race, religion, age and, of course, geography. Technology has been further dividing that split by pushing us into echo chambers that reinforce our own prejudices and create a digital divide amongst those with the most social media savvy and access to the high-speed internet and devices required to have a voice online.

One of the most surprisingly emotional moments in the film occurs when Bro sits down to have dinner with the Leaverton family. We've grown to admire all three of them over the course of the documentary but their worlds collide in a way that shows just how difficult reconciliation can be, even for people who have made it their mission to heal our political and cultural wounds.


Erin Leaverton is a scene from The Reunited States


Promoting the film itself has resulted in some unexpected controversy. It turns out that the only thing political pundits hate more than the "other side" are those willing to cross the divide. One of the film's producers, Van Jones, found himself unexpectedly under attack while promoting the film on "The View" last week. Jones, a former Obama official, have been criticized by the Left for working with members of the Trump Administration on prison reform. Jones, a vocal critic of Trump, defended his work, saying it has resulted in the release of an estimated 50,000 individuals from prison. Work, he points out, that can be measured in actual lives changes, as opposed to points scored from attacking someone on social media or cable television.

A clip of View co-host Sonny Hostin telling Jones "Black people don't trust you anymore," because of his work with Trump quickly went viral after the segment. Jones said he felt "ambushed" by the attack from Hostin and her view co-host Ana Navarro, ironically, herself a longtime Republican strategist.

"The business model is geared toward the most inflammatory voices," Rekhi said when asked about "The View" segment and some of the reactions on social media. "Ten percent of the people on social media are getting 90 percent of the air-time. Negative news is being amplified because of our instincts to pay attention to danger. It can also be part of what brings us back together. To work through these divides is not easy. A lot of this is directed toward friends and family, the people closest to us. It's not sustainable."

The Reunited States tells a powerful story about America but it's not an easy one. We've all read a book or seen a movie that we absolutely had to share with others. The truth is, when we're do that we're almost always proselytizing, either insisting that others come around to our long held views, or playing the role of enchanted neophyte, spreading the word of some new slogan we're convinced is a magic bullet to all that ails us (and them).

That's not the kind of film

The Reunited States is. It's honestly the kind of movie you might want to watch by yourself, or with your family. Which is perfect in quarantine time. There are many vital conversations to be had with others and many voices that deserve to be heard. The film does an excellent job of exploring that theme, even if it's one we've probably heard in some form or another. Where the film really excels is in its message to challenge ourselves, explore our own biases and be open to moving past them. In other words, be the kind of American you want other Americans to be.
@penslucero/TikTok

Pency Lucero taking in the Northern Lights

Seeing the northern lights is a common bucket list adventure for many people. After all, it ticks a lot of boxes—being a dazzling light show, rich historical experience and scientific phenomenon all rolled into one. Plus there’s the uncertainty of it all, never quite knowing if you’ll witness a vivid streak of otherworldly colors dance across the sky…or simply see an oddly colored cloud. It’s nature’s slot machine, if you will.

Traveler and content creator Pency Lucero was willing to take that gamble. After thorough research, she stumbled upon an Airbnb in Rörbäck, Sweden with an actual picture of the northern lights shining above the cabin in the listing. With that kind of photo evidence, she felt good about her odds.

However, as soon as she landed, snow began falling so hard that the entire sky was “barely visible,” she told Upworthy. Martin, the Airbnb host, was nonetheless determined to do everything he could to ensure his guests got to see the spectacle, even offering to wake Lucero up in the middle of the night if he saw anything.

Then one night, the knock came.

Keep ReadingShow less
Pets

Ricky the kitten spent 2 weeks at Gramma and Grampa's and the photobook is everything

Gramma's adorably over-the-top book documenting Ricky's visit has people clamoring for more.

Ricky had many exciting adventures at Gramma and Grampa's house.

There are kitten lovers…and then there are Ricky's grandparents.

When Izzie Grass left her kitten, Ricky, with her parents for two weeks, she had no idea what was in store for her after she got him back. Not only had RIcky been well taken care of, but his adventures with his human grandparents were fully documented in a photobook created by Grass' mother, which she titled "Ricky Goes to Gramma's and Grampa's."

Keep ReadingShow less
Pop Culture

Guy shares the reason viral gym videos need to end, and it's so spot on

"If you can’t respect other people in a shared space, you don’t belong filming at all.”

“This sense of entitlement has gotten out of hand."

Gyms are communal spaces where people can come to improve their health, fitness and/or overall well-being.

However, it’s no secret that many gyms have also become a production studio of sorts where influencers can set up a tripod to demonstrate the most cutting-edge squatting technique or where the average Joe can take that obligatory gym selfie to prove that the workout did, in fact, happen.

There’s nothing inherently wrong with either of these activities. However, they have sparked a new kind of behavior in gymgoers where they feign extreme frustration if folks walk from one machine to the next or grab a piece of equipment and, heaven forbid, enter the frame.

Keep ReadingShow less
Joy

A group of vacationing young friends expose their buddy's secret: He's an 'airport dad'

Every friend group has at least one friend that winds up parenting the group.

A group of vacationing friends show an "airport dad" in action.

If you've ever traveled or gone out to a party or bar with a group of friends, then you've probably experienced the phenomenon of the "friend-parent." Now, this is a term I totally just made up, but I bet you recognize it. The friend-parent is the one that takes on the responsibility of corralling any stragglers, tossing out drinks that have been left unattended and generally making sure everyone stays safe.

A friend-parent was recently caught on video being an "airport dad" to his group of friends. Usually, you hear about women looking out for other women in a mother-hen sort of way, but this guy group just proved the friend-parent knows no gender. In a TikTok video from Johannes2o that currently has over 8.4 million views, a small group of guys are standing near each other with "POV: our friend is an airport dad" in text on the screen.

Keep ReadingShow less

Delivering packages AND safety.

Amazon delivery drivers don’t have the easiest job in the world. Sitting through traffic, working in extreme temperatures, hauling boxes … not exactly a fun time. So when a driver goes out of their way to be extra considerate—people notice.

One delivery driver has gone viral for the way she delivered a little bit of safety education, along with some lighthearted advice. The TikTok video of the encounter, which now has more than 4 million views, was shared by Jessica Huseman, who had only recently moved into her new house.

Keep ReadingShow less
Joy

A major UCLA study says that at least 65 species of animals laugh

If you've never seen a fox giggle, you're in for a treat.

Foxes giggle like children on helium.

Laughter is one of the most natural impulses in humans. Most babies start to laugh out loud at around 3 to 4 months, far earlier than they are able to speak or walk. Expressing enjoyment or delight comes naturally to us, but we're not the only creatures who communicate with giggles.

Researchers at UCLA have identified 65 species of animals who make "play vocalizations," or what we would consider laughter. Some of those vocalizations were already well documented—we've known for a while that apes and rats laugh—but others may come as a surprise. Along with a long list of primate species, domestic cows and dogs, foxes, seals, mongooses and three bird species are prone to laughter as well. (Many bird species can mimic human laughter, but that's not the same as making their own play vocalizations.)

Primatologist and UCLA anthropology graduate student Sasha Winkler and UCLA professor of communication Greg Bryant shared their findings in an article in the journal Bioacoustics.

Keep ReadingShow less