The UnAmerican Struggle

It’s hard to know who the audience is for Ric Osuna’s op-ed documentary The UnAmerican Struggle. Anyone already appalled by Donald Trump’s political opportunism in stoking race hatred, sexism, anti-LGBT sentiment, anti-immigration rage, and general xenophobia surely does not want to sit through minutes-upon-minutes of election night 2016 footage, or his inaugural address, which is full of dog whistles to his aggrieved base and apocalyptic, strongman rhetoric. And Trump supporters are not likely to watch a film about the betrayal of America’s core values regarding equality and longstanding identity as a haven for the world’s downtrodden. Who does that leave? Persuade-me independents? The "no opinion" crowd? The UnAmerican Struggle is well-intended, but spends more time preaching to the choir than offering constructive suggestions for moving forward. On the other hand, the film does present some historical context on the history of white nationalism in the U.S. and the country’s record of scapegoating particular groups when times are bad, and it incorporates some thoughtful comments from experts at the Southern Poverty Law Center and elsewhere—but, ultimately, not much that a sympathetic viewer hasn’t already heard or been saddened over. Optional. Aud: C, P. (T. Keogh)