Audience Members Defy Stereotypes at ‘Death of a Nation’ Screening in Los Angeles

By Sarah Le, Epoch Times
August 1, 2018 Last Updated: August 1, 2018
The film "Death of a Nation" prescreened in Los Angeles, on July 30. (Sarah Le/The Epoch Times)

A diverse audience attended a special prescreening of “Death of a Nation” by Indian-American filmmaker and bestselling author Dinesh D’Souza in Los Angeles, California on July 30.

The film is based on D’Souza’s book of the same name, which was just released on July 31.

Local radio host and Los Angeles native Kathleen Wells from “The Naked Truth Report” on AM 870 immediately set the tone for the event.

“The Democrats have failed Black America. They’ve destroyed Black America,” she said to applause.

D’Souza’s movie builds on his other work by exposing some of the most shocking moments in the history of the Democratic Party, such as support of slavery, the southern Confederacy, the Klu Klux Klan, and segregation. But he said the main goal for this film was to show how these events of the past relate to Democratic policies today. 

The film also compares the situation that faced the nation while Abraham Lincoln was president with some of the issues facing President Donald Trump.

Prior to the screening, D’Souza said while he would welcome the opportunity to discuss the merits of his film in mainstream media or on a talk show, there has been little opportunity.

“This is a very abnormal society we’re living in now,” he said. “This means that those of you in the audience, you’re actually one of the first people to see this movie. You’re in a very potent position, and I actually need your help in getting the word out.” 

After the screening of “Death of a Nation,” Wells hosted a forum with four black conservative men who were very impressed with the film: Brandon Tatum, David J. Harris Jr., M. Adrian Norman, and “The Amazing Lucas.” Questions came from a vastly diverse ethnic audience.

“It touched on a lot of issues I was unclear about,” Brandon Tatum, director of urban engagement at Turning Point USA, said about the movie. “I think it was a great film. I think everyone in the world should look at that film.” 

Tatum did not grow up conservative, but as a police officer in Tucson, he said he became appalled at how his profession was disrespected and began to look into conservative ideas.

“I decided to give the Republicans a try. I had never looked at a Republican candidate in my life. I thought they were racist,” he said.

M. Adrian Norman is the founder of the Right of Center Blog and a contributing writer at The Federalist and The Daily Caller.

“I thought it was an amazing film,” said Norman. “Dinesh has a really uncanny way of being able to take very high-level concepts and break it down to where the average person can really understand it.” 

Norman said he felt he and other conservatives are in a battle to help people perceive reality instead of false assumptions, and the film is helping that happen.

“When you come across this information, you can look it up yourself,” he said. “We’re speaking the truth, and all we have to do is continue speaking the truth.”

Chuck and Misha Vaughn, who organized the event, said they wanted to bring together a group of people that would defy people’s stereotypes of conservatives and encourage dialogue and discussion.

“We have been seeing Dinesh’s films for some time, and we always love them,” said Misha. “There’s so much in them, so much education, so much information that needs to be spread.” 

“Death of a Nation” opens nationwide on Aug. 3.