‘Path To 9/11′ Review
Moments ago I finished watching the last half of ABC’s increasingly controversial drama “The Path To 9/11″. While initially promoted as an accurate docu-drama of the events leading up to 9/11, ABC was forced to re-define the two-part miniseries as containing fictionalized content, composites, dramatizations, etc. Despite last minute editting by the network, the resulting controversy has set the blogosphere ablaze.
In my last post, I reacted to the ridiculous and often groundless conspiracy theorists who made the connection between the film’s director, David Cunningham, and the Christian organization, Youth With A Mission, which his father Loren Cunningham founded, as proof of a hiddenright-wing agenda. I am thankful that very few news agencies have made this very shallow mistake, but am still astounded by how many bloggers have jumped on this sinking ship of theories. However, I shouldn’t take it too seriously. When someone calls YWAM a right-wing mind control, fundamentalist cult, sourcing a website(s) run by known fundamentalists who often reject YWAM for their liberality, is a joke. Strangely, by some definitions of “fundamentalism”, many of these bloggers fit the bill- uncritical and dogmatic acceptance of shallow ideas with no regard to actual proofs.
In the end, one thing should be clear- David Cunningham has never hidden his Christian faith, his relationship to the organization Youth With A Mission nor his desire to see Christian values influence the world of film and television. While he & I might disagree with how that is done and what that might look like, I know him well enough to know his intentions were good, not convertly subversive. Anyone with Google could find out any of these facts. There was not conspiracy. Further, as the film’s director, he had a script to work with, having very little content control. When facts were questioned, he referred to the experts hired by ABC. In fairness, he had no reason to suspect the answers he received from this expert was questionable. Again, leave David & YWAM out of the argument and focus on who had the power- the writers, the network and the hired experts. Enough said on that.
Having watched the film, I will say that the film had a clear bias towards conservative politics. With a topic as important as 9/11, ABC clearly failed to treat the work responsibly. While this is no excuse, I will say that the degree of inaccuracy was not as extreme as many have represented, having seen far greater bias on FOX News at times. Much of the bias was represented, not in blatant misinformation (though there was some of this with no question), but by creative omission. While the network claimed the piece represented failure in both the Clinton and Bush administration, the prior received far more attention and far less balance. The results were clearly biased.
Should the film have been dumped completely? I don’t think so. Does it offer anything worth viewing to the public? Probably more than some would like to admit. The public stir and conversation around this film is likely enough to inform the uninformed. In the end, many of those who lean right will likely accept it uncritically and many of those who lean left with reject it uncritically. Hopefully, somewhere in midst of it all, we can walk away with at least some real dialogue and healthy debate about the issues, perhaps even make our way past the unhelpful, back-biting partisanship that so many on both “sides” have engaged in. Here’s hoping.
Now play nice!
P.S. On a sidenote, for those who watched the movie, the blonde flight attendant on American Airlines Flight 11 was my very talented sister-in-law, Jennifer Ricci. Well done, Jen!
