Politics in Culture

“Mayans M.C.”, “Rebellion” and “Official Secrets”- 2 Political TV Series and a Political Movie

“Mayans M.C.” is about a mostly Latino motorcycle gang in the made-up town of Santo Padre, California near the Mexican border.  It is a spin-off from the simple blood and guts series, “Sons of Anarchy,” though the Sons occasionally still appear.  What is different is that the Mayans eventually form an alliance with Mexican social revolutionaries trying to change the corrupt capitalist Mexican system.  Their main enemy is the U.S. government in the form of creepy U.S. Assistant Attorney Potter, whose mission is to squelch any rebellion in Mexico.  Potter uses every means at his disposal, including violent mercenaries to try to get his way.  Whether a criminal M.C. would actually unite with left-wing rebels is debatable of course.  The great Edward James Olmos gets a role as the father of two key Mayan gang members.  Also, motorcycles! (FX-TVonline.cc)

''Mayans' on Motorcycles

“Rebellion” (and Resistance) is the story of 2 phases of the Irish national revolution – the 1916 Easter Rising and the later 1920 successful fight for partial independence against the British.  It is possible there will be a 3^rd phase, based on the Irish civil war over leaving the northern 6 counties to Britain. The key character is Jimmy Mahon, who is with James Connolly at the GPO; then a shooter and eventual head of intelligence for the IRA in its battle with ruthless British General Winter in the national fight; then a key ally of Michael Collins in the coming civil war.  The series weaves personal and political together, highlighting the murky world of loyalties and betrayals, of secrets and lies.  As such an overall view of the rebellion is not very clear.  It chooses to highlight the large role of women in the struggle, which is usually ignored. (RTE – Netflix)

“Offical Secrets:  (Spoiler) An accurate docu-drama film based on events in Britain prior to the U.S./U.K. invasion of Iraq in 2003.  It features whistle-blower Katherine Gun, who worked at GCHQ listening in on surveillance Chinese conversations for the British government.  The spies at GCHQ get an e-mail from a U.S. NSA officer asking them to eavesdrop and spy on members of the U.N. security council to find information that might make these countries vote for war.  Gun is young and against the war, though she cannot admit it to her bosses.  She spirits the memo to a friend in the massive anti-war movement, who get it to a reporter at the Observer newspaper. The Observer waffles over whether it is a real memo, but investigation shows it is probably real.  They publish and Gun admits her role.  Ultimately the British government refuses to prosecute her based on the official ‘Secrets Act’ because the trial would expose the illegality of Blair and Bush’s criminal war.  Gun is played by Kiera Knightley.  (Riverview Theater)

Other reviews on these topics below, use blog search box, upper left with these terms:  

Ireland:  "Abortion Referendum in Ireland," "The Immortal Irishman," "Plough and the Stars," "James Connolly," "Jimmy's Hall," "1916 Rebellion Walking Tour," "The Irish Literary Trail," 

Mexico:  "Drug War Capitalism," "NAFTA 2," "Frida Kahlo," "Viva Zapata," "The Lacuna," "Sicario," "Pancho Villa Underground Railroad." 

Iraq War:  "The Yellow Birds," "Armed Madhouse," "The Management of Savagery," "What is the War on Terror," "Blow Back to Iraq," "Libertarian Atheism," "The Left and Islamic Literalism,"   

The Cultural Marxist

October 31, 2019

All Hallows Eve