Carlos Cortez, featured in 'The Good War and Those Who Refused to Fight It ' offered support to unfairly fired teacher/editor
I was on the General Defense Committee of the Industrial workers of the World (Wobblies) with legendary Chicagoan Carlos Cortez, author / artist and so much more, when we offered support for George Schmidt, inviting him to our GDC meeting to explore what we could potentially do regarding his case that some of us, like college professor / union steward Earl Silbar attended the appeal in downtown Chicago. This was the case where George was dismissed as a teacher for publishing the CASE exams as an editor.
Carlos Alfredo Koyokuikatl Cortéz was among the many men drafted into the army after the bombing of Pearl Harbor (1941), but he opposed the impending fights. Rebecca Meyers, permanent collection curator at the National Museum of Mexican Art, described his opposition to the draft as being against the “common man fighting the common man on foreign soil.” As a conscientious objector, Cortéz spent 18 months in prison. (http://www.chicagohistory.org/chicago-sings-in-many-voices/)Carlos Cortez is mentioned in the movie "The Good War and Those Who Refused to Fight It." See a clip of the film on YouTube here. Carlos went to prison as a conscious objector instead of going to war. Many of those some 40,000 that refused to go did constructive work here at home in the USA, that supported our troops indirectly, making things the soldiers needed etc.
A summary of the movie and some reviews published on the Bullfrog Films website follow:
Millions of Americans fought for the liberation of Europe from Hitler's grip during World War II. Yet 40,000 Americans refused to shoulder weapons in "the good war" because their conscience would not allow them to kill another human being.
In the face of criticism and scorn, the men challenged the limits of democracy in wartime. Many participated in the social movements that transformed America in the generations that followed. This is their story.
Those featured are:
DAVE DELLINGER, a well-known anti-war activist from World War II until his recent death in 2004. He was a member of the Chicago Seven. At the trial Dave and his co-defendants turned the tables on their accusers and put the government on trial.
STEPHEN CARY became commissioner for European Relief for the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) after the war. This work resulted in the Nobel Peace Prize for the Quaker group. He later became President of Haverford College. He died in 2002.
BILL SUTHERLAND has lived in Africa for the past five decades. A co-founder of Americans for South African Resistance, The American Committee on Africa, and World Peace Brigades, he has been fostering Pan-African relations for all of his adult life.
CARLOS CORTEZ has been a construction laborer, factory worker, janitor, journalist, salesman, curator, printmaker and poet. He is actively involved in Chicago's Mexican community, and his art work includes homages to Cesar Chavez.
ASA WATKINS worked in a mental hospital and became a reformer of the Virginia mental health system. Watkins was a lifetime activist and artist who taught special education for decades. He died in 2001.
GEORGE HOUSER was a founder of Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) with James Farmer and Bayard Rustin during the war. In 1947 he and Rustin organized the first Freedom Ride for integration of interstate buses, the Journey of Reconciliation. Houser served as President of the Fellowship of Reconciliation.
57 minutes
Produced by Judith Ehrlich & Rick Tejada-Flores
Narrated by Ed Asner
Editor: Ken Schneider
Associate Producer: Laurie Coyle
Camera: Vicente Franco
Sound: Nick Bertoni
Original Score: Barney Jones
Produced by Paradigm Productions Inc. in association with the Independent Television Service with funding provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting
"Highly recommended. Editor's Choice." Video Librarian Millions of Americans fought for the liberation of Europe from Hitler's grip during World War II.
Yet 40,000 Americans refused to shoulder weapons in "the good war" because their conscience would not allow them to kill another human being.
In the face of criticism and scorn, the men challenged the limits of democracy in wartime. Many participated in the social movements that transformed America in the generations that followed. This is their story.
Those featured are:
DAVE DELLINGER, a well-known anti-war activist from World War II until his recent death in 2004. He was a member of the Chicago Seven. At the trial Dave and his co-defendants turned the tables on their accusers and put the government on trial.
STEPHEN CARY became commissioner for European Relief for the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) after the war. This work resulted in the Nobel Peace Prize for the Quaker group. He later became President of Haverford College. He died in 2002.
BILL SUTHERLAND has lived in Africa for the past five decades. A co-founder of Americans for South African Resistance, The American Committee on Africa, and World Peace Brigades, he has been fostering Pan-African relations for all of his adult life.
CARLOS CORTEZ has been a construction laborer, factory worker, janitor, journalist, salesman, curator, printmaker and poet. He is actively involved in Chicago's Mexican community, and his art work includes homages to Cesar Chavez.
ASA WATKINS worked in a mental hospital and became a reformer of the Virginia mental health system. Watkins was a lifetime activist and artist who taught special education for decades. He died in 2001.
GEORGE HOUSER was a founder of Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) with James Farmer and Bayard Rustin during the war. In 1947 he and Rustin organized the first Freedom Ride for integration of interstate buses, the Journey of Reconciliation. Houser served as President of the Fellowship of Reconciliation.
Grade Level: 10-12, College, Adult
US Release Date: 2002 Copyright Date: 2000
DVD ISBN: 1-59458-325-0 VHS ISBN: 1-56029-920-7
Reviews
"For its skill in uncovering a long-forgotten history, its effectiveness in tracing continuities from World War II to the sixties, its skill in using history to raise moral questions, this is a superb example of film history."
Organization of American Historians' citation for the Erik Barnouw Film of the Year Award
"Fascinating...It is a story of personal courage, idealism, and nonconformity based on both ethical and religious beliefs--about men whose love of country could not extend to killing their fellow man."
The Objector
"In a time when it's again easy to endorse any military response to the savagery of terrorists, The Good War provides a necessary reminder that pacifists also can be heroic and patriotic."
Christianity Today
"Highly recommended for public, school, and academic libraries."
Library Journal
"This high quality program will be useful in media collections which support courses in contemporary issues and history."
School Library Journal
"A fascinating compelling look at WWII conscientious objectors...Highly Recommended. Editor's Choice."
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