Attempts by evangelical Christians to claim Washington and other founders as their own; and scholars' ongoing attempts to contradict these claims; are nothing new. Particularly after Washington was no longer around to refute them; legends of his Baptist baptism or secret conversion to Catholicism began to proliferate. Mount Vernon researcher Mary Thompson endeavors to get beyond the current preoccupation with whether Washington and other founders were or were not evangelical Christians to ask what place religion had in their lives. Thompson follows Washington and his family over several generations; situating her inquiry in the context of new work on the place of religion in colonial and postrevolutionary Virginia and the Chesapeake.Thompson considers Washington's active participation as a vestryman and church warden as well as a generous donor to his parish prior to the Revolution; and how his attendance declined after the war. He would attend special ceremonies; and stood as godparent to the children of family and friends; but he stopped taking communion and resigned his church office. Something had changed; but was it Washington; the church; or both? Thompson concludes that he was a devout Anglican; of a Latitudinarian bent; rather than either an evangelical Christian or a Deist. The meaning of this description; Thompson allows; when applied to eighteenth-century Virginia gentlemen; is far from self-evident; leaving ample room for speculation.
#109964 in Books Nancy Wang Yuen 2016-12-12 2016-12-12Original language:English 8.65 x .59 x 5.55l; .0 #File Name: 0813586291208 pagesReel Inequality Hollywood Actors and Racism
Review
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful. Fascinating!By Jedi Master MummaLike the red pill in The Matrix; Reel Inequality peels back Hollywood's curtain of fantasy to reveal a complex filtration system put in place to maintain the status quo. If you've ever wondered why the racial and cultural representation in modern day film and television fails to mirror the real world--and doubly so if you haven't--this book is a must-read!Compelling firsthand accounts from industry insiders (ranging from struggling working actors all the way to A-list celebrities) illuminate the extra hurdles imposed on anyone who deviates from "the norm". Likewise; meticulously researched facts and figures point to the restrictive power of gatekeepers who guard each and every level of the Hollywood machine. But the best part of this book is its hopeful message: You can be the change. The reader is presented with simple ways to find and support diverse projects; recognize what to avoid; and use social media to make a difference. And you'll want to; because after reading Reel Inequality; you'll never see film and television the same way again.2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. A book that draws you in and makes you want to DO somethingBy flue fiskerThis book could have been a book of numbers; charts; and graphs proving that Hollywood does indeed discriminate against actors and filmmakers of color. However; as soon as you start reading Reel Inequality; it becomes clear that this is not just a sociological study on racism in Hollywood. The voices of working actors frustrated by a system that inherently and quite intentionally excludes them; the descriptions of ways Hollywood has systematically kept actors and filmmakers of color away from opportunities; there are so many forms of discrimination against POC in Hollywood that I wouldn't have ever thought of. Reading Reel Inequality has made me see Hollywood differently and has definitely forever changed the way I select movies to watch. I think being aware of a problem; naming it; proving that it exists; is the first step toward fixing it. This book not only names the problem; but also gives suggestions to both Hollywood professionals as well as the viewing audience on what you can do to be part of the solution.2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Opening A Reel Can Of WormsBy CustomerReel Inequality digs deep into the indiscretions; racism and systemic bigotry of one of the most powerful industries in the world - Hollywood. Backed with formidable research and data; interviews with the powerful; and testimonials by victims; this book opens a reel can of worms. Dr. Yuen shows; explicitly; how studio execs; directors; producers and A-list actors get away with hiring and casting based on race and ethnicity - a practice that in any other industry would be illegal. The author exposes the myopic; out-of-touch with reality capitalists who generate billions dollars of profit through White male-centric entertainment by sticking to an archaic marketing and PR rubric. The significant demographic shift; the browning of America is not represented in all forms of media; and with Hollywood in its lead; Professor Yuen offers a flood of insight as to how content creators can and must continue to balance the playing field. Reel Inequality is an honest assessment of the bigger problem we have in the US - racism and bigotry; as a non-fiction story that influences the whole planet.- Professor Teja Arboleda; SAG-AFTRA actor; Producer; Emmy-Award-winning editor; diversity consultant
