Accidental Courtesy Part 2
Nov 5, 2023
Hey everyone – welcome to Part 2 of our screening and discussion of the documentary Accidental Courtesy. I’ll be hosting this week because Judi is out of town, and we will be watching the second half of the doc and then taking some time for conversation. We’ll start our time together at 10:45 a.m. at VA Cafe (171 McDermot) with some breathing and Community Time (which we will livestream here), then jump right in. I’ll put Judi’s intro from last week below for anyone that might have missed it. Also, if you were not able to be there last week, come out anyway. The main themes in the documentary are strong and recurring, and I expect you’ll pretty promptly feel like you’re up to speed. I should mention that the second half contains some of the most challenging moments in the entire film, scenes that invite us to reflect deeply on our own limitations when it comes to loving those whose beliefs or perspectives are different from our own, even when we may have a great deal in common with them.
If you want snacks, please bring them. Hot beverages should be purchased upstairs whenever possible. It’s one of the ways we can support VA Cafe, who are hosting us at no charge to the community. Here’s Judi’s blurb:
I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you.
The documentary I’m sharing with you, “Accidental Courtesy,” is not a religious one, but I think it exemplifies this well-known verse better than almost anything I’ve seen. Daryl Davis, an African American jazz musician and speaker, was flummoxed by the question, How can you hate me when you don’t even know me? When he had a chance meeting with a KKK member at a place he was performing he decided to find out.
In the last couple of months Tim has had us thinking about how we interact in the culture we are in, and I think this film can take us further in that conversation. Because the film is an hour and a half and our gatherings are not, we’re going to watch it over two Sundays and discuss it together. (Judi)
I look forward to being with you on Sunday.
Peace,
Tim Plett
Note: Accidental Courtesy is available to stream on Kanopy – a free app/website available at no cost with your Winnipeg Public Library card. Just sign in using your library login.