Cadet Kelly has a gay agenda (but not in a fun way)

The queer subtext of Cadet Kelly can help us understand the rhetoric surrounding LGBTQ rights amidst US invasions in the Middle East and the War on Terror. Cadet Kelly is one of the biggest DCOMs of its era, and many viewers read a queer relationship between Kelly (Hillary Duff) and Jennifer Stone (Christy Carlson-Romano). In this video essay, we’ll take a look at that relationship in the context of the movie’s themes relating to the military, freedom, and family.
you can support my work on patreon: / maxteeth
Joseph McCarthy played by the the undefeated @HizzyHay
Thanks to Max Tohline for invaluable feedback and help in writing the conclusion for this one!
As mentioned at 7:14, one example would be the “brute” or “mandingo” trope as seen in the films The Birth of a Nation (1910; dir. DW Griffith) and Mandingo (1975; dir. Richard Fleischer). You can also see this trope with Black men in whole genres of “adult” films. Obviously this is a stereotype that doesn’t stop in fiction-this same idea is used in real life to criminalize Black men and boys and to rationalize violence and abuse against them.
Resources used for this video essay:
Cadet Kelly (2002; dir. Larry Shaw)
Private Benjamin (1980; dir. Howard Zieff)
Disney Channel "Express Yourself" PSA campaign (2001, 2002)
Terrorist Assemblages: Homonationalism in Queer Times (2007) by Jasbir Puar (2017 edition with foreword by Tavia Nyong'o)
“Rethinking homonationalism” (2013) by Jasbir Puar
“Homonationalism Gone Viral: Discipline, Control, & Affective Politics of Sensation” (2012) by Jasbir Puar • AUB Lecture - Homonati...
“Pinkwatching And Pinkwashing: Interpenetration and its Discontents” (2012) by Jasbir Puar and Maya Mikdashi www.jadaliyya.com/Details/268...
“Queer Questions” (2014) by Rahul Rao
"The US Used Afghan Women to Justify Its War. Now, It’s Leaving Them Behind" (2021) by Madison Pauly www.motherjones.com/politics/...
“What Happened On The Set Of Cadet Kelly” (2021) by Christy Carlson Romano • What Happened On The S...
"Few vets expelled under 'don't ask' seek remedy" (2016) by Jennifer McDermott www.militarytimes.com/veteran...
“Show Biz, Politicos Salve the Wounds” (2001) by Elaine Dutka www.latimes.com/archives/la-x...
“‘Under the prism’: Muslim Americans reflect on life post-9/11” (2021) by Jihan Abdalla www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/9...
For this video I ended up using clips from a lot more sources than usual. For this reason I’ve compiled a more extensive list of AV sources here:
docs.google.com/document/d/e/...
Apologies that it is a bit disorganized and some things might be missing; I’m working on cleaning it up

[@OhNoBohNo]

The 'How can you support Palestine they don't support queer people?' intensification in the last month has really only made this more relevant

[@maxteeth]

absolutely, i’ve been thinking about Jasbir Puar’s writings on homonationalism and Palestine very often the past few weeks. it’s frustrating that people are still trying to pit western LGBTQ people against victims of colonialism, but i’m glad that more and more people seem to be refusing to accept that narrative.

[@ravenalexandria9303]

@@maxteeth “it's frustrating that people are still trying to pit western LGBTQ people against victims of colonialism” and they ignore the queer folks who are victims of both. They have no concept of intersecting identities.

[@NathanWubs]

@@maxteethWe have the same thing happening here in the Netherlands. It also reminds me of what has been touted for years by right-wing asses: You should vote PVV, as Muslims are against LGBTQ+ people. While in the program of PVV, it says: Trans people are evil and should not get care or affirmation. Stop this gender crazy. They can't openly say they are anti-gay at the moment, as they still hail Pim Fortuyn (who was gay) as their big right-wing hero.

[@finnpendleton4615]

Israel outs and threatens to out queer Palestinians to coerce them into acting as informants. They are fake friends to the queer community using us as props to seem more progressive than they are. Also queer Palestinians exist and I don't want them to be blown up either.

[@viviv6774]

while I agree with the "no matter their views, they don't deserve to die" which I wholefully apply to any people around the world. It is still a truth that government and authorities in many of those places "meaning syria, lybia, palestine, iran, ..." but you can add "north korea, china, poland, russia and thailand I believe" do have a very very violent view against LGBTQ and don't wish them the best I believe. So it is still kinda like weird to see them defends them so hardly when their authorities wouldn't see them alive in return. I do not mean that in as an excuse but more like "reality is more complex than it seems to be" It's like if you'd see feminism talking good about Iran when you know what happened and still happens now to women. Like literally killing and assinating women for showing their hair and not authorising them to go outside without their husband and so much more. Palestinians deserves to live, but it is also true that their government and people of authorities their did horrible things against peace in between countries. In conflict, there are rarely one bad guy against a good guy. We got that idea since WWII thinking all war are like this one war and now we compare all conflict to this one.

[@LiteWrites]

You always need a problem within yourself so you can be 'fixed' by the military. It seems to be one of the only accepted 'break you and rebuild you' institutions that is socially accepted, anything else would be considered ethically questionable at least.

[@maxteeth]

totally, it’s very weird that it’s presented in stories as this thing that will solve your lack of motivation or discipline-not only because a lot of people come out the other end with severe trauma instead, but also because…why is it violence that’s supposed to "fix" us?

[@rickwrites2612]

Well maybe the only one almost universally accepted, and I think its because we actually believe it works for that purpose, ie we think its neccessary in order to have a successful military. There are still some drug rehabs that do it (used to be the norm), and certain private facilities for troubled teens (the kind the parents pay to have their child "kidnapped"). And of course, this is the norm for many evangelical/fundie churches.

[@kellharris2491]

@@maxteeth Violence doesn't actually fix anything. But I will say the training is actually amazing. Going through bootcamp was an amazing experience that I still look back on. I have also read the stories of the navy seals like the book can't hurt me by Goggans as well. It's a terrifying experience but it makes you hungry. You want to push yourself physically and see how far you can go. You can only get that feeling in an extreme sport. But even that doesn't compare to the psychological pressure the trainers put you though in the military training camps. You come out stronger and with resilience or you come out broken with a burning fire in you to change. Sometimes with both. If you know you know.

[@timothyhicks3643]

I’m here from the most recent Hbomberguy video! Of his playlist of great videos from queer creators, this one immediately stood out given current events. And this is a great and unfortunately extremely relevant analysis! I look forward to exploring the rest of your work from here.

[@WolfBoy-om6dw]

Same here

[@gadamis]

Great vid. I remember having this feeling as a kid that it was wrong for Kelly to have to adapt to a system that sought to shame her. And that there were probably other ways for Kelly to find internal strength.

[@casir.7407]

great video. it feels strange to me to watch snippets of a movie in which military nationalism is supposed to be in any way inspiring or positive... my own countrys experiences with the military, especially in recent history, have always been one of tension and aggression; a movie like cadet kelly made here would be seen openly as propaganda in all sense of the word. in that sense, i feel like theres definitely some real difficulty to enjoy such movies, even when the "military stuff" is set to the side or when the actual role of the military, beyond its child-friendlier rituals, is ignored. i cant watch captain marvel, for example, out of the sheer fact that the movie wants to link self-empowerment (female empowerment at that, particularly) to the military system, the US military system in particular, which while probably one of the most powerful in the world has committed so many atrocities either directly or indirectly that it just makes the whole thing seem ridiculous. like you well said, it depicts oppression and empowerment as something individual and personal, instead of systematic and complex systems of power in which the victory of one subset of a marginalized group over others is showcased as a victory for all -when its just a way they have to justify and coopt communities to appeal to the more progressive-minded.

[@maxteeth]

thank you for commenting! i always love hearing perspectives from people outside the US. over here this sort of depiction of the military, as you probably know, is very normalized. watching this movie as a kid it wouldn’t have occurred to me at all that this was weird or nationalistic. even movies that aren’t directly about the military usually portray it in a positive way. partly because the US department of defense has a great relationship with Hollywood and will even supervise and collaborate on movie scripts if the filmmakers want to borrow military equipment or shoot on military-owned locations. it’s pretty gross!

[@a.leon_0809]

Wow someone actually said it! The Queer Culture marketed to us is that of dominant culture. Anything considered proper culture needs to take white culture undertones

[@theothertonydutch]

Elvis made "black people music" palatable to a broader white audience. Whatever the counterculture is, it always seems to need some sort of "messiah" from the dominant culture to liberate it.

[@batmanjones655]

@@theothertonydutch I think the more appropriate/queer example would be Madonna and black drag house culture. Or, more recently, Lady Gaga and drag culture in general.

[@UndeadGirlCyber]

7:02 You know, the "funny" thing is: in e.g. russia homosexuality is seen as "cultural export" (I am using nice words) of the west.

[@maxteeth]

very good point, i think a lot of countries want to say it came from somewhere else, so in the west it’s eastern and in the east it’s western. which makes sense because i think conservative nationalism is always very invested in heterosexuality

[@SupremeGreatGrandmaster]

Citation needed.

[@Kap-K]

The kid selling lemonade to pay for his dad's cancer treatment is always so insane to me. Those stories piss me off so much and it's always even more infuriating when everyone else seems to treat it as something incredible. As someone who follows sports, it reminds me whenever SportsCenter or ESPN report on the heartwarming moment of a football player being surprised with a full ride scholarship they earned. Like on what planet is it heartwarming when a young kid has to put his body and future health on the line to generate millions of dollars for his school to only eventually earn free tuition.

[@oooh19]

Why would it bother you ? It’s very kind and loving for a kid or anyone any age to fundraise

[@Apes_are_monkeys]

​@@oooh19 Can't speak for op, but stories like that that are made out to be heartwarming bother me as well because they ignore the glaring underlying issue, like people not being able to afford healthcare, or a school lunch, or a steep tuition, whatever it is. Those stories imo have the side effect of normalizing these issues instead of recognizing them as problems. So yes, it is absolutely nice of a kid to sell lemonade to raise money for their parent, but really, what other choice do they have?

[@oooh19]

i have a friend who hosts fundraisers but yea frankly so many people are struggling so much yet others just often brush it off or are judgmental of their choices thinking it's the victims' fault@@Apes_are_monkeys

[@spehhhsssmarineer8961]

@@Apes_are_monkeys The point is not the specific barriers themselves, but overcoming them. The intent of these stories is not to glorify the situation, but instead to glorify the those who overcome the situation. Barriers have existed since the dawn of man- it is a part of our psychology as people to feel happy when we overcome a barrier or vicariously through a character. It just so happens that these real-world problems are faced by real-world people so these situations are all the more relatable and the solution all the more euphoric for an audience. Once problems like these are solved our stories will involve different challenges instead. We can already see this transition today, fewer and fewer stories are about bootstrapping out of poverty and more and more are about marginalized people overcoming discrimination or accepting their identity.

[@dirtabd]

So champion universal healthcare and not Corp subservience.

[@jamesdelisio]

9/11-adjacent video essay gang unite. Excellent work! The cultural impact of the War on Terror and the way it's shaped art for us going forward is a mind-boggingly rich topic, so it's great to see you tackle it head-on!

[@maxteeth]

our timing was impeccable

[@kellharris2491]

When I was in basic training I was bunked in a room of 8 girls. Only two of them were straight. (I only thought I was straight at the time). And it's true that we have to fight to not give up our femininity. I once had a female officer say to us to not forget are femininity as well. That it was something precious. This was in Ft. Bragg the home of special forces. Having served in the Army and lived through that time your video was very thought provoking. I will say I have nothing but fondness and respect for many of my Sergeants who were almost all people of color as am I. In truth the narrative of the white homosexual is very similar to black respectability politics. And the war in hindsight is an interesting subject to analyze as well. I will add that I wish the war aspect would have been more nuanced. There is a lot that the US did wrong. But there is a lot that we did right. The Military was a big part of lgbt people getting the right to marry in the US. Despite the oppression so many of the members our queer especially the women and this influence was leveraged to fight for lgbt rights. We celebrated IL making it legal to marry when I was in basic training. It was a very stone butch female drill sergeant who announced it. The military has for a long time been the only way many minorities could rise up and find good jobs and careers. My drill Sergeant was a black man that had done time in jail. At the same time I remember Isis calling for the destruction of the US and the apocalyptic plan to start a caliphate. I feel like you are trying to portray the muslim countries as helpless victims of US imperialism. Even if you want to call out the US for it's war crimes you should clearly show the other side of the equation as well. There is a reason why so many muslim refugees want to come to the US and Europe. They are not accepted by other Arab nations. There is a reason why the US is seen as a pillar of opportunity and freedom.(Even if that pillar is less shiny nowadays) While the US's interests are often not noble the goals of the individual service members often were. Many truly worked to help the women in Afghanistan. Many soldiers have been broken hearted when we pulled out and watched the Taliban undo all our work and progress in liberating the innocent people of Afghanistan. My own cousin wept when it happened and we saw the reports coming out. And it's been individual soldiers that have fought on, even after to help people they worked with there escape. American global imperialism is definitely out of control. The War hawks in congress and war contractors working with the Pentagon are corrupt beyond belief. But please keep in mind that it is only one layer in a much larger picture.

[@JerseyTeal]

This was such an incredible watch. Thank you. I thought I was going to be clicking on a silly video about Cadet Kelly, instead I got this masterpiece.

[@kikikrazed]

15:36 fellas is it gay to shake hands??

[@maxteeth]

shaking hands is a gateway to holding hands

[@raykasugano]

this is so good i only just found this creator today but god DAMN this is my 4th watch and they've all been absolute bangers, this is that good shit

[@therainbowwillow4453]

I’m glad this video made HBomber Guy’s playlist of small queer creators’ videos. This is so relevant right now in the midst of the genocide in Palestine. My professor recently referenced the “chickens for KFC” meme that has been spreading in conservative circles. I wish I could’ve formulated my thoughts fast enough to ask him what aiding Israel in bombing children and families going to do to end homophobia. American propaganda sure is pervasive and frighteningly effective.

[@joshuahitchins1897]

This is a beautiful video that covers so many topics relatively succinctly, all through a really nice framing from both Cadet Kelly and Private Benjamin. Also, that 4th wall break was amazing.

[@f.d.5173]

this aged very well

[@KyleRayner12]

A bunch of us from the local queer group were watching this ironically a couple of weeks ago, and we had to pause and look up when it was shot, because the timing could not have been better for its kind of jingoism.

[@FDSignifire]

Welcome back!

[@maxteeth]

thanks! glad to be back at it 😊

[@Jane_8319]

This was an excellent video! I just found you through Hbomb’s recommendation, and I will definitely be subscribing

[@Afterthoughts]

YO this was an awesome video!! Glad you got it out there, it was well worth the wait! :)

[@HizzyHay]

Another great video! It is interesting how a lens can shift from a film being hopeful to suddenly shining more of a light on a system that isn’t going to be fixed. There were a couple examples I was thinking of going on about (Philadelphia the film specifically) but it’s been so long since I’ve seen them. Thanks for another banger

[@thatswhyibelieveinyou]

Greetings from hbomb's vid! This was a really well made video into a disney channel movie i'm surprised i've never heard of, and the topics felt especially relevant considering the current escalation of violence towards Palestinians in Gaza. Will definitely be subscribing for more

[@Kelly_C]

"the american project" is a really interesting term that I've never heard before. where does it come from?

[@maxteeth]

in this case i guess i am just using the word “project” to mean a political movement or set of goals and strategies. so the american nationalist project would be the goals of american nationalism (such as global liberalism, capitalism, white supremacy). i’m not sure if i could trace back the origin of the term, i think it’s one of those things that i kinda picked up through osmosis. i wanna say zygmunt bauman talks about the “nationalist project” in general so i may have lifted it off him.

[@spehhhsssmarineer8961]

@@maxteeth Liberalism is incompatible with White supremacy. Liberalism affirms the value of color blindness while white supremacy is an inherently color-conscious ideology.

[@austinmitchell2652]

Really incredible video. I can't wait to see what topic you'll cover next!

[@amekat]

INCREDIBLY timely right now. great video

[@terpsidance.]

I love video essays analyzing movies I would never even know existed otherwise!

[@solrose5306]

I’m here from HBomberGuys video recommendations, this is one of the best video essays I’ve ever seen! Made me think a lot

[@DestinedOblivion]

Came from the queer creators playlist from the Hbomberguy channel. I'll definitely check out more of your vids!

[@user-ou5ru5tk6e]

This is so good! Great research, thanks for making :)

[@eypu999]

Thank you for this💓

[@nafsii04]

omg , thank u so much for this vid essay. cadet kelly was a film i used to watch as a child, it was nothing special, but i remember it quite vividly despite having only seen it once in my entire life. i never realized the symbolism behind the film, so i appreciate this deep dive into it.

[@Scav16]

Holy moly that was a masterpiece

[@Offline219]

I'm making my way through hbomberguy's playlist and so far you're video is my favorite out of the bunch.

[@lavendertuesday]

This was excellent. Thank you!

[@zadig08]

First off, this video is incredible. Thank you. Secondly, thanks so much for highlighting the Terrorist Assemblages book. That just moved to the top of my list!

[@OrionOlamPiksie]

This is intriguing. And you make a great argument about the film being odd one out.

[@LewaGaba]

Great essay

[@balbarard4041]

very insightful analysis! great video!

[@TheDudeSmashTrash]

this is a phenomenal and comprehensive video essay

[@criticalfallacy]

Fantastic video essay!

[@gf-official]

absolute banger max

[@maxteeth]

thank you for watching as always!!

[@SkyFlower-hn5wg]

I’m a lesbian and an Anarchist. I see, it’s all coming together…

[@Eren_is_possibly_god]

From a Syrian queer Arab, thank you

[@unicorntacomonky]

Love a good ass video essay

[@oAldanitao]

This video was simply great. Kisses from Argentina!

[@starmurphy5355]

God this was so well thought out and explained!!

[@DjAntibalas]

Incredible video! Top marks!

[@arianamoment]

Have you read chelsea manning’s book? I think you would enjoy it as I read it recently and its similar to what you’re saying

[@maxteeth]

i haven’t read it, but i’ll add it to my list, thanks! i’m sure she has some very direct insights to offer here

[@ThunderTaker1215]

I love your content. Where is your Patrion? Also, I hope you read “If It’s Purple Someone’s Going to Die.”

[@maxteeth]

thank you! not sure if i put stuff out regularly enough to justify a patreon, but maybe one day. and i haven't read it yet but have picked up a copy, it's on my (too long) list!

[@styl3xp]

Something something Hbomberguy. Have a comment and a like to help with the algorithm at least a teensy bit. Also somehow, the topic of 'that guy' and his plagiarism taking away so much from other creators, and the topic of this video combined just create the sweetest, saddest irony. You keep doing you.

[@jamonsutton3766]

Curious on your thoughts about “The Color of Friendship”

[@maxteeth]

i haven’t seen it since i was a little kid, so i can’t make any sort of serious analysis, but i can say for certain that it introduced me to the concept of apartheid waaaay earlier than i would have learned about it otherwise. i think that had a lot of value for me personally. as i got older and learned more it was helpful to have something to connect it back to. i’d be curious to go back and watch it again. i’m sure it’s not perfect but it’s hard to imagine Disney Channel making anything like it today.

[@moveslikemacca]

love the video! instant subscribe

[@swishyclang9175]

excellently put

[@rockatansky3259]

In the end it all comes back to the American and English project that is Israel. Excellent video.

[@lessbs]

That would be the British government. The US did not set Israel up as a state. The Israelis who had moved there joined with others who were already their and bought their lands from greedy Arabs at exorcism prices. The involvement the US had is that President Harry Truman was the first president to acknowledge Israel as a country shortly after its formation.

[@narceliankrisa3769]

Amazing video

[@somturtle9040]

this was so good

[@fernandadp94]

this was a fun video. thanks

[@tyraia2022]

I thoroughly enjoyed the video and found it insightful. I'm eagerly anticipating future content. Before I share my critique, I want to clarify that I identify strongly with leftist views. It's unfortunate that I feel compelled to state this prior to discussing my concerns. The mention of 'positioning the surrounding Arab nations as inherently homophobic' is a folly that does not help queer rights. Highlighting that non-Arab countries are safer for queer folks isn't inherently homophobic. If we look to the Homophobic Climate Index, of the top 10 most homophobic countries, 5 are in the middle east and 9 are majority islamic countries. On the contrary, none of the top 10 most inclusive countries have a Muslim majority. Given these facts, I'm puzzled as to why this particular idea has been integrated into an otherwise thoughtful and engaging retrospective.

[@maxteeth]

hi, thanks for your comment. hopefully i can clarify this a little. i think the important word in the line you’ve pointed out is “inherently”. i am not making the case that all arab cultures/governments are free from homophobia, or even that they are less homophobic than any other specific states. my point is more that arab cultures are not a monolith; queer arab & muslim people exist, arab & muslim allies exist. if we view arab nations as inherently homophobic, as essentially enemies of progress, then we can justify undermining and destroying these nations through US/euro foreign policy. but the fact is, those actions do nothing to liberate arab queer people. for instance, the genocide being carried out in Gaza by the “pro-LGBT” IDF is not liberating queer Palestinians or changing the hearts of homophobes; the bombs kill them all indiscriminately. any safety the occupation affords western visitors comes at the cost of innumerable innocent lives. instead i think we must view the homophobia present in arab nations as something that arises from complex historical conditions, and as something that can be transformed by the activism of queer arabs and their allies, the same way that queer people in the US have struggled-and continue to struggle-against LGBT discrimination.

[@tyraia2022]

@@maxteeth it's crucial to acknowledge that the transformation of attitudes towards homophobia within Arab and Muslim-majority nations will require leadership and advocacy from within those communities. The progression toward acceptance and equality may indeed follow a different trajectory compared to the Western world, considering the unique societal and cultural dynamics at play. Labeling Muslim-majority nations as inherently homophobic doesn't justify destructive Western foreign policies, it's also essential not to downplay the reality of homophobia prevalent in these regions. Recognizing this reality doesn't equate to endorsing external interventions or justifying harmful actions-it's about understanding the complexity of the issue without oversimplification. By acknowledging the existence of homophobia within these societies, we avoid the risk of obscuring the challenges faced by LGBTQ+ individuals in Muslim-majority countries. It's crucial to confront these realities to better support and empower queer individuals within these communities, without falling into the trap of generalizations or prejudices. Your nuanced perspective highlights the importance of recognizing the complex realities while advocating for change from within these communities. Regardless of our differing approaches, your viewpoint contributes to a deeper understanding of the issue, and I genuinely appreciate your thoughtful engagement with this matter. It's through respectful dialogue and diverse perspectives that we can navigate toward a more inclusive and accepting future for all individuals, regardless of their cultural or religious backgrounds.

[@SupremeGreatGrandmaster]

There'sno such thing as "homophobia". Its just a word made up by malcontents to use to attack people who are different.

[@eypu999]

What frustrates me the most is west*erners making “plans” for us, that often times than not actually creates more h*mophobia, and doesn’t help us in the slightest. I’ve seen wes*tern lg*bts cheering for Israel to do more gen*cide against Palestinians cuz “they are the only pro lg*bt nation in the Middle East” I don’t know if they actually understand the implications of such state and/or such statements but I wonder what gets them to that level of indifference to our massacre. How they cheer for our d*struction after giving a speech about human rights. It’s interesting to witness the reaction, umm to say the least.

[@spehhhsssmarineer8961]

@@maxteeth I think part of the problem is that accepting and affirming Muslims are the exception and not the norm. Islam is incompatible with homosexuality, at least in current year. I say this as a Bisexual.

[@emilleoandresen]

Good video, i wish i could like it more than once!

[@thekatinthehat2678]

This could not have been a more timely watch for me, as I’m in the process of writing an essay about a weirdly related niche topic- the extremely gay and extremely full of military propaganda captain marvel YA novel. I’ll definitely end up citing this video in my essay because you connected so many dots in my brain. thanks hbomb for bringing me here!

[@KwnDonoghue]

Holy shit this is a great video. Keep it up!

[@Decrynox]

Great video

[@michellecrocker2485]

Exactly! The whole sexual assault thing on women in the military shows that male soldiers are still threatened

[@sarahcarpio3276]

this was really well written and a super interesting argument. thank you for making this ❤

[@rafaelfernandez6670]

Never saw this movie but the analysis helps me figure out amrcan mil agndas esp rn

[@bookisland6515]

i remember watching this movie when i was home with mono during middle school.. lol

[@muditafeeler8271]

Wow this feels v relevant rn

[@amberrichards2778]

This was a damn good video

[@theothertonydutch]

Children in uniform. Where have I seen that before? Yes, I am absolutely referencing a fascist childrens' movement from the 30's and 40's.

[@tylerbrown4483]

I think BSA is a much better parallel with a certain 1930s era German state sponsored children’s organization than is JROTC.

[@THE_REAL_POLITIK]

I am a white male, asexual, with significant disabilities feel free to gather your pitchforks. I'm going to assume the author of this video is in the age range of 20 to 25 and has little to no memory of the events of 9/11 or the election of President George W. Bush. So here it is I was sixteen on 9/11 I had family working in the Pentagon, George bush was the most unpopular president in decades having lost the popular vote and very nearly lost the electoral vote and only gained the presidency when the Supreme Court intervened after 9/11 George bush became one of the most popular presidents in history mostly in because of his response to the events of 9/11. Understand the culture was different in 2001, there was no social media, and the news existed only on T.V. and in physical newspapers all Americans felt attacked not just white Americans. The Bush administration did take steps to reduce Islamophobia when it spiked for example as part of the No Child Left Behind Act my high school world history course received a visit/lecture from an Immam who explained the main tenets of Islam, of course then the Bush administration went on to spy on Mosques but so did Obama so you win some and you lose some. Regarding Clinton and Don't Ask Don't Tell, I have a lot of issues with Bill Clinton but Don't Ask Don't Tell isn't one of them, as you may not be aware Clinton tried to allow LGBT service people to serve openly but was blocked by congress with the support of the Joint Cheifs, so Clinton wrote the Don't ask don't tell executive order it was the best he could do. Cultural development is just that development it doesn't happen all at once it's a process, but when you consider The reaction of the Joint Chiefs refusing to implement a Trump executive order to ban transgender people from serving in 2019 I would say the process is succeeding mostly. Women still get the short end of the stick in the military. Moving on to the final claim the military can have an ameliorating effect on minoritized groups, while I cannot speak to this personally, as all military services turned me away because of my disability, I did go to school with many POC who served and my father served in the Air Force; All of my classmates encouraged me to join on at least one occasion and were paying for school using the GI bill. My father grew up in a poor community and was barely able to graduate high school but thanks to the Air Force he was able to graduate with a Juris Doctorate. So yes the poverty draft can act as a way out of poverty in an oligarchic system. Just remember nuance is a thing.

[@benoitbrown9400]

"Me and my family got ours so y'all should just be happy with what you got even though it's objectively worse." TLDRed it since apparently they only communicate in text wall in your part of the country.

[@benoitbrown9400]

And as someone who was there you should STFU and stop speaking for the rest of us. No we did not all feel attacked. If you felt attacked it's because you were exhibiting the same attitude about it you are now. There was no nuance. American media always has been and always will be conservative and at the time you were either pro-america and in full support of our racism or you were fair game. If you were brown it didn't matter what you did, the governement saw you as the enemy. Case in point, as a hispanic kid No child left behind was one of the worst things that ever happened to us and had nothing to do with what you're talking about. It's truly disturbingly hiliarious watching white people try to pretend their cattle control methods are secretly good for us and everything you said makes me think you too are 20. It all sounds like you got info from a heavily slanted youtube dissection.

[@spehhhsssmarineer8961]

@@benoitbrown9400 What a gross straw man.

[@kupotenshi]

The military targeting poor people is a horrible thing. Like this essayist said, the military gives minorities and disadvantaged people false freedom from their hardships. When your leg gets blown off from a war, they dump you into the VA system.

[@michellecrocker2485]

I used to think that stone was a real B word but I’ve had some time to think about this and I have to think that she felt the need to be more tough on Kelly because she’s a free spirit in a school that has little if any room for it and she wouldn’t survive the environment if Kelly wasn’t made to understand what she was up against. Her stepdad could have prepared her but I don’t think he said but two words to so that.

[@Afterthoughts]

watching footage of pride parades makes me seethe tbh

[@cassiehosh1677]

ooooooh so THAT'S why the-one-who-shall-not-be-named (supposedly, in minecraft) was so obsessed with the nazis and their army i see i see now it makes sense

[@joshd108]

I used to love seeing gay stuff in media because to me it was bold and brave. Now it is difficult to please the audience. It’s either forced or considered pandering

[@o_o5210]

"Gives women an additional way to conform to the patriarchy" it's like a patriarchy DLC

[@Nintarie]

This is a fantastic video, and I'm glad to have watched it. Despite not being American, being more aware of this kind of indoctrination and propaganda is always a good thing, imo. Thank you ❤

[@madalynnmccarron4590]

i forgot how W Bush said "terror" until this video took me back. this was a really really well done video the comments are a bit heavy cos its a bit heavy topic.. just adding some air bubbles down here

[@poetitlan9768]

Good old American Imperialism

[@teddyfurstman1997]

Instant Sub.

[@sydney4242]

This is what Israel is doing right now. 10:58

[@simply_nebulous]

I've never seen another nationality feel as intensely about their flag as americans do.

[@SupremeGreatGrandmaster]

You say that like it's a bad thing.

[@williamj.crofts41]

​@@SupremeGreatGrandmaster.... Flags are just empty symbols made out things that eventually rot away and become dust in the wind.... It's just foolish pride; they won't save you from death and destruction..... They won't mean aa goddamn thing when you're dead

[@spehhhsssmarineer8961]

Ok?

[@reallymadnomad7330]

Wow. Signed up for a treatise on Cadet Kelly. Got something else entirely.

[@eaaronross]

Great video. This is how it has gone with literally every people, it seems. The other is untouchable until they become too powerful and then they are integrated into the new model of fascist "acceptable society", which is no more flexible than before but has just moved the goal post one notch to remain in power. We will always find new ways to subdivide and new groups to oppress. Wealth can only exists when there is poverty, and power can only exist when there is a disempowered class.

[@harrifongostudios]

This video is a fucking banger

[@angelnumbing]

YESSSSS

[@DreadPirateHistorian]

Motherland Fort Salem season 1 is typing...

[@benoitbrown9400]

11:26 you can just say James Somerton lol

[@camadams9149]

12:08 You mean a system aims to find ways of maximizing the value unique individuals can produce for the system? That sounds like a pretty good system. The only other option is complete oppression. Countries are group projects. You can't have group members actively working to destroy the project. So if a group member has no useful skills you can either kick them off the project OR find a way to use the skills they do have

[@chrisS19019]

Those interview segments look EXACTLY like the Scientology videos they put out about whatever bull they want to talk about

[@deusvult8544]

Fascinating analysis. Fukuyama was right.

[@b666rchd5]

What the hell. How does this have less than 100k views? I kinda wish you'd maybe make a sequel to this one, so it would be even more relevant. I'm from Russia, btw 🥲🫡

[@AudieHolland]

I have always liked warmovies and still do. So seeing people in uniform was never a problem for me. However, the American system of putting kids in real looking military uniforms has always made me uncomfortable. We don't have teens in uniform in The Netherlands or Germany. Don't know about France and Great Britain but if they have them, they certainly don't flaunt it like the US always does. The only other nations that are proud to present their military teenagers are China and Russia. Onwards Children Soldiers!

[@SupremeGreatGrandmaster]

China puts their kids in uniform. Why don't you complain to Xi XIn Ping? Let me know how that works out for you.

[@theblazingpearl1067]

@@SupremeGreatGrandmaster ok? that still doesn't make it right to put American children in military uniforms. just because another country (like China) does it, doesn't give us any right or justification to do it to ourselves.

[@spehhhsssmarineer8961]

@@theblazingpearl1067 What is so wrong about the uniforms? I am genuinely curious.

[@davefrompa5334]

The military isn't supposed to be a showcase for civilian social trends, Just the opposite. It's supposed to be a select group of individuals for a specific ruthless job. If your special interest group identity is more important to you than being a soldier, then STAY OUT. The military has more important things to do (like defending the country) than catering to your special interest identity group, especially if it goes against military culture. Also, if the main character of this film is a conscientious objector, then what's she doing in a military organization? She's a hypocrite.

[@toolio5268]

Did you not watch beyond the first minute? She was sent there by her father to “straighten her out”

[@kupotenshi]

You sound so brainwashed yikes

[@nianolan107]

12:34 tea, so in Boston there are 2 prides for this exact reason it’s sad but transfest is more fun 🤩

[@RatherPlayChess]

Next do a video about how Major Payne is secretly a gay movie. Cheezum Crepes. This is the most vacuuous criticism I've ever read.

[@MDonuT-of7px]

Ah yes, Homonationalism. Aka my pre-therapy personality.

[@michellecrocker2485]

Disney’s hidden talent- cultural coding

[@budsak7771]

If we can say The Disney Channel is campy then it's safe to say its shows are placed in the same status of movies such as Meatballs and Porky's. 🤣

[@adedayopeters7227]

Man, this is crazy because I felt this movie was kind gay….

[@BradKohlenberg]

Perhaps it is no surprise that someone “horny for the dictatorship of the proletariat” felt the need to do a deep dive on the bizarre evidence of an era in which her country used to be a self-sustaining civilization via the cultural commonality of patriotism; however, projecting as much gay fan fiction upon same-sex friendships in kids movies as possible was a bit weird. Thank you for the insight into your mind.

[@spehhhsssmarineer8961]

Based.