New Hanover County's Library looks at the impact of war on the home front with a new weekly film series.By Megan V. Williams
Wilmington, NC – From women in the workplace to veterans ignored by the public, the United States' modern wars have left major changes on the domestic landscape. A new film series at the New Hanover County Main Library attempts to bring some of those consequences home.
The four documentaries, screening on the first three Wednesdays and final Tuesday in March, cover the stateside impact of American wars in the last 50 years, from Korea to the current conflict in Iraq.
Following each documentary, UNCW professors will lead discussions on the war's legacy in American society. Audiovisual Librarian Marie Spencer organized the series and says all views will be welcome.
"We don't want to polarize people, we want to share our beliefs and share our thoughts and just bring it out onto the table," she says.
It's a personal issue for Spencer; she's had family members fight in several of the covered conflicts. She expects many viewers will share first-hand experiences in the post-film discussions.
"It's part of our mission to facilitate public discourse," Spencer notes, "and I think this is a way of making people aware that you're more impacted than you think you are."
The films, which screen at 10:30 in the morning, are in part an attempt to bring in older patrons who don't usually attend the library's evening events. Spencer says that if the series is a hit, the library will consider re-running it at a later time.
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For more information on the 'Thinking... About War' film series, click here and scroll down.