Deputized, the new documentary about the political and social context surrounding the 2008 murder of Marcelo Lucero, will air on WLIW Channel 21 on Sunday, September 22nd, at 5:30 p.m. The film is an excellent exploration of the ways in which anti-immigrant political rhetoric created a climate of fear for immigrants and deputized young men to go out and attack them. I have participated in a half-dozen showings of the film, including speaking on panels after the showings. The film has always been highly praised by all who saw it. Since the showings were in classrooms or at art theaters, typically the audiences were a hundred or so people. The fact that tens of thousands of Long Islanders will finally get to see this important documentary on TV on Sunday is extremely gratifying.
Many of you reading this article experienced the events leading up to the killing, as well as the aftermath, in real time. Some of you know members of the Lucero family. A few may even know relatives of the attackers. I am certain that my readership includes some of the most knowledgeable people in the country on the Lucero case. Even so, you will learn something from this film.
I am going to write more about the film Deputized over the next few days, but I would ask you to help make sure that as many Long Islanders see it as possible by using your facebook and twitter accounts and your blogs, listserves, and organizational websites to spread the news that the film will be on this Sunday. Joining in this social media effort to encourage our neighbors to watch the film Sunday night will help insure that there are no more lynchings on Long Island. You may also want to encourage your congregation or organizations to hold a watch party so you can discuss the film afterwards.
