The Dollar Store Jamie Lannister

September 11, 2021 4:23 PM

Confederate DESTROYS Yankee with FACTS and LOGIC (6:37)

Atun-Shei Films (an invented name) has a particular interest in early American history, especially that of New England and (current home) New Orleans. (The Racist-O-Meter is recycled from Were the Confederate Monuments of New Orleans Racist? (8:25))

The rest of the (currently seven out of a planned ten) Checkmate, Lincolnites! videos can be found here.

His other popular character is the Witchfinder General, an amusing character (e.g., The Witchfinder General Gives Spiritual Advice (14:53)) which seems to have led obliquely into today's release of the very serious In Defense of Puritanism. (1:01:36)

posted by ChurchHatesTucker (13 comments total)

And yeah, the Defense of Puritanism was the original lede until I realized Checkmate somehow hasn't been on the Blue.
posted by ChurchHatesTucker at 4:25 PM on September 11, 2021 [1 favorite]

I liked this and learned a lot. Until the shooting part - the piece didn't need that.
posted by bluesky43 at 6:57 PM on September 11, 2021 [9 favorites]

Until the shooting part - the piece didn't need that.

I suspect he would agree. The subsequent installments keep it more conversational and his character morphs into a Billy Yank counterpart to Johnny Reb.
posted by ChurchHatesTucker at 8:35 PM on September 11, 2021 [2 favorites]

The difference between 3% and 30% owning slaves. Searching for stats on this, I found this:

https://socialequity.duke.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/8.10.20.pdf

3.22 percent of the population of the 15 slave states were slave owners.

But then they point out that includes the population of slaves. If the original point is why did these states go to war, I don't think they consulted the slaves on this decision.

5.67 percent of the free population of the confederacy were slave owners

But that's still less than 30% what's going on? They then point out, basically, a man could have a wife and children, and other relatives, who are all in some way benefiting from the labour of those slaves, even if only the one man is listed as the legal owner.

So, according to the Census of 1860, 30.8 percent of the free families in the confederacy owned slaves.

So that's where those two numbers seem to come from.
posted by RobotHero at 10:43 PM on September 11, 2021 [38 favorites]

This might be watchable without the... whatever is going on with the character he's created to represent the stupid and racist comments. That accent and whatever he is doing with the mouth... sheesh.

Contrapoints is the only person I've seen do this kind of thing (creating a character to argue against) without making me want to die of secondhand embarrassment - perhaps because she somehow shows empathy and understanding for her characters and who they represent, even when they're pretty reprehensible.

Sorry! I hope that this works for some people and that they learn something about confederate myths but I fear that the people he wants to reach are going to be so turned off by the character he's created to represent their views that they won't hear it - so effectively he's just preaching to the converted.
posted by cilantro at 2:50 AM on September 12, 2021 [7 favorites]

Sorry! I hope that this works for some people and that they learn something about confederate myths but I fear that the people he wants to reach are going to be so turned off by the character he's created to represent their views that they won't hear it - so effectively he's just preaching to the converted

The straight man he's created as a counterpoint to the rebel seems like an arrogant college student who is telling us what we already know. The whole thing unfortunately feels like an improv sketch that might need some time to tighten up.

Maybe if they took out the internet-bits, "lol," out of the Confederate character's speech and made the counterpoint also a Johnny Reb character who just happens to disagree?
posted by geoff. at 2:55 AM on September 12, 2021 [2 favorites]

I like Atun-Shei Films, but [adjusts hipster belt] I prefer his earlier work – before he went all-in on the character dramas.

Were the Confederate Monuments of New Orleans Racist?
Poverty Point: Louisiana's Forgotten Prehistoric Civilization
The Rise and Fall of the Tremé Neighborhood
Slavery in New Orleans
posted by escape from the potato planet at 3:53 AM on September 12, 2021 [1 favorite]

Maybe if they took out the internet-bits, "lol," out of the Confederate character's speech

I thought the direct quotes from online comments was the most worthwhile part of this. By juxtaposing the old-timey accent and dress with actual, modern words, he REALLY highlights how pervasive and current the lies of the Confederacy are. They may not look or sound like Johnny Reb, but their words are just as poisonous.

Likewise, I took the shooting at the end to be the equivalent of punching a Nazi. I am always here for punching Nazis/Confederates.
posted by basalganglia at 7:33 AM on September 12, 2021 [5 favorites]

A Confederate soldier with a Swedish accent?

It's not important. Just curious.
posted by mule98J at 8:36 AM on September 12, 2021

Sorry! I hope that this works for some people and that they learn something about confederate myths but I fear that the people he wants to reach are going to be so turned off by the character he's created to represent their views that they won't hear it - so effectively he's just preaching to the converted.

I agree. Despite the factual info I thought it was cringeworthy overall. Like a parady of "wokeism". And the racist meter thing which then reached "Hitler" level was even dumber.
posted by Liquidwolf at 10:11 AM on September 12, 2021 [1 favorite]

Yeah, could have done without the shooting at the end. Don't give the other side that sort of imagery to use.
posted by Catblack at 1:07 PM on September 12, 2021

Yeah, could have done without the shooting at the end. Don't give the other side that sort of imagery to use.

I wouldn't worry; the other side isn't watching this.

(Also he's not giving them that imagery - they've already got tons of it)
posted by tzikeh at 1:24 PM on September 12, 2021 [2 favorites]

I find this recent video more compelling than the linked video.
posted by Pendragon at 3:20 PM on September 12, 2021 [1 favorite]