Funny movie for a serious cause

A seriousness of purpose brought together 25 citizens Thursday for an otherwise casual evening of movie-watching and snacks at the

Thursday night's film, the 1997 comedy "Wag the Dog," was put on by the Healdsburg Peace Project, which screens a political documentary or political satire one Thursday a month as part of a campaign to educate local citizens about American political policies that group members decry as unjust.

“Our sense is that the reason the United States gets involved in unjust wars is that the American people are ignorant about foreign affairs, about how their government works and about how the mass media – the other mass media, not you – works to deceive the public,” said Robert Nuese, a member of the Healdsburg Peace Project who manned the film projector during Thursday's event.

Nuese said the group usually shows political documentaries, but throws in a political satire once in a while to mix things up. In the fictional satire, "Wag the Dog," American government officials create a fake war in Albania to distract the public from a crisis that threatens to derail the U.S. President's re-election campaign.

Nuese said "Wag the Dog "was the 42nd film shown by the Healdsburg Peace Project, and that its next movie would be "Inside Job," a 2010 documentary that explores the roots of the United States' fiscal meltdown in 2008.

Attendees at Thursday's function arrived with re-usable tote bags filled with provisions – wine, bread, cheese, fruit, soda, sparkling water, cookies, olives and baked potato chips – that many enjoyed with the film.

The meeting was kicked off with a series of announcements about forthcoming political events, including a Santa Rosa rally to support democracy in Egypt. Healdsburg Peace Project members partake in a variety of different political rallies and get-togethers to promote progressive causes, Nuese said. The group holds a “peace vigil” every Thursday night at the Healdsburg Plaza, except on movie nights.

“I've been involved all my life in the peace and justice struggle,” said Heidi Marino. “I was part of the movement against the Vietnam War when I came of age, after I came to the United States (from Switzerland).

"I've been with this group for over eight years," she added, "and we have not missed one single Thursday the whole time.”