Let me share my thoughts on the movie Oppenheimer, which I attended on its opening night in Palo Alto at the 7:00 PM showing. As a disabled individual, I was assigned seat E2 and had to sit in the handicapped seat located on top of the theater, as using the stairs was not an option for me.

When I purchased my ticket online from the Emerson St theater  in Palo Alto, their website indicated that the movie was nearly sold out. However, upon arrival, I was surprised to see that the occupancy was only around 75% at best. This experience reminded me of how certain organizations manipulate ticket sales, such as the Church of Scientology’s bulk purchases of Tom Cruise movies or movie production houses giving away tickets for free reviews to create a buzz. 

In my opinion, Oppenheimer glorifies individuals responsible for the creation of weapons of mass destruction. The film attempts to humanize their actions, which resulted in events such as Trinity, Hiroshima, Nagasaki, and over 1000 nuclear tests in the US alone. Unfortunately, the movie fails to reflect on the impact these actions had on the victims of atomic blasts, the victims in Japan, the victims of nuclear energy accidents, or even the 1000 tests themselves. Ultimately, it is three hours of disjointed theater that overlooks the true consequences.

It is disheartening to think that our society, with over $800 billion spent on the military, has cultivated a generation fascinated by violence and technology, supporting movies like this. I have no doubt that it will receive awards, accolades, and generate significant streaming income. It seems both Hollywood and the tech industry excel at profiting from the war machine, essentially making blood money.

However, there is an alternative response to this movie. We are organizing an event to commemorate the anniversary of Hiroshima Day, which claimed the lives of 160,000 people. The event will feature a Hiroshima Survivor, as well as representatives from Roots Action, Common Dreams, Veterans For Peace, The Church of Fellowship of All People, and four talented comedians and musicians. Rather than glorifying individuals like Oppenheimer, our event aims to initiate meaningful discussions and even find humor in their inhuman actions. I invite you to join us for the Harmony for Humanity Hiroshima Day Event.  

Please join us for the NotYourOppenheimer.com event on August 6th at 6:00 PM.

Thank you for taking the time to consider my review and invitation.

Sincerely,

Vahid Razavi