Top: Dub Lawrence & Erna Stewart. Bottom: Rob Schenck & Lucy McBath
Credit Jared Jakins/ Jeff Hutchens
- Broadcasts of Acclaimed INDEPENDENT LENS Films Peace Officer and The Armor of Light Will be Followed by Town Hall Conversations Hosted by NPR's Michel Martin -
ARLINGTON, VA; April 25, 2016 - PBS announced today that ARMED IN AMERICA, a special two-night television event exploring the nation's rising gun violence, is scheduled for Monday and Tuesday, May 9-10, 2016. ARMED IN AMERICA centers around two acclaimed documentaries presented by INDEPENDENT LENS: Peace Officer, about a former sheriff who, after establishing and training Utah's first SWAT team, raises questions about the dangers of what he sees as the increased militarization of police when that same unit kills his son-in-law 30 years later (airs Monday, May 9, 9:00-10:30 p.m. ET on PBS, check local listings), and The Armor of Light, which profiles the faith journeys of two Christians as they fight gun violence: the mother of a teenage shooting victim and an evangelical minister who questions whether one can be both pro-gun and pro-life. (airs Tuesday, May 10, 8:00-9:30 p.m. ET on PBS, check local listings). One-hour town hall conversations about the issues presented in the films will immediately follow both broadcasts. Viewers will be able to watch the two-night event on-air and online via a live stream simulcast on pbs.org/armedinamerica, and are encouraged to engage in the conversation using the hashtags #PeaceOfficerPBS and #ArmorOfLightPBS.
Michel Martin, weekend host of NPR's All Things Considered, will moderate these special discussions. Both ARMED IN AMERICA town halls will be taped at the Northland Church in Longwood, Florida, on Wednesday, April 27.
PBS is committed to presenting programs that focus on critical issues facing our nation and providing a platform for discussion, said Marie Nelson, Vice President, News and Public Affairs, PBS. While the debate over guns may divide our country, the devastating toll of gun violence is something that everyone is united against. We hope the broadcast of these films, and the town hall conversations to follow, will help foster a public dialogue around these complex issues.
Peace Officer' and The Armor of Light' are two powerful films that present unexpected perspectives on gun violence, said Lois Vossen, INDEPENDENT LENS executive producer. Former sheriff Dub Lawrence asks what is happening to law enforcement when officers sworn to serve the public appear to be using increasingly aggressive tactics against that public. And conservative evangelical minister Rob Schenck finds himself at odds with many other Christians as he asks whether being pro-gun is consistent with being pro-life. Probing deeply into some of the most difficult questions facing our country, these films urge us to take a hard look at our nation and ourselves.
As a multi-platform initiative, ARMED IN AMERICA will also deliver content and conversation through a robust digital presence and social media discussion. Live perspectives shared on social media during the broadcast will be directly integrated into the on-air broadcast and aggregated online in a social hub for continued dialogue and discussion.
Full details of both films and their subsequent town hall conversations follow:
Winner of both the Grand Jury and Audience Awards for Best Documentary at the 2015 SXSW Film Festival, Peace Officer examines the increasingly militarized state of American police through the story of William Dub Lawrence, who uses his investigative skills to uncover the truth about not only his son-in-law's death but other officer-involved shootings in his community, while tackling larger questions about the changing face of peace officers nationwide. Directed by Scott Christopherson and Brad Barber, Peace Officer premieres on INDEPENDENT LENS, Monday, May 9, 2016, 9:00-10:30 p.m. ET (check local listings) on PBS.
Peace Officer will be followed at 10:30 p.m. by ARMED IN AMERICA: Police & Guns, a one-hour town hall conversation exploring whether U.S. police forces are becoming increasingly militarized. Among those confirmed to participate in this conversation are Mr. Lawrence; Betty Taylor, former Winfield, Mo. Police Chief and SWAT Team Member; Clifton Kinnie, student activist; Anthony Batts, former Commissioner of the Baltimore Police Department; Richard Beary, University of Central Florida Police Chief; and Susan Rahr, Seattle Precinct Commander.
The Armor of Light follows two people of faith who come together to explore the contradictions of a nation rife with gun violence: Reverend Dr. Rob Schenck, an evangelical minister who is trying to find the courage to preach about the growing toll of gun violence in America, and Lucy McBath, the mother of Jordan Davis, an unarmed teenager who was murdered in Florida and whose story casts a spotlight on the state's Stand Your Ground laws. Directed by Abigail Disney and produced and co-directed by Kathleen Hughes, The Armor of Light premieres on INDEPENDENT LENS Tuesday, May 10, 2016, 8:00-9:30 p.m. ET (check local listings) on PBS.
The Armor of Light will be followed at 9:30 p.m. by ARMED IN AMERICA: Faith & Guns, a one-hour town hall conversation exploring the relationship between faith and guns in America. Reverend Schenck and Ms. McBath are among those confirmed to participate in this conversation, along with Reverend Joel Hunter, Pastor of Northland Church; Shane Claiborne, Evangelical community organizer; Dianna Hobbs, Christian blogger; Dr. Karen Swallow Prior, Professor at Liberty University; Reverend Kenneth Blanchard, author of Black Man with a Gun; and Troy Newman, President of Operation Rescue.
The town hall conversations will be moderated by award-winning journalist Michel Martin, weekend host of NPR
Most recent headlines
04/08/2024
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, is excited to announce Santiago Solanas as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO)....
03/06/2024
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, a...
07/05/2024
The Bulls are back home again this week from May 7-12! Don't miss out on any...
06/05/2024
By Ilyse McKimmie
Now, more than ever
That's a phrase so often used in the last few years that I've come to dread seeing it in notes like this one. A...
06/05/2024
alt= class=wp-image-12099 data-lazy-src=/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Blog-Exabyte-Storage-Demand-960x540-1.jpg/> Demand for storage solutions has reached unprece...
06/05/2024
Around the world, Asian and Pacific Islander (API) artists continue to impact mu...
06/05/2024
Spotify is making it easier for booklovers to count down the days, hours, minutes, and seconds until a new audiobook releases. With Countdown Pages for audioboo...
06/05/2024
Get Ready to join Dan Hong as he hits the streets in his ultimate culinary journ...
06/05/2024
In this video, cinematographer Simon Rowling welcomes viewers behind the scenes as he lights a daytime-interior scene inside a coffee shop. Shooting on Panavisi...
06/05/2024
L3Harris is well positioned to support the complex and multifaceted nature of special operations forces in all domains through our agile and responsive technolo...
06/05/2024
OAKVILLE, Ontario As part of Emergency Preparedness Week, Alert Ready, Canadas national public alerting system, will be distributing a test alert to Canadians i...
06/05/2024
NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. Horowitz Research has released a new study on the viewing and media habits of U.S. Hispanic/Latine audiences that shows a dramatic decline in...
06/05/2024
RE:Vision Effects Autograph 2024.4 released! 50% Off Through May 9th
Brie Clayton May 6, 2024
0 Comments
New game-changing motion graphics & VFX featu...
06/05/2024
NBC has renewed Night Court for a third season. The courtroom comedy was on the network from 1984 to 1992, and NBC rebooted it in early 2023....
06/05/2024
ABC has revealed its summer schedule. The Bachelorette gets going Monday, July 8, with Jenn Tran the star in season 21. Celebrity Family Feud starts up Tuesday,...
06/05/2024
It's almost go-time for the Holly Springs Salamanders! The season opener is ...
06/05/2024
RT has announced details of its coverage across digital, TV and Radio in the ru...
06/05/2024
For years, radio stations have used on-premises servers to broadcast content and manage automation, traffic, and billing systems. As technology continues to adv...
06/05/2024
06 May 2024
AI and Big Data Take the Centre Stage in Central Asia at Beetech 20...
06/05/2024
FIRST LOOK AT JIM PARSONS & MAYIM BIALIK REPRISING THEIR ROLES FROM THE BIG BAN...
06/05/2024
NBC Sports and Churchill Downs Extend Historic Partnership, Kentucky Derby to Be...
06/05/2024
Beverly Hills Aerials, LIV Golf Make Australian-Broadcast History by Flying Live...
06/05/2024
Back to All News
Watch the Trailer for A Part of You - Felicia Maxime, Edvin Ry...
06/05/2024
Leadership in 12G-SDI for low impact migration to 4k production...
06/05/2024
Press release - 6 May 2024 07:31
STATEMENT CONCERNING EUTELSAT GROUP'S GROUND NETWORK Facebook
LinkedIn
Twitter
Download as PDF
Paris, 06 May 2024 ...
06/05/2024
Tyngsboro, Mass. - May 6, 2024 - Join us at InfoComm 2024 to experience the latest advancements in live production technology. From June 12-14, 2024, at the Las...
06/05/2024
To champion global movements to protect and advance equality for LGBTQ+ communities, Apple is introducing a new Apple Watch Pride Edition Braided Solo Loop, ava...
06/05/2024
Actress Matseliso Mohale has joined Muvhango'Talented actress Matseliso Mohale has joined SABC2's soapie Muvhango' as Vhangani's lover and a c...
06/05/2024
Tonight on Smoke and Mirrors: Leroy refuses to give up fighting to bury MthethoDon't miss Monday, 6 May's riveting episode of South African soapie Smoke...
06/05/2024
Intrinsic, a software and AI robotics company at Alphabet, has integrated NVIDIA AI and Isaac platform technologies to advance the complex field of autonomous r...
06/05/2024
Cybersecurity experts at the RSA Conference this week will be on the hunt for ways to secure their operations in the era of generative AI.
They'll find man...
06/05/2024
1) What is the rationale of the transaction? What is the benefit for SES shareholders?
This combination creates a stronger and more competitive multi-orbit ope...
05/05/2024
A special evening performance by multiplatinum singer Becky G will provide a memorable conclusion to TeievisaUnivision's Casa Cultura upfront event on May 1...
05/05/2024
Giant media buyer Publicis is telling network sales executives that it does not think Nielsen's new panel-plus-big-data currency is ready for this upfront....
05/05/2024
WASHINGTON Glenn Kirschner, legal analyst at NBC News, blasted the media for referring to the New York trial of former President Donald Trump as a hush-money ...
05/05/2024
Catchy Comedy's weekend marathon sees The Beverly Hillbillies on the weekend of May 4-5. The event kicks off Saturday, May 4 at 11 a.m. ET, and runs through...
05/05/2024
NBC Sports has the 150th Kentucky Derby Saturday, May 4. The coverage begins at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock and the feature race at Churchill Downs in Louis...
05/05/2024
Back to All News
Netflix Announces New Comedy Series Roosters, Starring Jeroen ...
05/05/2024
Back to All News
Showdown Alert: Baki Hanma VS Kengan Ashura' Drops Electr...
04/05/2024
NEW YORK As the Asian Pacific American Heritage Month kicks off in May, Nielsen has released an extensive new report diving into their media habits with data sh...
04/05/2024
PHILADELPHIA As National Military Appreciation Month gets underway, Comcast has announced several new initiatives to help veterans, service members, and their f...
04/05/2024
WASHINGTON, D.C. Federal Communications Commission chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel has announced a tentative agenda for the May Open Commission Meeting scheduled...
04/05/2024
The Broadband Forum has announced major enhancements to key 5G convergence standards that the group said will help advance next-generation applications, improve...
04/05/2024
Spotify Wrapped Campaign Spot Graded With DaVinci Resolve Studio
Brie Clayton May 3, 2024
0 Comments
Blackmagic Design today announced that Colorist M...
04/05/2024
Three Boston Conservatory at Berklee Alums Nominated for Tony Awards An additional eight alums and two current students performed in nominated productions.
...
04/05/2024
New faces and new storylines': What to expect on Izingane ZeS'thembu...
03/05/2024
An innovative learning tool to help media and civil society better understand ho...
03/05/2024
PARK CITY, UTAH - JANUARY 21: (L-R) Actors K stutis Cic nas and Greta Grinevi i t , Director Marija Kavtaradze and Producer Marija Razgute attend the 2023 Sunda...
03/05/2024
If you aren't familiar with Danny Ocean's music, it's only a matter ...
Top: Dub Lawrence & Erna Stewart. Bottom: Rob Schenck & Lucy McBath
