Thoughts on "Welcome to Leith"


What I respected most about the documentary Welcome to Leith was its integrity in telling two sides of a story. The filmmakers put their own reputations at risk by interacting with both sides of the conflict. It was a thin line to tread, but I felt that they did it well. The documentary makes itself vulnerable to criticisms of being an unintentional megaphone for hate speech, so it would be understandable to simply err on the side of caution and make sure to put a subtle, but definitely noticeable, spin on the final edit in favor of the townspeople. Then the film would undeniably be well-received in both festival and public release. However, the filmmakers clearly wanted to be as objective as possible in a documentary, and as a result, I felt that they preserved an additional, more profound virtue that is extremely difficult to keep in such heated circumstances, that being charity.

While the film itself documents much of the vitriol and charged dialogue exchanged between the two sides, the filmmakers interviewed and followed both groups in order to allow the audience to form their own conclusions. And while those conclusions are overwhelmingly in favor of the townspeople, I felt that the documentary was successful in helping me come to understand some of the motivations behind Cobb and others like him. As was mentioned in the Q&A following the screening, there’s a loneliness and hate there that fuel each other.

White supremacy and other forms of hatred and bigotry are inexcusable. So much is lost in drawing superficial boundaries. However, everyone is a human being with feelings and motivations. In the case of Welcome to Leith, the film's objectivity helped me realize the cycle of hate and loneliness that propels the people in these hate groups. Because of their beliefs, they are blacklisted by society, which furthers their resentment and isolation. I don't mean to suggest that we should suddenly welcome these groups with open arms and friendly smiles. That would be terribly naive. But I do applaud the filmmakers for avoiding the dangers of a single story.

Welcome to Leith asks an important question: how far are we willing to go to protect free speech? Is there a limit to that inalienable right? It's a difficult question that would almost certainly have lost its bite had only one side been represented. But because the documentary tells both the popular and unpopular stories, its message is strengthened and call to action increased. We cannot sit idly by; there must be further discussion. Fear and hate breed in ignorance, but we can stem the tide with our words and our actions to be inclusive and charitable to our fellow men and women.