The Activist Ady Barkan

• 💡 The film "Not Going Quietly" follows Ady Barkan, an activist diagnosed with ALS, who became a prominent voice for healthcare reform.
• 🎯 Barkan's activism began with efforts to reform the Federal Reserve to include representation for low-wage and unemployed workers.
• 🤝 Bradley Whitford first met Ady Barkan at an action for Dreamers, where Barkan's fearless and joyful warrior spirit, even while facing counter-protesters, deeply impressed Whitford.

The Power of Storytelling

• 🎬 Whitford brought the story to the Duplass brothers, emphasizing the need to tell Barkan's story with fundamental storytelling principles and allowing creative freedom.
• ✨ The film is described as not sentimental, but rather an effective portrayal of Barkan's activism and impact on healthcare policy.
• 🏥 Barkan was instrumental in shifting the healthcare issue from a political liability for Democrats to a winning issue, making it impossible to deny healthcare access.

Difficult Choices and Personal Sacrifice

• 💔 The film touches on the excruciating choice Barkan faces between fighting for a cause and spending time with his family, acknowledging the personal toll and missed moments.
• 😔 While Barkan endures unthinkable suffering, he also wants the world to know that he is happy, finding meaning in his activism.
• 🩺 Whitford discusses the difficult decision regarding ventilator use for ALS patients, noting the personal and financial implications.

Critiquing Political Obstructionism

• ⚠️ Whitford expresses strong disapproval of Democrats like Kyrsten Sinema who obstruct popular healthcare provisions, calling their actions "obscene and morally bankrupt."
• 💰 He suggests Sinema become a lobbyist if her priority is self-aggrandizement and financial gain, rather than public service.
• 🗣️ Referencing Ady Barkan's approach, Whitford advocates for appealing to politicians like Sinema and Manchin by highlighting the political power of doing the right thing and the broad public support for measures like negotiating drug prices.

Politics as Moral Action

• 🌱 Whitford, raised Quaker, believes faith requires action and that politics is the arena where moral visions are realized, more so than culture alone.
• 🏛️ He laments the current political landscape, where the right understands government as a tool for their moral vision, while many progressives are disengaged or cynical.
• ✊ Whitford emphasizes that action is the antidote to despair, drawing inspiration from figures like Nelson Mandela and civil rights heroes who fought against immense odds.

"Not Going Quietly" and Future Projects

• 📺 "Not Going Quietly" is available on Amazon and will air on PBS in January, with a website (notgoingquietly.com) for streaming information.
• 🎭 Whitford is currently performing as Ebenezer Scrooge in a new adaptation and will return to "The Handmaid's Tale," also planning to direct this year.
• 🗳️ He reflects on the show "The West Wing," noting that while it depicted a different era with more bipartisan cooperation, it accurately captured the difficulty of achieving political goals and the importance of persistent action.