Posted on 12/28/2005 3:49:53 PM PST by conservativecorner
WHEN YOU THINK about it, World War II was far from black and white. Sure, the German and Japanese militarists were evil, but Britain and the United States did terrible things too. They killed hundreds of thousands of German and Japanese civilians, and they allied themselves with the Soviet Union, which was every bit as awful as the Axis. The outcome was ambiguous because, although Germany and Japan were defeated, the Iron Curtain descended from Eastern Europe to North Korea.
Yet for 60 years, Hollywood has had no problem making movies that depict World War II as a struggle of good versus evil. Rightly so. Because for all the Allies' faults, they were the good guys.
For some reason, Hollywood can't take an equally clear-eyed view of the war on terrorism. The current conflict, pitting the forces of freedom against those of Islamo-fascism, is every bit as clear cut as World War II. Yet fashionable filmmakers insist on painting both sides in shades of gray, as if Israeli secret agents or American soldiers were comparable to Al Qaeda killers. Two of the most serious holiday flicks — "Syriana" and "Munich" — are case studies in mindless moral relativism and pathetic pseudo-sophistication.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
This country's mass news media has been almost completly usurped by the "One World Socialists". Thank God for the likes of right wing talk radio and Fox News.
Don't forget "Kingdom of Heaven". If they had portrayed the Muslims as the bad guys I would have gone to see it.
"the United States did terrible things too. They killed hundreds of thousands of German and Japanese"
At the time these decisions were being made, the outcome of the war was anything but certain. It's easy now to look back and argue that we could have won with one hand tied behind our back, but it would have been irresponsible to fight the war like that, especially considering what we knew was at stake.
The answer is very simple, really.
The ability to distinguish between good and evil automatically assumes a conscience. A conscience automatically assumes the ability to take responsibility. Responsibility automatically assumes the ability, and requirement, to act.
The root of the "problem" is the ability to act.
Action requires risk. In this case, action against evil requires risk to life and limb, in a real sense, that most people who live comfortably (whether they are rich, college students on their parent's dole, or just content to be stupid)have no desire to actually do.
If you absolve yourself of the ability to act, you therefore absolve yourself of the commensurate ability to take responsibility, the need for a conscience, and finally, the need to recognize good and evil.
This is the crux of the anti-war movement now, and way back in the 1930's.
The reason Hollywood's rolling in the stacks from box office receipts.
Max, you A$$HOLE. We were the good guys. They were the bad guys who slaughtered Jews, Chinese, Koreans, Phillipinos, Catholics, Romas, and everybody who disagreed with them. Sounds pretty damn black & white to me.
C'mon. This was WRITTEN by one of those one-world-socialists--Max Boot works for the CFR. The only difference between CFR and Hollywood is CFR doesn't mind extending its dominion by conquest, and Hollywood prefers to propaganda-bludgeon its victims into submission. Both agree 100% that the world ought to be one happy place full of fuzzy bunnies and soft duckies where people all love one another and drink a Coke together and an enlightened government that runs the whole planet will make it so.
The enlightened government being them, of course.
Moral relativism goes against the core of what storytelling is. Even tired formulas like 'the evil corporation versus the plucky lawyer' or 'the corrupt police officers versus the guy who's just looking for the truth' are more engaging than a story without moral context.
There was a part of the movie 'The American President' where Michael Douglas gives an impassioned speech about why he's a member of the ACLU and why everyone else should be. I don't agree with it in the slightest, but I find the passion the character shows entertaining. The conflict was interesting. Angst and moral indecision simply doesn't engage audiences for long.
"It's easy now to look back and argue that we could have won with one hand tied behind our back, but it would have been irresponsible to fight the war like that, especially considering what we knew was at stake."
Yet for some reason we fight in Iraq and Afghanistan like the outcome there is certain.
It isn't just Hollyweird that's doing this sort of thing. Too many novelists are, as well. I'm currently reading David Baldacci's new book, "The Camel Club." Normally a reader would be hard pressed to find even a hint of Baldacci's politics in his novels. He's a superb writer and I'm a fan.
Unfortunately, this new book it about a terrorist plot against the POTUS, and Baldacci gives his characters a thoroughly Leftist point of view about everything from Iraq to their favorite U.S. president (Jimmy Carter).
Sigh. It's getting so there is almost no relief from Leftist propaganda any place in popular culture anymore.
I am amazed this made it into the LA Slimes.
Um NO. The inability to make critical distinctions and objective judgments is the hall mark of CHILDISH intellects, NOT a mature adult mind.
This goes far beyond Hollywood. The entire socialist Left -- all around the world -- refuse to see this war for what it is: an epic collision of cultures, with the minority culture determined to ascend, and the dominant culture apologetic for its success.
> Britain and the United States did terrible things too.
Those silly freedom-people: they started it. Forgot to invite the Axis to take over. No manners! 'Twas their own fault they got attacked!
> They killed hundreds of thousands of German and Japanese civilians,
Mindless and unprovoked violence against Innocents! For shame, freedom-people! The Axis would *never* do that!
> and they allied themselves with the Soviet Union, which was every bit as awful as the Axis.
The Soviets forgot to invite the Axis to take over. No manners! It's their own fault they got invaded by Nazis!
a high-ranking member of the government ( i.e. legislative, executive or military )
Communists are also given a free pass.
BINGO!
Funny they made plenty of movies about Arab terrorists when Clinton was President and prior to 911... but, now that their scripts have come true they don't want anything to do with the subject.
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