Author of the article is quite brave to open up in such a manner, considering his matzoh is buttered in Hollywood. But very persuasive, almost makes me want to purchase a gun and re-register as a Republican...
By the way, that radio talkshow host's new fiance...a Jewish news reporter on not-so-Republican CNN.

Kudos Robert!!

Unfortunately, it has been my life experience that most liberals I have dealt with were two faced and they only had time to see the world from their perspective. If they didn't have the facts, which they rarely did, they resorted to ad hominem attacks.

However, what disapoints me more is the many Orthodox Jews I have met that still think being conservative(or Republican) is akin to pratically converting.

Hopefully with loons like Cindy Sheehan running amok and blmaing the Jewish cabal will wake up the sheep among us.

Shabbat Shalom!!

If only it were easier in this country to express shades of opinion without party alignment. Republican, Democrat, conservative, liberal. I find it hard to find meaning in any of those labels. If you ran down my own position list, in matters of education, social security and welfare, health care, energy policy and the environment, you'd probably call me a liberal. On most of these issues, I disagree heartily with Mr. Bush.

But in just about everything else, and certainly so far as the Middle East, well, I don't have much in common with anyone who would call themselves liberal. Nor do I have any patience with apologists for terrorists, here, in Israel, or anywhere else. The double standard for Israel has always existed and always will--who in America would object to building a wall if by doing that we could keep out suicide bombers?

But just as there are liberals who refuse to see the dangers of the Arab world, there are conservatives who are willfully blind to the real dangers of climate change. There are fools on both sides and always will be. Whatever you call yourself, it's just a name--what matters, in public policy and everywhere else, is what you do, what you think, and how wide you are willing to open your eyes to things you might not want to see.

Abby: Thank you for writing. Simply put: The Democrats cannot be trusted with national defence or foreign policy, therefore labels matter a great deal. To ignore such matters is a retreat into a utopian mode of thought that leaves one's cognitive senses in tatters.

I gave you a plug.

Brilliant article, Robert. I am printing it out this very minute to give to my father, the only Jewish Republican I ever knew in the liberal mecca I grew up in (Cleveland, OH).

It sickens me to hear that your scripts kept getting "dumbed down."

By the way, do you read Daniel Pipes? He is another brilliant Jewish conservative and an expert on Islamic Fundamentalism. I am a huge fan of his.

Stacey: I greatly respect Daniel Pipes and wish that he had more influence on our national and international policy. Say hello to your dad for me.

Thanks for writing this - I haven't had the pleasure of reading it yet (the delivery of my Jewish Press has been slow, so I'm glad you've published it here!), but I'm sure I'll get a chance during Shabbos.

Have a wonderful Shabbos,
Kol tuv,
Rachel :)

With respect to Hollywood, fear works. The reason you seldom see Hollywood fairly and accurately depict terrorists as Muslim (whatever would they do without the ghost of Timothy McVeigh?) is that Hollywood knows that when Muslim terrorists make threats, they are not to be taken lightly. Islam is willing to kill where other faiths are not, and the wealthy and comfortable people who run Hollywood adjust their product accordingly.

It pains me to say this, but I think your best shot at writing the sort of screenplays you want to write and seeing them on the big screen is to work with Christians like Mel Gibson. The cultural left is too firmly entrenched in the major studios for someone like you to be able to work his way up the food chain sub rosa, and in any event you are now out of the closet. If you want to change things, you will have to follow the lead of conservatives in other media and create spaces independent of the current elites.

Talk to Mel Gibson. Talk to Rush. They did it, and so can you.

I read your article today, your experiences with the networks struck me as very upsetting.
Scary how our entertainment venues are essentially abetting terrorists.
Any possibility on creating your own cable channel?

Robert, it was such a pleasant suprise to see one of my favorite bloggers' article on the front (and back) of The Jewish Press. Very well written, and interesting as well. So sorry that you have to dumb down your scripts...What a world we live in today.

Nice job.

Although I consider myself a Republican, and an extreme conservative, I must say that Bush let me down. I don't trust the Iraq war agenda anymore; everytime news develops he just repeats some favorite slogans which have no place in the current debate. His position on Israel is so frustrating! Why did he change his heart as he did? All in all, the Bush I like is the first term Bush. In the past year however, he seems to have become very shallow and, believe it or not, "flip-floppy."

Robert, very well written. Again, you make us Seraphites proud with your courage to tell the truth. Dealing with these Hollywood folks sounds absolutely brutal, where being immoral is the 'new black'. I think the only thing that would slap these people into reality is to be the direct victim of a suicide bomber (G-d forbid, of course). But then again, when they arrived at the pearly (or fiery) gates, their ACLU tourette syndrome would kick into high gear.

Seriously, what you need to do is make a new reality show, called Liberal Boot Camp. Drop them in a totalitarian oppressive country of their choice (now, now, not Israel or the US, now that would be torture!) and let them survive for 30 days, without Botox, human rights, or café lattes, and see how long they last. They’ll be whining “mommy” in no time.

Your article is, as always, beautifully written and thought-provoking.

As you know, I am a declared and committed liberal. However, I can seriously empathize with your frustration in dealing with ignorant people who insist that their view is the only correct one while refusing to be confused with facts. Know-nothings are a real pain no matter which end of the political spectrum they belong to, but having your parnassah depend on prejudiced know-nothings - well, that is absolutely outrageous.

Although I disagree with you on many issues, I sincerely hope that you will find a niche in which you will be able to express your talents as well as your own world-view.

Sara

Unlike most Jews, I have been a registered Republican since the age of 18 (and I'm now 46.) I come from a family of nothing but dyed-in-the-wool Roosevelt Democrats, who always taught me "The Democrats are the party of the workingman, and the Republicans are for the rich".

What made me see things differently, and begin my political life with campaigning for then-Governor Ronald Reagan?

Because I grew up in a union household too...my late father was the president of the Newspaper Guild, and I saw from the inside how ocrrupt labor unionism could be. I wanted nothing to do with that, and so I started investigating the Republican Party, and found I liked what I saw. I'd always been somewhat conservative on issues such as abortion, so the Republicans and I fit together perfectly.

Mr Avrech, years ago I saw A Stranger Among Us and I loved the film so much, because it, I felt, was the first sympathetic portrayal of Torah observant Jews. I made a mental note of your name, wondering who you were (my experience till then was that mostly all Hollyweird Yidden were selfhating Jews-in-name-only liberals!)

And then this week I saw your article in the Jewish Press and fell in love with you! We're about the same age, what a shame we never met years ago (ah well)... :)

Keep uo the good work! CHAZAK!

Robert, wonderful article. My burning question is how did someone with a yeshiva education turn out to be such a good writer.

My fear is that the article stokes up the negative about the film industry. Robert has managed to have several scripts produced that have touched on Jewish themes. In case you haven't seen them, here they are: There is of course, A Stranger Among Us,The Devil's Arithmetic, Brotherhood of Murder, Scandel in a Small Town.

I spoke on the phone to my brother today who was visiting NY for the week. He made it a point to tell me, "Your friend has a piece in the Jewish Press"!

It was nice to say "Thanks, I saw it; I already read it Friday on his web site."

See...blogging is good for something.

It IS a very interesting - and well-written - piece. And scary.

Just curious: any theories as to why and at what point Hollywood went from the patriotism of Capra and Dietrich to apologists such as Sean Penn and Michael Moore?

Thank you for the good read.

McAryeh: Moral relativism. Multi-culturalism. Elite University education.

Superb article.

Found it via Front Page Mag.

Will bring it to the attention of as many family and friends as possible. As well as the good folks at Little Green Footballs.

Will be dropping in here often. A pleasure to read such intelligent respectful comments.

What a fantastic article! I knew Hollywood was bad but not that bad. This might explain my not going to many movies in the last few years. I had to double check the author because I thought I was reading an article by Mark Steyn the SUN-TIMES COLUMNIST. Thank you Mr. Avrech.

I mammosh love your article. I hope you don't mind that I linked to it on my blog (as a comment on an article I wrote about liberals inspired by this article.) .. :)

I also came across your blog via this column, posted at FrontPage (though the URL is incorrect). It's a fantastic, though disturbing, column, and I'm looking forward to catching up on your posts here. BTW, I was also raised with the same political breakdown drilled in: "Democrats are for the poor and the oppressed, and Republicans are for rich people and big corporations," but with "Democrats are for the working man" added in.

g

Mr. Avrech,

I enjoyed your article, your points ring true. But I'm surprised by your surprise as coming from a Torah Jew. Perhaps you should review Neil Gabler's book AN EMPIRE OF THEIR OWN: HOW THE JEWS INVENTED HOLLYWOOD. The industry, even the feature film format, was started by a handful of businessman Jews who ferociously turned their backs on their Europeans parents observant pasts while creating their "new culture" in Hollywood. The huge mausoleum/temple on Wilshire Blvd. is a testament to their adamant construction of Reform as a counter point to their own abandoned religion. The antithesis to truth, eg. to Torah, is...falseness. So what do you expect from an industry of illusion, built by those fleeing from Torah? My question: if so outraged, why don't you quit that industry? If you had been born 100 years ago before the industry existed you would have surely found yourself in another profession. "Passion for the movies" might be misplaced in a truth-seeking life.

Robert, I respect your thoughts and opinions, and have no doubt that your experience of Hollywood is everything you say it is. What I am bothered and saddened by, are the several responses to this entry that completely denounce anyone with a different point of view (specifically, that of being "liberal"). I have always found you to be respectful of our differing view points. I am surprised by the many remarks of intolerance in these comments...but what do I know...I'm just a conservative liberal.

Great article. But they gave the wrong URL for your blog. BTW, I know what you're going through, as I've had similar experiences here in the heart of NYC's VC/technology community. All the players are not only liberal Democrats, but heavily involved personally and financially in DNC. They are the most intolerant people when it comes to any beliefs that are contrary to their own. (And I always thought that was the party of tolerance.) Which means I usually find myself listening quitely to their Anti-American, Pro-Palestinian, Mumia-loving rants and biting my tongue hoping to get a deal closed and get myself out of the room as quickly as possible. Anyhow, I think they all the liberal Democrats and progressives should be tied to a chair while someone reads them David Horowitz' "Radical Son" from cover to cover.

August 22, 2005:
I so thoroughly enjoyed your piece on Hollywood, having read it in Frontpage.com this morning. The depiction of the executives (sadly, Jewish) was quite disturbing. Your comments that they'd still be trying to negotiate while their throats were being slit is exactly the same experience I've sadly had in similar conversations. These folks are clueless beyond clueless as to the severity of the threats facing us. It's a great relief and spirit uplifter to have you as an outspoken and brave cheerleader for the truth!

Good for you, Robert! The more we hide our deeply felt convictions from those who disagree with us, the more power we give THEM. I stand up with pride to be a Conservative Republican in a Blue State. Screw them if they don't like it. They continually demand THEIR rights, but then they want to shut everyone else down. And to destroy them. The Left is the most negative, loud-mouth, bigotted group of hateful hypocrites I have ever seen, but they will insist they are "open-minded"! What a laugh! Cindy Sheehan can spew as much ugly hatred as she wants, but if we dismiss her as a lefty nutbag, then WE are the hateful ones. Give me a break. A bigot by any other name is still a bigot.

Give 'em hell, Robert. The silent majority is with you...as well as some of us not so silent ones.

That was a wonderful article. I can imagine that it was one thing to write it, and quite another thing to muster the courage to submit it.

Stay brave, brother.

Fantastic article that I can completely identify with. While I'm not a writer, I do work in Hollywood and often find myself biting my tongue as I listen to the clueless rantings of my liberal co-workers. The only time I break in is when I hear them repeating blatently false statements. I'm then shot with, "What -- do you actually like Bush?" I then have to explain that hating Bush doesn't give you the right to repeat a lie or give out inaccurate information. They just don't get it. They're so blinded by hatred that they can't take in the possibility that what they're saying is false. To do so would make them have to re-examine their very foundation -- everything they believe to be true. They simply blow me off and call me a right-winger, obviously caring not a bit for the fact that I've been a registered democrat my entire life. The answer is simply that I'm not filled with this blinding hatred.

I found your Jewish Press article disgusting.

It was basically a rehash of typical political dogma. This constant making up sides which only divides the nation. There is hardly any such
thing as an American personality anymore. Everyone belongs to one side or the other, and hates the other, like you do, and did in your article.

What did your article do to help humanity?

Why you would need to do this, if you are so successful as you say you are, is a question. Do you need the money the Jewish Press pays for
shtus like that? Or you wish to become the hip prototype cool urban galus Jew?

In terms of being an Orthodox Jew, perhaps you are not aware of how many Orthodox Jews are suffering greatly under this president bush. His
economic lack of implemented plans has caused great hardships for millions of American people, including thoose who have as you know the burden of tuitions.
I was giving this much thought. I understand that you love capitalism, because you have been successful in it. I imagine you earn high amounts
of money for your work, and probably it only goes up. So you pat yourself on the back in many Jewish press articles.

What about the people who
do not fare well under capitalism? Those whose jobs have been sold to India, many frum people for example. Do you have any feelings at all for their poverty? So I don't get this love of capitalism by what your wearing of the Yarmulke represents. It makes no sense. Why would you not focus on social issues already if you must capitalize on your name as a screen play writer.

Now don't
start calling me a commie.
I hate what the Russians did. But there is nothing so great about the
capitalism system either.I think Canada has the right idea.
Some socialism built-in to the society so that life doesn't have to be so
harsh for those who can't function in the stressfull competitive world
that you so adore.
Sure you will laugh at my concepts, rebuke you call it.
But think beyond your limits of your world. Use your power for good, not the same tired subject.

Why, pray tell, did you fall on your pen, like a noble literary samurai?

There is pretty much no way you'll get work again in that town.

Thanks for the article, it was incredible, but couldn't you have done it anonymously?

Dear Robert Avrech,
This is a lovely article - a delicate touch about a very difficult subject - the wrath of liberal peaceniks.

I turned my back on my own liberal/left after 9/11 when I realized they were exhalting mass murder as the opening gambit to dialogue - and, as a result, lost a whole raft of friends, including a Brooklyn born Jewish pal. I miss him, but we cannot talk. As you noted liberals will extend vast equanimity to Jihad terrorists while demanding perfection from our sometimes clodhopping leaders.

(A note to Jobber: You need a rich society to solve the problems that you worry about. We have that rich society. I worked at an inner city school; would you believe we had more scholarship offers than kids willing to receive them? Capitalists are not the fiends you think them. I don't want to name call but I suspect the poor are a huge abstraction to you.)
Cheers

Robert,

Thanks for a brave article. I hope your career doesn't mysteriously dry up.

Hollywood's hostility to Republicans will diminish its popularity and its product. You can't run a healthy business by needlessly antagonizing half your potential customer base, and excluding half your potential talent pool.

And as your insider account proves, even when a Republican slips through, his art is so compromised that it isn't even his art any more.

You might be rare; but, you are not alone. One of these days a bunch of Hollywood conservatives will find investors, build their own studio, write their own scripts, and make their own movies. It will probably put the rest of the industry on unemployment when they do. OK, ok....wishful thinking on my part, perhaps. But, if the deal comes thru....let me know where to invest, ok? I'm ready for some real movies!

Very strong work. You know you're winning when rather than attack your position on a specific issue, people complain about "labeling". But a label is simply a shorthand for positions on a whole lot of issues, and is therefore a useful thing. I'm pro death penalty, tax cuts, increased military spending, small federal gov't, and private gun ownership. Label me a conservative; it's easier than listing a litany of positions. The only ones who find "labeling" divisive or problematic don't want to have to defend their positions.

Lyle: Thanks for the concern about my work, but I'm a good screenwriter with a solid reputation and for the forseeable future I have more work than I can handle.

Robert: You spoke the truth of what you believe. No-one can ask more.
I'm glad to have you on my side, and wouldn't trade you for a hundred Barbra Streisands.

Mr. Avrech,

Given your response to Lyle above, it sounds like this article wasn't such a brave "career risk" after all, especially considering that 99.99% of those who should read this article won't ever see or touch that newspape. Perhaps an article in Variety or the H. Reporter would have done something real to shake things up. Is this just personal catharsis that happens to also preach to the already converted (ref: all the cheering above), or do you intend to use your clout to affect/create real change? If yes to the latter, what will you do? Please respond. Thank you.

Just read your Jewish Press piece via Okie On the Lam. Sweet! Keep on keeping on!

RE: Ariel - I saw something in the third or fourth episode of Revelations (the TV mini-series) that might provide a balm for you. One of the nuns was speaking of the lead's loss of a daughter and his inability to get over it. She said, "The magnitude of one's grief is an indication of one's love for the one they lost. The greater your grief, the greater was your love!" My paraphrase, but my prayer is that it will sooth your troubled soul. You loved him greatly!

Great piece!

I would love to hear some comments from you regarding the few other Hollywood types that have tried to buck the trend. Very few and far between, but like you, clearly smarter and more thoughtful as a small group than loudmouths like Sean Penn, Bill Maher and George Clooney.

Dennis Miller being an obvious one, but also Ron Silver, who is extremely bright (Yale educated?) and can hold his own on foreign policy and politics with anyone. Very supportive of the war on terror. He has (jokingly?) said that his stance has cost him work, and I can't say that I have seen him on tv or in the movies lately, but at least he has his principles.

Others, like Gary Sinise, have held their tongues on political issues, but have gone on to do some good work supporting the troops and Iraqi civilians.

Even Denzel Washington, who seems to not be a big fan of the Bush administration, was refreshingly dismissive of Meryl Streep in a Barbara Walters interview when Streep tried to tie the Manchurian Candidate remake to current politics. He has also been very supportive of the troops.

The common bond here is that all of these people have decided not to follow the crowd, and to think for themselves on these important subjects. Maybe a small glimmer of hope still exists in Hollywood.

Any further thoughts on this?

Robert, What I object to in this type of article is the that all it does is bring out the hate of others. In this case, people you call liberal, but I really think you mean the far left liberals. And those folks hate the conservatives. See it's all hate, cynicism, mocking others. If you are not a politician or work for one, why would you want to be like this. Take a step back and observe.

But of course, you should hate some people. Me I hate abortion clinic terrorists, some wacko liberal causes. It's this political agenda I can't take. Maybe I'm wacko. I've had a rough ride. That is why, I wish you and other successful highly successful people likw you, could devote your free time to helping others. Write about that, just be that.
That is my preference, not to worry about how the country is going. How is it going? some years are good and some suck. I happen to think it sucks now, but I feel very strongly that it will get better. So no labels on me, no gloom and doom stuff.
Well that's all, I see I am in the wrong crowd here probably, but I want people to hear me.

Ben Stein, Michael Medved.... you're in good company sir. What do you think will become of Spielberg's take on the Munich Olympics ?
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0408306/

DJ: The film is not about the slaughter of the Jewish athletes at Munich. It should be. The film will be a well made disgrace about a gulit that does not exist except in the feverish mind of a director and screenwriter who have not spoken with one of the participants in the events. But wait, Spielberg spoke to Bill Clinton. Now there's a moral authority. Oh, and let's not forget that Spielberg thinks that Castro is just a swell guy.

Hi Robert, I hope you haven't burned your bridges in Hollywood. I'm hoping that your honesty and courage will lead to better things for you.

I also liked your reply to a comment above:

Simply put: The Democrats cannot be trusted with national defence or foreign policy, therefore labels matter a great deal. To ignore such matters is a retreat into a utopian mode of thought that leaves one's cognitive senses in tatters.

Well the left is all about some Marxist/John Lennonist Utopia.

I linked to your article today. Well done and the best of luck to you.

The actor, John Rhys-Davies, of Raiders of the Lost Ark & Lord of the Rings fame, was on the Dennis Miller show last year and voiced his opinions on the 'Islamisation' of Western Europe. He received a lot of criticism for it. You can read an article about him on the below link (I don't know how to abbreviate it, I apologize!).

http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0200wales/content_objectid=13830081_method=full_siteid=50082_page=1_headline=-Welsh%2Dstar%2Din%2Drace%2Drow-name_page.html

Rachel

"Simply put: The Democrats cannot be trusted with national defence or foreign policy, therefore labels matter a great deal. To ignore such matters is a retreat into a utopian mode of thought that leaves one's cognitive senses in tatters."

Not at all. You enjoy flexing the military muscle, so what? We are getting destroyed in Iraq, in the sense that we are looking like fools and losers there.

I mean in the military imposition sense. We have not instilled fear in a large part of the Arab world. But, be optimistic, call me an alarmist, a pessimist, etc...

So I ask, what is so stupendous about these Repubs of yours in the WH?

But you know better, Bush is preventing future terrorist attacks on US soil.

Oh yeah, It's gonna take many years.

Duffesses, both parties are the same clodders. Why are you so obsessed w/ this?

Jobber,

You sound like a young and very bitter person. Robert is dead on much of what he says. I am very familiar with the Hollywood crowd from a personal level and there is much truth in what has written.

You can make all the claims you want, but they don't have much weight to them, at least not much if any more than many of the assertions that have been made here regarding the state of affairs.

And there is little to no doubt that Bush must be doing something right because we have haven't seen a successful terrorist attack within the continental US for quite some time now.

Anyway, enough of this. My apologies for interrupting.

McAryeh: To add to what Robert said "Moral relativism. Multi-culturalism. Elite University education" - another reason that Hollywood made the shift: The Vietnam War! In the 70's Actors became Activists, and its remained the same ever since!

Esther: I've been through the same experiences...both when I worked in Hollywood..and even now that I am not longer working in "the biz"
(hell ya I left!) my "biz" friends -while they love me- cannot fathom my support of Pres Bush and this war on terror. I keep my identity a secret not so I can say what must be said about the Hollywood f***wits lies but so that my biz friends will suddenly not find themselves "unable to work, get a movie made, attract the financing and celebs they need, and otherwise be forced to choose between their friendship with me and their careers. That alone speaks volumes to the small minded, bigotry that Democrats and "artistes" possess in spades, but only attribute to republicans/conservatives.

Jobber: I can 't tell if you've hard some hard luck or if youre just lazy. First off - I work hard for my money AND I DO give back to my community ALOT. Im a wish granter for Make A Wish...and I support our troups with carepackages and emails weekly..and support OperationIraqiChildren.

I LIVE IN Canada....and before you spew off your mouth about its' part-socialist virtues..come live here! In Canada we pay 2-3x the taxes you pay in the US..and I know since I paid taxes in the US for 9 yrs.

We have a health care system that is falling apart because ppl want the gov't to take care of them. Yes- a basic level of health care that all citizens should have is necessary....but our gov't is preventing private health care options..and thereby preventing me from the freedom to CHOOSE what treatments I need for myself and the option to get it in a safe and timely manner.

Canada DOES NOT have it right. Far from it. Lazy people or those who whine about hard luck..benefit while the rest of us work hard to support them through obscenely high taxes. Bad luck or not..find a way to earn a living..and stop being jealous of those of us who earn more.

Capitalism paired with democracy provides freedom and opportunity for ANYONE to come from humble beginnings and make of yourself whatever you choose. That kind of self realization is what ALL people strive for!

u..and if you can't handle working in a competitive WORLD. - then learn to stop hating those of us who DO manage to earn reasonably successful livelihoods by working hard, regardless of whether or not we enjoy a competitive global marketplace.

BTW- In a global economy..Life is just as harsh in Canada for anyone who can't "Cut it" in the competitive world you hate so much.

As for jobs being sold to India....Corporations have chosen to outsource because it provides CHEAPER products for people "who can't cut it in a competitive world" and yet still want to buy goods..it keeps the prices down...and when you raise the level of the middle class in countries such as India, Taiwan, China, through outsourcing..you find that those countries you help erradicate the conditions that breed terrorists, and are more likely to want to fight price battles..not gun battles!

Try reading Tom Friedman's Lexus and Olive Tree and his latest book -The World Is Flat.

Resourceful people find new ways to replace what was lost. The spirit of entrepreneurship is alive and will in the US and Canada.

Americans are still amoung the richest people in the world...even our lower class neighborhoods are affluent as compared to middle and lower class in most countries. You really need a major reality check!

As for your ridiculous comments about "getting destroyed in Iraq and looking like losers and fools" - it is YOU and all those like you who spew out this same bogus rhetoric that look like losers and fools since it clear you and they have NO idea of whats truly going on Iraq. You have no idea of the number of successes because you only hear about the failures ... you have no idea of the fact that Al Zarquawis right hand man ACKNOWLEGED in an email to Al Z that the "insurgency" WAS WEAKENING AND LOSING and having trouble recruiting new "radicals", because it was buried on Page 6, you have no idea that there are women in the Iraqi police force..something UNHEARD of before.. you have no ideas of the number of schools that were built and continue to be built, of the number of school kids that are finally being taught to read and write/

Instead you believe the crap and lies the mainstream media and dems spew forth, mostly contrived to lend credence to their blind hatred of a President that stood up to evil and terror. but what can you expect from DEMS....they did after all embrace Uncle Joe Stalin, and have a long history of failed appeasement.

As for your comment about "we have not instilled fear in a large part of the Arab world" I' m wondering....have you wandered thru ANY part of the Arab world? Do you READ Arab papers? Do you know any Arabs? Where have you managed to acquire such insight??

Well since I HAVE wandered through Arab world on many occasions, I DO speak Arabic, as do both my parents, and I have MANY arab friends, both Christian and Muslim, let me enlighten you.

There IS fear in the Arab world...fear at the insanity of arab terrorists who kill anyone including their fellow arabs, women, children, all while hijacking Islam, fear that democracy will not take root in Arab soil, fear that the Iraqi's will not stay the course, fear that Americans will lose heart and courage and leave Iraq too early. Oh yes.. there IS PLENTY of fear!

Yet there is also Hope.

Hope that some of the changes that are in the process of taking place in several Arab countries as a result of seeing MILLIONS of Iraqis brave terrorists and VOTE, will take root and grow. Hope that the quiet grassroot democratic movements will become loud and vocal

Hope that the challenging yet exciting process of democracy that is unfolding in Iraq will continue despite the setbacks

and Hope that a gov't ushered in by the people, for the people, will live long and prosper!

Great article Robert "We're talking about movie stars who know basically nothing about politics. To call them fools would be generous. I have spent time with too many of these people, and believe me, if you're not talking about how beautiful or how talented they are, the conversation sort of just dies" ROFLMAO! OMG...this is SO true!
Let's not forget..While working on set - they have to have their names put on the back of their chairs..or they wouldnt know where to sit! :)

Huntress: I think I love you.

Jobber: "Maybe I'm wacko..." I think this is the most logical thing you wrote.

Excellent article.

Huntress: wouldn't it have been funny if you and I had been at some of the same parties together-- secret conservatives. We never worked together, did we?

Oh, one more thing for Jobber: You mentioned tuition burdens. You'd better vote republican next time because they are the only ones who support vouchers going to Yeshiva kids.

The liberals in my community (who am I kidding, they live in the suburbs) don't give dollar one to support the local Yeshivas, but they'll get out the vote to oppose school choice.

Robert, I've found that in my profession, the only doctors who give me grief about being Orthodox are the Jewish ones.

Steve: That recalls memories from my university days. The only professors who would hassle me for observing yom tov that fell during the week was Jewish professors.
It took pressure from the university chaplain, a methodist minister, to set them straight.
It seems we find our biggest haters from our own crowd. It is really sad.

Lance:

I think we make them feel guilty. They see us coming with the yarmulke on (in my case) and we look like the Hebrew School teacher who told them to stop watching TV on Saturday, or the Grandfather who shook his head when they ate a cheeseburger, or the father who didn't speak to them for weeks when they started dating a non-Jewish girl.

I think they transfer all that guilt and animosity to any Orthodox Jew they see. I don't think it's so much that they resent us. I think it's more like we are a reminder of how much of a disappointment they've become.

Steve:

In my case, besides coming at them with a kippah, I was President of the Hillel(Jewish Student Union).
Actually, the first Orthodox student to have that title.

I think too it is a loathing for religious people in particular. The look at us like simpletons and morons. Because, of course, the ivory tower types no wayyyyyy more than G-D.

I would agree that the secular Jewish professors had major guilt.....and they attempted to lash back at what they thought was an easy target.

Dear PschoSteve and Lance, I think is much simpler than that. People fear/distrust that which they do not understand or what is different from their own experience.....hence the ongoing struggle of one group against another....the story of the ages. For many centuries it would be one villiage against another, one country against another, one religious group against another. Republicans don't understand liberals and distrust them and vice versa. At the end of the day, don't you think it is simply the human condition?

alan

Excellent point, Mr. Randi
(Look out Robert, your article has even prompted the "up til now happy to remain in the background and listen to my stories about Robert", Mr. Randi to comment)

Mr. Randi: I'm going to jump in here and add one very simple thought: it's not that we don't understand each other. It's the exact opposite.

Conservatives understand liberal thought all too well. In the current war against the Jihadists, Liberals are appeasers, or as Lenin dubbed those westerners who supported communism, "useful fools."

And Liberals understand Conservatives, at least I hope they do. We are willing to use all the power at hand to defeat the barbarians at our gates. And that includes using nuclear weapons. I hope we don't have to bomb the Jihadists into submission, but it worked just fine in Japan and Germany and people considered those societies beyond the pale.

It is the stark clarity of our positions that creates such emnity. In the end, I think that's good. At least the choices are clear.

P.S. Mr. Randi, who, pray tell, let you ut of you basement workshop?

The film is not about the slaughter of the Jewish athletes at Munich. It should be. The film will be a well-made disgrace about a guilt that does not exist except in the feverish mind of a director and screenwriter who have not spoken with one of the participants in the events. But wait, Spielberg spoke to Bill Clinton. Now there's a moral authority. Oh, and let's not forget that Spielberg thinks that Castro is just a swell guy.

I just felt the above you said, Robert, bears repeating. I'm dreading the release of this film. Spielberg is more concerned with being seen as liberal than he is with being a decent Jew. Can't. Stand. Him.

Thanks Huntress! Right on! And I'm trying to escape the industry too. You'll be my inspiration as someone who made it out alive.

So now Robert likes enmity. I don't. I would rather see Americans acting more civil. We have a violence macho society that is not a pleasurable one to live in. Sure I can leave but why should I? This is my country where I was born.

Robert, you are making too many wild assumptions. What you call the war on terror for example, how does that encompass Sadam.

The war on terror it depends on how you define it. Is it about going after the group that did 9-11? If so, then the Afghan war was a success, but the capturing of OBL is so far a failure, and the complete destruction of Al Keida, which I think will never be possible to the very last man, but as of now, they are still carrying out actions. Recently in London, and in Jordan I think I heard in the media. So what is going on w/ that part, the main part, the part that almost every American supports?

So the issue is Iraq. Also, you cannot as an American ignore Vietnam, it did happen, we did poorly there, why?

We don't know many things, who these insurgants are, were they such before.
I am not that interested in dealing w/ this war, because my point to Robert was more on his being an Orthodox Jew and at the same time, his love of free market capitalism. How do you reconcile many parts of Judaism, both Rabbanic and Divine that don't mesh w/ Capitalism? For example something I have always loved, the role of the Rabbis' in curbing certain behaviors. You had at one time, edicts enacted to prevent the rich from showing off, to hurting the feelings of the poor. There are examples in the Mishna, I can be specific but I shouldn't have to. There were in the past, the Rabbis' would assess the wealthy and they had to contribute to the upkeep of the community in all it's facets, something that does not exist anymore but is done voluntarily, but probably given the tuition problems, not enough of.
These were my concerns w/ the article, not so much conservative liberal ranting. Because this politics doesn't consume me that much, as I have to work hard. Yes it is the successful who always proclaim how hard they work, well the poor do so as well. Myself to make ends meet, I take part time work as a shlepper, that is one who helps others who can't move their stuff from the apartment to the van, I work in restaraunts, drive, clean, when it snows, I shovel for others. But there is not enough of this. Because I earn only 50,000 a year at my job, w/ children supposed to go to Yeshiva. How is this supposed to happen. Robert I invite you to visit me in my humble starter home. Perhaps you have ideas for me. I am not looking to fight, what is the profit in having these political debates?

Perhaps others have idea, I am nearly 50 yo btw. Let me hear from those who went through this financial disaster and "reinvented themselves" in this wonderful capitalism, I am referring to the jobs going to India.

I don't expect much help, there never is much, but you never know.

I did apply to the new fast food restaruants in my neighborhood. The 16 yo girl at the counter of one couldn't comprehend that I wanted to work the counter a bit, a pizza joint, (non Kosher), bec. i guess i look my age already.
And I applied to Dunkin Donuts, all of them. No response. You would think it would be easy to get such a stupid job? It is shocking. I need the cash. I have gone through the vast majority of my savings these last 3 years, and I cannot go through more.

On the train each morning for my commute I read computer manuals and books. This is a hope, but very little interviewing. Still it gives me a structure, a sense that I am moving towards a goal.

How does one re-train at age 50? W/ all the expenses of an Orthodox Jewish family? Would I want the government to help? Yes why shouldn't I ? My job is much beneath my former work.

Why can't there be a plan for people to retrain?

Do only the rich retrain?

Thank you for reading,
Jobber

Jobber I suggest get over himself. As a career coach, I identify a couple of things:

"My job is much beneath my former work." That's the way of the world, there is much less certainty now. And any sense of complaint about that makes one unemployable in the jobs that are open.

I am religious enough in my own derived tradition to suggest that you make a list of gratitude for what you have, including the treasures of your Orthodox community, and of Torah. Making a new life requires attitude transformation, not just interviews. It's a fine opportunity to live the spirit, as well as the letter, of religion.

It was an excellent article, thank you.

Much of what is happeing in Hollywood today is explained in a speech Michael Medved made at Hillsdale College, titled "War Films, Hollywood and Popular Culture". The speech is on-line at:

http://www.hillsdale.edu/imprimis/2005/May/

It's a great follow up to "Help! I`m A Hollywood Republican!", it really explains so much, so well.

- Chas

ah, It is simply not paying enough of a salary to manage on. Because the skill level required is lower than what I used to do. I understand why this is, because jobs have gone to India, and companies have set up factories in China.

The suggestion you make is a good one, but it doesn't work fully on me. I am finding that not using my potential all week long, is a depressing notion. Just because things could be worse does not compensate for this job disparity.

You know I can't even get a simple job as a server in Dunkin Donuts, as a part time job?

Unfortunately Ah if you want to enjoy the finer things in life, such as travel and good times, this req cash. Especially in a stressful warehouse floor type of work that I now must do, one needs weekends away, days at the beach. But one doesn't have the spare cash ah.

Attitude adjustment will not help that.
A better US economy will. I can't see how this war has helped the economy, maybe you know better.

About the left leaning media in the USA, I have always maintained that they balance out.

Take for example the war in Iraq. bush made this war because he said that Sadam had WMD and was involved in 9-11.

Now we learn after the fact that both of these premises were false. Perhaps wmd he had something, but I myself was expecting to see at
least a few drums of wmd.

Yet the media is not pounding this fact day and night. There is one little CNN special report OK, it covers the issue but doesn't make any conclusions.

You could say that Cathy SHeehas is garnering much attension, but the fact is that just now I saw in some little New Jersey town women mostly at a major intersection w/ signs (about 20 of them parsed onto 4 corners), that motorists should honk if they support Cathy SHeehan,
in my few minutes at this intersection ( I was walking from the train station, I don't own 2 cars only 1 car and it is reserved for wife and rarley do I drive it, this is due to the cash crisis I have spoken about), I heard many honkers, so much so that it was mildly annoying.

So what does that mean, and will it be on the news tonight?

Another question about the Iraq war, and why I don't like to discuss it, I wonder what all the gung ho bush supporters would have done if a. gore had made this war. I seem to recall the right spewing much hated at Bill Clinton, when he got us involved in Kosavo, altho to be honest, I did not follow that crisis tremendously, as an excuse, it occured a little before the internet was at its mature state.

There is a part that I disagree with:

"You see, Democrats in Hollywood, and pretty much everywhere, are not satisfied with debating the rights and wrongs of issues. It always comes down to personal attacks. Republicans are not just wrong, we’re evil. This talk show host is not simply wrong, he’s a lying hypocrite."

I am a democrat, but I don't see myself as close-minded and "not satisfied with debating the rights and wrongs of issues." I don't appreciate the blanket comment that all liberals are like this. I know for certain that I'm not as I live for debate and I do know when I've had my ass handed to me in one.

I do not believe that Republicans are evil. I do believe that there is a general difference of opinion when discussing with one or reading a book written by one.

I sincerely do not appreciate you lumping all democrats/liberals into the category of close-mindedness because it is simply not true.

Courtney: Thanks so much for your comment. Of course there are exceptions. I'm sure you and others are fine and fair people who enjoy a good debate about the ideas. But in my experience in Hollywood, especially behind closed doors, there is no debate and the dialogue goes something like this: "Bush is a Nazi. Rumsfeld is war monger, Condoleeza is an Uncle Tom, etc." You get the point. This has happened so many times that I was able to generalaize without too much trouble. Please do stay in touch,

Robert, as someone who once dreamed of breaking into the industry as a screenwriter, I'm glad you stepped forward and spoke out publicly about how Hollywood likes to butcher things because it doesn't fit the liberal line of thinking.

On another note...whenever Michael Moore opens his mouth to spew his usual crap, why does he remind me of Josef Goebbels? I find it interesting that the liberals accuse conservatives of acting like nazis, but they're the ones who seem to be using nazi tactics.

I enjoyed your article and I took the liberty of e-mailing it to several friends.