I have always believed in
right of free expression. People should be able to express an opinion without being punished for it. The exceptions to that rule are using an opinion to defame without cause, slander someone or attack their ethnicity. That goes far beyond fair expression of an opinion. Could current slump in movie ticket sales be result of Hollywood's war against traditional values? Have liberal actors gone too far in their political expressions to remain marketable?Many of this year’s films feature some of Hollywood’s most liberal and outspoken actors. Most of plots, it can be argued, have a decidedly liberal and even anti-conservative slant. It may be that liberals were encouraged with financial success of Michael Moore’s film, Fahrenheit 9/11. However, that was during an election year when people were hungry to hear both sides of issue. That hunger, it seems, has subsided.
Can be it that liberals in Hollywood have become so philosophically disconnected from average American that they no longer care about what their audiences really want to see? Almost every film released features characters that are divorced, separated or single with children. Traditional mothers, fathers and couples are portrayed as bored, worn out, soulless people who live meaningless lives. Today’s villains are CEOs of greedy corporations. Didn’t anyone in Tinsel Town notice popularity of The Apprentice?
I have been on this Earth for forty some years. During that time, many things have changed. The one thing that has not is that people go to movies to escape. They don’t want their superheroes trying to teach them a series of liberal social values. They do not want The Godfather trying to save whales. They don’t want every coming of age film to automatically include a gay or lesbian character. They want to be entertained. When films become dreary morality lessons and cease to entertain, people stop going to movies.
With America going in a decidedly conservative direction, it does not seem unreasonable to ask for more films where people who don’t leave, get a sex change operation or reveal they are gay get some credit. There are a lot of moms and dads out there working very hard to keep their family together. Many of them do not see their lives are empty, wasted or meaningless. Not all teenagers are joyriding, smoking pot or having relations with everything that moves. Some actually have some respect for themselves and know better.
There was a time when many Americans allowed Hollywood liberals to tell them how to think. They made films and we were expected to simply show up at theaters because entertainment choices were limited. That’s no longer case. With a zillion cable channels, an ever-growing volume of independent conservative films and portable media that fits in our pocket, we can now select our own entertainment.
