War of the Words: Liberal Hollywood's Double Meanings

Was George Lucas trying to say something about George Bush in Revenge of the Sith.

Hollywood liberals are often very verbose in their political opinions. Sometimes they are more subtle about making political statements. Occasionaly they slip comments into movies that can mean more than just what the character is saying. Several of this summer’s movies have lines that can definitely be taken to mean more than just face value.

Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith got plenty of attention for some of it’s dialogue. George Lucas has denied that any of it is based on President Bush’s speech. In Revenge of the Sith, Anakin Skywalker says, “If you are not with me, then you are my enemy.” This line is suspiciously similar to a line from George Bush’s famous September 20, 2001 Address to a Joint Session of Congress and the American People where he said, “Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorist.” Later in the same speech, Bush said, “...I will not relent in waging this struggle for freedom and security for the American people.” In Sith, Anakin says, “I have brought peace, freedom, justice and security to my new empire.”

So obvious is Lucas’s comparison, that web sites popped up immediately after the movie came out selling merchandise that has Bush dressed as a Sith lord. There are shirts that show pictures of Bush with a black hood on and a quote from Revenge of the Sith. Lucas may deny the inspiration for his writing all he wants, but popular culture has it’s own opinion.

Our modern world is a place where evil, misguided morons hope to benefit from instilling fear into people. Terrorists hope to cause fear, but I think they fear us and our freedom. Batman Begins is all about fear. In it, Thomas Wayne says this line to his son, Bruce, “You know why they attacked you, don’t you? They were afraid of you.”

War of the Worlds is ripe with comparisons to real life goings on. In the movie a young girl assumes an explosion is terrorist caused and her older brother feels compelled to join the army to fight an enemy. How many parents in real life can relate to that? Tim Robbins, whose anti-war feelings are well known, has this telling line in the movie. “Occupations always fail. History’s taught us that a thousand times.”

Why is Hollywood so often anti-Bush while it lets the Muslim terrorists off the hook? On November 20, 2004, Dutch film maker Theo Van Gogh was murdered by a Muslim extremist because Van Gogh made a film, Submission, about how Islam mistreats women. A film maker was murdered by a Muslim terrorist because he expressed himself. Where was Hollywood’s outrage?

Hollywood liberals stumble over themselves showing the enemy that The United States is hardly united in fighting terrorists. Their anti-Bush speak serves to embolden the enemy. When will we see a Hollywood movie where Muslim terrorists are the enemy? Kingdom of Heaven did not hesitate to show Christians in bad light. Scott wrote. “...it is clear that he's (Director Ridley Scott) only worried about offending the Muslim world as the Christians are roundly shown as sadistic warmongers. All of the good characters on the Christian side all denounce either god or their religion at some time or another.”

I love good dialogue with double meanings. It can add depth to a scene or movie. However, Hollywood has become so monotonous in it’s political bias that the hidden political jabs are as predictable as the setting sun. With few exceptions, such as Trey Parker and Matt Stone, Hollywood seems to be a bunch of liberal wimps who are scared to death to call out the enemy.