Gedmin on Anti-Americanism at the Berlinale

This year's Berlinale - Germany's showcase of the film industry - had its fair share of America-bashing. In Germany's daily WELT, Berlin Aspen Institute director Jeffrey Gedmin in his usual brilliant style commented on the demonization of the American president by American actors.

HARRY AND THE DICTATORS

Artists against Bush / Column in “Die Welt” (February 15, 2006) By Jeffrey Gedmin

George Clooney, who came to Berlin’s film festival last week, got gobs of space to talk about politics. Clooney complained to the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung that he was treated like “a traitor” in the U.S. for his opposition to the Iraq war. That’s why he lives in Italy today, he told Stern magazine. It sounds strange. Film maker Michael Moore got rich in America by being against the war. New York Times’ columnists Paul Krugman and Maureen Dowd were against the war. So were the LA Times, the Boston Globe, the Nation magazine, Noam Chomsky, Norman Mailer, the Dixie Chicks, conservative pundit Pat Buchanan, Republican Senator Chuck Hagel, as was, of course, most of Hollywood. In any case, opposition to the war does not seem to have harmed George Clooney's pocket book. He manages exile in a 26 room, waterfront villa.

I have the feeling Europe may trump America—and this is surely hard to do--when it comes to fawning over the politics of celebrities. Three years ago there was adulation for Dustin Hoffman's anaylsis of Iraq when the actor turned up in Berlin (Hoffman was against the war). One of Germany's favorite polit-entertainer seems to be singer Harry Belafonte, who celebrates his 79th birthday in two weeks. Belafonte has been a guest on the number 1 Christiansen show. He’s been on the Beckmann show. Everyone loves Harry. The station 3Sat dubs him a “fighter for peace.” He is a UNICEF goodwill Ambassador. Two years ago, he even spoke to members of the Bundestag. “You could hear a pin drop,” said Christiansen, a fellow UNICEF Ambassador. 

I am indebted to Professor Ronald Radosh, who has helped document Belafonte’s peculiar political tastes. That Belafonte hates Bush is no surprise. He told an audience in Venezuela, with Hugo Chavez looking on, that the U.S. President is “the greatest terrorist in the world.” He calls the Office of Homeland Security the new Gestapo. But Belafonte’s argument is not just with Bush. American foreign policy, he says, has “always built on the demise of the poor.” That would surprise Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton.

Belafonte opines about domestic policy, too. He says the U.S. has built so many prisons because the government always believed there would be enough people of colour “to fill them.” He has choice words for fellow African Americans. He once likened U.S. secretary of state Colin Powell to a slave “who lived in the house (and) served the master.” Condi Rice, he mused, “is like a “Jew … doing things that were anti-semitic and against the best interests of her people.”   

At a time when regime repression has increased, Belafonte continues to support Fidel Castro. When he appeared at a Havana film festival, he told Cubans that “censorship” in the U.S. had reached its peak. That was rich. Cuba does not have a free press. According to “Reporters without Borders,” what’s more, Cuba is one of the leading “enemies” of the internet today. Of the island’s 11.3 million inhabitants, only about 120,000 are permitted access by the Communist regime.

Belafonte says he learned from his mother, “never capitulate to oppression.” That’s really strange. It is hard to keep track of all the dictatorships that Belafonte has supported. He sympathized with Ethiopia’s left-wing dictator Mengistu, a Warsaw Pact ally until the collapse of the Soviet Union. Mengistu, accused of a genocide in which thousands were executed, would later insist that his “Red Terror Campaign” was merely a legitimate “defence of the revolution.” In 1983, Belafonte performed at an East German World Peace Concert.” If you want to fight the root cause of injustice, then fight the “military-industrial complex, led by the United States,” he likes to say. Erich Honecker could not have said it better.

Stay tuned. More celebrity enlightenment is on the way.

English versions of Jeffrey Gedmin's WELT articles - you see it first at Davids Medienkritik! Also, here is an earlier article we did on the director of the Berlinale, Dieter Kosslick, who expressed the wish to greet all of the 450+ Guantanamo inmates on the film-fest's red carpet.

Comments

[LouMinatti]

I think the reason Chirac waived the nuke threat at Iran a few weeks ago is because Europe has no defense against state-sponsored terrorism. I also think European leaders are fully aware that the threats exist but cannot say so publically. What if Al Qaeda had launched a massive 9/11 attack against Paris or Berlin or Rome? I don't think Europe could muster enough military power to oust the Taliban and hunt down the perps. Moreover, I don't think Europeans would have the will. If Iran sponsors a chemical attack in Rome, who here thinks the French would send the bulk of their military forces to attack and defeat Tehran?

In the past, Europeans could count on America to do most of the work. We saw that in Bosnia. I don't think America would be willing to help now. Perhaps on a strategic level there may be some aid, but on a personal level there are few (if any) Americans willing to shed blood for Europe now, with the exception of a few countries. I think we'd help out the Netherlands, Denmark and Italy. The UK as well. Everyone else can go pound sand.

Chirac knows this.

[grlzjustwant2havefun]

Living in Italy doesn't mean he gave up American citizenship.

I wonder what the tax benefits are?

I wish he would give up American citizenship.

Michael & Catherine Douglasare the same, they raise their kids in Bermuda(?). Again, I wonder if there are tax advantages to this?

[eurotrash]

Gedmin says nothing of interest in this article.
*Yawn* - artists against Bush.
So what.
He should go and watch Winterbottom´s "Road to Guantanamo".
That´s at least worth a discussion.

[Don Miguel]

Contrary to his own opinion, George Clooney is not treated as a traitor in his own country. But he is thought to be an ignoramus by those people who are unfortunate enough to happen to hear his opinions.

[Don]

But not being listened to IS censorship, Don Miguel! George Clooney has the right to be part of the governing class in Washington DC, and the fact that he has been kept out is censorship.

Besides - look at his movies. Syriana is not being shown in my local cinema in London! Obvious censorship! I have to go to another cinima. Of course I had to do that to see 'Walk the Line' - but that's not censorship because it's not terribly political.

If Syriana isn't shown universally it must be censorship....

[Don]

Harry Belafonte is just a Red too old to change his stripes. He's harmless. Listen to those calypso rhythins and ignore the bullshit....

[Dan Kauffman]

Clooney complained to the Frankfurter Allgemeine
Sonntagszeitung that he was treated like “a traitor”
****************************************************Gee maybe he should stop acting like one?

Oh and your list of those who stayed in the US and were not that effected? The Dixie Chicks may not belong on it. They went from the absolute top of the charts to off a cliff.

Yes I know their concerts did well, but concerts cand do well without having to generate the numbers that CD sales need.

They turned their backs on their fan base,

Back home we call it, forgetting where you came from

Those who applaud them, support their position and might even buy a concert ticket out of solidarity do NOT listen to Country Western Music or buy those kinds of CDs as a rule. ;=-)

[Assistant Village Idiot]

Being Anti-American is so 1990's.

[Pat Patterson]

Shouldn't that read that Harry Belafonte is one of East Germany's favorite entertainers.

[Don Miguel]

Gosh, Don, I'm really sorry that Syriana is not being shown at your local cinema. You're missing one of the best “based on a true story” movies ever made!

[Don]

Ah well, Don Miguel. My local cineplex has turned into crap for some reason. I think they are running about 30% of the movies that they ran a year ago - not sure why. Partly it's that stuff is not being shown, partly that movies that they would have shown 5 times a day are only being shown 3 times.

Syriana doesn't appeal, though I was considering going to see the film on Edward R. Murrow and McCarthy. Sylviana looks like a clone of the Bourne flicks with political agenda added. No thinks.

[grlzjustwant2havefun]

No, AVI, being anti-American is so 18th century.

[Scout]

I can wholeheartedly recommend Laura Ingraham's book "Shut Up and Sing" for anyone wishing more background on the Hollywood Elite problem. I know that degrees and titles don't mean everything, but I did find it particularly interesting how we have Hollywood high-school dropouts calling Yale graduates and university provosts "stupid" -- and worse, that people listen these political revelations, because after all, they are celebrities.

[matt g]

Hey Lou - don't forget about Poland and Czech Republic - they've got the courage of their convictions, the will to back it up and...the most beautiful chicks in all of Europe!

[LouMinatti]

Matt,

You're right. And in the context of this thread I'm wondering why I posted those comments. Sorry 'bout dat.

[jane m]

Clooney's Hollywood bravado is a huge joke. How brave is it to make a movie exposing McCarthism? Isn't that old news? The movie may very well be a well-made interesting bit of history but the making of it is hardly "bravery" by any normal standard. And the fairy tale of Syrianna is a remake of all those stories of the big bad government shutting up the little guy who gets in the way, Hollywood never tires of such fare, it seems.

Clooney needs to get over himself. I could care less what movies he makes or where he lives, as could most Americans. All he is is an entertainer and a very rich one at that. He lacks credentials IMO for any political attention.

[Doughnut Boy Andy]

Italy is lovely and very America friendly compared to the rest of Western Europe. But as the main criticisms of the US from people like Clooney are usually things like the lack of democracy, the domination of religion, the lack of a free press, the mismanaging of the economy, corruption and corporate influence..... Italy seems like a strange place to pick as an alternative.

[Don]

Italy is a superb place to get away from the US for a year or two, especially if you don't read Italian. The people are friendly and the politics don't come across at all. They are not 'In your face' at all like the Germans and some of the Brits tend to be.

Apart from that the food is superb and often cheap, the vino is very good, the women attractive, and the culture and historical heritage arguably the best in Western Europe. What's not to like? Well the job market sucks - but Clooney doesn't have to worry about that.