I would love to be able to tell you that my favorite movie is "Casablanca" or "Citizen Kane." That would make me look erudite and intellectual. Or I could say "Star Wars," which would make me look culturally relevant, at least to some people.
Actually, my favorite all-time movie is "Jaws." I don't know if it is physically possible to wear out a DVD, but I must have come pretty close with my copy. At one time, I could quote the movie verbatim. Singing the praises of "Jaws" is another column for another time.
Over the weekend, Richard Dreyfuss hosted “An Evening With Richard Dreyfuss + Jaws Screening” at the Cabot Theater in Beverly, Mass. According to some reports, it did not go over well with all of the attendees. Deadline notes that Dreyfuss took the stage wearing a dress, wiggling his hips, and brandishing his cane like a baseball bat. And the crowd went wild.
According to Breitbart, Dreyfuss was asked to make a few remarks prior to the screening. The actor took the opportunity to speak out against the trend toward inclusivity in the Academy Awards and transgenderism — in particular, the practice of transitioning children. He also criticized Barbra Streisand.
Various sources said that some members of the audience began booing Dreyfuss while others left the theater before the movie began. Those who catcalled and stormed out accused the actor of being misogynistic, racist, and homophobic. You know the drill. The Cabot Theater even went so far as to issue an apology:
We are aware of and share serious concerns. The views expressed by Mr. Dreyfuss do not reflect the values of inclusivity and respect that we uphold as an organization. We deeply regret the distress that this has caused to many of our patrons.
The theater is also in "active dialogue" with its patrons and is committed to learning from the event. That, of course, is the only acceptable response the theater could give. Heaven forfend it stand up for Dreyfuss' First Amendment rights.
That being said, more than a few people received Dreyfuss' comments well, as is evidenced by this video at the end of the Q&A:
The audio is not the best, so here is a transcript. Dreyfuss is speaking about his new book, “One Thought Scares Me...: We Teach Our Children What We Wish Them to Know; We Don't Teach Our Children What We Don't Wish Them to Know.”
It’s about the fact that 50 years ago, without telling anybody, they took civics out of the curriculum of all public schools in America, which means we have no knowledge of who the hell we are. And if we don’t get it back soon, we’re all going to die. Make sure your kids are not the last generation of Americans. And you know exactly what I’m talking about.
Had Dreyfuss used the opportunity to take potshots at Trump and conservatives and laud all the traditional left-wing causes, no one would have stormed out, jeered, or scurried off to their social media accounts to throw the requisite tantrums.
Most people would dub Dreyfuss a classical liberal. He started The Dreyfuss Civics Initiative, which is an organization that spreads awareness about basic civics, the Constitution, and the things that make America great. It also advocates for greater education in those areas.
From the website:
The United States of America was one of the first political bodies that gave its subjects distinct individual freedoms, which are outlined in the Bill of Rights. Built from the ideas of the Enlightenment, America was constructed as a nation dependent on the sovereignty of the people, a breakthrough in a world full of monarchies and tyrannies. Our political system emphasizes the power of the individual by granting citizens the distinctive ability to be part of a sovereign body that elects representatives and impacts policies.
None of those thoughts are music to a progressive's ears. They cannot stand to be confronted with different ideas, and worse yet, they cannot fathom the concept that the beliefs they endorse are driving the country over a cliff. Dreyfuss is trying to warn people about that. Or as Matt Hooper said:
Instead, progressives would rather hear that the beaches are open and that it is safe to go in the water.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member