More Van Gogh

Pat Sajak has logged in on the curious absence of condemnation on the part of the Hollywood community of the Jihadist slaughter of Dutch filmmaker Theo Van Gogh. Never mind that Sajak himself is a little late to the party and doesn’t credit the numerous blogs or even the Wall Street Journal article that were there ahead of him, I’m glad the talk show host is speaking out.

To Sajak the reason for movieland silence about Van Gogh’s murder is Bush hatred:

There’s another possibility; one that seems crazy on the surface, but does provide an explanation for the silence, and is also in keeping with the political climate in Hollywood. Is it just possible that there are those who are reluctant to criticize an act of terror because that might somehow align them with President Bush, who stubbornly clings to the notion that these are evil people who need to be defeated? Could the level of hatred for this President be so great that some people are against anything he is for, and for anything he is against?

I think that’s part of it, but there’s something bleaker… good old-fashioned ignorance. Despite their public proclamations, Hollywood people, for the most part, are not particularly well-informed about political events, especially those in far off lands which demand some background knowledge and research. And, like many people with vested interests in their point of view, they resist informing themselves about these events if that would necessitate changing attitudes. Sometimes this avoidance goes to great and comic lengths. I have a some personal stories about this but I will save them for my book.