Essence of Rod Lurie’s 1.4.04 THR piece about Hollywood filmmakers needing to step up to the anti-Semitism plate:
“What we should be hoping to see are movies and TV shows that highlight the extraordinarily powerful resistance the Jewish people have had against the forces that have long tried to destroy them.
“And we need those films to also highlight Jewish humanism. These are the kind of films that spit in the face of antisemitism.
“Probably the finest of this sort of film is Munich, Steven Spielberg’s 2005 depiction of the revenge that the Israelis sought out against the perpetrators of the Munich Olympics massacre of 1972. No, let me rephrase that — it’s about the justice that was sought.
“We need more movies like Munich. But the truth is that many are scared to make them. Over the years, I have often tried to make Israel-centric films, and I have been stopped every time. If the Holocaust isn’t somehow at the center of the film, it barely stands a chance of being made — even with big stars attached.
Over the years, the greenlighting authorities have been squeamish about alienating audiences. ‘How will it play in France?’ ‘How will it play in Germany?’ ‘We don’t want protestors at our gates.’
Bottom line: “Munich would never have been made it if it didn’t have one of the greatest and most successful directors in history behind it.”
HE to Lurie: Here’s the only thing that’s hanging me up right now
What is the proper ratio of murdered Israelis to murdered Gaza residents?
How many Israelis were murdered on October 7th? The final death toll from the 10.7 attack is now thought to be 695 Israeli civilians, including 36 children, as well as 373 security forces and 71 foreigners, giving a total of 1,139.
As of right now Gaza’s health ministry says 22,185 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since October 7th.
In other words 20 times more Palestinians have died than Israelis killed on Oct.7th. More than 20 dead Palestians for every single dead Israeli citizen.
What is the proper ratio? 10 dead Palestinians for every dead Israeli citizen? 25? 50? 100? When will the score be even?
That’s the only equation that bothers me right now.
Fair response: “The other question you can ask is this: Who is more to blame for the civilian losses when combatants embed themselves in the civilian population and are openly wanting their civilians to be killed and thus become martyrs?
“The U.S. killed 500K German citizens during WWII. Even more Japanese.
“Civilian casualties are the conundrum of every war ever fought.
“But Bibi has to fucking go.”