In Praise of Rough Men (and Women)

Two related observations.

First, the Oscars and Hollywood went off the rails a long time ago. Sunday’s broadcast did not represent a new bottom by any measure. It was merely a continuation of the new normal.

What was different was the timing. The expensive celebration of highly paid artists employed in the world of filmmaking took place at the same time young American men and women were risking their lives to rid the world of violent fanatics who shout Death to America every time they gather. Old Hollywood loved America, loved Americans, and loved our military. Old Hollywood proudly volunteered to appear in USO shows to entertain the troops. Old Hollywood promoted the sale of war bonds. An old Oscars celebration during wartime would have explicitly supported the troops in ways both small and large.

Not a single person on Sunday night alluded to the troops. The host merely stated that these were chaotic and crazy times. His remarks made no effort to identify which side we should be rooting for. As the event rolled on, the insults of our Commander in Chief were fewer than in the recent past, but a couple slipped out because, well, because TDS sometimes manifests with a Tourette-like compulsion to insult Donald Trump. Each involuntary utterance was met with laughter and/or applause. Near the end of the broadcast, a presenter shouted out, apropos of nothing, something like “End all wars, and Free Palestine!” That received one of the loudest ovations of the night.

The big winner of the evening, the Best Picture of 2025, was a film in which domestic terrorists were the Good Guys and the American military was the Bad Guys (really, really, bad guys).

The other observation regards all the recent talk regarding International Law. Curiously, all the conversations are about whether or not America and Israel are violating international law, and no conversations as to whether or not Iran has continually violated international law for 47 years.

Both of these observations bring to mind a famous quote of George Orwell — "People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.”

Orwell’s insight is not genius-level brilliance. It is common sense. It probably requires a college degree to become dumb enough to miss the obvious truth of Orwell’s statement. Most of Hollywood went to college. All of Hollywood admires college professors.

Orwell’s relevance to International Law is that no law, international or otherwise, has any value unless rough men stand ready to bring violence upon anyone who violates it.

In Hong Kong, international law is whatever China says it is. In Belarus, international law is whatever Russia says it is. And, at the moment anyway, in Iran, international law is whatever America says it is.

Hollywood would be mortified if it read the above paragraph, yet Hollywood believes it is their duty and privilege to tell the world how things should be.

Hollywood actually has a few rough men, but they go to great lengths to avoid being identified.

G-Pub