Thursday, December 18, 2014

Pulling The Interview

Hollywood got a dose of reality yesterday with the pulling of The Interview. Yes, we're all sorry that political and economic reality has trumped freedom of expression. But it is an important reminder that none of the freedoms of the Bill of Rights are guaranteed in all situations. Americans--especially young Americans--have come to view these freedoms as absolutes, when that has never been the case.

So there is the capitalist reality. Sony is owned by a parent company in Japan--a lot closer to North Korea than Indiana. Sony in the US has to do what its owners tell it to do. Power trumps even what some rich actors want.

Then there is the geopolitical reality. Freedom of speech doesn't trump avoiding war, including Cyber-World War I.

Of course this movie will find its way to the public somehow. And when it does, the demand to see it will be astounding.

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