Jeffrey Katzenberg Pens Open Letter to Hollywood After Trump Victory

Katzenburg provides a fairly rational/balanced reaction to how he feels after Hollywood's massive smackdown on November 8th...with some notable exceptions:

It's now been a week since this heart-wrenching, devastating event. However, this morning the sun still rose, the world still turned, the flag still waved.

Many times during the past week, I've been asked by family, friends and colleagues what I think it all means. So, I thought I'd write down some thoughts in the hope a few might be helpful.

It all comes down to a fundamental, disturbing question: Is our next president a demagogue or democrat?

During the election, Donald Trump found facts inconvenient. But facts are very useful things. They lead to truth. For example, here is Webster's definition of "demagogue": "a leader who makes use of popular prejudices and false claims and promises in order to gain power."

The fundamental problem with this angle of attack...characterizing Trump as a demagogue (using this definition)...is that instead of "popular prejudices and false claims", which implies bigotry or preconceived notions not based on fact, Trump was in fact responding to "popular concerns and real problems". And, I think it is more than slightly premature to suggest that Trump has made "false promises" more than 2 months before he has even taken office.

The popular concerns and problems identified were:

1) Lack of border (and other types of) security
2) 11 to 13 million people living in America who are in the Country illegally...and a broken immigration system, including the overstay of people who arrived on Visas
3) The wholesale loss of manufacturing jobs (and jobs dependent on the manufacturing sector) across America - 70,000 factories closed - due to one-sided trade deals specifically, and the globalization agenda in general
4) The increasing breakdown in law and order in the United States, and the rapid rise in gang violence in major US cities
5) The free flow of illegal drugs into America - related to the lack of Border Security
6) The inept Foreign Policy direction under Obama/Clinton, where America is to "lead from behind", that has led to the rise of international Islamic terrorism, the complete destabalization of the Middle East and north Africa, the displacement of tens of millions, and a cultural crisis in Europe - which the Democrats wanted to import into America
7) The complete decay of America's inner cities, and the abysmal performance of the education system in these affected areas
8) The runaway imposition of Government regulations that have strangled small/medium business and farmers - and have vitrually shut down entire vital industry segments
9) The accelerating "politically correct" movement, that seeks to control everyones' thoughts and speech by mandating what words can, and cannot be used...what political thoughts and positions are acceptable (only leftist ones of course), to avoid being labelled as an intolerant "ist" of some kind.
10) The complete takeover of American higher institutes of learning by "Progressive" administrations and professors - there is nearly zero tolerance on Campus for Conservative thoughts and opinions
11) The complete takeover of the American media by the supporters of left-leaning globalist-inspired policies, politicians and parties.
12) The complete corruption of the national political arena by corporate special interests and foreign lobbyists.
13) The decline of US military capabilities (and the dreadful treatment of veterans) - which is rapidly transforming the US from the world's only true Superpower, into an Alsopower.
14) The disaster that is Obamacare

All of these things are true, and Trump has offered solutions...let's wait and see if he can deliver before we hang the demagogue label on him, shall we?

We could respond to hate with hate and fear with fear. However, if we do this, then we are no different and no better, and everyone loses.

Well, in keeping with this, I hope to see a number of follow up "open letters" from Katzenburg, which will clearly communicate that:

a) Protests are fine, and by all means express your dissent or disagreement - but violence and rioting is unacceptable - so knock it off!
b) Let's stop labelling everything that comes of the mouth of someone who disagrees with the progressive agenda, as being an "ist" of some kind. Use logical arguments and intellectual persuasion as your weapons - don't resort to calling people (and entire classes/goups of people) racist, sexist, mysognist, xenophobic, etc. to try to silence them. This is hateful and creates fear on the other side.

Jeffrey Katzenburg open Letter

a reply to: mobiusmale
Very well written, it showcases Trump's campaign. Looking forward to when he is unfettered to get the ball rolling on these issues.

a reply to: mobiusmale

Today we are witnessing the true nature of national left - international left. They are after only one thing: destroy democracy - and as a bonus - destroy the concept of "state" itself.

MSM is today FULL of pure propaganda and LIES. This makes me sad. Sad that this light of democracy, USA, must see its media to condones to actions which defines totalitarian communist states.

Which again proves to me, which are the powers behind these actions which define our past few weeks.

Oh boy I'd like to see Soros and his gang being tried for terrorism.

Dear Hollywood,

My butt hurts...

Sincerely.
J. Katzenberg

If Trump is a demagogue then they are going to have to place 90% of politicians and presidents into that political group.

a reply to: mobiusmale

4) The increasing breakdown in law and order in the United States, and the rapid rise in gang violence in major US cities

Is this true though?

I believe you guys are a helluva lot better off regarding gangs and crime than in both the 80's and 90's, and somewhat better off than in the 70's and 00's.

Actually, if you factor in the continuous growth in population, I think that you might be better off than ever.

And I also think that your media has grown to love bad news, sensations, and sensationally bad news. I know it has in my country. Hence our perception of a definite rise in crime where none is. I imagene the same could hold true in America.

what im taking away;

instead of actually working to understand that which he doesn't understand, this person grasps at straws that feel "truthy", but in fact have no basis in anything tangible. Its simply a repackaging of the same idioms and hyperbole that caused the Hillary defeat to begin with.

If you are devastated by a Hillary loss, quit insulting people. That is why she lost: people are tired of shaming and guilt, and certainly don't want to be called names any more. Instead, figure out why people voted for Trump. If you just say "racism", "fear", or "hate"....start over without the preloaded media BS you've been fed. Because that isn't why they voted for Trump.

Don't blame fear and racism. Instead, blame Hillary (and her condescension), the DNC (for rigging their primary), and a cultural divide between city and rural/suburban dwellers We've all laughed at the people who are afraid of "gakes", and it pissed them off. And so long as Christmas remains under attack every year (as our dumb annual tradition dictates), this cultural divide will continue to deepen.

a reply to: DupontDeux

Ask Chicago and anumberof other major US cities. When foreigners see ourgn crime stats, what they are really seeing is the murder rates of a handful of big cities with their gang activity. Take those out, and suddenly the US, and all its legally owned firearms, is no more violent than most European gun control nations.

a reply to: bigfatfurrytexan

You don't understand. A lot of folks are very invested at this point. To let go of their stereotypes means admitting they bought the big lie.

It's much easier to believe that you are crusading against evil for the righteous cause of good than it is to realize that you are instead arguing for ideas that are neither good nor bad but simply ideas. You think they might be better than the other guy's but you would have to work to try to convince him because he has ideas too.

And that' the big danger of the alt-right more than any perceived racism which I haven't seen myself. It is one thing to use an opponent's tactics against him, btiin so doing, you risk becoming him. When you have both sides fighting the battle of good v. evil, you have a very bad situation indeed.

The two overriding thing that all these anti Trump commentators have in common is that a/ none of them are from the working class b/ they never presented a plan for the common man/woman to get a piece of the pie

Now these Hollywood "liberals" are what are known as champagne socialists. They clearly think socialism is a great idea for everyone, everyone but themselves obviously.. The other element of their superiority God complex, is that they don't accept how the public vote, unless we vote the way the direct us to vote. They truly believe they know what's best for us, whilst they live apart from us in their ivory towers and gated communities. They champion minorities but have never been to the hood and certainly wouldn't wish to live near it. They champion Islam but have never read a Koran or watched a stoning.

originally posted by: Counterintelligence
Now these Hollywood "liberals" are what are known as champagne socialists. They clearly think socialism is a great idea for everyone, everyone but themselves obviously.

As I've said before "liberals" are generally people who believe that people are inherently good, but sometimes don't act that way because they're just ignorant, or misinformed, or are put into a bad situation by "The Man," and have no other choice.

It's one of the most blatant ways of claiming moral and intellectual superiority you can imagine.

I stopped reading after this.."It's now been a week since this heart-wrenching, devastating event."

This was not 9/11,not the Titanic, not Columbine, it's not even Hurricane Katrina.

It's about a bunch of self entitled, butt hurt, child minded adults.

Who cant deal with not getting their own way, cant accept the outcome of a legit election.

Hell, there were cry-ins for these embarrassing things, when decades ago, people their age were storm beaches at Normandy.

Skip this guy, and the people he's trying to cyber hug.

a reply to: Black_Fox

For them it was, they were one presidency away from realizing their goals.

Also, they are now realizing that all those unilateral executive precedents Obama set that no one fought or even really blinked an eye over are there waiting for Trump to pick up.

If Trump is wise, he will use them to abolish what was done and then take steps to make sure those powers can't be so freely abused again.

But we will see.

originally posted by: Black_Fox
Hell, there were cry-ins for these embarrassing things, when decades ago, people their age were storming beaches at Normandy.

Truly brilliant point.

Operation Torch...led by Dwight D. Eisenhower:

On 8 November 1942, the invasion commenced with landings split between three beaches—two west of Algiers and one east. Under overall command of Major General Charles W. Ryder, Commanding General of the U.S. 34th Infantry Division, British 11th Brigade Group from the British 78th Infantry Division, landed on the right hand beach, U.S. 168th Regimental Combat Team, from the 34th Infantry Division, supported by 6th Commando and most of 1st Commando on the middle beach while the U.S. 39th Regimental Combat Team, also from the U.S. 34th Division, supported by the remaining 5 troops from 1st Commando landed on the left hand beach. The British 36th Brigade Group from the British 78th Division stood by in floating reserve

Operation Torch - No Ponies, Stress Dogs or Colouring Books

107,000 Allied troops faced off against 60,000 Axis Power forces.

The Allies suffered 479 deaths, with 720 wounded. The Axis lost 1,346 lives and saw another 1,997 injured.

1,825 Lives Ended in Battle on Nov. 8

Operation Hump...

On November 8th 1965, the 173rd Airborne Brigade on “Operation Hump”, war zone “D” in Vietnam, were ambushed by over 1200 VC. 48 American soldiers lost their lives that day.

...it is amazing that any of the American forces survived this battle, as the enemy outnumbered the Americans 3 to 1. But the casualties tell the story. On the American side there were 48 killed, many wounded. 2 Australian MIA’s *located and repatriated to Australia on the 5th of June, 2007. The Commanders for the American side was the 173rd Airborne Brigade. The Commanders for the People’s Liberation Armed Forces (Viet Cong) are unknown. Their strength was around 1,200 and they lost 403 that day. The result was a standoff. To me, that means the American forces that day did America proud. And I am very proud of what the American soldiers did on that bloody day on the 8th of November, 1965

The Hollywood lefties, and our indoctrinated, coddled youth - who need counselling and emotional supports to deal with an election result, truly do now live in their own reality distortion field...

As Iowa lawmaker Bobby Kaufmann so aptly put it, "Suck it up buttercup!"