Newt's Myopia

Newt Gingrich -- the paragon of virtue and social mores who pilloried Bill Clinton during Monicagate, all the while carrying on with an assistant -- has a theory as to why the world doesn't like the U.S. It's all Hollywood's fault.

See, according to The Newt in a recent syndicated column, the message and image portrayed by Hollywood of our culture turns others off. He cites examples of how countries that are exposed to our pop culture have a more negative view of us than countries that don't experience our culture. Others see our youth as more materialistic, etc. And that turns others against us.

But could The Newt be a bit myopic?

• This is a country that pays athletes more than teachers.
• It's a country with a Prez who refers to our reaction to 9/11 as a crusade -- a term that doesn't exactly endear most of the world given its history of Christianity trying to beat Muslims into religious submission.
• This is a country that celebrates high school basketball players like Lebron James and all the money he's likely to make right out of high school than just about any academic achiever of the same age. When was the last time a National Merit Scholar's family could afford a $50,000 Hummer -- especially when the kid's mom is described as unemployed?
• This is a country with an inconsistent foreign policy that project's that money and oil really account for more than true human rights. If you got oil or a strategic location, then our hand of friendship is extended. If not, you're off our radar screen.

Now, that's not to say Hollywood's money machine can be absolved. It's images and portrayals of our culture are abhorrent at times. But then, enough American are willing to pay for this drivel that you can't blame producers for catering to this group. It's supply and demand at its best, or worst. As an aside -- The Newt likes unfettered commerce and hands-off regulations when it comes to industries that abuse workers and soil the environment, but God forbid Hollywood have the same freedom without criticism.

Let's be honest. Our society is materialistic. Walk any mall and see the high school girls at the nail parlors dropping large sums on acrylic nails. Look at the young men wearing expensive, designer clothes. Look at some of the cars our youth, still in school, drive because mommy and daddy want to be liked. Look at how our businesses operate -- big bucks for executives, false information to investors (who lose retirement savings as a result), and lack of any loyalty to employees. Look at our own government, so willing to disregard international treaties and opinion of our allies to chart its own unilateral course. No wonder others think we thumb our noses at the world and flaunt our prosperity.

Don't construe this as America bashing by an ungrateful citizen. I love this country and am proud of it. I couldn't have achieved what I have in any other country. But like some who has gone through any type of therapy, this country needs to understand, recognize and try to deal with the negatives and the positives. To deflect attention only on one negative to the exclusion of others just means we're in denial.

Until we take an honest view of our country -- the good and the bad -- we can expect others to view us negatively.

© Copyright 2003 Keith Jameson. Last update: 1/27/2003; 9:35:17 AM.