(C) Daily Kos
This story was originally published by Daily Kos and is unaltered.
. . . . . . . . . .
Where are America's great storytellers in our time of need? [1]
['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.']
Date: 2025-04-08
Steven Spielberg — perhaps the most effective and influential communicator this nation has ever seen — and his well-known colleagues (Ken Burns, Martin Scorsese, Robert De Niro, Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks, Denzel Washington, George Clooney, Harrison Ford — famous for wanting to punch Nazis! — and more…take your pick!). We need these talents, NOW, to be part of the solution to our nation’s greatest crisis ever.
Yes, I know, they’re all private citizens who have very busy lives, projects in-progress, families, private lives, etc., and they generally prefer not to wear their politics completely on their sleeves. Sorry to bother you, but...
These are smart people, who can and should be able to see the grave danger we are in. And they can help. In ways others can’t.
Harrison Ford Says Punch Nazis, Just Like Indy Would
These very gifted storytellers need to collaborate, using the same talented professionals who craft cinematic depictions of past crises and America’s historic responses...and apply the same high-quality, very-effective presentations to tell the story of what is happening NOW, and what we can and must do about it.
Find the money somewhere. Somebody — the DNC (hey! stop sending me your spam text messages asking for money!), George Soros, Bill Gates, SOMEBODY needs to buy air time on TV, Netflix, whatever — and a lot of it, so it repeats. Make this the news everyone is talking about. And yes, take the slings and arrows. Badges of honor.
Many will call it propaganda, and they would be right. But it would be good propaganda. Yeah, it’s “Hollywood.” So what.
Saving Private Ryan. Band of Brothers. Schindler’s List. Apollo 13. And plenty more that you can name. Not perfect depictions of history (in some cases fiction!), but extremely compelling and damn fine storytelling that can touch hearts and move people. All kinds of people.
Propaganda? Maybe. But if the label applies, you gotta admit, these are extremely effective (and positive) examples of propaganda.
Would this motivate non-voters to get off their asses? Would this make even republicans wake the fuck up and roll up their sleeves? Would this make a difference? There’s no guarantee of that. But there’s a chance such an effort could reach people. And right now is an all-hands-on-deck moment if this country has ever faced one, same as the Normandy landings (and arguably more dire).
Tell the story of what is happening, and what we all need to do about it. Tell every disillusioned non-voter, every wavering republican, everyone who is watching but unsure of what’s right and what’s wrong...tell them YOU can be Indiana Jones, Oscar Schindler, Richard Winters, Jim Lovell or pick your favorite hero. Rise to the occasion, all of us.
Please tell this story well, as we know you can. And please get working on it NOW, while you still can.
Anybody here got Spielberg’s number?
[END]
---
[1] Url:
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2025/4/8/2315327/-Where-are-America-s-great-storytellers-in-our-time-of-need?pm_campaign=front_page&pm_source=more_community&pm_medium=web
Published and (C) by Daily Kos
Content appears here under this condition or license: Site content may be used for any purpose without permission unless otherwise specified.
via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds:
gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/dailykos/
