Hollywood Values

Being a conservative who also is a Hollywood screenwriter, I cannot help but comment on two July 20 articles, “Hollywood’s Best Friend Is No Democrat” (Washington Connection, by Faye Fiore) and “Networks Decide Diversity Doesn’t Pay.” Hollywood gets excoriated as a bastion of liberalism, yet these same lefties are now supposedly being exposed as some kind of segregationists creating “whites-only” TV shows. Are they “bleeding heart liberals” or “rednecks”?

Fiore’s column about Rep. Mark Foley (R.-Fla.) being Hollywood’s point man in Washington reminds me that for all the sex, drugs, violence and “anti-family” themes spewed by my industry, the American film paradigm is still the most admired, popular form of 20th century art in the world. Hollywood films do more to promote American values than any other bully pulpit. “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington,” “It’s a Wonderful Life” and “Saving Private Ryan” are just three films that promote that mythical, elusive, yet at the same time very unique thing called the American Way.

STEVEN R. TRAVERS

Hermosa Beach