Tinseltown Ignores the Taliban

The precipitous pullout of American troops from Afghanistan has created an unmitigated disaster. What many are describing as a “Saigon Moment” for this administration, exhibited a tragic display of inept leadership from Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, Jake Sullivan, Anthony Blinken, Mark Milley and company. Even the establishment media and Democratic operatives over at CNN have been surprisingly harsh on the Biden administration as the mess in Kabul continues to intensify. However, the actorvists in Hollywood who spent the last four years building their popularity on criticizing former President Donald Trump have remained largely quiet in the wake of death, destruction and loss being experienced by Americans and our allies in Afghanistan.

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Before addressing the silence, there is one star who deserves praise for condemning this situation. Angelina Jolie joined Instagram for the sole purpose of posting a heartbreaking letter from an Afghan girl who described her fear in the wake of the Taliban taking over the country again. In her description of the post, while not condemning Biden outright, Jolie made her sentiments clear – “To spend so much time and money, to have bloodshed and lives lost only to come to this, is a failure almost impossible to understand.” Jolie’s frank description is honorable.

Unfortunately, Jolie’s sentiments are not worth the time of those who made a career out of smearing Trump. I’m talking to you, Robert DeNiro, Madonna, Reese Witherspoon, Meryl Streep, Chrissy Teigen, George Clooney, Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, Lady Gaga and many, many more.

While some simpletons want to again lay this problem at the feet of the former president arguing that he was the one who made the deal to pull out of Afghanistan, they consistently neglect to mention that this agreement was contingency-based and not scheduled during the Taliban’s fighting season, something the Biden administration changed in totality. President Biden left Afghanistan with no contingencies on the ground and at the peak of their fighting season. Way to go, Joe.

The issues raised from the disastrous pullout range from a dejected military, loss of respect on the international stage (it was shocking to see even the New York Times harshly criticize Biden for the way his foolishness has rattled Europe), the arming of terrorists with American military equipment, a human rights catastrophe that is worsening by the day and the potential to enrich countries like China that will seek to make deals with the Taliban for geopolitical influence. The British Parliament has already condemned the Biden Administration and German Chancellor Angela Merkel has condemned the situation, as well.

So where is Hollywood’s outcry? As America is being humiliated on the world stage they are busy with the following: pushing vaccination, tweeting about (but not actually supporting) Gavin Newsom’s attempt to survive a recall, passing the infrastructure bill, and promoting their albums or tv shows… and still tweeting about Trump. Nine months ago, these stars required psychological counseling after Trump tweeted something they did not like. Today, they are magically cured of the need to weigh in on presidential miscalculation.

Perhaps the most outspoken critic of the former President, Robert De Niro, has said nothing regarding the situation unfolding in Afghanistan nor offered any criticism of Biden’s failed leadership. This is a man who went on countless talk shows and gave multiple profanity-laced award show acceptance speeches. Less than a year ago the star commented, “We would survive [if Trump is re-elected] but it would be irreparable damage. In some ways now there’s irreparable damage, because the world looks at us like we’re crazy.” Now, as Afghanistan has been overtaken by terrorists and the irreparable damage has occurred while our allies in Europe are looking at us with disdain, Mr. Taxi Driver stays quiet.

Where’s the Material Girl?

The humanitarian crisis unfolding in Afghanistan is particularly ominous for women. While the media tend to frame the crisis as women simply not being able to go to school and being forced to marry, it’s important that this politically correct framing is dispelled. These women, some as young as 12, are being subjugated into a life of perpetual rape and objectification. That is the reality.

Yet, celebrities are almost unanimously silent on this human rights disaster. The stars who triumphantly donned “pussyhats” rabidly opposed Trump for his supposed deficits on Women’s Rights. Suddenly, they are unconcerned with the actual oppression being suffered by Afghan women.

Consider Madonna. During the Women’s Rights march shortly after the 2016 election, the pop goddess declared “Welcome to the revolution of love. To the rebellion. To our refusal as women to accept this new age of tyranny.” While women in America enjoyed the lowest unemployment rate, the highest business ownership and one of the largest income gains during Trump’s “tyrannical reign,” it makes one wonder if the “Vogue” vocalist was merely “striking a pose” when she lamented Trump while refusing to criticize Biden’s blunders.

Reese Witherspoon was quick criticize the former president for his indelicate comments on war veterans. Somehow, the lack of respect from the Biden Administration to the troops in Afghanistan has gone unnoticed by the Legally Blonde legend. While fewer than 2,500 troops remained before this debacle, an estimated 7,000 are now there attempting to clean up Joe Biden’s mess. Less than a year ago Reese retweeted a thread with the line: “As a person who grew up in a military family, traveling the world as my father, my uncle & my aunt served in the USAirForce and USNavy, I found this post and thread very powerful. No one should ever disrespect the Vets who served. Especially the US President.” She has yet to criticize President Biden for his reckless disrespect in his mishandling of Afghanistan which is now putting more troops at risk.

Hollywood’s silence is again their sin. Its brightest stars’ refusal to stay consistent and “speak truth to power” as Afghanistan burns and Joe Biden vacations has resulted in exposing them for the political operatives they are.

In the 1^st century B.C.E., the ancient Greeks coined the word for actors when they went on stage to perform –  “hyypokrites.” Over 2,000 years later and the word still applies.