The Four Color Media Monitor

This past week, as Israel was once again forced into battle with the Hamas terrorist organization long dominating the Gaza strip, there were at least two Hollywooders who'd taken roles in comics movies who had what to say. Let's take as an example Mark Ruffalo, who played the Hulk role in the Avengers films of the past decade, and exploited the moment to make anti-Israel comments. From the Jerusalem Post (via Jihad Watch):

Actor Mark Ruffalo referred to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the division between the two as a "kind of apartheid" while speaking to television host Mehdi Hasan on the self-titled NBC program.

Ruffalo accused the Israeli government of carrying out "asymmetrical warfare" against the Palestinian people, and tied in United States support for Israel as plainly aiding and abetting the separation and the "violence acted upon them."

"There’s no reason why an ally of American should not be held to same the standard as we would hold any other nation in the world,” he said.

Ruffalo added to the conversation, noting that he spoke out previously to share his view on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and was called an antisemite for doing so.

"I was called an antisemite about it, for doing that - which was really tough to hear," Ruffalo said. "The fact that so many people will take it to that extreme when you're talking about that type of inequality, that type of oppression, that kind of apartheid: really!"

Ruffalo then likened the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to what's taking place in the US today, saying that America houses an "apartheid system" noting the systematic racism and racial inequalities present within the country.

This makes me feel glad I haven't seen the Avengers films, which'll really be tainted by this news, but what's really repellent is how somebody who acts like he's done nothing wrong regarding Israel got a role based on a character created by Jews (Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, of course). It's bad enough he perpetuates lies harmful to the USA, and here, he's also demonstrating ignorance of Islamic violence that's now cost an innocent Jewish man in Lod his life, along with horrific behavior by anti-Israel demonstrators in Britain and Canada. To think that somebody like Ruffalo would get a comics role he doesn't deserve is sickening. Recalling he may be a native of Kenosha, Wisconsin, one can only wonder what he thinks of the horrifying arsons that took place there last year, committed by BLM rioters.

Then, there's also Gal Gadot, my fellow Israeli citizen who's played Wonder Woman, and the problem here is that she was awfully slow to speak out. From Israel Hayom:

After earning scathing criticism for failing to use her platform to speak on behalf during the first three days of Operation Guardian of the Walls, Israeli actress Gal Gadot spoke out on Wednesday.

"My heart breaks," the Wonder Woman star, who served in the IDF, wrote in a message to her 53 million Instagram followers.

"My country is at war," Gadot continued. "I worry for my family, my friends. I worry for my people. This is a vicious cycle that has been going on for far too long. Israel deserves to live as a free and safe nation. Our neighbors deserve the same … I pray for better days."

As stated, Gadot came under fire for not speaking out on Israel's behalf as rockets from Gaza rained down on the country. Social media sites were flooded with hundreds of angry tweets and posts.

"The opposite of Wonder Woman," one person wrote.

"Gal Gadot the leftist needs to pander to the Hollywood leftists and cannot allow herself to support Israel against Palestinian terror," tweeted someone else.

Another person wrote: "It's sad that many influential Jews are simply silent, such as Gal Gadot."

Now it's bad that Gadot was practically villified by the MSM following her announcement, along with social media agitators (by contrast, look at the MSM's accepting response to Gigi Hadid's approach). Yet those in Israel who took issue with her slow response do have a point. Though her statement itself is vital, she did not show the courage to properly address the issue, acted very slow, which does little more than demonstrate lack of courage - something very lacking in this modern PC-infested world of ours - and that's had the effect of galling those in Israel who realized it. I wouldn't be surprised if plenty of the local Israeli respondents were people who guessed what repellent politics lay behind the making of Wonder Woman 1984, and wrote her off as another pathetic leftist whose ideologies impeded upon her ability to take a strong stance. Of recent, she's been producing a film project based on an anti-Israel propaganda book, a documentary series that involves supporting transgender ideologues, and even took up a role in a LGBT-themed sci-fi thriller. She really is going out of her way to prove herself part of the ultra-liberal Hollywood crowd, and that's another reason why I've felt soured on her of recent. Maariv reported (translated from the original Hebrew) that the wife of a Haifa basketball player denounced Gadot as a coward:

Yuval Ashkenazi, Maccabi Haifa's midfielder, is on the way to winning the championship with his team very soon, and meanwhile the country is on fire in light of the escalation between the IDF and Hamas and Islamic Jihad in Gaza, the shelling, riots and lynchings in the cities involved. Adi Aharon, decided to express her opinion around the constant preoccupation with the response of the most famous ambassador of the State of Israel, Gal Gadot.

Until yesterday (Wednesday) the media did not stop worrying that the Israeli Wonder Woman should express her public opinion and support Israel and yesterday she did. Even earlier, Aaron could not resist, posted a picture of her and wrote: "Cowardly." Shortly afterwards, the most successful Israeli actress in Hollywood wrote a post referring to the situation: "My heart is broken, my country is at war. I care for my family, my friends, my people. It is a vicious circle that lasts too long. Israel deserves to live in freedom and security and neighbors. "We deserve the same. I pray that this incessant hostility will end and that our leaders will find the solution so that we can live side by side in peace."

Even after the post that Gadot wrote, there were those who did not connect and thought it was too "politically correct" such as Noam Fishbaum, the partner of Maccabi Tel Aviv goalkeeper Daniel Tennenbaum who responded "good morning baby" to a post she wrote and supposedly remembered later. And despite all those who do not understand where Gal has been until now, the vast majority is sure that she represents Israel in the Diaspora in the best way, even though she blocked the opportunity to comment on her post.

I know she did that because the anti-Israeli vitriol was getting way out of hand. But her refusal to take a side clearly is a sign of weakness. Maariv also says:

International star Gal Gadot has chosen for days to remain silent and not react to the difficult events that are taking place in the State of Israel, which is under attack by missiles, riots and violent riots. While her homeland is under fire and being extinguished, the rest of the world have taken a pro-Palestinian side, and our ambassador has largely chosen a thunderous silence.

After receiving harsh criticism from Israelis across the country and from the media, Gadot raised a post of support for both sides in the conflict. The prime minister's son, Yair Netanyahu, did not remain indifferent, and in response responded sharply to "Wonder Woman" for the neutral messages she conveyed.

And so he wrote: "The models of Palestinian descent, Gigi and Bella Hadid, who have millions of followers, have been doing antisemitic propaganda against Israel 24/7 since the beginning of the rush. But she chose to write a neutral post, as if she were from Switzerland."

And honestly, that's not sending a good message when you fail to show the courage to react as quickly as possible. Gadot's approach was dismal and dismaying. Again, no wonder I've felt soured on her.

There's also more gross comments coming from author Saladin Ahmed, who's practically written comics, such as the following:

I went to protests for Palestine during the 1st intifada when I was in jr high

marched to support the 2nd intifada just out of college 20 years ago

always always they try to make you feel alone

but you never are https://t.co/ml4l57mwoa

— Saladin Ahmed (@saladinahmed) May 13, 2021

by 'terrorist sympathizer' you mean 'guy named Ahmed who talks about Palestine'

also I'm self employed but yes Marvel pays me to write superhero comics because I'm good at it - stay mad and watch this space for new work dropping soon💅🏼 pic.twitter.com/pspXQdwDwH

— Saladin Ahmed (@saladinahmed) May 14, 2021

It's good to see there's others out there concerned about Marvel - or any other comic publisher - continuing to employ such a disturbing anti-Israelist. As I'd noted before, this is very troubling that Marvel continues to employ him virtually unquestioned to date, as his positions are revolting. (Update: it appears Ahmed erased the second post, but here's an archived link.)

I think the following news from Epicstream about Brie Larson, who played the Capt. Marvel role, unfollowing Gadot over her statements is also troubling:

...However, their "friendship" may have come to an end after the Captain Marvel star allegedly unfollowed the Wonder Woman actress on Instagram.

Instagram users noticed that is Brie no longer on Gal Gadot's follower list and people were quick to assume that it had something to do with the Israeli star's "controversial" statement on the ongoing crisis between Israel and Gaza. To those unaware, Gal penned an emotional declaration calling for peace amid the chaotic situation. However, a lot of people found her statement hypocritical as the actress apparently served the Israel Defense Force as a soldier and is believed to be a zionist.

Since Zionism is a synonym for patriotism and nationalism, it's despicable how the meaning is obscured, and antisemites just use it as an excuse for demonization. All that aside, if there's any meat to this, Larson's just made me feel even gladder I've haven't seen the Capt. Marvel movie, and won't be seeing "The Marvels", a planned sequel whose title suggests the 1st movie really was controversial enough despite the box office grosses, they'd rather downplay Larson's prominence this time round. If Epicstream's making Zionism out to sound bad, that too is despicable. At least the writer at the site has the audacity to note how Gadot is in some ways victim of cancel culture.

With all that told, this is why Hollywood's comics movies are becoming as dispiriting as anything else coming from them these days. There's good reason why the Oscars have plummeted to such a low rating on television this year, and the recent crop of comics films are hardly what I'd consider prize-worthy either.

Labels: Avengers, dc comics, Europe and Asia, Hulk, islam and jihad, marvel comics, misogyny and racism, msm propaganda, politics, terrorism, violence, Wonder Woman