April Commentary from George Spiro Dibie

Perserverance is the Key to Freedom

I came to the United States from Jerusalem many years ago searching for what often seemed like an impossible dream. That sounds like something Don Quixote said in The Man From La Mancha, but it is the absolute truth. I will always be grateful for the opportunities that my adapted country gave me. There are countless people who have earned my eternal gratitude. But, the truth is that it was never easy. I have always had to fight for my ideals. That battle goes on today in every part of our culture. The ancient Chinese curse, “May you live in interesting times,” applies to our lives today. Like it or not, we live in a world where far too many ordinary people hate Americans. We need to find out why. The problem is that in the United States today, you are labeled unpatriotic if you ask the government questions. An astute politician offered this explanation for that rational. He said, “Why should a government which is doing what it believes is right allow itself to be criticized? It would not allow opposition by lethal weapons. Ideas are much more fatal things than guns.” Those are the words Nikolai Lenin used to justify suppressing open debate and a free press in Russia some 90 years ago. I hate to say this, but in my travels to visit members of my family in England, I found a much more open dialogue, both in the press and in individual conversations than we are having in the United States about crucial issues today. It doesn’t matter whether you are a Democrat, a Republican or disengaged from politics. If we stand by and allow our democracy to erode, our children and grandchildren will never forgive us.

Local 600 is a microcosm of our society, but all the same dynamics apply. We are living in “interesting times.” Runaway production, driven by corporate greed, is eroding our dreams and undermining an important American art form. It is our moral obligation to fight back. I am happy to report dramatic progress in some states, especially Louisiana, New Mexico and Illinois, where local governments have leveled the playing field. Production is burgeoning in all of those states with our enthusiastic cooperation. Progress is also being made in other states, including North Carolina and Georgia, however, far too many of our elected officials on national, state and local levels have been ineffectual or mute. We can’t put all of the blame on them. It is up to all of us to make our voices heard, and let them know that their behavior is unacceptable. There are many other crucial issues, including how the evolution of hybrid technologies will affect our future. The staff of ICG Magazine has done an exemplary job of reporting intelligently and in depth about these critical issues, but we can’t sit back and say they are someone else’s problems to resolve. It is our responsibility as individuals and as a Guild to educate ourselves and fight for our dreams.

Reasons to Celebrate
This month, we are honoring 11 members who are finalists in the 2004 ICG Showcase. Ken Glassing, Rachel Levine, Christopher Probst, Rob Kositchek, Mark Schwartzbard, Harry Box, Anette Haellmigk, Michael Chambliss, Michael Pescasio, Darin Moran and Vasco Lucas Nunes took their fate into their own hands, and made a giant leap forward in their lives and careers. Their short films will travel around the country and to other parts of the world, including Cannes. We will discuss their artful work in a future issue of ICG Magazine. Also this month, the Ashland Film Festival, in Oregon, is celebrating the career of Gerald Hirschfield, ASC, one of our esteemed colleagues, whose body of work includes such classics as Fail-Safe, Goodbye Columbus and Diary of a Mad Housewife. He is a source of inspiration for all of our members who believe that if they persevere they can realize their dreams and make a difference in the world.

As always, I look forward to your comments and suggestions. Please e-mail them to me.

George Spiro Dibie, ASC
National President