Education

Was ‘Schindler’s List’ Producer Disinvited as Graduation Speaker for Conservative Beliefs?

Producer and Former U.S. Marine Gerald Molen Disinvited as Commencement Speaker Over Conservative Politics Concern

Gerald Molen. (Image: Riccardo Vecchio/Hollywood Reporter)

Over the course of this week, Glenn Beck has been enlivening Americans about harnessing their power to “create” something — art, music, an invention, something. Gerald Molen, the Academy-Award winning co-producer of “Schindler’s List,” was set to motivate a graduating class of high school seniors in May during a commencement address about their ability to ”conceive, to believe and to achieve.” Being in the film industry, he was going to suggest they write a script — one “filled with step-by-step goals of proper preparation and scenes depicting them as lawyers, doctors, captains of industry and/or having careers as they saw themselves in 20 or 30 or 40 years in the future.”

Molen though never gave this address. According to Hollywood reporter, the former U.S. Marine who also produced films including “Jurassic Park” and “Twister” showed up to Ronan High School in Montana only to be told he would not be allowed to give his presentation.

Molen wrote a letter to the local newspaper – the Daily Inter Lake — in late May expressing his disbelief that a school in Montana would disinvite a speaker. He writes the reasoning he was given was that some people were concerned the speaker would be “too right-wing or having an opinion that might be counter to theirs.” In meeting with principal Tom Stack, Molen said he was never asked about the true content of his presentation:

I served three years in the Marine Corps so that others might stand before their peers or even a group of students, but never did I think my voice would be stilled by some mysterious caller(s) on the notion that I might say something they “thought” would not be in the students’ best interests. Reminds me of another time in history when voices were silenced by the mere suggestion they might be different or have a point of view. I never dreamed it might happen in Montana.

Hollywood Reporter has more on Molen’s undelivered address that he described as “apolitical:”

Molen has spoken at dozens of schools and never accepts a fee. When one is offered, he asks that it be donated to the Shoah Foundation, the nonprofit organization founded by Spielberg and dedicated to the remembrance of the Holocaust.

When speaking to students, Molen’s presentations usually invoke Oskar Schindler, who is credited with saving 1,100 Jews during the Holocaust and is the subject of the Oscar-winning 1993 film that Molen co-produced with Spielberg and Branko Lustig.

For the Ronan students, Molen planned to use Schindler as an example of what courageous individuals could accomplish [...]

Hollywood reporter contacted Stack and the school itself for comment but calls were not returned.

Molen went on to write in his letter that his intent of the speech was to ultimately inspire the graduating seniors as they move forward in life, as most commencement speakers would set out to do. Instead, he writes, the students were ”indoctrinated with a sense of fear and mistrust that a fellow Montanan just might stand before them and say something some official school administrator deemed ‘possibly harmful.’”

Since Molen’s letter, Hollywood Reporter states that local citizens are looking for more answers as to what happened.

Comments (48)

  • cjherin
    Posted on June 9, 2012 at 8:22am

    The Hollywood Reporter has updated their story. The school superintendent has apologized to Molen, and confirms that Stack will no longer be a principal in the school district in the fall. Stack accepted a position in another town, but the story seems to say it has nothing to do with this controversy. Yeah, I believe that.

    Report Post » cjherin  
  • amerbur
    Posted on June 9, 2012 at 7:34am

    Shameful!!!. It is time to make big deal out of this outragous action. The person that approved this disinvite should be publically outed so that Americans from accross the country can voice their outrage “peacefully and civilly”.

    Report Post »  
  • walkandtalk
    Posted on June 9, 2012 at 6:32am

    Checked the demographics on this town. Ronan is small. The high school has 378 students in grades 9 through 12. To have a guest speaker of this caliber even agree to show up was an honor. As to liberal verses conservative, the vote in 2010 was fairly evenly divided. About 20% of the town’s adults have a college education and the town has a 10.4% unemployment rate which is higher than the Montana average of 7.0%. In 2009 25.2% of the population was living in poverty. The students were denied an opportunity, which they may never have again.

    Report Post »  
  • Dan Austin
    Posted on June 9, 2012 at 2:29am

    This principle is an ignorant and arrogant moron. He is too stupid to grasp the idea that ‘not exposing kids’ to conservative ideas while exposing them to his liberal ideas is essentially brainwashing. He arrogantly believes that he has a right to ‘force’ students to listen to his drivel while preventing them from exposure to any information or ideas that run counter to his own.

    Conservatives are willing to discuss and argue with liberals, often armed with facts that liberals are either ignorant of or in denial about. On the other hand, liberals want to prevent and suppress any thought that runs counter to their own. They lack the mental power to argue their case, and would rather suppress opposing views.

    Seriously, isn’t this guy an ignorant, arrogant, and hypocritical jerk who thinks, in his own little mind, that he knows all the answers and that opposing views should be suppressed?

    Report Post »  
    • TurboCat
      Posted on June 9, 2012 at 7:31am

      Can hardly believe what these censors get away with! “O’ Sage, would’st thou in rage decree, That freedom of speech be not for me?”.

      Report Post »  
  • jamestoms
    Posted on June 8, 2012 at 8:56pm

    Another socialist state…they should be proud!!!!

    Report Post »  
  • toto
    Posted on June 8, 2012 at 8:55pm

    Only one word suffices. Disgusting. I have been a complacent frog coming to a boil, no more. This stuff needs to be addressed head on and the people responsible for these decisions need to be taken out politically and publicly. They need to be shamed and shunned. Done with the “tolerance” that means tolerating very ugly stuff, but there is never tolerance for views on the right. EVERYONE STAND UP!!!! In your communities. Pay attention. Stomp it down, be just as tolerant as the left has been. It is the ONLY thing the left understands.

    Report Post »  
  • christianUSA
    Posted on June 8, 2012 at 7:46pm

    Opinion: thought intent policing by self appointed ideology police; conservatives and Christians are experiencing destruction by millions of tiny cuts of denied rights; this has and is sucking the time and funds out of them and dividing the efforts to thousands fronts. So often it like this secret slanderous unnamed faceless people if there was or is such as excuse for such bias exclusions or rush to judgment, with no real facts, guilty until absolutely proven falsely accused. Such people that would do this are very lacking in professional integrity; such people clearly do not comprehend our US Constitutional rights nor concept innocent until fact clearly prove guilty. Such people should be permanently removed from positions of authority.

    Report Post »  
  • Listen_then_think
    Posted on June 8, 2012 at 6:31pm

    Uninvited is the correct grammar, not disinvited. I suspect his son Steve Molen, who was one of the highest ranking people at Dreamworks, was just “let go” for a similar reason. Spielberg is not getting one more penny from me. Nor is Hanks, Clooney, or any other liberal loser that I can give money to obama.

    Report Post »  
    • DenisWTexas
      Posted on June 8, 2012 at 7:44pm

      Actually, I believe “uninvited” would imply that he was never invited in the first place. While I’m not sure “disinvited” is a proper word, the implication is that his invitation was reversed, in the spirit of ‘disbarred,“ ”disenfranchised,“ or ”displaced.”

      But I think we could all say he was just “dissed,” and leave it at that…

      Report Post »  
  • Beckster2
    Posted on June 8, 2012 at 6:25pm

    The Public Unions and the Democratic Party are still standing in front of the school house doors. It’s time for the taxpayers money for public schools to be given to the parents and students to choose a school of their choice. School Vouchers will end this kind of Fascist bigotry and Marxist indoctrination.

    Report Post »  
  • drenfroe
    Posted on June 8, 2012 at 5:27pm

    It‘s not who we have become its who we’re letting teach our kids. We need to insure they have values. Our kids and they way they think these days are one of the number one problems of the kind of sick brainwashing that is now attacking the people of this country. No God, no values, no mannners, no concern for anyone but self gratifications, no structure, no ethics. That seems to be who and what or own government promotes and look around what teachers are really teaching. A teacher who thinks they have more to do with raising your child and think because they have education for schooling that they know more than you do where your childs welfare is concerned is a teacher who needs to be fired. What arrogance.

    Report Post »  
  • BlackBeaver
    Posted on June 8, 2012 at 5:21pm

    Remember when schools taught students to think by presenting a variety of views and opinions to challenge them? Now, it seems, places like Ronan High School want to control their students, by limiting their exposure to ideas. Have such ‘schools’ become simply indoctrination centers to make future generations slaves to the all- powerful state?

    Report Post »  
  • skodymoore
    Posted on June 8, 2012 at 5:02pm

    I live only a few miles from Ronan, MT. I can’t believe that this happened HERE in our town… Disgusting! I know Gerald Molen, He is a fantastic person and any high school senior should strive to be as honorable and successful as this man. To be told he was not allowed to speak because he has “Values” is hideous… What next… are they going to force him to attach a yellow star to his clothing so that we know he is a moral threat? Who have we become?

    Report Post » skodymoore  
  • lukerw
    Posted on June 8, 2012 at 4:55pm

    Strange Production Team: Spielberg is a Flaming Liberal with Hots for Obama!

    Report Post » lukerw  
  • Eric_The_Red_State
    Posted on June 8, 2012 at 4:19pm

    I think the people of Ronan Mt ought to vote with their money –
    Do NOT go to football or baseball or basketball games at the High School
    Do NOT volunteer at the High School
    Do NOT go to plays – concerts – bake sales – etc.

    But Eric – you say – it will hurt the kids!!!
    That which I would say —– WHO is hurting the kids? Me – or the Principle??

    Report Post » Eric_The_Red_State  
    • Darlie
      Posted on June 8, 2012 at 4:48pm

      Vote with your feet and walk on out of there! As a former teacher, if you think is bad, you are ignorant as to what takes place in the classroom! Those kids are being indoctrinated into a valueless world. Since there is no such world they are wasting your kids’ time teaching them nonsense. No wonder students get to fifth grade and still can’t add. The real mission is not education. Get on your feet and remove your children from this school.

      I guarantee you teachers with sincere Christian beliefs are being silenced, just like this speaker. It obsurd. Isn’t political correctness lovely?

      Report Post »  
    • Jaycen
      Posted on June 8, 2012 at 5:06pm

      They could do that, but what would be more powerful is if they got MORE involved in the school, as opposed to less involved.

      Clearly, the problem is good parents aren’t spending enough time on school grounds and around the principal, or they would have known the principal is a Progressive Socialist and already begun the process of having the board remove him/her.

      When it comes to business, your answer is the right one. Penalizing the income of a business can make the business go away. Since schools are government run, there’s no penalty to the school when parents participate less. The penalty is on the children and society.

      Report Post » Jaycen  
  • Eric_The_Red_State
    Posted on June 8, 2012 at 4:13pm

    I checked and here is what I found ——

    Ronan High School
    103 3rd Ave NW, Ronan, MT 59864
    (406) 676-3390
    ronank12.edu
    Category: Schools
    Fax Number: (406) 676-3330

    If I were me – and I am me – I would send an EMAIL to the ronank12.edu and politely tell them that their principle was a man who made bad decisions.

    or something like that…. . . . . . .

    Report Post » Eric_The_Red_State  
    • Stand-in-CHRIST-Alone
      Posted on June 8, 2012 at 4:51pm

      Hey their Eric and everyone else, here is the email address that when used it is sent to everyone who works on the board for that school district: rsd.board@ronank12.edu

      What you put up is just a URL and not an operating email address, but I think everyone should send an email like you said though. I did…

      Report Post » Stand-in-CHRIST-Alone  
    • Eric_The_Red_State
      Posted on June 8, 2012 at 5:38pm

      I like it. Good idea and I will do that too! Thank you!

      I get involved with MY kids in school all the time and I give where I can.
      But – if parents, when asked to give, said – “I am NOT giving and here’s why” would send a message that needs to be sent.

      I volunteered a LOT at our school — but with all my volunteering – it never stopped the SEIU meetings – the LGBT classes – the “Tolerance” agenda which pervades the school from top to bottom.

      We have a LONG fight to get back to God based morals and standards in schools.

      Report Post » Eric_The_Red_State  
    • Sierra332
      Posted on June 8, 2012 at 7:45pm

      Hello my name is Sierra, I just graduated from Ronan High School and I am the vice president of my class. As a student of Ronan I just want all of you people who think you know what you are talking about that you do not. Our principle is a good man and makes good decisions that are for the good of the students he looks out for. Our class stands behind his decision. I do not know all of the facts but I do know some of the facts posted on this pare are not true. Please be more respectful of the people you are talking about but do not know. Thank you, Sierra :)

      Report Post »  
    • dennisS
      Posted on June 9, 2012 at 9:06am

      @sierra332-If you really are, or were, a student at Ronan HS perhaps the English teacher should be fired also. (Along with the Principal)

      Report Post »  
  • USA_Patriot75
    Posted on June 8, 2012 at 3:38pm

    C’mon people, don’t we know already. Freedom of Speech for Liberals freedom to make speeches that agree with Liberal orthodoxy. If you dare say anything else, Liberals will silence you.

    Report Post »  
  • One of the Quiet Ones
    Posted on June 8, 2012 at 3:31pm

    In fairness I don’t know all the details of these stories like this but my reaction is the following: I am sick of “no comment” by any form of government. They should have no choice. It should be assumed they will act in a legal way. No one made them take the job. If they are acting in a legal way they should have no reason for not responding. If they are not acting in a legal way they should have LESS protection.

    Report Post »  
  • sy212
    Posted on June 8, 2012 at 3:19pm

    Schools in our country are run by ninnies, small minded people that think the school is their fifedom. Being liberal of mind, they protect their minions from the evil that is conservative. This school is a disgrace and the those responsible for “dis-inviting” this gentleman should lose their jobs. Disgrace.

    Report Post »  
  • RightPolitically
    Posted on June 8, 2012 at 3:15pm

    The Left does not believe in free speech, gun ownership or any other “right” that might hinder their eventual takeover of the country. They want strong government with little opposition, believing full well that they will be the ones in charge.

    Report Post » RightPolitically  
  • Best_Patriot
    Posted on June 8, 2012 at 3:12pm

    Why does The Blaze have so many headlines in the form of a question? Here’s one for them: Why doesn’t the Blaze do their own research?

    Report Post » Best_Patriot  
    • Shellback
      Posted on June 8, 2012 at 3:21pm

      Why doesn’t your avatar show the horses ass being that you are one. Do your own homework.

      Report Post » Shellback  
    • RJJinGadsden
      Posted on June 8, 2012 at 3:24pm

      Becaue it guud two axe questchuns

      Report Post » RJJinGadsden  
    • matt708
      Posted on June 8, 2012 at 3:33pm

      why don;t you go to a lefty site you idiot

      Report Post »  
    • matt708
      Posted on June 8, 2012 at 3:35pm

      this is what we have to stop, a few changes things for thier own sake and forgetting about the majority. lefty commie idiots

      Report Post »  
    • JACKTHETOAD
      Posted on June 8, 2012 at 3:54pm

      You just keep going to Blaze’s… :)=

      Report Post » JACKTHETOAD  
    • paperpushermj
      Posted on June 8, 2012 at 3:56pm

      Silly Rabbit
      The Blaze posts content not suffering the cost of making content.

      Report Post » paperpushermj  
  • beekeeper
    Posted on June 8, 2012 at 3:04pm

    From the article:

    “Since Molen’s letter, Hollywood Reporter states that local citizens are looking for more answers as to what happened.”

    Interesting that the community these folks were trying to “protect” from differing thoughts has decided to rise up (after the fact) and ask what has been done by the leaders they choose on their behalf.

    The most likely defense – “Gosh, we didn‘t think you’d want a speaker that would present ideas that might challenge the graduates…”

    Report Post » beekeeper  
  • sbenard
    Posted on June 8, 2012 at 2:58pm

    So much for the 1st Amendment! Free speech is only historical in America!

    Report Post » sbenard  
  • DesdemonasCrew
    Posted on June 8, 2012 at 2:57pm

    Astounding. We are disintegrating at an exponential rate.

    Report Post » DesdemonasCrew  
  • MRMANN
    Posted on June 8, 2012 at 2:55pm

    Don’t know whether or not Molen is Jewish, but even if not, this all sounds like antisemitism to me.

    Report Post »  
    • poor_fool
      Posted on June 8, 2012 at 4:11pm

      Molen is a good man, but not Jewish. Leans the same religious direction as Beck, last I heard.

      Report Post »  
  • ZenJedi
    Posted on June 8, 2012 at 2:53pm

    To ALL BLAZE readers: Support free speech and send an email to the Ronan School District at rsd.board@ronank12.edu and let them know that we support the first amendment and being a Conservative is not like being NAZI as a matter of fact the action that PRINCIPLE TOM STARK took is akin to being a member of the NAZI party. The principle acted like NAZI by the letting Mr. Molen give his speech. This is how it starts. STAND UP FOR THE CONSTITUTION!!!

    Report Post » ZenJedi  
    • sbenard
      Posted on June 8, 2012 at 2:59pm

      What a great idea! Thank you!

      Report Post » sbenard  
    • DesdemonasCrew
      Posted on June 8, 2012 at 3:08pm

      Done!

      Report Post » DesdemonasCrew  
    • AmazingGrace8
      Posted on June 8, 2012 at 3:25pm

      This really does not surprise me. Ronan is close to Missoula and even in the late 60′s Msla was considered to be “a little Chicago, LA”. Kalispell and other towns in those areas are very liberal. In the 90′s Msla & Kalispell area started getting out-of-staters moving to these beautiful areas.

      Report Post »  
    • slr4528
      Posted on June 8, 2012 at 4:28pm

      AMAZINGGRACE8

      You are so right about Ronan and Missoula! The liberals are in the process of transforming Montana. I personally thought the natives in Montana would not tolerate the takeover by these left wing nut jobs! Everywhere there is a large college campus like Madison Wisconsin,you will see a high concentration of leftists. I believe this is part of Soros’s grand plan to take over the U.S..

      Report Post »  
    • Jerseygalnny
      Posted on June 8, 2012 at 7:12pm

      Thank you for a great idea! I cross posted this on our website, and included your suggestion in the main post!
      God bless,
      JG
      http://fundamentalrefounding.ning.com/forum/topics/was-schindler-s-list-producer-disinvited-as-graduation-speaker-fo

      Report Post » Jerseygalnny  

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