Many people will say that Arnold Schwarzenegger is cancelled because of his history of sexual harassment and his serial infidelities and many other things. I’m not saying that people don’t have the right to cancel him, but I do think Schwarzenegger used to be a very popular figure in the Republican Party, and he is probably still well-liked by the average Republican voter. My point is that Arnold probably isn’t talking to us, the people who were completely f–king appalled by the Capitol siege. He’s trying to reach the people who are possibly sympathetic to the terrorists rather than the terrorized. He posted this video on his social media:
Arnold gets into his personal history, growing up in post-war Austria in an abusive home, surrounded by men broken by war. He speaks about the history of World War II, Kristallnacht, how Nazism rose and spread across Europe. It’s not a perfect historical lesson, nor do I agree with Arnold in how he dismisses many terrorists and Nazis as fools being conned by lies, but it’s HIS perspective and the lessons he’s drawn from his experiences as a kid in post-war Austria and as an immigrant to this country, in an era when everything about America was full of promise for immigrants. He also calls out the lawmakers (not by name) who enabled Trump, and how they should act like true public servants doing the best for America. And I have to say… many of the older generations who grew up scarred by war, or scarred by the immediate post-war energy in Europe, all of them also see the parallels to the rise of Nazism and what’s happening right now in America. Arnold isn’t wrong to speak about Kristallnacht.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.
I told someone yesterday that I never thought Arnold would have me in tears, but he did. I give him kudos for speaking directly to what tying yourself to this movement will do… it will leave you broken, angry, bitter & ashamed. History repeats itself, so we can learn the lessons.
Same. I didn’t know about sexual harrasment by him but yes his infidelity with Maria. I did not know it was multiple offenses either. WOW! But he did make me shed tears. How awful to see all that as a child and all around. So sad. I hope he reaches some of these people and that they change their tunes.
I thought this was a very powerful video. He definitely is not speaking to us, those already appalled by the acts of last week and the many comparisons over the past four years to the rise of Nazism.
I thought his point about the post-war behavior of his father and neighbors was to sort of make the point – you may feel like big man now, charging into the Capitol building, but the world and history will judge you, and you probably arent going to be able to handle that judgement.
It sounds all the more ominous after I just learned that a Capitol police officer committed suicide?
Did you see the video of the many whining and crying at National Airport because he is shocked he is on the no fly list.
Reality is hard for people neck deep in an echo chamber of conspiracy.
I appreciate Mr. S and what he was saying.
Again, he is trying to get through to the nazis, not thinking about the Jews, which is horrifying to those of us who see the evil for what it is.
But i appreciate his reaching out to the neo nazis.
Someone has to.
Not a fan of his, obviously, but this was an extremely powerful video.
Minx, I am with you. And my grandfather spoke of when the military overthrew his country’s government. We all need to wake up after this event.
That was a very raw video. He was so honest about his past (through his lens obviously), but this did have me almost in tears. It was a powerful message.
Not a huge Arnold fan ever and less so after his sexual peccadilloes were exposed. However, that was a powerful, heartfelt and evocative speech. Arnold said things that needed to be said. I hope his intended audience listens and takes heed.
Thank you for acknowledging his past violence against women. I agree, this is a powerful speech — I hope it reaches the right ears.
Yes that was for Republicans/Trumpers. The first half was very strong and moving, he tried to speak to the unrolled human suffering that can happen when people don’t speak up and act for wrong doing. This was positive.
Back in the early 1980s, I worked with a man who was from Austria. He admitted that he joined the Nazi youth when he was a kid. He said everyone got swept up in the nationalist movement because it seemed so patriotic. As a kid, he didn’t think through what the movement actually stood for. That conversation always chilled me — more so over the last few years, as we’ve seen gullible people just swallow and embrace what they’re hearing without actually looking beneath the surface.
What we saw during the siege at Capitol Hill wasn’t youths. They were terrorists in their 40s, 50s, 60s. People who have always supported white supremacy and probably born and bred in the U.S. Not a fan of Arnold’s politics but if he’s able to change one person then it was worth it. At least some real thought went into what he said.
Exactly. I was thinking last night about how my parents and my in laws (who are rabid “Christians for Trump” members more so then my parents) have had it relatively easy, they grew up in the prosperous 50s, neither were in the Vietnam war or any war, raised kids in the 80s- and prosperous 90s when the middle class was actually thriving and you could raise a family and make a living without having a master degree, before the internet destroyed all human decency and they have been spoiled from it. My mom started this whole pandemic by crying about not being able to get her hair and nails done and now was complaining to me yesterday about not being able to go out to eat, she literally called me annoying because of the precautions that my family and I are taking. I’m like, STFU!!! You can effing live without going to a restaurant and is it worth it if you go out and you or my dad get covid and you die because you both are over 65 and have underlying health issues?? Since I started having kids I can count how many times I’ve been to a restaurant for the last five years and I’ve managed to survive, it’s a miracle! They have no perspective and are always playing the victim and whoa is me because I can’t do what I want right now. It’s like talking to my children wIth the whining and they have the patients of a child as well. Well you can’t just complain the virus away and if you would rather risk going out to eat right now and dying than waiting a little bit longer and living longer to be able to do a lot more in your life so be it. I’m so tired of it.
This was really powerful. I was especially moved when he talked about how many of the ex-Nazis he grew up with were not anti-Semitic but went along until it was too late. I feel like there’s a lot of that going on among Republicans. I had a conversation with a friend yesterday. She was talking about how her parents are minimizing what happened at the capital as no big deal and she feels like it’s cognitive dissonance because they cannot face that the support they gave to Trump and the things that they’ve ignored up until now they have led to this. I think a form of that is what Arnold Schwarzenegger is talking about and it’s very real and very frightening.
His personal sexism and domestic incidents aside, this was a necessary message from someone who can be heard when delivering it to the target. Arnold is an old school republican, he’s the type of republican who democrats could have conversations with and either compromise on an issue, or agree to disagree and go have a drink. He must be in shock at what the republican party has become.
So thankful he did this.
I love that Schwarzenegger is attempting to reach GOPers. I think he does a good job but I am not in the intended audience so I don’t know if it worked. Would love to know if any Trump supporters watched this video and were influenced by it to reconsider their support. Ups for the Conan sword!!!!
Very powerful video. Like everyone here I have issues with him, but I think this is a pretty badass video to release.
I’ll never forget, when visiting Munich, our tour guide informed us that the vast majority of Neo Nazis that visit are Americans.
Well THAT’S the scariest thing I’ve ever read here!!
I thought it was a great video and appreciated his message. (I’m a professional musician, and wish the music was better though.)
Some people were mad about the video. Which is crazy to me.. he told nothing but the truth.. I still can’t believe what happened..