Someone's Gotta Defend Tom Cruise...
... and it might as well be me.
I'm amazed at the lack of a public outcry over the German government's efforts to stop the making of "Valkyrie" -- a film about the life of Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg, who tried to assassinate Adolf Hitler. Berlin's objection is that Stauffenberg, a German hero, would be played by Tom Cruise -- who is a Scientologist. And the Germans don't like Scientologists.
Now l make no apologies for the cruel joke that is L. Ron Hubbard's ridiculous sect. And I could understand why Deutschland would forbid shooting the film on government property if it were a promotional video for "Dianetics." But there is no church-state separation issue here. "Valkyrie" isn't about Scientology, it just so happens to star a Scientologist. Instead, this is a matter of religious freedom, with the German government discriminating against Cruise -- and everyone working with him on this project -- because of his religion.
Somehow, all this gets a pass from the chattering classes, probably because Scientology does little to elicit much sympathy. But imagine the hue and cry if, say, the Bush Administration tried to block the making of a film because its star were a Muslim, or even an atheist.
For a country with a vile history of mistreating religious minorities, you would think Germany would try a lot harder to respect religious freedom now. Or that the world would be more quick to condemn its intolerance.