Rob Reiner and the degradation of American decency

Rob Reiner was a totem of American pop cultureespecially for Generation X and Millennials who grew up with his films. His work has served not only as a sentimental education for millions of people in the United States, but also throughout the world. Whether through the loss of innocence in Count on me., adaptation of the book The Body by Stephen King; the moral integrity ofSome good men; the triumph of love over tyranny – even if it was in a comical key – in The Princess Bride; the idealization of presidential power in The President and Miss Wadeor the existential questions of When Harry Met SallyHis films offered a shared narrative that allowed Americans to understand each other despite their differences. This connection stemmed from a profound, almost otherworldly idealism. Reiner was considered a spiritual heir to Frank Capra for his faith in public institutions and a humanism that placed individual decency above any ideology. He was convinced that, as long as the rules of the game were respected and civilized dialogue was maintained, the democratic system would be able to protect the most vulnerable and expose corruption and abuse of power. This principle can be found in the legendary 1970s sitcom. All in the FamilyThe show catapulted Reiner to fame with his portrayal of Michael Stivic, a progressive son-in-law who clashed with his conservative father-in-law, Archie Bunker. Through everyday confrontations, the series tackled issues such as racism, sexism, politics, and the generation gap—controversial topics that traditional television comedies had previously avoided. However, far from the toxic polarization characteristic of the Trump era, the series was an ode to coexistence, showcasing an increasingly difficult-to-conceive reality: that two seemingly irreconcilable extremes could live under the same roof because they still shared a common moral compass.

Progressive activist

Rob Reiner's idealism wasn't confined to the big screen. A staunch defender of progressive causes and one of the Democratic Party's most influential donors, he was also an activist who understood politics as a pragmatic tool for improving citizens' lives. Far removed from Hollywood elitism, he was personally involved in campaigns in California, such as the defense of same-sex marriage and the creation of children's health programs funded by tobacco taxes. With the arrival of Donald Trump, Reiner focused his efforts on combating what he considered an existential threat to the country. This fight was brutally cut short a week ago: Rob and his wife, photographer Michele Singer Reiner, were murdered in their home. Police have arrested their son Nick, who has a history of addiction, as the perpetrator. Trump's response to this brutal crime crossed all boundaries of decency. In an incendiary message on social media, the former president ridiculed the victim and attributed the murder to the "rage Reiner provoked" due to his "incurable" political attachment to him. With this attack—yet another in his endless repertoire of insults against his critics—Trump only confirmed what Reiner denounced during his lifetime: the moral failings of a leader whose conduct degrades the presidency and empties the highest institution of the land—the one that, according to the American ideal, should lead, inspire, and inspire—of its meaning.