Celebrities using their popularity to persuade the public politically

[APzombie]

Alright, i'm getting sick of this. There are a slew of actors and actresses (Susan Surandon, Alec Baldwen, Sean Penn, ect...) who get in front of the camera and start preaching to the U.S. President about how they know better than him in dealing with the war (it comes off that way). Is it their place to do this?

What do they know about Iraq outside their Hollywood world?

Just the fact that their doing this makes me sick, not so much as their opinion, because everyone is entitled to their oppinion. But i don't see Presidents telling Sean Penn how to act! How far is too far with this?

[Nate6]

My major problem with all of these celebrities jumping in front of the camera blasting the possible war with Iraq (and for that matter, all of the worldwide protesters) is the fact that no one is offering an alternative to it. Saddam Hussein regularly commits horrifying atrocities against his own people and has the potential to develop chemical weapons, and these celebrities who think they're great saviours say "no war." Well, I'm pretty liberal myself, I don't support Bush and I hate war, but we have to figure out a way to get rid of Hussein. For the good of the people of Iraq, we do. When Sean Penn and Susan Sarandon figure out a way to do that without missiles, I'll back them 100%. I think they are right that we should let the inspectors do some more work (doesn't seem to be working, but who knows what could happen), but for now, maybe these entertainers-cum-diplomats, many of whom have barely a high-school education, should back off and leave the job to the UN and Colin Powell.

[Buck Turgidson]

You don't give up your citizenship because you get famous. Funny that no one ever seems to think that Heston, Gibson, Selleck et. al. should just shut up.

If you have a problem w/ what they say, do what Nate did: argue against them. Don't suggest that just because they're famous, they're disquallified from public discourse. Contrary to what the current administration and their lackeys in the press would have you believe, America wasn't founded on a tradition of Shut Up And Do What You're Told.

Ask George III.

[Dude]

They have a right to speak their mind... too bad their tongues arent connected to their minds. :p

[Grebdron]

Sure they have a right to speak their mind. But I hate that they think we care what they think.

[James Logan]

I think it's part of a citizen's responsability to speak out when he thinks something wrong is going on. And stars are citizens -- and they have an even bigger responsability to speak out, because people listen to them. Maybe not you, maybe not me -- but a lot of people do. They weigh their weight in the public opinion balance.

That said, I do agree with Nate -- I'd like to hear some people giving other alternatives instead of just bashing Bush (who really deserves it, though).

[JoBlo]

I would listen to anybody who knows what they're talking about in these circumstances, celebrity, General, asshole from the corner of the street, etc...

As long as you can back your shit up and not talk out of your ass, you're fine to speak your mind as long as you live in the freedom that is this country.

I watched Janeane Garafolo on CNN's CROSSFIRE last night and she was quite the learned individual. She knew her shit inside and out and came up with several "alternatives" or "reasons not to go to war" at this point in time. She also KNOCKED anyone who was asking her to "stand up" for all "celebrity" speakers, since she wisely stated that everyone has a right to their opinion and just because one is a celebrity, shouldn't be any reason for them to shut their mouths.

As per anything else on TV though....if you don't dig it, change the channel. It kinda reminds me of the major LOTR fanboys who emailed me after I gave TT a 5/10 just to tell me that I "apparently" didn't have a right to my opinion because I hadn't read the books or just because I had a website.

I just can't wait to see how many of these folks are gonna DRAIN the airwaves with this sort of stuff come Oscar presenting and speech time...........yipes!!! (can you imagine what Michael Moore will say if he gets up to win for BOWLING FOR COLUMBINE??)

[APzombie]

Great posts.

originaly posted by JoBlo
As long as you can back your shit up and not talk out of your ass, you're fine to speak your mind as long as you live in the freedom that is this country.

I agree, along with Nates statement. Though you can still talk out of your ass and speak your mind, but thats freedom. i just think the ones who talk out of their ass are doing more harm than good.

I appreciate Janeane Garafolo, Ed Harris and Martin Sheen. They present the problom plus a few solutions from what they know. It's people like Susan Surandon that ticks me a bit because all she does (at least from what i've seen) is yell at Bush and make hate marks against America. It's my persception that she seriously thinks that she knows more about what is going on with the world more than Bush. Just people that will do anything to crush the Bush addministration, which seems like the case for alot. Taken most celeberties with the guts to come accross with a political opinion know where they stand and why they stand their, there are still those that just abuse their popularity.

Just my 2 cents