YIPPITY - SKIPPITY !!
Give the man a gold star!!
"Let's be clear about one thing: Hollywood people are glamorous, but that's about it. They are ill informed about jihad. They are ill informed about Islam. They are ill informed about Israel, the [Palestinian Authority], Iraq, Afghanistan. They are ill informed about U.S. history, the Constitution, etc. The truth is, the movie people I've met are ignorant about most everything—save the weekend grosses of the top ten films."—Emmy-Award winning screenwriter Robert Avrech
posted by HeavyHanded at
6:07 PM
3 Comments:
You know, I don’t object to show business celebrities voicing their political opinions any more than I object to any other citizen doing so. I even accept that, because of their celebrity, more people will hear what they have to say than will hear what I have to say. That is just the way it is. It is not ‘fair’ but I don’t obsess over ‘fairness’ nor seek ‘cosmic justice’ the way the left does. I further accept that there are people out their who will give more credence to a show business celebrities political opinions than to my own. That also is just the way it is.
What I object to is when they, quite literally, capitalize on the occasions of their celebrity to do it; when they are ‘on the job’ and inject their political views into their roles, MC shticks, or guest appearances. (Comedy routines are touchy as there is a grand history of lampooning politicians that I would not like to see curtailed but a little pretence at balance would be nice.)
I have been in IT all my working life and to me, their doing that is the same as if I had, say, written a payroll program to cause right wing political slogans to appear on the back of peoples pay stubs. That would not be a proper use of my position; it would not be welcome by many; it would certainly not be what I was being paid to do nor would it be what was expected of me by those who were paying me nor those who were the recipients of my labors. I dare say many show business celebrities as well as others would strongly object and I doubt they would accept that such objections would be a violation of my freedom of speech.
By
Anonymous, at 9:12 AM
You have made some valid points Anotmo. There are different layers to this issue as I see it.
First, it is not so much that I object to them voicing their views, obviously because of freedom of speech.
As to whether it is "fair or not", I do not lose sleep over it, but I can still object to the media flocking to them and giving them their soap box, and as in many cases the celebs seeking out the media demanding their soapbox which the media is ever so willing to be accomodating; while the conservatives in Hollywood for the most part are forced into being "closet conservatives" for fear of blackballing, etc.
My first thought was how hard will it be, now, going forward, for Mr. Robert Avrech.
This just represents, again, the hypocrisy of the left. Whenever the celebs are criticized, it's the same ole tired "freedom of speech" issue, unless of course you are a conservative celeb.
This leads me to point out that the so-often confused left is, not surprisingly, confused about what freedom of speech means. It does not guarantee you an audience.
When the rapper Kanye West goes on NBC to do a telethon, for example, he is a guest; invited to do a specific task. And when he starts ad libbing, NBC (in this case) has every right to cut his mike and SHOULD cut his mike.
This is very different than a comedian going on stage and being politically funny. He was hired for that very purpose - to be funny.
Yet, the left will cry for freedom of speech and lament censure for the likes of poor old Kanye West.
It sounds as if we are pretty much on the same page on this issue - not that it matters that much if we are or not; but as Dennis Prager says, clarity is more important than agreement.
By
HeavyHanded, at 10:00 AM
Yes, we are in complete agreement on this issue.
I like your point about freedom of speech not being freedom of an audience. Further to that point, freedom of speech is not freedom from criticism. Speak all you like, I don't have to listen, I don't have to agree and I am free to say so.
I wish the political views of celebrities would not get any more attention than yours or mine. Given that they do, I wish the political views of conservative celebrities would get as much attention as do the political views of liberal celebrities. They do not. But, Kanye West is a prime example of what I object to the most and will not accept. As you said, his mike should have been cut.
By
Anonymous, at 10:23 AM
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