March 14, 2003
Peacecrime
According to an online publication from Scotland (news.scotsman.com), "The backlash against prominent stars opposing any attack on Iraq has impacted on this year's Oscars, with organisers drawing up a blacklist of people who will not be allowed a platform to air anti-war views. Meryl Streep, Sean Penn, Vanessa Redgrave, George Clooney, Dustin Hoffman and Spike Lee are among those who will not be speaking, amid fears they could turn the ceremony into an anti-war rally."Now somehow it seems that the US establishment is poised to guard against any outbreak of peace. This means the Academy, perhaps under pressure from the network, which is or perceives itself to be under pressure from advertisers or maybe government, are taking a position that is not only pro-war but is against any tolerance of an anti-war position or expression. God help this country if some traitor should speak out for peace.
Again I wonder, what kind of a people have we become that we can't even tolerate someone expresssing opposition to an unprovoked attack on a defenseless third world country in violation of international law. The planned attack that is being discussed by military leaders is an overwhelmingly brutal and murderous attack on civilians. But in the United States to even offer an opinion that dissents from this insanity is considered intolerable.
Actors are not supposed to express personal opinions on politics. They are just supposed to shut up and stick to acting, unless they are actors for the fascist cause, like Reagan. Then it's okay.
The US is becoming a very frightening place, a contradiction of everything in its founding documents, intolerant of diversity of opinion, against freedom of speech, freedom to assemble, due process of law, and increasingly opposed to peace or even a mention of it.