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April 10, 2003
The Dixie Chicks Treatment(TM)
Baseball Hall snubs celebrities
Dale Petroskey sent a letter to Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins cancelling their appearance at the National Baseball Hall of Fame because they've been outspoken against the war.
In the letter, Petroskey criticizes their views on the war and makes statements like "The President of the United States as this nation's democratically elected leader, is constitutionally bound to make decisions he believes are in the best interests of the American people."
The election of 2000 was one of the most highly contested and it came out that more people voted for Gore than they did Bush. It's the past but the problem is that democracy was and is at stake, not the votes of one state. Adam Flint, a sociology professor at Hartwick College is quoted as saying "One, I'd say Bush's status as a democratically elected leader is perhaps the most questionable in our country's history."
There are other broad ranging statements about Iraq's deadly weapons and the fact that they are putting our troops in danger by speaking up against the war. Flint makes the statement, "And as far as putting our troops in harm's way, I think George Bush has done that."
The main point of all of this is that shunning someone because they are publically outspoken about the war when justifying the war as fighting for America's freedoms is a bunch of idiotic banter.
I have yet to see any celebrities who have had their appearances cancelled because they are in support of the war. People should be able to state their opinions for and against in not be shunned for it.
Posted by beamz at April 10, 2003 10:41 AM
Comments
If you were planning a wedding, and you were inviting people, would you invite someone that you didn't care for because you had opposing views? Or perhaps their presence there would upset other people? I'm sure you know what I'm talking about.
Gathering people together is always a daunting task simply because you have to take into account other people's feelings.
Where should I seat this person? This person sued this person so therefore we can't invite them. This couple, once married, now divorced would probably end up in a fight if put together in the same room... etc.
I don't think that they are being shunned for their opinions. Quite the opposite. They are being protected from possible heckling by other people attending the same event.
They are celebrities, entertainers, actors ... not role models, model citizens, or politicians.
Being a celebrity, means that they need to be EXTRA careful about what they say, what they do, who they date, etc. Their lack of privacy is well compensated by their salaries. They are under constant criticism and I'm sure they're used to it.
Yes they have freedom of speech. But they do not have freedom from criticism. They should be more careful of what they say and who they speak out against if they want to continue to be invited to parties and not get harassed.
BTW - Cain is STILL your leader
Pamela :)
Posted by: Pameluh at April 10, 2003 2:45 PM
Please could you tell me how to treatment for broiler chickens fromm day one toseven weeks?
Posted by: Bhishma Karki at April 6, 2004 9:44 AM