Of course it’s not an invalid strategy. In fact, it works very well. Much for the same reason the politician with the most money for media ads often has an advantage over a financially strapped opponent.
My problem actually is not with the celebrity, as long as they don’t hijack some public forum to spread their message.
My problem is with the mindless sheep that would follow any dictate of a celebrity simply because of who they are. I’ll listen to someone’s opinion but I’ll be danged if I’ll let them make up my mind for me.
Ah, then we are in agreement. I just felt (perhaps erroneously) that too much ire was being directed towards the celebs and the organizations/causes taht use them. Mindless drones are acceptable targets.
Actually, as far as actors go, Danny Glover is one of the ones whose opinions I respect the most. He seems to be quite an intelligent activist and very involved in anti-racsism. I have read reports of him in South African newspapers visiting places like old slaver posts (off the coast of Senegal?) and Nelson Mandela’s Robben Island prison.
But in general I don’t take much stock in dumbasses like Streisand or Alec Baldwin.
I am against the death penalty with exceptions: not for “sanctity of life” reasons; sorry, but there are scumbags out there who have committed crimes so heinous that they deserve to die. However, there have been far too many people who have not received fair trials, and have been railroaded to death row. So I like the concept of the death penalty, provided that it is only used in cases in which there is no doubt that the accused is indeed guilty and in which the crime is sufficiently nasty as to deserve this penalty. Bin Laden’s crime is sufficintly nasty, but as far as there being no doubt as to his guilt, well, the gummint has been holding their evidence kind of close to their chests, so I’ll have to reserve judgement on that for the time being.
As far as Glover and his ilk spouting their opinions in the press as if they are authorities, I am of two opinions. First, they are obviously NOT experts on the topics being discussed here, and are therefore no more qualified to speak than anyone else. However, if the press is so stupid to stick a camera in their faces, knowing that people will watch, hell, I can’t say as I blame them for venting on whatever their pet topic might be.
One last comment: Streisand, Ferrell, Heston, and (to a lesser degree) Sheen all seem to act in roles that are more or less consistent with their political opinions. But Glover is different - how many people in the movies he’s done have been shot for the sake of selling films with gratuitous violence (not that I mind that much - I am an unabashed fan of gratuitous sex and violence)? So isn’t he more than the rest somewhat hypocritical for espousing such an anti-death penalty viewpoint?
cybersnark:One last comment: Streisand, Ferrell, Heston, and (to a lesser degree) Sheen all seem to act in roles that are more or less consistent with their political opinions. But Glover is different - how many people in the movies he’s done have been shot for the sake of selling films with gratuitous violence (not that I mind that much - I am an unabashed fan of gratuitous sex and violence)? So isn’t he more than the rest somewhat hypocritical for espousing such an anti-death penalty viewpoint?
No. If he were protesting gratuitous violence in entertainment, it would be hypocritical for him to contribute to it by taking roles in violent movies. What he seems to be protesting is the death penalty in the US criminal justice system in what we generally know as “real life”. There is no solid evidence that simulated violence in movies makes any significant contribution to violence in real life, much less that it contributes to support for the death penalty.
(I also wonder just how easy it is in this country for a dramatic actor who’s black to have a successful film career without appearing in violent movies. How many movies do you see with a black male protagonist that aren’t (1) farce vehicles for a well-known black comedian or (2) tense, suspenseful noir-ish thrillers with some kind of sub-plot on racial themes and a good deal of aggression and death? Where are the mainstream romantic comedies, thoughtful/sentimental “chick flicks” and family dramas with major black male roles?)
As for celebrities being something of a role model, well…… an individual can be brilliant, a team can come to a conclusion, the mass is most of the time dead ignorant and stupid, and the celebrities give the dull ones something to talk about.
Celebrities are just humans like the rest of us, (except Michael Jackson of course) and as capable of being brilliant, stupid and having something to say as anyone else.
I don’t think that there are that many terrorist leaders who access to that kind of money. But it doesn’t matter. Bin Laden will coordinate and order terrorist attacks if in prison. I think he only fades away when he’s dead. And he serves as an example. Fuck with us, and we will crush you.
Howsabout:
Sidney Poitier
Denzel Washington
Morgan Freeman
And, on the boob tube:
Eric LaSalle
They all seem to have done pretty well, and their whole body of work doesn’t consist of “farce vehicles for well known black comics” or “tense, noir-ish thrillers with racial subthemes” and a good deal of aggression and death. (Certainly, some of them have done that type of role on occasion, but those roles are hardly the bulk of their career).
