Posted on 02/25/2005 10:15:56 AM PST by FlyLow
Clint Eastwood made my day. It happened during a recent interview with The New York Times in which the actor-director said he was baffled by the controversy surrounding his latest film, "Million Dollar Baby."
What Eastwood finds frustrating is that a movie that isn't really political has had to endure political fallout from right-wing talk show hosts who insist that the film — in a plot twist already revealed elsewhere — pushes liberalism by promoting assisted suicide.
Given that Eastwood is the former Republican mayor of Carmel, Calif., and a movie star who once played hard-nosed Police Inspector Harry Callahan, aka "Dirty Harry," the irony is palpable. But what caught my attention was what Eastwood had to say about the ruckus. He harkened back to an earlier time when politics were more cordial and the discussion of all things political wasn't so all-or-nothing.
"Maybe I'm getting to the age when I'm starting to be senile or nostalgic or both, but people are so angry now," Eastwood said. "You used to be able to disagree with people and still be friends. Now you hear these talk shows, and everyone who believes differently from you is a moron and an idiot — both on the right and the left." Bravo. Eastwood has just zeroed in on one of the biggest problems with political discourse in this country. It's a problem that needs fixing, and, until it gets fixed, the political process will not work as well as it would without all the acrimony and accusations.
(Excerpt) Read more at jewishworldreview.com ...
An article written by Ruben Navarrette Jr., about Ruben Navarrette Jr..
Good movies are supposed to make us think.
I haven't seen Clint's new film because I
wait for dvd releases. Theaters are dens
of disease...lol.
**************
Wrong.
That definitely made my day too. As more of a Libertarian than conservative I get unnerved by hearing things I hear on talk radio sometimes. And I've been a listener to talk radio since I was 14 or 15 (now 28). On policies like free markets and market based capitalism I'm to the right of most of our elected Republicans even. But on certain social issues I tend to hold different opinions. I won't go into which one's and why...I guess I could but for the purposes of this post I won't.
My heroes are Barry Goldwater and Ronald Reagan but when I hear some things that you inevitably hear on talk radio or talk shows, from time to time, I might as well be to the left of FDR, LBJ, Teddy Kennedy, Clinton and most of old Europe combined.
Not everyone who believes differently from me is a moron and an idiot. Some are just ignorant about the facts.
Everyone is entitled to an opinion, but unfortunately, not everyone think they need to be civil about other's.
What Eastwood finds frustrating is that a movie that isn't really political
It IS all or nothing now, from both sides often. We are all complex and we cannot agree on everything simply because we're registered as a Republian, or any other party. I think we should respect the differences. But it's those "disagreements" that will silence many of us in a forum situation or life itself. Prior to Clinton both parties did seem broader and more open to differences and discussion.
It's not. I've seen the film and it's not a political film.
It's a social issue film. If you personally want to make social issues political than, yes, it's political. But that's your issue, not the film or Eastwood's.
You are SOO right. Prior to 1992 the parties were much more open.
It is easy to understand why.
The present day political process is ultimately about money and power.
Due to the disparagment and dismissal of our Constitution's by politicians, judges, and too many citizens, we are beginning to live in a democracy, authoritarian in it's tyrannical decisions.
Also, these same anti-liberty decisions are followed up with the disbursement of millions of dollars to the group that has the majority votes, whether democrat or republican.
That's a bunch of crap. The vitriol you hear today is nothing compared to what you would have heard back in the 1930's during FDR's time, from both parties. There is nothing new under the sun.
Thats right. then you started to work with people who openly hate Conservative, and no one watched Mystic River because we couldn't separate the actor from the hate. Now Clint is still trying to hide the underlying "Mercy killing" in his movie wondering what the controversy is. Must be senility!
I disagree. It reminds me of the Nazi approach to the handicapped ("useless eaters") and I don't like it. I say it's political and I say the hell with it.
Maybe he should have stuck to spaghetti westerns.
Too bad he doesn't see Hollywad for what it has become and how it has been as responsible as any party or individual for making thinks so heated.
Enjoy the Oscars, Clint,, I won't be tuning in myself. I tuned out Hollyweed and its activist agenda, a long time ago.
"Wrong."
I saw the movie, and I say it was NOT political. I agree with Clint.
Did you see the movie, or are you just parroting back what you hear?
played hard-nosed...
He's spent too much time in the MAKE BELIEVE world so it's no wonder that when he steps in and then brings his dirty shoe into OUR HOUSE he wonders whats all the fuss about.
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