Posted on 04/15/2003 7:18:49 PM PDT by jern
Anti-war activist Tim Robbins says his freedom violated by baseball snub Fri Apr 11, 8:40 PM ET Add Entertainment - AFP to My Yahoo!
LOS ANGELES (AFP) - US actor Tim Robbins (news) said that Baseball's Hall of Fame had violated his freedom of expression by scrapping a screening of one of his movies because he publicly criticized the US-led war in Iraq (news - web sites).
The actor and his Oscar-winning partner Susan Sarandon (news) had been invited to attend the 15th anniversary screening of their 1988 baseball movie "Bull Durham" at the New York-based Hall of Fame later this month.
"I was dismayed that the Baseball Hall of Fame decided to use this event to make a political statement," Robbins, 44, said in a statement in which was supported by his pal and "Bull Durham" co-star Kevin Costner (news).
"It is using what power it has to infringe upon my rights of free speech with the hope to intimidate millions of others who disagree with our president," Robbins said in a stinging riposte.
The Hall of Fame's move "dishonors the words 'patriotism' and 'freedom' and disrespects the men and women who have fought wars to keep this nation a place where one can freely express their opinion without fear of reprisal or punishment," he said.
Robbins and Sarandon are among the most visible Hollywood stars to vocally oppose US President George W. Bush (news - web sites)'s attack on Iraq at a time when media speculation is rife over whether high-profile anti-war activists will be punished by Hollywood for views that some Americans feel are unpatriotic.
The pair have led a clutch of US anti-war demonstrations and at last month's Oscar, both war peace badges and flashed peace signs when arriving at the war-muted ceremony.
Robbins received a letter from the Hall of Fame's president, Dale Petroskey, who was on the White House staff during the presidency of Ronald Reagan (news), stating that his public views on the war represented a danger.
"Public figures have platforms much larger than the average American's, which provides you an extraordinary opportunity to have your views heard -- and an equally large obligation to speak and act responsibly," he wrote.
"We believe your very public criticism of President Bush at this important -- and sensitive -- time in our nation's history helps undermine the US position, which could put our troops in even more danger."
Kevin Costner came to the couple's defence saying that freedom of speech was one of the key democratic rights that America battled to ensure.
"I think Tim and Susan's courage is the type of courage that makes our democracy work," he said. "Pulling back this invite is against the whole principle about what we fight for and profess to be about."
The Baseball Hall of Fame tribute to "Bull Durham" had been scheduled for April 26 and 27 in Cooperstown, New York, and Robbins, Sarandon and the movie's director Ron Shelton (news) were scheduled to speak at the event.
Shelton rallied to support arch-liberal Robbins, branding the Hall of Fame's move "ridiculous."
"Baseball is the great American game of language and dissent -- and 'Bull
Durham' is merely a story that tries to connect us," he said in a statement.
I disagree.
It's only confirmed the fact that the average American has finally had enough of no-nothing, whining, self-absorbed, pretentious, prima-donna Hollywood @ss-holes.
Robbins becomes a bigger joke every day.
.......he also has that rebellious hairstyle so commonly sported by the left .
Hey what can I say, we're on the same wavelength lol.
He has the right to speak his opinion.
Because of his outspokenness, he will be received either popularly or unpopularly.
Tim isn't popular anymore! Suck it up, Tim.
Ask Hanoi Jane about what happens to people who say the United States is a bad idea. She took a photo-op thirty years ago, five minutes, and has lived in fear ever since. You don't see her at too many Veteran reunions. After she is dead, I will stomp on her grave...
The Hollyweenies don't get it.
The 1st amendment protects us from the government infringing on free speech.
It does no prevent any private citizen or activity from taking any action they choose as a result of a comment they don't like.
The actor... had been invited to attend the 15th anniversary screening of their 1988 baseball movie "Bull Durham" at the New York-based Hall of Fame later this month.
"It is using what power it has to infringe upon my rights of free speech with the hope to intimidate millions of others who disagree with our president," Robbins said in a stinging riposte.
The unmitigated gall of Tim Robbins. He gets an invitation to the Hall of Fame. An invitation. When that invitation is withdrawn he has a sorely misplaced tantrum about his right to free speech.
He can say whatever he wants. But that doesn't mean that a person or organization must invite him into their home or organization. He was going to be a guest speaker and with his most recent tantrum he is validating the wise decision of the Hall of Fame to rescind the invitation .
I think every American understands that free speech means a person can say what they want. Even protest the government. But they don't equate free speech with being given a stage to speak from.
Nothing quite like getting on stage in front of the American people and having a misguided tantrum about on your right to free speech that hasn't been violated and then proceed to expose yourself as a fool.
Mark Twain wrote: "It is better to sit in silence and be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt."
I've said it on several posts over the last week or so: They just can't seem to get out of their own way fast enough. They're their own worst enemies.
It's similar to how the UN security council has rendered itself irrelevant, Susan Sarandon, Tim Robbins and an array of other celebrities did it to themselves as have certain Democrats, President Chirac, the French government and to a lesser degree the Russian and German governments. Not to mention an assortment of special interest do-gooder groups.
They're dropping over like flies. It's like shooting fish in a barrel. It seems to have been set im motion by a new-era response to 9-11. People seem to be on an increasing drive to root out dishonesty and deception.
I may have missed some earlier instances but it appears to have picked up pace last October when Robert Torcerelli was forced to resign from the Senate. Then in the mid-term elections, despite historical reference that the party that holds the White House loses seats in the Senate, Republicans gained seats in the Senate. People voted for the lesser of evils. The low hanging fruit gets picked off first.
Since the elections the pace has picked up even more, especially since the week before the war in Iraq. There's no reason to think that the pace with which parasitical elites and their celebrity stooges rendering themselves less and less relevant will slow down -- most likely it will continue to increase. At this point in time the light at the end of the tunnel is almost imperceptible, but the accelerating momentum will bring it on strong and relentlesly.
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