Jennings Warns of “Aggressive Efforts” to Hush Anti-War Celebs

MRC ~ Cyber Alert ^ | 04-16-03

[Zacs Mom]

Jennings Warns of “Aggressive Efforts” to
Hush Anti-War Celebs

ABC's Peter Jennings sees an ominous new threat in the world. Not weapons of mass destruction or terrorism, but another vast right-wing conspiracy at home, specifically, the supposedly “well organized and aggressive efforts to make life very difficult for celebrities who speak out against the war.”

     Jennings ended Tuesday's World News Tonight with this plug for Wednesday's show: “That is our report on World News Tonight. Tomorrow on the broadcast, the well organized and aggressive efforts to make life very difficult for celebrities who speak out against the war. I'm Peter Jennings. Have a good evening, and good night.”

     I can't wait to hear how all the celebrities who were regularly appearing on cable news before the war were suppressed. And if people choose not to watch their shows or buy their CDs, that's the free market and the public just expressing its disagreement with their views.

     Apparently Jennings doesn't consider it newsworthy to examine how celebrities erroneously predicted disastrous events would result from the war or whether some owe an apology, like Janeane Garofalo who promised that she'd admit it if she were proven wrong. (See item #7 below for more on Garofalo.)

     That's probably because he too would have to admit that he was wrong.

     Jennings' agenda is probably inspired by some recent whining from actor Tim Robbins, who was Tuesday's luncheon speaker at the National Press Club. On Monday's Today show, prompted by the Baseball Hall of Fame cancelling an appearance by him, Robbins contended that the message is that “if you would disagree with this administration you can and will be punished."

     MRC analyst Geoffrey Dickens caught how on the April 14 Today Matt Lauer tossed up a bunch of softballs to Robbins, who used Baseball Hall of Fame President Dale Petroskey's decision to cancel an event marking the 15th anniversary of the movie Bull Durham in which Robbins starred, as an excuse to spout off about how he's being oppressed.

     Robbins charged: “He basically says that if you do not agree with this President you don't have the right to this particular forum. You do not have the right to come to Cooperstown. Which is a very punitive and, and aggressive kind of way of dealing with the situation....And by doing it in the public way he did, by sending it to the AP at the same time he's sending it to me he's trying to, he's trying to send a message out which is basically, if you would disagree with this administration you can and will be punished."

     Robbins echoed himself: “We're sending out messages to the public on an almost daily basis that they have no right to protest against this President."
     Matt Lauer cued up Robbins: "So when the Dixie Chicks say, 'I'm embarrassed by President Bush being from Texas,' radio stations pull their music and people stomp on their CDs."
     Robbins spun a conspiracy tale: "But let's not forget the connection between Clear Channel or the Bush administration or the connection between Petroskey and the Reagan administration and prominent Republicans that he's worked for including Elizabeth Dole. This is, this is an endemic problem and it's a terrible situation, a terrible message to be sending out."

     If Robbins fears Elizabeth Dole, about as mushy a moderate as you can find, he really has insecurity issues.

     Lauer tossed Robbins another softball pitch: "How did this climate get created, in your opinion?"
     Robbins: "We are fighting, we are fighting for freedom for the Iraqi people right now, so that they can have the freedom of speech, yet we are telling our own citizens that they have to be quiet at home, that they have to acquiesce to this president in a time of war. And he said, okay, he said, 'This war will be lasting a long, long time.' So when can we disagree with him?"
     Lauer finally challenged him: "You, you've said in the past you think this is a war based largely on oil. When, when you see the scenes of people celebrating in the streets of Baghdad and tearing down statues, does it change your opinion as to our need to go in there at all?"
     Robbins is still unmoved: "No, I am ecstatic that they feel this freedom. I hope that they, that we have the resolve to, to get in there and make it work. So far we've lost our focus on Afghanistan, it seems to me. And, and we have a terrible track record as far as our military leading to democracy. Look at Panama, look at Nicaragua. It's not, it's not in our best interest for some reason to keep it going."

     Back for a second round after the 8:25am local news break, Lauer re-cued Robbins for his spiel: “What do you think about the climate we're living in right now where the Dixie Chicks records are pulled, where Madonna pulls a music video because she's afraid that people will misinterpret as anti-war, anti-troops?"
     Robbins: "Yeah, well it's, it's kind of scary. It's kind of scary because not, not because of me or Susan or, you know, the, her United Way thing being cancelled or the Baseball Hall of Fame. Those things are in, in the radar, we get, we get to talk about them, we get to discuss them and we get to, you know call Dale Petroskey to the, to the carpet on, on his actions. What, across the country this kind of stuff is happening on a daily basis. We were just down in Florida this weekend at a family reunion and almost everyone I talked to was telling me about something in a school, in a local district, that is not being reported, about, you know kids being intimidated for anti-war views, people being suspended for wearing peace signs. An event cancelled because they chose to pray for Iraqi civilians that were killed. Really crazy stuff. A disc, one of these, a talk radio person in the South calling for the murder of Hollywood celeb, a particular Hollywood celebrity. Crazy stuff. What is going on here?”
     Lauer: "You mention timing. I mean it seems as if the rules is if troops are engaged do not criticize."
     Robbins: "We will have troops engaged and we have had troops engaged for the last 20 years somewhere in the world. It's not, you can't go on that, on that basis. This war, according to the President, is going to last a very long time. Do we cancel the next election because we can't criticize this guy? Why, why are they so concerned? Why can't they engage in the debate of it? Don't they have points that they have to, that they can make. I mean the problem is we are dealing with a, with a situation where people are, are abdicating their First Amendment rights in fear. This is not what we, what this country is built on. We, we are supposed to be able to vigorously talk about issues and debate subjects."

     How exactly are you being silenced when the most-watched national morning television show gives you a platform?

     See a picture of Robbins and a rundown of his film roles, check the page for him on the Internet Movie Database.

[dirtboy]

The well organized and aggressive efforts by the Left against Dr. Laura, John Rocker, and Trent Lott has gone unnoticed by Petah.

And Petah failed to mention that Susan Sarandon actively supported the StopDrLaura movement. It's the mantra of the left - I can boycott, but you cannot.

[T Lady]

Well said, Dirtboy! Well said!

-Regards, T.

[mwl1]

You are correct. These people really think that their s--t don't stink.

[SquirrelKing]

Stuffit, Peter.

[Hildy]

This is the explanation, according to the left. Russ Lemon who wrote about this for some Ohio Paper: This was his response:

To me, there's a HUGE difference between criticizing a government official for his policies and criticizing a would-be television host for fostering an enviroment of "hate" against fellow human beings.

[NordP]

And, Peter, YOU can stop talking and stick to reporting...

Pretty much, the world works better with actors, acting; and anchors, reading teleprompters.

As it is, FOX rules, so that means business-wise, your channel has to be wondering...Is America likin' your anchoring...so, let's not push it, okay?

[Hila]

Aggressive efforts to make life difficult for anti-war, pro-oppressors celebs, that's is a great endeavor. Finally the silent majority has awaken and we shall show the traitors that we not only have a backbone, but also that America will continue to be free from their evil agendas.

[P.O.E.]

They seem to have forgotten my right to talk back. I choose to speak with the best symbol I have at hand - My hard-earned dollar!

[Highway55]

“well organized and aggressive efforts to make life very difficult for celebrities who speak out against the war.”

Wonderful!

[meowmeow]

“well organized and aggressive efforts to make life very difficult for celebrities who speak out against the war.”

Yep – yesterday DH and I met during our lunch hour, grabbed a quick cheeseburger, Freeped Tim Robbins for about 25 minutes and scurried back to our offices. Later that evening I made fettuccini and we enjoyed a quiet evening pondering how to eliminate crabgrass and chickweed from the lawn.

BE AFRAID, PETER…BE VERY AFRAID!

[dirtboy]

Thanx. These nutbars make it easy - with liberal idiocy running so deep, the criticism writes itself...

[ZULU]

People who provide aid and comfort to the enemy of America are traitors as defined in Article III, Section III of the constitution.

They should be more than silenced. They should be tried for treason and hanged.

[JFC]

PETER COTTON TAIL.

Let me inform you of something. WE have the right to CHOOSE. And I CHOOSE to turn your channel off. You have no right to tell me what to think say or do.

Peter Rabbit... hope away!

[Myrnick]

And, and we have a terrible track record as far as our military leading to democracy. Look at Panama, look at Nicaragua.

Can someone tell me what he is talking about? Maybe it has something to do with the rock I've been living under, but I was under the impression that the military fascists were gone in Panama and that the communists had been removed from Nee-haw-RRRRAW-gwah both replaced by more democratic/republican governments. Please don't tell me I've been deluding myself.

[T Lady]

"It's the mantra of the left-I can boycott, but you cannot."

Also: "I can speak out, Right-wing bigot/sellout-but you cannot."

...alas, you're on a roll, Dirt.

-Regards, T.

[Congressman Billybob]

Jennings is, of course and as usual, a moron. Everyone has freedom of speech -- not just the celebrities but also the "little people" who buy their tapes and disks and go to their shows. It is freedom of speech (celebrities) against freedom of speech (the former fans), and let the best man win.

I've already chosen this as part of the theme of my next column for United Press International. The title is, "Who's Next?" It deals with "pockets of resistance" that must still be mopped up, namely Hollywood, the mainstream media, and university faculties.

Congressman Billybob

Latest column, now up on UPI, and FR, "I Believe" (1957-2003)

Latest book(let), "to Restore Trust in America."

[Howlin]

Yes!

[WVNan]

Dirt, we need a long list of the conservatives that the liberals have boycotted and tried to silence all these years. I need such a list to throw in the face of all the libs I know. Such a list would be helpful in making signs too. Something like LIBERALS WOULD NEVER STIFLE FREE SPEECH, NOT RUSH, DR. LAURA, CLARENCE THOMAS, etc.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

I'll have the last word on where my money is spent, Peter.

[Swampmarine]

It's the business heads in the entertainment industry, not the politicos, who are trying to quiet their "properties". Box office gross declines sharply when you alienate several million potential customers at a crack. Robbins and friends are limiting their future audience to those left of center. That's okay for a niche cable outlet, bad for business if you're trying to appeal to a broader spectrum.