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Jennings Warns of “Aggressive Efforts” to Hush Anti-War Celebs
MRC ~ Cyber Alert ^ | 04-16-03

Posted on 04/16/2003 8:31:56 AM PDT by 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.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; Extended News; Government; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: actor; antiamerica; antibush; antiwar; appeasers; celebrities; celebritygods; celebrityidols; clintonlegacy; conspiracy; hate; hateamerica; hollywood; hollywoodagainstwar; hollywoodaxisofevil; hollywoodelite; hollywoodgods; hollywoodhatesusa; hollywoodhero; hollywoodleft; hollywoodshutup; kneesoncutglass; liberalliars; liberalpress; loser; mediabias; moralbankruptcy; rightwing; robbins; socialelites; socialnannys; spoiledrichbrats; stars; threats; timrobbins; traitors; tyranny; usefulidiots; whiners; worshipmecelebrity
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To: Zacs Mom
bump
61 posted on 04/16/2003 9:22:19 AM PDT by TLBSHOW (The gift is to see the truth.....)
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To: ZULU
They should be more than silenced. They should be tried for treason and hanged.

So you want to deport ALL moslems and hang anyone who disagrees with the president. Any other parts of the Constitution you wish to trash while you are at it?

62 posted on 04/16/2003 9:22:35 AM PDT by dirtboy (United States 2, Terror-sponsoring regimes 0, waiting to see who's next in the bracket)
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To: dirtboy
Dirtboy, you obviously have forgotten your re-education training.

When liberals use their market clout in opposition to someone they disagree with, it's a "boycott"

When conservatives use their market clout in opposition to someone they disagree with, it's a "blacklist"

All cleared up now? Good. I knew you'd come around.

63 posted on 04/16/2003 9:24:49 AM PDT by Charlotte Corday
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To: Nachoman
..BWAaaa,,it's just not faaaiiiirrr when WE are criticized for OUR opinions. We're not used to that.
64 posted on 04/16/2003 9:25:51 AM PDT by chiller (could be wrong, but doubt it)
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To: Zacs Mom
..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?”

I'm so confused. Did I miss Timmy voicing these concerns when Alec Baldwin (who still lives in America last time I checked) called for the stoning of Henry Hyde and his family?

65 posted on 04/16/2003 9:29:29 AM PDT by centexan
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To: rj45mis
Nice post, you shouldn't have capitalized the A though. algore is how it should be written lol.

66 posted on 04/16/2003 9:29:50 AM PDT by Dazedcat
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To: Zacs Mom
Your keys words are right ones!

These wacko people are free to say anything they want. And I am free to respond by boycotting them.
67 posted on 04/16/2003 9:30:52 AM PDT by Jael (Ye must be born again)
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To: Zacs Mom
Peterless probably doesn't know or would consider appropriate the dozens of Clinton appointees, admin members who found employment in the lamestream media when their sinecures ended. A list of these people has been posted on FR in the past.
68 posted on 04/16/2003 9:38:04 AM PDT by Let's Roll (And those that cried Appease! Appease! are hanged by those they tried to please!")
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To: Zacs Mom
There is no effort to hush any one.

We are just replying to their statements.

The liberals are VERY upset that the "silent MAJORITY" now has avenues to express their beliefs.

The “clear channels”: Cable and internet technologies will be the death of vacuous liberalism.

Also, Tim Robbins, Susan Saddam Sarandon and the others have clearly come down on the wrong side of history.

They have chosen to register in the history books with Stalin and Idi Amin.

P.S. I called the National Press Club to schedule my speech and they declined to hear my thoughts!

I am being silenced for being a conservative!

69 posted on 04/16/2003 9:39:03 AM PDT by Kay Soze (For every 100 Osamas created in the fight on terrorism - we shall simply elect one more "W")
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To: All
A disc, one of these, a talk radio person in the South calling for the murder of Hollywood celeb, a particular Hollywood celebrity.

Anyone know what he's talking about?

70 posted on 04/16/2003 9:39:44 AM PDT by lasereye
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To: Zacs Mom
Freedom of speech does not mean freedom of repercussions as well for that free speech. Free speech just means you can say it without the government stopping you or penalizing you.

If you say it, you ought to be prepared to live with the consequences even if they are "organized".
71 posted on 04/16/2003 9:43:27 AM PDT by wardaddy (Hootie to head EEOC...)
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To: lasereye
Robbins doesn't even know who he's talking about. It's just alarmist rhetoric, that's all. Anything to get a soundbite in the national news.

Hyperbole. Pure shock value. Heard by anyone who even wants to listen.

-Regards, T.
72 posted on 04/16/2003 9:52:07 AM PDT by T Lady (.Freed From the Dimocratic Shackles since 1992)
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To: dirtboy
"The well organized and aggressive efforts by the Left against Dr. Laura, John Rocker, and Trent Lott has gone unnoticed by Petah."

Not to mention efforts against Reggie White, Rush Limbaugh, Michael Savage, Fuzzy "Chitlins" Zoeller, Al Campanis, the Boy Scouts, FOX news, and Anita Bryant. And a couple of years ago, Ted Kennedy wrote a favorable cover-blurb for a book advocating government regulation of websites like FR to make sure they are "balanced."
73 posted on 04/16/2003 9:52:15 AM PDT by Steve_Seattle
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To: Zacs Mom
Must have them all on the run and fearing for their rights cause they are all crying now. What about our rights? They dont' like it much when the "Sleeping Giant Awakens" do they? Keep it up. Keep speaking out America it's our right as well as it is theirs. They don't like it. Keep it going. Let them whine all they want. We have the same rights they do. Now they are trying to shut us up. Ha,ha. Won't happen, Timmy....won't happen! The American people are standing up and taking their country back FINALLY!!!
74 posted on 04/16/2003 9:56:49 AM PDT by cubreporter
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To: Zacs Mom
Jennings' argument can be turned right around: he is trying to limit the free speech of those who disagree with the celebrities. His whole argument is typically pompous and elitist: how dare anyone disagree with me and those I agree with!
75 posted on 04/16/2003 9:57:00 AM PDT by Steve_Seattle
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To: Zacs Mom
Are we going to listen to Jennings whinings? Not......
76 posted on 04/16/2003 9:59:13 AM PDT by freekitty
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To: Zacs Mom
All "news" anchors should be replaced by embeds.

RD
77 posted on 04/16/2003 10:06:30 AM PDT by reagandemocrat (Leave politics to the adults, Timmy)
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To: Tulsa Brian
I DEMAND THAT THIS IDIOT BE MADE TO LEAVE MY COUNTRY! I AM SO FED UP AND SICK OF THIS HATE-MONGERING, ANTI-AMERICAN CANADIAN COMMUNIST!!!!!!!

Wholeheartedly agree. If it were up to me, he and a lot of others would have been deported a LONG time ago.

78 posted on 04/16/2003 10:15:07 AM PDT by MeneMeneTekelUpharsin
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To: Zacs Mom
Liberals have never been able to figure out that "freedom of speech" does not imply a "requirement to listen".
79 posted on 04/16/2003 10:30:10 AM PDT by mushroom
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To: Zacs Mom
" Tim Robbins: "...if you would disagree with this administration you can and will be punished."

What a fag this guy is. He obviously doesn't know what tru punishment is. I don't see any of these anit-American liberals being thrown into a subterranean dungeon and having the entrance sealed. Idon't see any of these anit-American scumbags having their finger-nails being torn out with pliers or having a red-hot poker shoved up their anus. This fag and the rest of his ilk who tote the anti-American party line need to shut the F up!

80 posted on 04/16/2003 10:40:16 AM PDT by semaj
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