"Life Without Consequences; a Hollywood Fairytale" a must read!

Republican Daily News ^ | 04/18/03 | Paul Walfield

[vannrox]

         Life Without Consequences; a Hollywood Fairytale                                                     
Paul Walfield

Having a Constitutional right to free speech was so essential to the Founding Fathers that they made it the first of the rights guaranteed in writing, in the creation of the United States.  As time passed, lots of things were viewed as speech even though they were physical acts.  Pretty soon, things got a little crazy and burning the symbol of the country that gave citizens the right of free speech was seen as a protected right under the first amendment.

Apparently, it got folks who made a living pretending to be other people and read words written by other people; who could do all kinds of very nasty things in front of a camera, busy ciphering.  The actors and directors were not only not held to account for the make-believe nasty things they did in front of a camera, but they got all kinds of accolades, even Academy Awards, especially if they were indistinguishable from the real thing.  Actors, celebrities could do all they wanted in front of the screen with no one saying a word about the character they played, just if they did the part justice.

Some actors, at least for a while anyway, started to think they could do the same off screen.  Getting hooked on drugs and going to rehab was and in some quarters still is, a badge of honor.  There is no shame to snorting coke or whatever, getting addicted, and going to rehab, the actors tell their stories with pride, no matter how many times they repeat the sequence.

Doing wicked things to your spouse or significant other is not a reason to be shunned in Tinsel Town, rather it is either a plus, if it got you publicity, or it is irrelevant to the director or producer so long as you can still pack the box office.

The difference between now and days gone by, is that way back when, all of this sort of thing was hushed up.  The audience, it was feared gave a damn. 

As the movie industry grew and became a multi-billion dollar industry, it became clear that the movers and shakers could not control their actors.  What do you do when you have billions of dollars at stake and assets (actors) who keep getting into trouble, the kind of trouble that people (audiences) would shun in disgust when they found out about that behavior?  You change perceptions.

Way, way back when, actors were not what you would call a respected part of society.  Quite the contrary, actually.  As time went by and actors became more and more highly paid, their persona changed from, folks you would not have over for coffee, to people who may be considered a kind of "royalty."  It is generally a very weird phenomenon, but that's another story.

In any case, we are where we are.  As time passed, not only did the perception of the actor change, but so did our view of what disgusted us enough to be shunned.  In fact, shunning itself was relegated to being some ancient and quaint notion that "primitive" people were enamored with, not modern folks, no way.  With the removal of shunning from our list of inflicted punishments; removing certain mainstays of morality was next. 

About 40 years ago, the stretching of the envelope began in earnest.  Television was recognized as the greatest communicator of all time.  There was no better place to let people know what was acceptable behavior and language.  Our new heroes, our American "royalty" paved the way as role models.

During the fifties and early sixties, morality and decency were givens on TV, and then things began to change.  What was unacceptable became routine, and we all know the rest of the story.

Celebrities, most all of them, are shouting and demanding America stop being the America they perceive, an America that is imperialistic, violent and a bully.  An America they want you to accept as a reality, but does not now, nor has ever existed.  They want you to accept them as authorities on foreign affairs and what is best for America.  Like GM, they want you to believe what is good for them, is good for the rest of us.  Happily, they miscalculated, royally.

Tim Robbins, actor and Susan Sarandon's significant other, is very upset.  First, he and all of the Left become positively livid when a republican is in the Whitehouse, but when that republican is a Bush and exudes national pride and a contagious patriotism, the Left becomes doubly miffed. 

But what really upset Timmy is that the words that are coming out of his own mouth, the ones he made up, are not only being criticized, but he is being criticized, not just for how he said them, but what he said.  For, Timmy, that is just plain un-American.  In the America Timmy lives in, royalty can do no wrong.

"A chill wind is blowing through this nation... A message is being sent through the Whitehouse and its allies in talk radio... If you oppose this administration, there can and will be ramifications..."  Timmy is so upset; he even threatened to deck a newspaper reporter if he ever wrote about him again.  Free speech holds a special place in Timmy's heart, but apparently no where else if he doesn't like what he hears or reads.

Timmy has been told not to attend some functions and celebrations that he had been previously invited to attend, most notably the Baseball Hall of Fame chose not to play a movie that Susan and he starred in. ''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,'' said Timmy. 

In other words, for Tim, he can use his power of free speech to say anything and boycott anyone, but if anyone else does the same, they are violating the constitution.  For Tim, and the Left, America is the one they envision, not the one that exists.

Celebrities are told they are great whether they are or not.  Psychologists and the like want everyone to feel special and talented even when they mess up.  People like Timmy who at one time would have given their eye teeth to be photographed in a magazine or newspaper, are now running away from the paparazzi or suing them.    Unfortunately, the most talented are stunted because there is no need to strive for a higher plain when you are told you already reached the heights.  As a result, we get folks like Tim Robbins and Susan Sarandon thinking they know better than the rest of us.

Thankfully, the pendulum seems to be swinging back.  Life without consequences is being relegated to just a slogan now.  People are expressing their freedom of speech at the box office and elsewhere.  Americans are deciding to spend their hard earned money on folks they like, and not just on what is presented to them.

Tim Robbins and his ilk are also being relegated to just another member of the masses that are judged and held to account.

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Paul Walfield is a freelance writer and member of the State Bar of California with an undergraduate degree in Psychology and post-graduate study in behavioral and analytical psychology. He resided for a number of years in the small town of Houlton, Maine and is now a California attorney. Paul can be contacted at paul.walfield@cox.net

[MEG33]

Ah..we knew this and know rights extend to the rest of us. The cries of McCarthyism are laughable.If it doesn't sell..pull it off the market!

[SpinyNorman]

When you consider the overall level of education that most of these actors have, some barely completing high school, and working in an industry that doesn't require any sort of mental capacity other than memorizing prose and doing what you are told, it is easy to see why their opinion is virtually worthless. Not that earning a Bachelor's at a liberal arts college would change their opinion, as evidenced by the vacuous rantings of one Mr. DeGenova.

Maybe they should memorize the Constitution, and then somebody who actually understands it could tell them how to "act" when discussing it.

The very fact that Robbins is standing their spouting his gibberish (that someone probably wrote for him) without governmental persecution is evidence enough that he is flat wrong in his premise.

[KalDot]

Great morning read!

[Congressman Billybob]

The Founding Fathers did NOT make freedom of speech the "first right they guaranteed." To the contrary, the Constitution as written did NOT include a Bill of Rights. That came about because the Anti-Federalists, who feared and opposed the new Constitution insisted on the Bill of Rights as a condition for ratification of the Constitution.

Then, when more than 200 proposals for the Bill of Rights were assembled in Congress, James Madison (by then a Member of the House) distilled those to 17 Amendments which passed the House. The Senate passed only 12 of those. Of those 12, the First Amendment was actually the Third Amendment. (The first two Amendments failed of ratification at the time.)

While I agree with the tenor of this article about the importance of freedom of speech, I resent the author playing fast and loose with the history of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. The correct and accurate history of these documents is contained in my Introduction to the facsimile reprint of Robert Yates' Secret Proceedings and Debates of the Convention to Form the US Constitution.

People who write about the Constitution are under at least a slight obligation to check their facts before they print articles like this.

Congressman Billybob

Latest column, not yet up on UPI, and FR, "Who's Next?"

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

[OpusatFR]

A life without consequences pretty much sums up the current state of Western civilization. There is out-of-wedlock childbirth without consequences. Prison time is a badge of honor. Lies are considered nothing more than self-protection. It is all self-deception. Actions have consequences. A child born to a young, single mother will spend a lifetime in poverty. That is a fact. Prison time will keep a man from an education and good job. Creating a myth that Clintonian lies are just business as usual creates Enrons and pro forma accounting tricks. It creates a whole generation that believes cheating is not dishonorable and adultery is no big deal.

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

Timmy has been told not to attend some functions and celebrations that he had been previously invited to attend, most notably the Baseball Hall of Fame chose not to play a movie that Susan and he starred in. ''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,'' said Timmy.

In other words, for Tim, he can use his power of free speech to say anything and boycott anyone, but if anyone else does the same, they are violating the constitution. For Tim, and the Left, America is the one they envision, not the one that exists.

For the left, the Constitution in general and the First Amendment "means what I want it to mean, and neither more nor less."

Why Broadcast Journalism is Unnecessary and Illegitimate

CNN's Eason Jordan piece told us what we really already knew about the lust for PR power.

[EdReform]

Bump & Ping

[Grampa Dave]

Thanks for pinging me re the latest on: Follywood Fairies hating America and claiming that makes them great Americans.

[ClearCase_guy]

Does anyone have a list of prominent celebrities who supported the boycott of Dr Laura Schlesinger? I'm wondering if Tim Robbins, Susan Sarandon, and Michael Moore believed that shutting out unwanted voices was a good, acceptable strategy during that little campaign.

[Frumious Bandersnatch]

Not to mention the fact that even in the first amendment, the freedom of religion from congressional interference is mentioned before the freedom of speech. Apparently, our founding fathers felt that freedom of conscience was more important than freedom of speech. And nowhere is freedom of "screech" protected.

[Brett66]

Maybe Timmy Sarandon can go crying to his mommy. Oh wait, I mean his wife.

[pwatson]

Is there one good web page that list all the actors who's products we need to boycott as well as a tie in to the French, German ect. products not to buy? I for one intend to spend the rest of my life not buying products or services from all of these back stabbing communist jerks.
I have already refused to rent a couple of videos at Blockbuster with Actor idiots I remember attacking Bush.

[sox_the_cat]

I happened to catch the beginning of the Dr. Laura show this morning. I don't know if it is taped from yesterday, but she said Susan Sarandon was one of the voices that rallied against her and she found Timmy's rant quite funny on that basis.

[robertpaulsen]

The right to speak does not include the right to be heard. You are not entitled to be provided with a podium.

[battlegearboat]

Excuse me Ms. Robbins:

I reserve my right to not listen to you, you big boob!

[Noumenon]

I have a home made sticker on the back of my Suburban that says:

HOLD LIBERALS ACCOUNTABLE

It gets some interesting looks.

[N. Theknow]

Maybe they should memorize the Constitution

Impossible for them. Not enough four letter words they understand.

[PhilipFreneau]

Having a Constitutional right to free speech was so essential to the Founding Fathers that they made it the first of the rights guaranteed in writing, in the creation of the United States.

Actually, the current 1st Amendment began as the 3rd Amendment. The first two failed ratification. In all fairness, this is a common mistake. Jane Pauley made the same statement on Dateline nearly 4 years ago. I sent an e-mail informing her that the first two amendments were not ratified, and the 3rd Amendment became the 1st by default. But, to date, the only reply was a generic one, and I have not seen a correction on air.