Why I Wish Many Celebrities Should Just Shut Up When It Comes To Politics

Let me say up front that I have no problem with celebrities having opinions about life, politics and our nation, that is their Constitutional right. I would never deny them the ability to maturely express those opinions, to work on political causes that impassion them, or to vote for whom they see fit. They are American citizens and should be entitled to all of the rights and privileges of every American.

Given all that, I also conform to the old adage that freedom of speech and freedom to have an opinion does not give you the right to yell "Fire" in a crowded theater and endanger the lives and well being of other citizens. While you are entitled to your opinion, even if it is an opinion of hate, I would appreciate it if you would keep your hate to yourself.

Just because you are famous, it does not make your hate welcome. Given the deep divisions in this country and the prevailing stream of hate that constantly emanates from our political figures, hate, while Constitutional, will not help fix what ails the country.

I am on this kick today as a result of tweets on Twitter that were sent out during the Republican Convention, from actress Ellen Barkin, singer Cher, and actor Samuel L. Jackson. I will not repeat the vile language here. But suffice it to say that in very ugly and graphic terms, these Hollywood types were disappointed that other Americans, in this case Republican Americans, were not killed by Hurricane Isaac. Almost unimaginable that ordinary American citizens attending a political convention, exercising their freedom of speech, would have their demise wished upon them by an actress, singer, and actor.

[Note: Jackson has issued a subsequent tweet that apologized for his hate filled first rant, the authenticity of which has to be judged by everyone personally. Frankly, I believe the first, hate-filled tweet was more in line with his true feelings.]

Again, if you are filled with hate like these people are, I will defend your right to have that position and opinion, that is your right. But please, for someone like myself and millions of other ordinary Americans who want to see our nation's problems addressed and resolved, you are not helping the situation. We need more appreciation of our diversity, more trust of each other and our ability to compromise, more patience with those of us that have differing positions.

By hating each other, simply for having a different opinion or position, we start to look like the situation that George Orwell described in his novel, "1984:"

"This is not to say that either the conduct of war, or the prevailing attitude towards it, has become less bloodthirsty or more chivalrous. On the contrary, war hysteria is continuous and universal in all countries, and such acts as raping, looting, the slaughter of children, the reduction of whole populations to slavery, and reprisals against prisoners which extend even to boiling and burying alive, are looked upon as normal, and, when they are committed by one's own side and not by the enemy, meritorious."

This was the original quote. It does not take too much imagination to get from this Orwell view of oppression to what like Barkin, Cher, and Jackson are putting us through in today's divisive political environment to get to the following edited version by simply changing just a few words:

"This is not to say that either the conduct of politics, or the prevailing attitude towards it, has become less bloodthirsty or more chivalrous. On the contrary, politics is continuous and universal in all parts of the country, and such acts as name calling, personal degradation, accusations of unpatriotism, sexual degradation, verbal assaults, the reduction of whole groups of fellow citizens with opposing views to idiocy and reprisals against common Americans with opposing views, are looked upon as normal, and, when they are committed by one's own side and not by the enemy, meritorious."

Orwell's Big Brother used the tactic of attacking one's enemy in whatever way possible as part of an overall strategy of diverting attention way from the government's oppression and incompetence. That is the Orwellian horror we are living through our political system today: it is okay to call the "other side" degrading names and insults and wish that they would die, it is not okay for them to do the same to us. In our outrage against other American citizens, we fail to notice how poorly our politicians serve our country, our democracy, and ourselves.

Until we start respecting the diversity of each other and each other's right to have contrary opinions, we will never solve the problems facing this country. We will continue to be the gladiators that destroy each other while the political class goes on their current track unabated up in the Coliseum stands.

But Barkin, Cher, and Jackson are not alone in their celebrity hate for any American whose views are not in lock step with them:

• TV personality Montel Williams once publicly hoped that Republican Congresswoman Michele Bachman would commit suicide by decapitating herself.
• TV host Bill Maher, a major donor to Obama’s 2012 Presidential Super PAC ( a $1 million donor), said on air that Republican Sarah Palin “would f*** Rick Perry if he was black.”
• Bill Maher also called Republican Sarah Palin a disgusting and derogatory female name that I will not repeat here.
• Playboy magazine’s online website offered a detailed analysis on why and how each of ten Republican women in politics should be hate raped.
• A local rap artist celebrity gave a Minnesota concert that was billed as the “F*** Michelle Bachman” concert (spelling out the entire f-word).

Celebrities are usually very good at what they do, whether it is acting, singing, or hosting a TV show. They have a right to their opinions. But I sure do wish they would bottle up that hate within themselves. Spewing out this hate, wishing death or sexual degradation on fellow human beings, is no way to overcome the obstacles to communication that their hate enhances, hate that plays right into the hands of noneffective and small minded politicians.

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http://www.unitedstatesofpurple.com/

The United States of Purple is a new grass roots approach to filling the office of President of The United States by focusing on the restoration of freedom in the United States, focusing on problem solving skills and results vs. personal political enrichment, and imposing term limits on all future Federal politicians. No more red states, no more blue states, just one United States Of America under the banner of Purple.

The United States Of Purple's website also provides you the formal opportunity to sign a petition to begin the process of implementing a Constitutional amendment to impose fixed term limits on all Federally elected politicians. Only by turning out the existing political class can we have a chance of addressing and finally resolving the major issues of or times.

Our book, "Love My Country, Loathe My Government - Fifty First Steps To Restoring Our Freedom And Destroying The American Political Class" is now available at www.loathemygovernment.com. It is also available online at Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Please pass our message of freedom onward. Let your friends and family know about our websites and blogs, ask your library to carry the book, and respect freedom for both yourselves and others everyday.
Please visit the following sites for freedom:

http://www.cato.org/
http://www.robertringer.com/
http://realpolichick.blogspot.com/
http://www.flipcongress2010.com/
http://www.reason.com/
http://www.repealamendment