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Date Posted: 14:38:53 05/19/03 Mon
Author: Weird_Enigma
Author Host/IP: 67.30.199.119
Subject: The Insidiously retarded thought police strike again

Actor warns of `rabid nationalism'
Glover latest star to be criticized for public stance on war, Cuba
SONYA ROSS
Associated Press

WASHINGTON - "Lethal Weapon" actor Danny Glover is the latest celebrity facing an icy brand of national pride that puts the pinch on public figures who question American foreign policy.

A threatened boycott seeks to force telecommunications company MCI to dump Glover as pitchman because of views he expressed about Cuba and against the Iraq war. Similar frostiness extended to the Dixie Chicks, and actors Sean Penn, Tim Robbins and Susan Sarandon when they came out against war in Iraq. Glover said this chill comes what he calls self-appointed thought police.

"It's basically this rabid nationalism that has its own kind of potential of being maniacal, in some sense," Glover said.

"The whole idea is to crush any kind of dissent," he said. "Something is happening now that is very dark and very sinister in this country, and for us to not admit it is happening is, in some ways, for us to be blind."

There is so much concern about this in Hollywood that in March -- before the fighting even began -- the Screen Actors Guild issued a statement warning studio executives not to deny work to entertainers who speak against war in Iraq.

Attacks on the wallets and credibility of people who speak out against U.S. policies is not a new concept. It happened during World War I and most notably in the 1950s, when many a Hollywood career perished before Sen. Joseph McCarthy's Communist-hunting investigations subcommittee.

Free speech experts say this latest round of attacks does not rise to the level of McCarthyism or celebrity blacklisting, but could lead to that if left unchecked -- particularly now that the United States is embarking on foreign policy doctrines such as pre-emptive military action to fight terrorism.

In Glover's case, it was not just his antiwar activism that drew wrath. It also was his signature on a statement from 160 artists and intellectuals that appeared May 1 in the Cuban government newspaper Granma.

That statement, addressed to "The Conscience of the World," called the Iraq war an unprovoked, unjustified invasion and said there is "a strong campaign of destabilization" against Cuba that could be used as "a pretext for an invasion" much like that launched against Iraq.

That second portion was seen by some conservatives as favorable to Fidel Castro's government. On May 8, the public interest group Judicial Watch called for the MCI boycott, saying Glover lent tacit support to Castro's brutal crackdowns on dissidents when he signed that document. Judicial Watch president Tom Fitton said the boycott is not about Glover's right to free speech.

"He has those rights. But we have the right to criticize him. We have the right to try to criticize MCI for endorsing those views through his contract," Fitton said. "Glover is coming out in support of a terrorist murderer, Fidel Castro. People who are against murder and torture are repulsed by his support, and MCI is slow on the uptake."

Glover replied, "This is much larger than me. It's larger than my comments, and my signing a letter supporting Cuba's right to self-determination. People can take that in whatever way they can. ... They will use the war and they will use my signing a letter as a pretext for their attacks."

Speaking Out

Criticized for views on foreign policy:

DIXIE CHICKS

At a March concert in London, lead singer Natalie Maines spoke against the war in Iraq and said, "Just so you know, we're ashamed the president of the United States is from Texas." Radio stations boycotted the trio's music. Their hit song, "Travelin' Soldier," fell from the Billboard country music chart. Maines apologized for her words but maintained her antiwar stance.

SEAN PENN

Penn visited Baghdad, the Iraqi capital, late last year. The official Iraqi News Service said Penn "confirmed that Iraq is completely clear of weapons of mass destruction" during his visit. In February, Penn filed a $10 million lawsuit against producer Steve Bing, claiming Bing reneged on an oral agreement for Penn to star in the defunct comedy "Why Men Shouldn't Marry" because he feared Penn's antiwar views would stir negative publicity. Bing denied that.

T. ROBBINS, S. SARANDON

In April, Baseball Hall of Fame president Dale Petroskey canceled a 15th anniversary celebration for "Bull Durham," the baseball film that costarred Tim Robbins and Susan Sarandon. Petroskey said he acted because Robbins and Sarandon had criticized the war. The pair appeared on HBO to discuss the flap.

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