I love movie politicians almost as much as I loathe real-life politicians. Barack Obama? Mitt Romney? Hillary Clinton? Newt Gingrich? Not for me. Nobody gets to the top of American politics without being in somebody’s pocket.
But politicians like “Independence Day’s” Thomas J. Whitmore, “The West Wing’s” Josiah Bartlet, and “Idiocracy’s” Dwayne Elizondo Mountain Dew Herbert Camacho? Those guys are leaders. The only person those great Americans have to thank for putting them in the White House is their screenwriter.
On the top of that list for me is Andrew Shepherd from “The American President.” My favorite moment from his faux administration was when he got ticked off at Senator Bob Rumson for making fun of his girlfriend and cut a bad-ass promo (wrestling term) on the Republican hopeful. The quote that always stuck with me went a little something like this…
“You want free speech? Let’s see you acknowledge a man whose words make your blood boil. Who’s standing center stage and advocating at the top of his lungs, that which you would spend a lifetime opposing at the top of yours.”
Blam! For my money, that’s the perfect summation of what free speech should be.
You’re probably wondering, where is all of this coming from, Gordon? This has nothing to do with “Ghostbusters” or “Survivor” or the 2011 World Champion St. Louis Cardinals.
That’s true. But, there’s been a lot of talk lately about what people should and should not be allowed to say on the Internet. Can we complain about SOPA censoring the Internet one week and then try to stop “family values” Facebook groups from making homophobic comments the next?
I don’t think so.
Just like it’s my right to love “Ghostbusters” and “Survivor” and the 2011 World Champion St. Louis Cardinals, it’s their right to think their God doesn’t dig gay folks.
Is their way of thinking right? I don’t think so.
Should we try to convince them that most gay people are super awesome? Yep.
Should we stop them from speaking their minds? No. Never.
And worst-case scenario, if we can’t figure out a way to make them respect the LGBT community, it’ll be easier to point the a—holes out in a crowd.
Tags: american president, barack obama, censorship, lgbt, mitt romney, the west wing
More Whatnot 
February 5, 2012 at 6:03 pm |
My issue is the One Million Moms presence as a FB page, which violates FB policy as they engage in hate speech that discriminates by targeting the GLBT community. I believe 100% in this group’s inalienable rights as Americans to believe in what and whom they want and to chatter about it on their own website, however upsetting their views may be to me. But FB has rules, and their presence there violates those rules. The end.
February 5, 2012 at 8:30 pm |
Why do you care if it’s on Facebook or their own site? Should you guys be punished for harassing them on their own page?
February 6, 2012 at 11:22 am |
I am not harassing anyone. I care because unlike the Web at large, FB has clear policies that this page clearly violates. I think you misunderstand the point.
February 6, 2012 at 11:25 am |
Clearly I am misunderstanding. Is it your goal to end free speech on Facebook?
Is it harassing to call someone a “slut” on their Facebook page?
February 6, 2012 at 11:38 am |
No, and I imagine, no.
FB policy states “”Facebook does not tolerate hate speech. While we encourage the discussion of ideas, institutions, events, and practices, it is a serious violation of our terms to single out individuals based on race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or disease.””
This page routinely singles out individuals based on sex, gender, and sexual orientation. If FB didn’t have this policy, there would not be an issue. That’s it.
It isn’t about free speech it’s about FB policy.
February 6, 2012 at 11:45 am |
Do you care about other company’s policies or just Facebook?
February 6, 2012 at 12:05 pm |
That isn’t the discussion.
February 7, 2012 at 4:54 pm |
Are they posting these homophobic comments on your page or just on their own?