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Robert F. Kennedy, on April 5, 1968, the day after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.:
“I have saved this one opportunity to speak briefly to you about this mindless menace of violence in America which again stains our land and every one of our lives. It is not the concern of any one race. The victims of the violence are black and white, rich and poor, young and old, famous and unknown. No one — no matter where he lives or what he does — can be certain who will suffer from some senseless act of bloodshed. And yet it goes on and on and on. Whenever any American’s life is taken by another American unnecessarily — whether it is done in the name of the law or in the defiance of law, by one man or a gang, in cold blood or in passion, in an attack of violence or in response to violence, the whole nation is degraded. Yet we seemingly tolerate a rising level of violence ... We calmly accept newspaper reports of civilian slaughter ... We make it easy for men of all shades of sanity to acquire weapons and ammunition they desire. ... We must admit in ourselves that our own children’s future cannot be built on the misfortunes of others. We must recognize that this short life can neither be ennobled nor enriched by hatred or revenge. Our lives on this planet are too short and the work to be done too great to let this spirit flourish any longer in our land.”
Sadly, because I wonder how our country might have evolved under a Robert Kennedy presidency, he was gunned down two months later.
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Ben Whishaw, openly gay actor, on straight actors playing gay characters, and vice versa:
“With gay characters being played by straight people, straight characters being played by gay people, come on, we’re actors. I do not understand what the problem is. Actors play all sorts of things. I’ve played murderers, journalists and kings – I’m not any of them. The whole thing is a fiction, it’s about imagination, it’s play. I am baffled to why it’s such a big thing. And also, I’m baffled because it feels like we’re in a time where there are lots of gay people, not just actors but in all walks of life, and let’s be where we are. We’re human beings and I don’t understand why it’s really a discussion now.”
How many times have people questioned an actor about being gay because he played gay, but haven’t even thought of asking an actor if he’s a killer because he played a murderer?
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Bernie Sanders, on the Clinton email "scandal" during Tuesday's debate:
“Let me say something that may not be great politics. But I think the Secretary is right. And that is that the American people are sick and tired of hearing about your damn emails … and let me say something about the media as well. I go around the country, talk to a whole lot of people, middle class of this country is collapsing. We have 27 million people living in poverty. We have massive wealth and income inequality. Our trade policies have cost us million of decent jobs. The American people want to know whether we’re going to have a democracy or an oligarchy as a result of citizens united. Enough of the emails! Let’s talk about the real issues facing America!”
Mic drop.
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Ellen Page, openly gay actress, speaking about Matt Damon’s remarks that actors should hide their sexuality off-screen:
“[Matt Damon] doesn’t have a point because he related it to sexuality. Heterosexual actors and actresses do not have to go to great lengths to hide their sexuality. That’s an unfair double standard.”
And that is why gay actors and actresses and performers need to come out, and be out, because it just proves that we are all very much alike.
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T.I., rapper and apparent political expert who is changing his name back to Tip, even though his real name is Clifford Joseph Harris, on having a female president:
"Not to be sexist, but I can't vote for the leader of the free world to be a woman. Just because, every other position that exists, I think a woman could do well. But the president? It’s kinda like, I just know that women make rash decisions emotionally — they make very permanent, cemented decisions — and then later, it’s kind of like it didn’t happen, or they didn’t mean for it to happen. And I sure would hate to just set off a nuke [because of a woman]. [Other leaders] will not be able to negotiate the right kinds of foreign policy; the world ain’t ready yet. I think you might be able to get the Loch Ness Monster elected before you could [get a woman] It's not right, but I'm just saying ...”
Why don’t you go back to defending Iggy Azalea, and leave political discussions to the grownups.
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Ivanka Trump, keeping her lips pressed firmly to Daddy’s
“Regardless of where you fall on the political spectrum, I think everyone can appreciate the fact he’s creating dialogue about some very real issues.”
Hmm, what has he talked about: his disdain for immigrants though only the ones from Mexico or China, and his disdain for women, whom he often calls pigs and sluts, and suggests they’re mean to him because they’re menstruating.
Funny that his daughter, the daughter of an immigrant, and a woman, thinks he discusses real issues, but I guess if you wanna keep your position in the will …
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I was 12 in 1968 - remember it vividly.
ReplyDeleteby october of that year my dad was transferred
back to canada - was kind of a relief.
Bernie said it perfectly!
ReplyDeleteEllen Paige is a treasure, on and off the screen.
Mr Whishaw (currently to be seen in 'Suffragette' playing a husband who expects total obedience from his wife) is spot on. Why the world, or, at least, the more lurid media, cannot get over the thought that some actors are gay should by now be such a non-subject - yet they insist on turning it into an itch that demands to be scratched when, if they left it alone, it would just fade and die. For goodness sake, let it GO!
ReplyDeletePersonally I would trust Angela Merkel to nuke an idiot rapper (metaphorically of course) without blinking an eyelid, just as I trust her not to nuke people at the hint of a sound bite as so many Republican male politicians do.
ReplyDelete