Rain Man is looking for a silver cloud with a gray lining.
Dustin Hoffman is upset with himself for not angering theNational Rifle Association. He now wants to graduate to anotherrole; he wants to be blacklisted.
Hoffman was "deeply disappointed" that his name was not on ainternal NRA list, which names who is not supportive of the NRA'scause. Hoffman, who has been extremely vocal about his desire toclose gun show loopholes, was "particularly surprised" his namewasn't present.
Well, he's listed now. The group STOPtheNRA, who found the NRA'slist, set up its own Web site, nrablacklist.com, where celebritiesand others can sign up to be "blacklisted" by the NRA. Imaginethat: actors wanting to be on a blacklist. You would have thoughtHollywood would have learned by now.
The victim mentality is alive and well.
The Dixie Chicks recently set the South on fire when they saidthey were embarrassed that the president was from their home state.Bush responded that the Chicks were "free to speak their mind" butthat, "They shouldn't have their feelings hurt just because somepeople don't want to buy their records ... You know, freedom is atwo-way street."
In response, the Chicks wailed like petulant children on theToday Show. Martie Maguire said Bush had said they got what theydeserved and that his remarks were "a way to shut you up." Theother two gave similar ramblings. A viewer could get the feelingthat the reporter had the Kleenex ready just off camera.
Elsewhere, some professors at Texas are tweaked because theirnames were on a list of people who supposedly promotedanti-American views without presenting the opposite side. The YoungConservatives of Texas created the list.
Proving again that there's nothing like a professor in fullfreak-out mode, those on the list immediately cried "blacklist" andacademic censorship. In short, one of the listees claimed that theywere being told, "We think you should shut up."
The reality is that none of them were told to pipe down. What'sso interesting is that these people articulated their views andthen acted stunned when somebody dared to disagree. That shouldn'tshock the system in a nation this diverse.
Whining about disagreement is silly. We all try to play the pitycard, but in the end, it boxes you into a corner of gloom; you hurtyourself because everybody comes to view you as a crybaby. Peoplehave no respect for that, and you become a modern-day Cassandrawhom everybody hears but nobody listens to.
Instead of wallowing around, it would be refreshing to see thoseindividuals stand up and say they spoke their minds and that ifsomebody thinks otherwise, that's fine. In fact, it would furtherhighly relevant issues that need to be discussed.
Freedom of speech works both ways. People shouldn't get alllathered up when somebody takes them to task for their words.Remember, if you say it, chances are people are going to hear it,and they might take you to task for it. Others have thoughtstoo.
Write to Jeff mannedarena@bsu.edu
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