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Celebrity Chameleons Abound
By Thomas D. Segel
April 7, 2003

The "Hate America" movement cannot get its message in front of the citizenry without public figures that will attract national attention. Toward such an objective the Stalinist driven anti-war leadership has done everything possible to woo the celebrities of Hollywood and Broadway to its cause. This is not a difficult task. Most people are very aware of the liberal and left leaning posture of the entertainment and arts field.

So, the protest leadership constantly attempts to attract celebrity spokespeople. There are those who are always willing to oblige, because they are vanity driven and realize such posturing will gain them national media attention. Their misjudgment, in the case of America's mission to liberate Iraq... is almost 80% of the population support this war effort.

The 24-hour news channels would give the impression that all of the actors, directors, producers, writers, musicians, singers and poets in the nation are spewing hate filled remarks about a villainous America. This is far from the case. Of the thousands who make arts and entertainment their life work, only about 120 of these artists have been identified with the protest movement. Of that group there are about thirty people with nationally recognized names.

Leading the list is Martin Sheen, who is currently starring in the NBC Television series "The West Wing". Twice he has been a featured speaker for the Communist led International ANSWER protest organizers. He also signed NION's Statement of Conscience and placed his name in NION's New York Times newspaper advertisement. NION or "Not In My Name", is a front organization for the Workers World Party, a Communist political organization.

Most of the world saw documentary producer/director Michael Moore's anti American tirade when he was presented his Academy Award. He has also made statements such as "You know that Bush is lying through his smirk when he says Iraq has weapons of mass destruction."

There was actress Jessica Lange who traveled to Spain to give her widely publicized words about our war effort. "It is immoral," she said, "and basically illegal. It is an embarrassing time to be an American. It really is. It's humiliating."

The Beastie Boys make up a rock group and are recording artists. They are busy turning out anti American -- anti war songs.

Sean Penn is the actor who paid for a $56,000 advertisement in the Washington Post urging the President to stop a cycle where "bombing is answered with bombing, mutilation by mutilation, killing by killing..." He then flew off to Iraq and met with top officials in Baghdad.

Actor Danny Glover has said in print "One of the main purveyors of violence in this world has been this country, whether it's against Nicaragua, Vietnam or wherever..."

Janeane Garafalo is an actress known for little more than her vitriolic comments on just about every talk show and news outlet, which would offer her a voice. She has said things such as "Our country is founded on a sham. Our forefathers were slave owning rich white guys who wanted it their way. So, when I see the American Flag. I go 'Oh My God, you're insulting me'...Not the flag, but a gay naked man or woman burning the flag and I get choked up with pride."

Bobby Fischer, the former World Chess Grand Master actually applauded the 9/11 attacks: He said, "This is all wonderful news. It is time to finish off the U.S. once and for all...I was happy and could not believe it was happening. All the crimes the U.S. has committed in the world. It just shows... what goes around comes around, even to the U.S."

Former "Providence" star Mike Farrell does not like America's dominant position in the world. Speaking of the Iraq conflict he said, "It is not only not democratic, it's theological. This determines that we are the chosen people of the world who can determine for themselves who are good, who are bad, who are right, and who are wrong, and smite them when we choose. This seems to be the height of arrogance."

Then we have the ultra liberal Phil Donahue, who has already lost his MSNBC television talk show opposite Fox News Channel's Bill O'Reilly. Speaking to a guest he said, "Let me tell you what is impressive: You're not wearing a flag pin. Well, I don't want to damn you with my praise, but I say 'hip-hip-hooray for that!"

George Clooney is another of the outspoken "Hate America" actors. On the Charlie Rose Show he said, "First and foremost is the idea we're going to kill a lot of innocent people, that's what we are going to do. That's what we did before and what we're going to do again...The government itself is running exactly like The Sopranos..."

Movie Director Robert Altman, in a London Times interview sneers, "When I see an American Flag flying. It's a joke...If you asked would I live in London the rest of my life, yeah, I'd be very happy to stay here. There is nothing in America I would miss at all."

Author Norman Mailer is well known for his anti American remarks. Concerning the attacks on the Twin Towers, which he called "an architectural monstrosity", he further lamented "Everything wrong with America led to the point where the country built that Tower of Babel, which consequently had to be destroyed." He also rationalized the 3,000 deaths saying "they came to one mortality for every 90,000 Americans. Your chances of dying if you drive a car are one in 7,000 each year."

Even the prominent journalist, broadcaster and former Johnson White House Press Secretary Bill Moyers tries to degrade patriotism. He Says, "When I see flags sprouting on official lapels, I think of the time in China when I saw Mao's Little Red Book on every official's desk, omnipresent and unread." He goes on to talk about these men with flags in their lapels... "who shoot missiles from the safety of Washington think tanks, or argue that sacrifice is good as long as they don't make it..." And we cannot forget the comments of actress Susan Sarandon, who chided the American people saying "Do we the people really want to be a new Rome that imposes its rule by the use of overwhelming force whenever its interests are threatened? Even perceived potential threats? We do not want endless warfare."

These are but half of the prominent thirty celebrity protesters. Also included on that list are actor Ossie Davis, actor Tim Robbins, singer Bonnie Raitt, TV and radio host Casey Kasem, actor Ed Asner, singer, /writer Laurie Anderson, retired newsman Walter Cronkite, recording artist Sheryl Crow, actor John Cusack and Actress Joan Cusack. Then we have actress Jane Fonda, author John LeCarre, author Gore Vidal, actress Sally Kirkland and actor Woody Harrelson...plus, 80 others, more or less, who don't really register on the radar.

What must be remembered is all of these people are in the pampered elite of our society. Because of their life styles, they live in a world of make-believe and personality reinvention. They are chameleon-like and ever changing personalities. Most of what they have to say is poorly thought out and spoken...unless it comes off a writer's pen. These are people who think America is a horrible place and by extension, we the people must also be horrible, because we love this Land of the free and home of the brave.

These protesters have a constitutional right to say any thing they want about our country. We also have the right to close our ears to their remarks, turn our backs to their presence and close our checkbooks to their future livelihood.

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Thomas D. Segel, a retired Marine journalist, served 26 years in a variety of assignments, including the war in Korea and two tours of duty in Vietnam. He is a twice-wounded former combat correspondent who holds eight personal decorations for valor and meritorious service. Winner of the Thomas Jefferson Award for journalistic excellence, he is also author of several books, including "Men in Space", which was placed on both the national high school and junior high school library lists. He is a past National President of the United States Marine Corps Combat Correspondents Association. Readers may contact Segel at