"I Am a Liberal. There, I Said It!" By George Clooney

[kpete]

George Clooney


03.13.2006
I Am a Liberal. There, I Said It!

I am a liberal. And I make no apologies for it. Hell, I'm proud of it.

Too many people run away from the label. They whisper it like you'd whisper "I'm a Nazi." Like it's dirty word. But turn away from saying "I'm a liberal" and it's like you're turning away from saying that blacks should be allowed to sit in the front of the bus, that women should be able to vote and get paid the same as a man, that McCarthy was wrong, that Vietnam was a mistake.

And that Saddam Hussein had no ties to al-Qaeda and had nothing to do with 9/11.

This is an incredibly polarized time (wonder how that happened?). But I find that, more and more, people are trying to find things we can agree on. And, for me, one of the things we absolutely need to agree on is the idea that we're all allowed to question authority. We have to agree that it's not unpatriotic to hold our leaders accountable and to speak out.

............................

Bottom line: it's not merely our right to question our government, it's our duty. Whatever the consequences. We can't demand freedom of speech then turn around and say, But please don't say bad things about us. You gotta be a grown up and take your hits.

I am a liberal. Fire away.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/george-clooney/i-am-a-liberal-there-i-_b_17119.html

[Lucy - Claire]

1. I love him.....

:love:

[crispini]

2. Eeeeeeep.

((( melts )))

:loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya:

[YOY]

3. He's also about as un-Hollywood as a big star can get

One of the reasons I like the man.

[liberal N proud]

4. I am a liberal. Fire away.

Sound like a good Liberal Pledge to me.
Thanks George.

[Rockholm]

5. Proud to be a LIBERAL.

[SpiralHawk]

19. You mean you believe in Liberty?

Why do you hate fascism?

[bpilgrim]

6. "Fuck you, you weren't misled. You were afraid of being called unpatriotic

The fear of been criticized can be paralyzing. Just look at the way so many Democrats caved in the run up to the war. In 2003, a lot of us were saying, where is the link between Saddam and bin Laden? What does Iraq have to do with 9/11? We knew it was bullshit. Which is why it drives me crazy to hear all these Democrats saying, "We were misled." It makes me want to shout, "Fuck you, you weren't misled. You were afraid of being called unpatriotic."

:wow:

peace

[Sugar Smack]

8. This made my day.

It may have made my week.

[bpilgrim]

23. ditto

:hi: Sugar Smack

peace

[BiggJawn]

30. Sure nailed it there, George.

And some of them (Bayh) are STILL afraid of being called "unpatriotic".

Screw it, if being "unpatriotic" just means "Not one of Bush's boot-licking ass-tonguers" then I'll *BE* unpatriotic!

[Brazenly Liberal]

7. Why, that man is BRAZENLY liberal

:lol:

Send him out on the campaign trail. The GOP women - and some of the men - will take one look into those eyes and vote for anyone he wants them to vote for.

[bunkerbuster1]

14. He's so "shrill"!

How can we hold the center with so many shrill liberals out there?

</concern_troll>

[Brazenly Liberal]

15. The center is a mythical place

Let a mythical being hold it.

[DoYouEverWonder]

9. One great thing about being a LIBERAL

is we get all the good looking guys.

Go George. Um.

[madame defarge]

10. Not just good looking, but...

intelligent...including another great liberal: Paul Newman.

[Radio_Lady]

34. Re: Pic of GWB in colors. I want it to be just a thin orange line between

his eyebrows. About 8 percent or less would do it -- the idiot people who approve of him.

[OnionPatch]

11. I want to have his baby!!

:loveya:
(Hey, even us old gals can dream...)

I'm thinking along these lines: We need to start showing that we are PROUD to be liberals. I'm starting with a bumper sticker that says just that.

[Pacifist Patriot]

38. Forget that!

I'll take everything leading up to the baby. ;)

[Catchawave]

12. Good for George !

He mentioned this on the Larry King interview too.

[Don_1967]

13. BRAVO !!!!

I truly love this guy he tells it like it is and doesn't give a damn where the chips fall.

[Neil Lisst]

16. Yea, George Clooney! My cartoon on it.

Hell yeah, I like him. He's my dark horse for 08.

[nuxvomica]

17. The next time someone mistakes me for him...

I'll say, "Sorry. I'm not George Clooney. But we are both liberals and we're both damn proud of it!" :D

[Arkansas Granny]

20. So, this mistaken identity thing, does it happen often?

BTW, I'm proud you're a liberal, too.
:hi:

[nuxvomica]

40. Not often enough

:hi:

[BootinUp]

18. Great stuff George

So glad he is participating in the national dialog.

[NYYFan]

21. Bravo George !

:thumbsup:

[ypsiguy]

22. By God I'm a Liberal

Be sure to read the fifth comment on clooney's essat at Huffington Post by ProudLiberalDemocrat

[snacker]

24. One more reason to love him! n/t

[baby_mouse]

25. Good old George...

Time for a mass "liberal coming out" party, methinks, among celebrities.

[Wetzelbill]

26. that guy is the coolest actor ever

hands down. Clooney is the greatest. :)

[myrna minx]

27. Atta boy, George.

:applause:

[FyurFly]

28. Good politics, horrible actor n/t

[dogday]

29. What can I say, this guy is so fine

Good-looking and a Liberal, not even married.... If only....

[Blue Belle]

31. Now this is a George I can get below..

I mean nice behind... er... I could support. What was the question again?? :blush:

[Yollam]

32. "Liberal" has always meant centrist and pro-establishment...

...which makes it all the more amazing to me that people are afraid to even take such a position.

I call myself a leftist and make no bones about it. Liberals would protect the US government to their dying breath no matter how corrupt it got. Leftists are usually not so married to the existing system. It also saddens me that there are so few high-profile leftists and dissidents.

[Pacifist Patriot]

37. Hi there!

Former liberal, current dissident at your service! :hi:

[earth mom]

33. George Clooney for President!

:applause:

Gawd, I'd love to see someone like him running for office instead of the mealy mouthed corporate whore-mongering liars we've got now! Michael Moore was right when he said we need to get rid of the jerks we've got in office now.

With someone like George Clooney or RFK jr. as President, this country would be in good solid honest hands. It would once again be the United States of America I grew up believing in.

[cascadiance]

35. Should he run as a Dem?

... or perhaps run with the Green Party, etc.? Could he be a success with his dominant personality like VEntura was for Minnesota Governor, or would he fail like Nader did, and help the Dems fail too in the process to prevent another Bush character from getting into power... I wonder if he could do something in the middle... Announce early on that he is going to run for the Greens, and will continue to run UNLESS the Dems nominate someone truly representing the values of Democratic Party constituents like Feingold. Then he would pull out and help the Greens unify behind the Dem nominee. Perhaps that would be the best way to tell the DLC to go suck it in their efforts to try to nominate the "corporate" candidate. If they want unity, they'll play by progressives' rules!

I don't want to be seen as "advocating" the Greens over Dems as much as finding ways to get us progressives a voice in Corporate America. We may need to fight this battle like a war!

Interesting op ed on this topic this morning from Patricia Goldsmith at the following link. I don't completely ascribe to her approach of "dropping" the Dems, but it does show you the growing disaffection out there, UNLESS those in the Dem party throw off their corporate chains soon!

http://www.opednews.com/articles/opedne_patricia_060313_who_is_the_enemy_3f.htm

March 13, 2006

Who Is the Enemy?

by Patricia Goldsmith

http://www.opednews.com

One of the lesser-known administration justifications for wholesale, illegal NSA spying is the argument that the domestic United States became a theater of war after 9/11. The fact that this is a dream come true for rightwing interests is merely a coincidence—in the same way and to the same degree that the culture war is merely a metaphor.

Unfortunately, fundamentalists are noted for their literalism. As far as Air America bumper sticker on her car. “The country is on high alert,” the man said, “for all I know you’re al Qaeda.” She’s lucky he didn’t call the FBI or the Pentagon’s anonymous tip line: 1-800-CALL-SPY.

The good news is that, five years out from the PNACers’ Pearl-Harbor-type event, the man on high alert is the exception to the rule. On the contrary, many staunch far-right opinion-makers are becoming openly uneasy. Francis Fukuyama, one of the architects of the neocon project, has renounced it. It has evolved, he said, “into something I can no longer support.”

At the money end of the neocon coalition, Andrew Sullivan, have had their own rude awakening. “ the Thatcher/Reagan legacy that many of us grew to love and support would end this way is an astonishing paradox and a great tragedy.” Sullivan also accused Bush of being a socialist, which I find enlightening: if that’s what he thinks socialism is, no wonder he’s against it. I would be too. Obviously, to a certain stripe of conservative, socialism is tantamount to totalitarianism.

...

[earth mom]

39. While I'm no fan of the majority of dems we have in office,

IMO-the only way George would have a shot is as a dem candidate since most voters are not comfortable enough to go 3rd party. Just my 2 cents. :shrug:

[Strathos]

36. I am a liberal too

And DAMN PROUD OF IT.

How can anyone be against something as beautiful as this word?

lib·er·al (libÆÃr Ãl, libÆrÃl), adj.
1. favorable to progress or reform, as in political or religious affairs.
2. (often cap.) noting or pertaining to a political party advocating measures of progressive political reform.
3. of, pertaining to, based on, or advocating liberalism.
4. favorable to or in accord with concepts of maximum individual freedom possible, esp. as guaranteed by law and secured by governmental protection of civil liberties.
5. favoring or permitting freedom of action, esp. with respect to matters of personal belief or expression: a liberal policy toward dissident artists and writers.
6. of or pertaining to representational forms of government rather than aristocracies and monarchies.
7. free from prejudice or bigotry; tolerant: a liberal attitude toward foreigners.
8. open-minded or tolerant, esp. free of or not bound by traditional or conventional ideas, values, etc.
9. characterized by generosity and willingness to give in large amounts: a liberal donor.
10. given freely or abundantly; generous: a liberal donation.
11. not strict or rigorous; free; not literal: a liberal interpretation of a rule.
12. of, pertaining to, or based on the liberal arts.
13. of, pertaining to, or befitting a freeman.
—n.
14. a person of liberal principles or views, esp. in politics or religion.
15. (often cap.) a member of a liberal party in politics, esp. of the Liberal party in Great Britain.