DON'T BLAME HOLLYWOOD

Skippy reminds me that the Dixie Chicks were right. And Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins. And Sean Penn. And Barbra Streisand. And Janeane Garafalo. And Al Franken. And Michael Moore. And Whoopi Goldberg. And Alec Baldwin. And...well, you get the picture.

The Repugs have made it a crusade to disparage the patriotism of professional entertainers who have spoken out against the war and the policies of Dumbya. They should "shut up and sing" is the popular attitude. "They have no business talking about politics as if they know anything about it or policy." Of course, exceptions are made for entertainers who espouse Republican talking points. They are welcome in the public discourse, are even encouraged to run for public office. Sonny Bono. Ronald Reagan. George Murphy. Dennis Miller. Arnold Schwarzenegger. Ted Nugent. Charlie Daniels.

I suppose it is outside the realm of possibility to expect that any one of those conservative talking heads who have excoriated and even attempted to ruin the careers of those who spoke truth (and it is indisputably now known to be the truth) when it was unpopular to do so, to now grant that they were wrong and to apologize to those they have wronged. But I find it important that just as certain Hollywood figures once stood against the unAmerican McCarthy at great risk to their own careers and lives, some too today are standing up to be counted. And I think they deserve, at the very least, an acknowledgment of their courage and devotion to the best of the American tradition.