TRAITORS OR JUST MORONS?

I have been a music fan all of my life. I also have gone to many movies as well as live concerts. While I wouldn’t consider myself “star struck”, I do like to see the big names and watch them perform. I like to be entertained. I am probably like most everyone else in that regard.

From time to time however, we learn things about some of our so called heroes that surprise us, shock us, and sometimes even confound us. After all, they are just people. Talented, rich, and influential to be sure, but just people.

I, for example, am a fan of the music of the Dixie Chicks. These three young ladies are extremely talented musicians and singers. Not too long ago, one of them opened her mouth and spouted political opinions that cost them millions in money and untold prestige. They have never recovered and are now a footnote rather than a great musical act. They are still just as talented but they lost a huge portion of their audience. Barbra Streisand is a great talent. Her voice is angelic. Her politics stink. The problem is that you cannot just listen to her music without having to hear her politics. I pass. There are many others and that is okay. We have freedom of speech in this country. For the most part we are free to spout off at any time about anything that we feel. There are some restrictions of course, including but not limited to, libel, slander and treason. If the Dixie Chicks feel strongly about a political issue, I don’t care. I don’t have to listen to it. I also don’t have to ever spend another dollar in support of individuals who should just shut up and sing.

To me these are just morons not traitors. Jane Fonda is another issue completely, however. Hers was not political speech. She, to me, is a traitor. She probably caused the death of thousands of our military not to mention innocent civilians by her stupidity. I will never forgive her nor will I ever give her or anyone else like her a pass for their actions.

All of this brings me to singer Tony Bennett. In a recent radio interview he destroyed a lifetime of good will in about ten minutes. To paraphrase his comments, he opined that 9/11 was our fault. He further seemed to believe that we are really the terrorist in the world. In just a few minutes he lost millions of fans and showed the entire world who he is. Is he a traitor or just another Hollywood moron? I made my decision, you decide.

I have heard it said that we should just give him a pass because he is eighty-five years old. Nonsense. I will not give him a pass. Just a few short years ago in our history both he and Fonda would have been arrested and possibly executed for their actions and words. They have both made millions from the American people. They have lived the “good life”. They deserve nothing but disgust from me. There is a vast difference between political opinion and giving aid and comfort to our enemies. The former is a free speech issue and the latter is a serious crime. It is called treason. If you don’t know the difference, you probably should just keep your mouth shut.

I am tired of these so called stars who have made a fortune from the American people turning on them out of ignorance, stupidity, or just plain anti-Americanism. I have never watched a movie that Jane Fonda has made or looked at any tape she has produced since her little trip to Vietnam and now I plan never again to listen to anything Tony Bennett does. They both have become non-persons to me. I just wish we would enforce the laws we have on the books dealing with such traitors.

Ron Scarbro September 27, 2011