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Fifth Column
Richard Dreyfus Sez - 'Impeach Bush!'
2006-02-17
Halfway to the nuthouse, he is...
(CNSNews.com) - Richard Dreyfuss, the actor who starred in movies ranging from "Jaws" to "Mr. Holland's Opus," told an audience in Washington, D.C., on Thursday that "there are causes worth fighting for," and one of those is the impeachment of President George W. Bush. "There are causes worth fighting for even if you know that you will lose," Dreyfuss said during a speech at the National Press Club. "Unless you are willing to accept torture as part of a normal American political lexicon, unless you are willing to accept that leaving the Geneva Convention is fine and dandy, if you accept the expansion of wiretapping as business as usual, the only way to express this now is to embrace the difficult and perhaps embarrassing process of impeachment."

Noting that the process was established by the country's "founders, who we revere to check executive abuse with congressional balance," Dreyfuss said impeachment "is a statement that we refuse to endorse bad behavior."

"If we refuse to debate the appropriateness of the process of impeachment, we endorse that behavior, and we approve the enlargement of executive power," regardless of whoever may occupy the White House in the future, he said. "And don't kid yourselves: No one ever gives up power, ever," Dreyfuss added. "Now, it is not your job as the press to impeach George Bush," the actor stated. However, people in the media should "maintain the integrity of that debate" by not dismissing the topic out of hand as partisan or unpatriotic.
Posted by:Raj

#18  ..as well as a return to the principle of civility, which he called "the oxygen that democracies require else they become poisoned and die, as this democracy will."

No thanks to his comrades-in-arms on the extreme Left.
Posted by: Bomb-a-rama   2006-02-17 23:56  

#17  I thought after Brokeback we figured out that all those washed up actors do indeed lay end to end.
Posted by: Glavick Angaiger2627   2006-02-17 22:20  

#16  Of course he ignores the explosion in debate and dissent brought about by the internet, because most of it dissent from the kind of views he holds.

In fact, I see this as a call to go back to the good old days of left dominated media monopolies telling people what is 'news' and what they should think about the 'news'.

Those days have gone for ever and even if you laid every washed up actor in the world end-to-end you still can't change that.
Posted by: phil_b   2006-02-17 19:46  

#15  Never, not on my watch.
Posted by: Larry   2006-02-17 14:36  

#14  His IMDB biography starts out with this...

American leading man who has played his fair share of irritating pests and brash, ambitious hustlers...

It ends in 1995. Kinda when his career did.
Too bad, Richard. Loved you in "Jaws"...
Posted by: tu3031   2006-02-17 14:34  

#13  This is just sad.

He made some movies I just love. Now I can never watch them again - they would be ruined by his presence.

I guess I should thank Hollyweird, though, for making it so that I don't have to spend much time watching their movies or TV dreck shows - it's freed up lots of time for me to do more important, useful things.


Like watching oil paint dry.
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut   2006-02-17 14:32  

#12  Sherry - When the Dems formally dump the donk and take the Three Stooges as their logo.
Posted by: Glinemp Ebbomonter1494   2006-02-17 14:10  

#11  Interesting -- when is Hollywood going to decide whether it is a political party, or in the business of distributing entertain?
Posted by: Sherry   2006-02-17 13:15  

#10  Ironically this article is exactly the thrust of DreyfussÂ’s speech. His assertion is that modern journalism has replaced reasoned discussion with sound-bytes and selective quotes designed to breed contempt for dissenting opinions. Intelligent debate has given way to shouting matches intended to foster knee-jerk reactions. See it doesnÂ’t really matter what side of the issue is correct, as long as there is conflict. The facts are merely a conduit to create a narrative. Look no further then the Dick Cheney hunting accident story and how it has morphed into another Reality Show saga. Dreyfuss did NOT call for impeachment of Bush. But thatÂ’s the thrust of this “Another Hollywierd Liberal spouts off” story. In reality he used that not-so-subtle topic to call attention to the aloof nature of the press. ItÂ’s not that theyÂ’re not too timid to take on controversial issues; just the opposite. TheyÂ’re just too lazy to present a quality product that sells to their masses of “Entwistle arraignment” viewers. YouÂ’ve read all of his left leaning pot-shots here. Perhaps you should listen to his entire speechÂ…or not.
Posted by: DepotGuy   2006-02-17 13:01  

#9  Are they just soooo cute? They sit there and call for the impeachment of a President, give no reason (or high crimes), and still call themselves "Mainstream". Of course they (LLL) have to go this route because the public would never elect them to office so a coup or something like that is the only chance they have to gain power. This next election is going to be so much fun.
Posted by: Cyber Sarge   2006-02-17 12:33  

#8  SM,

The other thing is his complete lack of historical awareness. Democracies tend to be notoriously uncivil. Consider some of the 19th century presidential elections where opponents were routinely accused of fathering illegitimate children and having a weakness for booze ("He won many a hard fought bottle.").

Like any party that is bereft of ideas and is in a slump, there are two alternatives: self-examination or wild accusations. For our friends the Dems, their rage is directed in three different directions: their opponents, the voters, and the communication process itself. So, for them, Republicans are unspeakably evil, voters ridiculously stupid, and the media impossibly corrupt. How else to explain losing all those elections? Deranged indeed.
Posted by: Dreadnought   2006-02-17 12:28  

#7  To restore true American values, the actor called for children to be taught "the tools of debate and dissent," as well as a return to the principle of civility, which he called "the oxygen that democracies require else they become poisoned and die, as this democracy will."

So, here we have yet another (former) Hollywood star calling out against the evil Republican’s repression of descent... on CNN! Does the word “ironic” mean anything to you Richard? Furthermore, he calls for “a return to the principle of civility.” Dreyfuss, you moron, have you actually listened to the American Left at any time in the last six years? Your own side (and yes, you’re a liberal) has absolutely no interest in “civility.” Furthermore, fool, go back and read the text of your own interview. You practically demand massive censorship of the media:

"Television did this. Television created the sound bite and then shrunk it," the actor said. "Television replaced words with images so that people make extraordinary decisions based not on prose or any attempt at analysis," but on pictures instead.

I assure you Richard that I am more than capable of making “extraordinary decisions” based completely on analysis of the written word. Or television, for that matter. The medium is not as important as the message. Most Americans are capable of making informed decisions. Has it occurred to you that the uniformed, sound-bite-and-television driven society you are describing is, well, liberal California? But it gets even better:

"Watch me lose my sense of humor if people accuse me of treason," Dreyfuss said before mocking two of the Fox News Channel's most popular hosts. "'That's not very O'Reilly of you, Mister Smarty-Pants,' or 'What would Sean Hannity have to say about that, Mister Too-Complex-for-Your-Own-Good?'"

Nobody is accusing you of treason, Richard. This is real life: we arenÂ’t in one of your movies. You arenÂ’t a hero. Nor are you your own ancestor . Your shameless attempt to get OÂ’Reilly and Hannity to mention you on their shows is doomed to failure. Nobody really cares about you. Nobody cares what Hollywood idiots have to say anymore.
Posted by: Secret Master   2006-02-17 11:12  

#6  Um, I'm thinking "No", Dickie.
Posted by: .com   2006-02-17 11:04  

#5  Dreyfus, dreyfus .... oh ya. That crappy actor with the French name. Isn't he dead yet? Oh wait, that is just his career.
Posted by: mmurray821   2006-02-17 11:00  

#4  I'm all for a return to the rules of civility. But it seems to me that the rules of civility went out the window in the '70s with Waregate and it has only gotten worse sense then. Unfortunately on both sides of the poitical fence. Also debate and dissent are one of the strengths of our nation. But when one engages in dissent and debate one should also offer reasoned choices that represent their view point. Not just shrilly screaming their view point. Just my $.02
Posted by: Cheaderhead   2006-02-17 10:58  

#3  "middle-of-the-roado" not good for possums or actors, same result, run over by reality.
Posted by: BrerRabbit   2006-02-17 10:58  

#2  Another acting career destroyed by Bush Derangement Syndrome. BDS is a devastating disease, leaving its victims helpless in the grip of a white-hot hatred burning like the fire of a thousand suns. BDS causes high blood pressure, mental illness, and in extreme cases, the heartbreak of psoriasis. Yet there is hope. New research shows it can be treated, and perhaps even someday cured. If you or a loved one has BDS, don't suffer in silence--seek help! Visit the website of the BDS Assistance Society at http://www.rantburg.com, or attend a meeting of your local chapter of the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy.

The preceeding has been a public service of the Ad Council, the BDS Assistance Society, and your Rantburg Chamber of Commerce.
Posted by: Mike   2006-02-17 10:52  

#1  When the hot Civil War starts, asshats like this will be looking around wondering how it all happened? Nothing like stoking up the embers to get the old fire started. When it settles they'll be wringing their hands crying about the consequences, never ever once looking in the mirror.
Posted by: Elmetch Hupolump7325   2006-02-17 10:38  

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