Letter: Wrong to bash celebrities

Friday, April 11, 2003 | 9:13 a.m.

A couple of facts deserve consideration. First, ultra right-wing conservatives constantly trash many Hollywood celebrities who dare to express their protest regarding George Bush's political, oil-oriented invasion of Iraq. According to the warmongers in our midst, these celebrities are supposedly "know-nothing, uneducated actors and actresses in an air-headed profession."

Oh, really? Then can't the Republican "heroes" -- actors Ronald Reagan, the star of "Bedtime for Bonzo" (Bonzo was a chimpanzee), Charlton "Moses" Heston and John "combat hero" Wayne (who never even served in the military) -- also be included in this description? The constant Republican criticism of the decent celebrities and other entertainers who adhere to their ethical principles is exceedingly hypocritical.

And finally, how dare conservatives call patriotic American protesters unpatriotic, un-American, socialists, and even communists? Myself and many other loyal Americans protesting this travesty served our country well in the military, unlike most of the Bush gang, whose only military experience consists of watching old John Wayne movies.

We who really do love our country will continue to exercise our right to protest this unjust invasion and will support our troops by demanding they be brought home before any more lose their lives or are captured as POWs.

And we are outraged at the appointed Bush's so-called "liberation" of the innocent civilians of Iraq, whose survivors are now homeless refugees without food, water or electricity. And whose country had absolutely nothing to do with Sept. 11.

Republicans would instead be well advised to apologize for their eight-year non-stop horrific bashing of the extremely competent President Clinton despite his superior leadership of our formerly peaceful, prosperous and humanitarian country.

RUTH DI MAGGIO

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