Disrespect invites disrespect, violence invites violence. When the powerful use their position to bully others we all lose.There's been a lot of predictable kvelling by liberals about Meryl Streep's denunciation of Donald Trump at the Golden Globes last night. I haven't bothered to watch the video or read a full transcription, because frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn. Just as predictably, the Right has responded by telling Streep to shut up and act, though they're just fine with right-wing actors and other celebrities expressing their opinions. As Glenn Greenwald tweeted today:
Of course, the content of actors' and other celebrities' opinions is open to criticism, just like cable TV or talk radio hosts, or corporate media pundits for that matter. Someone posted a meme on Facebook quoting Streep's words that I quoted at the opening of this post, and I thought, Oh, really? Where were you, Ms. Streep, when Barack Obama joked about killing the Jonas Brothers with predator drones? When Obama and his toadies mocked gay people who protested in Washington about the antigay policies he clung to for most of his first term? When they denounced his left-wing critics as "fucking retarded" and drug-addled losers? When his goons were harassing and beating protesters at various public events? When Obama was not just joking about killing people, but actually killing them, as he has been doing for his entire time in office? Did it bother you when Obama bragged about being the first two-term war president? Do you worry about the consequences of Obama's fondness for mass killing and high-tech violence, either directly or through proxies?Why are actors less qualified to comment on political issues than, say, cable TV or talk radio hosts? Never understood this rationale.— Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) January 9, 2017
By all means, pick on Trump; he deserves it and will continue to deserve it. But I'll reserve my respect for people who speak out against disrespect and violence committed by Democrats no less than Republicans.
