12/21/24
April 10, 2003
There's no protesting in baseball!: The Baseball Hall of Fame has cancelled a 15th anniversary celebration of "Bull Durham" because of fears of what stars Tim Robbins and Susan Sarandon might say. Hall president Dale Petroskey, a former White House assistant press secretary under Ronald Reagan, said that the duo's comments "ultimately could put our troops in even more danger." Of what? Overacting?
This is insane! I cannot wait until the war is over so we can have our opinions back.
posted by jasonspaceman at 10:46 AM on April 10, 2003
Hmmm, I've long advocated George Bush taking over as baseball commissioner. Now that's what I would call regime change!
posted by trox at 12:09 PM on April 10, 2003
trox: Oh, what might have been...
posted by pitchblende at 12:41 PM on April 10, 2003
Clearly Robbins and Sarandon play for the Unamerican League. I cannot wait until the war is over so we can have our opinions back.
Don't hold your breath.
posted by kirkaracha at 12:53 PM on April 10, 2003
The Caple piece pitchblende linked is genius! I'm so jealous of that talented bastard (Caple, not pitch)... I'm not a big fan of Robbins, Sarandon or any actor/actress who thinks, because they've made a few movies, they should be telling us about foreign policy. For Christ's sake, Tim, perhaps you should READ A SCRIPT! You made a movie with Martin Lawrence! Still, this is America, and Petroskey's an idiot for doing this. It would have been better to have the event and see those two get booed off the stage. :)
posted by wfrazerjr at 02:25 PM on April 10, 2003
* My panties are in such a bunch right now that I don't even know what to say. The hall of fame is not only a tool of MLB but now also of those who profess an "obligation to act and speak responsibly". Please.
posted by 8ighteenAcres at 05:32 AM on April 11, 2003
I fired off an angry letter to the Hall of Fame yesterday about this. Baseball needs all the fans it can get these days, and to see Republicans co-opt the hall for cheap political stunts is too much.
posted by rcade at 08:26 AM on April 11, 2003
Salon's King Kaufman comments.
posted by kirkaracha at 10:04 AM on April 11, 2003
What frosts me about this response to the legitimate expression of opinion by two reasonably intelligent people is that the same harsh tone is not taken with the actors who make their more conservative views known. Opinions are fine, but ad hominum attacks do nothing to illuminate the issues. It says something about the bankruptcy of the views of those who support this president and his war that they feel that the support for their arguments is so weak that they engage in this sort of tactic. Of course, that's what I just did, too. Can we go back to talking about sports?
posted by outside counsel at 11:48 AM on April 11, 2003
Well, I'd disagree w/ that outside counsel. Does anyone take Charlton Heston seriously anymore? I suspect that has more to do with his vocal affinity for the NRA than any movie he's made. The whole HOF thing is quite stupid. Some things should be beyond politics. It's baseball for goodness sake. Can't we all agree on something? If a trip taken (or not) to Cooperstown becomes a political statement then this country's become an insane, and sad, place.
posted by herc at 12:26 PM on April 11, 2003
This is much more fun than talking about baseball, outside. This is talking about how stupid the people associated with baseball are! Really, outside, I hadn't thought about the conservative actors not being silenced because, well ... who are they? Arnold? Charlton? I never see them (if they really exist) in print or on TV because I think the media tends to filter them out. I happen to be part of that. How exciting is it if someone says, "I support the troops?" Not nearly as exciting as Tim Robbins saying, "I think this war is lunacy." That's juicier by far. I hate it, but it's true.
posted by wfrazerjr at 02:34 PM on April 11, 2003
Stupid move by Dale Petroskey. I don't think even tim robbins would dare open his mouth about politics at such an event. If he would have, the negative press would have been out the roof. But Petroskey instead comes out looking like the bad guy, and robbins unfairly prosecuted. It says something about the bankruptcy of the views of those who support this president and his war that they feel that the support for their arguments is so weak that they engage in this sort of tactic. Oh god, please don't start preaching politics on sportsfilter, especially with such sweeping generalizations. I promise you, my views are not bankrupt, and I support the war, but then again, this isn't the place to make them. Left, right, middle, all are represented at sportsfilter. Regardless, I'm sure the majority of us disagree with Petroskey's decision, all politics aside.
posted by justgary at 03:43 AM on April 16, 2003
I liked Robbins' response. " I didn't know baseball was a Republican sport." It's sad that varying opinions are shunned at a time when public dialogue should hold the most import.