Sean
Penn Takes Out Full Page
Washington Post Anti-War Ad
Washington
- Actor Sean Penn on Friday weighed in on the international
debate over a possible war with Iraq, paying for a $56 000
advertisement in the Washington Post accusing President Bush
of stifling debate and threatening civil liberties. In an open
letter to Bush taking up most of a page in the main section
of the daily newspaper, the Oscar-nominated star of I Am Sam
and Dead Man Walking, urged the president to stop a cycle where
"bombing is answered by bombing, mutilation by mutilation,
killing by killing".
"I
beg you, help save America before yours is a legacy of shame
and horror," Penn wrote, echoing voices of caution from
around the world that have called for a measured response to
allegations Iraq is developing weapons of mass destruction.
The
letter was signed "Sincerely, Sean Penn, San Francisco,
California". A spokesperson for the Washington Post confirmed
that it was placed by the Hollywood celebrity, who has starred
in more than 40 movies.
Quoting
Bush's declaration that the world was either "with us or
against us" in the war on terrorism launched after the
September 11, 2001, attacks, Penn (42), said Bush was marginalising
critics, manipulating the media and promoting fear.
Those
actions and "your administration's deconstruction of civil
liberties all contradict the very core of the patriotism you
claim," wrote Penn, who is married to actress Robin Wright
Penn, and was formerly married to pop star Madonna.
"Sacrificing
American soldiers or innocent civilians in an unprecedented
preemptive attack on a separate sovereign nation may well prove
itself a most temporary medicine," he said.
Source:
http://www.news24.com/News24/Entertainment/Movies-News/0,5036,2-1225-1235_1274257,00.html
Additional
Stories
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A49882-2002Oct18.html
http://www.hollywood.com/news/detail/article/1679045
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Tens
Of Thousands Rally
Around World Against Iraq War
In
Washington, actress Susan Sarandon said terrorism could not
be fought with violence and that most Americans did not want
a conflict. "Let
us resist this war," Sarandon told the cheering crowd.
"Let us hate war in all its forms, whether the weapon used
is a missile or an airplane."
Yoko Initiates New Peace Prize
Yoko Ono,
widow of the late Beatle John Lennon,
has inaugurated her own peace award by giving
$50,000 prize to Israeli and Palestinian artists.
Listen To Yoko's New Version Of
Give
Peace A Chance
