I am a huge fan of Susan Sarandon.  She’s one of the finest actors of her generation and she’s one hot 59-year-old!  She and her husband have taken a lot of hits for their political beliefs and their willingness to stand up for what they believe.  I don’t always agree with them, but I respect that they have the guts to speak out.  Of course, if you visit any right wing website you get their hatred for all things liberal Hollywood;  late night talk show hosts like Jay Leno, who bristles if accused of being a Democrat, makes jokes about Sarandon and Robbins being accidentally bombed by American missiles; hell, even avowed centrists like Jeff Jarvis, who seems to have developed an astounding disdain for Hollywood after spending so many years making a living off it, doesn’t mind taking a few cheap shots at outspoken celebrities.  (I always find it odd when I read these remarks on Jarvis’ website since he’s always prattling on about Citizens Media — maybe he thinks egotistical celebrities aren’t part of his little group of "citizens.")

The Sarandon/Robbins case always struck me as extraordinarily vicious.  These are people, these are Americans, who endured threats on their lives; had to put up with groups canceling appearances because they were perceived not being patriotic; had to put up with nieces, nephews, and their son being ridiculed in class by their teachers!  Now, these rich celebrities don’t need me to defend them, but what kind of country are we living in when children are ridiculed and threatened by the very people who should instilling a love and respect for our country’s ideals in their students?  And you know what, they didn’t back down.  They still stand up for what they believe.  That’s patriotic.  That’s what it means to be an American.  These two Hollywood lefties are an example for all Americans that no matter how hard it gets, if you don’t have the guts to speak out, to stand up, to look your detractors in the face, then you don’t deserve our hard-won freedoms.

And it’s not just Hollywood Liberals.  There many of everyday Americans, who don’t have easy access to the spotlight like Sarandon, who are putting up with the same thing.  Under the Bush II years, our country has taken a huge step backward.  Americans freely allow the government to undermine our constitutional freedoms on an almost daily basis.  Granted, some of it is fear.  Hell, I blog anonymously because in a previous attempt at blogging with my real name it became too difficult to deal with some of the hateful comments I was getting.  But for so many Americans, too many Americans, it’s a lack of caring.  Many of us have gotten to a point where we think that if what goes on in Washington doesn’t touch us personally then we can look the other way.  That kind of lazy thinking is what gets us in the kind of trouble we’re in today.

Simply priceless.