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terpfan1980

Join Date 08/2004

+13

Stars turn backs on America's troops in Iraq

As if we needed yet more proof that many of the so-called "stars" in Hollywood are nothing more than self-centered egomaniacs, how about this article that details that a lot of the Hollywood crowd are turning their backs on our troops in places like Iraq and Afghanistan.

Before I get ahead of myself here, let me say that some of the names of those that have been visiting our troops are a bit surprising at first, though if you know the history of some of them, perhaps it's not all that surprising. Either way, I'm glad that those individuals -- Robin Williams, Al Franken, and Henry Rollins as examples -- are placing the troops above politics and are visiting the troops via the USO shows. At least those individuals are trying to help support our troops, even as many others turn their backs on them and ignore them while they serve in missions many never really choose to be part of.

Original article snippet follows. Please see original for complete story. Headline is linked.

Stars turn backs on America's troops in Iraq

Danger and anti-war stance keep celebrities away

Shows now depend on Christian hip-hop groups

Jamie Wilson in Washington
Saturday December 24, 2005
The Guardian

During world war two American troops away from home for Christmas were entertained by Marlene Dietrich, Bing Crosby and the Marx Brothers. Even in Vietnam Bob Hope was guaranteed to put in an appearance. But soldiers in Iraq are more likely to get a show from a Christian hip-hop group, a country singer you have probably never heard of and two cheerleaders for the Dallas Cowboys.
Just as the seemingly intractable nature of the war has led to a growing recruitment crisis, so the United Services Organisation, which has been putting on shows for the troops since the second world war, is struggling to get celebrities to sign up for even a short tour of duty
It is a far cry from the days following the September 11 2001 attacks, when some of the biggest names in show business, from Jennifer Lopez to Brad Pitt, rallied to the cause. "After 9/11 we couldn't have had enough airplanes for the people who were volunteering to go," Wayne Newton, the Las Vegas crooner who succeeded Bob Hope as head of USO's talent recruiting effort, told USA Today. "Now with 9/11 being as far removed as it is, the war being up one day and down the next, it becomes increasingly difficult to get people to go."
Newton said many celebrities have been wary of going because they think it might be seen that they are endorsing the war. "And I say it's not. I tell them these men and women are over there because our country sent them, and we have the absolute necessity to try to bring them as much happiness as we can."
{ snip }
Some of the entertainers still willing to travel are die-hard true believers - rock musician Ted Nugent carried a Glock handgun to shows in Iraq last year and said in a radio interview that he manned a machine gun on a Humvee. But many of the USO's regular performers are fierce critics of the war, among them the comic and star of Good Morning Vietnam, Robin Williams, who told USA Today he would like to return to the Middle East in the spring for what would be his fourth tour since 2002. "I'm there for the [troops], not for W," he said in a reference to the president. "Go, man. You won't forget it. You'll meet amazing people," is his message to stars that ask him about the tours. But the comedian said he mostly tries to keep politics out of the show after he did a few jokes about Bush's brainpower at a base in 2003 and got a chilly reception.
Other critics of the war who regularly perform include the leftwing comedian Al Franken (who is headlining the current tour along with Christian hip-hop group Souljahz) and the punk legend and actor Henry Rollins, one of the Bush administrations most vocal critics.
The tradition of beautiful women thrilling the troops has continued - although while Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russell showed up in Korea and Vietnam could boast Raquel Welch, in Iraq they have had to make do with sometime pop singer and reality TV star Jessica Simpson.

... more at original article please see original for complete story.

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Sad, but normal for that sorry insecure segment of our population. I see their presents not as troop supporters, but fraught with self promotion and a smidgen of care.

I like Ted Nugent, his motives and that he has been carrying for a long time. Plus, he knows a good weapon when he see one

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I like Ted Nugent, his motives and that he has been carrying for a long time. Plus, he knows a good weapon when he see one

Bwahahahahahah...you're calling a "plastic" handgun a "good" weapon? You should try a 1911 or a S&W wheel gun (686+).

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kingbee

Join Date 04/2004

+42

just outta curiosity, how many times have bill o'reilly, sean hannity, ann coulter and rush limbaugh traveled to either iraq or afghanistan?

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I think your introduction left this spinning, a bit... The article itself only briefly mentions that the number of performers is down, and gives some rather legitimate reasons for them not going. I actually view this in a more positive light, with the number of performers who obviously are going over specifically to support the troops (and not the war, thereby living what some of the left have been preaching). I know you mentioned this as well... I just disagree with your focus, here.

Thanks for pointing out the article, though.

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just outta curiosity, how many times have bill o'reilly, sean hannity, ann coulter and rush limbaugh traveled to either iraq or afghanistan?

Might want to google the answer yourself, before you wipe the egg off your face.

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just outta curiosity, how many times have bill o'reilly, sean hannity, ann coulter and rush limbaugh traveled to either iraq or afghanistan?

Just so you know....they must be given clearence from DOD/SD "before" they can visit the troops! So before you go talking silly, maybe you should at least go look:

America's top talk radio host Rush Limbaugh is planning to travel to Afghanistan next week to visit the troops and highlight the U.S. success in bringing democracy to Osama bin Laden's former headquarters.

Limbaugh confirmed the visit to NewsMax Friday morning, saying that seeing the troops are his "main reason for going." The top conservative talker has scheduled three meetings with U.S. forces, with locations to be announced later for security reasons.

Limbaugh said he had been asking the Defense and State Departments to arrange a troop visit for two years. He will also be meeting with Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai.

White House advisor Mary Matalin, a former talk radio host herself and friend of Limbaugh's, will also be on the trip, according to Reuters.

The trip is reportedly being arranged through the U.S. Agency for International Development.

I can't rightly say one way or the other that Sean or Bill has visited the troops.

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kingbee

Join Date 04/2004

+42

hey must be given clearence from DOD/SD "before" they can visit the troops! So before you go talking silly, maybe you should at least go look:

so lemme get this straight...robin williams and al franken were able to get clearance quicker than limbaugh et al?

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hey must be given clearence from DOD/SD "before" they can visit the troops! So before you go talking silly, maybe you should at least go look:

so lemme get this straight...robin williams and al franken were able to get clearance quicker than limbaugh et al

You obviously did not read the highlighted section of my reply. Try again.

Limbaugh said he had been asking the Defense and State Departments to arrange a troop visit for two years. He will also be meeting with Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai

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so lemme get this straight...robin williams and al franken were able to get clearance quicker than limbaugh et al?

YOu obviously have a comprehension problem as well.

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Those who won't go make excuses about "not supporting the war" or "it's too dangerous".

I guess that passes for legitimate excuses in Hollywood today, but the greats of yesteryear didn't make such wimpy excuses. Much of Hollywood didn't support WWII, and we know Korea and Vietnam were downright loathed, but stars back then cared. Stars now only care about their pampered, pathetic selves.

Many of my favorite performers are anti war, and that's fine, but they should remember where their fame and money come from... namely, the people they look down on. I guess they are glad that the rest of us "Great unwashed" are willing to put our politics aside and enjoy their work, even if we think they themselves are boors.

To those willing to go over and entertain our troops.... HOO~AH!!!!!

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so lemme get this straight...robin williams and al franken were able to get clearance quicker than limbaugh et al?

Working through and/or with the USO has some advantages versus the Fox News folks, the Limbaugh, Hannity, et al crowd.

Point of fact though, Limbaugh, Hannity, and others that the 'bee thinks are war-hawks and should be going are not the Hollywood stars that the USO is having a hard time recruiting. Limbaugh, Hannity, O'Reilly, etc., are plenty interested in going, but they go as commentators, journalists, reporters or other categories that are completely and totally different than "entertainer", "star", "performer" or whatever label should be attached to the types of people that the USO should have going.

Fact of the matter is that Robin Williams, Al Franken, and Herbie Hancock deserve a huge pat on the back for ignoring the politics of the situation and going over to provide a morale boost for the troops.

Meanwhile the Dixie Hypocrit-chicks, and other similar scum can't be bothered to really go and provide support, as they are too busy bashing the efforts, the President (and commander-in-chief) and are otherwise too obligated to be able to schedule the visits that others like Toby Keith and a host of others do find time to do.

All of the Hollywood folks should be able to do exactly as Robin Williams has done, and has suggested, along with Wayne Newton's suggestions - put the politics of the war aside and go and tell the troops that no matter what the folks back home still care. The fact that a lot of the scum in Hollywood is able to produce the crap they do is because troops like those fighting overseas now laid it all on the line for the rights for all of us to speak our mind and exercise our freedoms, including making bad movies, music with hatefilled and hateful lyrics, and other such things.

I think Ted says it very well here:

Many of my favorite performers are anti war, and that's fine, but they should remember where their fame and money come from... namely, the people they look down on. I guess they are glad that the rest of us "Great unwashed" are willing to put our politics aside and enjoy their work, even if we think they themselves are boors.

Yes, the likes of Robert DeNiro, Tommy Lee Jones and a host of others could get their butts on some planes or ships and go entertain and rally our troops. Especially with the security situation improving in Iraq by the day. Get over there and help show it's more secure, and help show that as U.S. citizens we back our troops and wish nothing but the best for them.

At a bare minimum, make every effort to go visit troops in places like Walter Reed/Bethesda Naval Hospital or wherever else the Military and the USO can agree to let you go and show support to the troops at. Don't use excuses such as "I don't want to support the war" as reasons to turn your back on the troops, especially not if you then want to turn around and claim that the troops don't want to be there and hate the mission they are tasked with. It's as if many of the Hollywood crowd is afraid that if they do go they'll find out that the troops don't hate the mission, and are proud of the work they are doing, and once they learn that lesson, the house of cards and lies they've built up about the mission and the troops will all fall apart.

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kingbee

Join Date 04/2004

+42

Might want to google the answer yourself, before you wipe the egg off your face

no egg here. i was asking an legitimate question. you might wanna provide me with a link (if you can find one) cuz i can find nothing other than several mentions of limbaugh visiting afghanistan in 2005--all from the same source cuz the wording is exactly the same, none of them providing any details, dates or other verifiable facts.

enter 'uso' as keyword in limbaugh's site search and see wat you get.

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kingbee

Join Date 04/2004

+42

Limbaugh, Hannity, and others that the 'bee thinks are war-hawks and should be going are not the Hollywood stars that the USO is having a hard time recruiting. Limbaugh, Hannity, O'Reilly, etc., are plenty interested in going, but they go as commentators, journalists, reporters or other categories that are completely and totally different than "entertainer", "star", "performer" or whatever label should be attached to the types of people that the USO should have going.

limbaugh, hannity, o'reilly and coulter make their livings doing exactly what franken does. i personally don't consider any of them journalists nor reporters. they're pundits.

uso clearly has no problem with franken doing 4 tours. sounds to me like you're making excuses for the others.

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kingbee

Join Date 04/2004

+42

Limbaugh said he had been asking the Defense and State Departments to arrange a troop visit for two years. He will also be meeting with Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai

i obviously did read your statement. it didn't answer the question i posed so i guess you're the one who needs to do the rereading.

let me rephrase it for you: how long did franken have to ask to arrange his FOUR troop visits? surely it didn't take franken 8 years to arrange FOUR trips to afghanistan?

is rush having a problem getting clearance because they can't trust him to just say no to all that opium?

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enter 'uso' as keyword in limbaugh's site search and see wat you get.

See my comments directly above.

Limbaugh would be considered journalist, commentator, reporter, etc. Not an entertainer (though many would say his show is "for entertainment purposes only" and shouldn't be taken seriously).

That's why his visits wouldn't be done through or with the USO.

Same for the others you inquired about.

And again, the USO is able to cut through a lot of red tape that other categories of persons would have a hard time getting through. But the same holds for the Red Cross, Red Crescent, perhaps Amnesty International, Salvation Army or others that have their own ways of cutting through the red tape.

In Limbaugh's case, or Hannity's, O'Reilly's, etc., there are issues of security, possible broadcasts that might happen while they are visiting, etc.

Hannity is well known as a big supporter of the troops though, including hosting his "Freedom Concerts" at Six Flags America in New Jersey and raising tons of money for families of fallen heros. His money is certainly where his mouth is.

Limbaugh has gotten blasted by some (for example the liberal nimrod that runs the DCRTV.org website) for running a "buy a soldier a Rush 24-7 subscription" which he's done to help give away subscriptions to his newsletter, network stream, web site, and all else Limbaugh related. It was meant to give the troops something, and let those that wanted to contribute to the troops something too. Of course because Limbaugh might profit a little on the subscriptions (and then might done those profits to some other cause) he's blasted for it.

I can't speak directly of O'Reilly because I don't know of his efforts first hand.

Personally, I've tried to do a bit myself by donating away airline miles to Fisher House, which helps let troops that are coming back to the states with wounds that require further attention have their families travel more cheaply or free when they come to one of the Fisher houses where they'll stay while visiting and supporting those troops. Again, it's just part of what I can do, and do because I can.

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kingbee

Join Date 04/2004

+42

YOu obviously have a comprehension problem as well

you obviously have a relevancy problem. so far, you've told me to google for an answer i can't find.

in fact, i am having real difficulty comprehending why i'm even responding to you.

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uso clearly has no problem with franken doing 4 tours. sounds to me like you're making excuses for the others.

let me rephrase it for you: how long did franken have to ask to arrange his FOUR troop visits? surely it didn't take franken 8 years to arrange FOUR trips to afghanistan?is rush having a problem getting clearance because they can't trust him to just say no to all that opium?

I don't know for sure why Franken worked through and with the USO while others didn't.

At this point, he's certainly more pundit than entertainer.

Perhaps the USO has requirements to do other things, and not just a single visit. That's their business.

Either way nice attempt at distraction, and nice swipe on the "opium" comment, but it still doesn't answer for the many hundreds of others, ala Tom Cruise, DeNiro, and many others.

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kingbee

Join Date 04/2004

+42

See my comments directly above.

apparently, my response #13 to your comment #11 was posted simultaneously or before your comment #15.

whatever limbaugh, hannity, o'reilly and coulter do is no different than what franken does.

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kingbee

Join Date 04/2004

+42

Personally, I've tried to do a bit myself by donating away airline miles to Fisher House, which helps let troops that are coming back to the states with wounds that require further attention have their families travel more cheaply or free when they come to one of the Fisher houses where they'll stay while visiting and supporting those troops. Again, it's just part of what I can do, and do because I can.

i'm extremely impressed and humbled.

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I do know that Hannity has went four times. He was bragging about that two weeks ago when blasting at John Murtha.

For the other's I only know they claim to have went there.

I respect Robin Williams alot and could see him ulitmately filling Hope's shoes the best he can.

But when even the likes of Snoop-dog is willing to go, it is a shame that more respectable stars are not willing to go.

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kingbee

Join Date 04/2004

+42

I do know that Hannity has went four times. He was bragging about that two weeks ago when blasting at John Murtha.

he musta done a lotta traveling since the democratic convention in 2004 when franken hosted a 25-minute segment with hannity as his guest on air america.

Franken, "How many USO shows have you done?"

"None," Hannity said.

"You don’t have the talent," Franken shot back.

"That was mean and personal," Hannity said.

it does appear as if limbaugh did go to afghanistan early in 2005. i found something where he kept referring to a trip but didnt seem too sure how long he'd been there or how many live reports he'd broadcast.

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It's sad, Terp posted this article to show how too many entertainers are willing to put their politics aside, but it ends up proving that some here at JU aren't either.

Kingbee, why does it bother you so much that Limbaugh, Hannity and others outspoken in support of the war have only gone once (or a few times), but you don't give a crap that many more who are outspoken against the war won't even go over to see a few things for themselves?

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kingbee

Join Date 04/2004

+42

you don't give a crap that many more who are outspoken against the war won't even go over to see a few things for themselves?

i just want to make sure the record reflects the following: al franken--who's been on the receiving end of a lotta crap here because of his opposition to the war--has managed to go entertain the troops 4 times since the fighting began; the patriot warhawks of fox are the ones who aren't going over to see a few things for themselves.

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I do know that Hannity has went four times. He was bragging about that two weeks ago when blasting at John Murtha.

he musta done a lotta traveling since the democratic convention in 2004 when franken hosted a 25-minute segment with hannity as his guest on air america.

Franken, "How many USO shows have you done?"

"None," Hannity said.

"You don’t have the talent," Franken shot back.

"That was mean and personal," Hannity said.

it does appear as if limbaugh did go to afghanistan early in 2005. i found something where he kept referring to a trip but didnt seem too sure how long he'd been there or how many live reports he'd broadcast.

You "still" aren't getting it, are you? Rush and Sean do NOT do USO shows. When they go over there and they have....it's on their on dime not the USO's.

i obviously did read your statement. it didn't answer the question i posed so i guess you're the one who needs to do the rereading.

Obviously you didn't read it. Or else you have a very short memory. Here is your original question:

just outta curiosity, how many times have bill o'reilly, sean hannity, ann coulter and rush limbaugh traveled to either iraq or afghanistan?

Just how do you tie the 2 of these together?

let me rephrase it for you: how long did franken have to ask to arrange his FOUR troop visits? surely it didn't take franken 8 years to arrange FOUR trips to afghanistan?

So if you take this (your question):

just outta curiosity, how many times have bill o'reilly, sean hannity, ann coulter and rush limbaugh traveled to either iraq or afghanistan?

And put this to it:

America's top talk radio host Rush Limbaugh is planning to travel to Afghanistan next week to visit the troops and highlight the U.S. success in bringing democracy to Osama bin Laden's former headquarters.

Limbaugh confirmed the visit to NewsMax Friday morning, saying that seeing the troops are his "main reason for going." The top conservative talker has scheduled three meetings with U.S. forces, with locations to be announced later for security reasons.

Limbaugh said he had been asking the Defense and State Departments to arrange a troop visit for two years. He will also be meeting with Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai.

White House advisor Mary Matalin, a former talk radio host herself and friend of Limbaugh's, will also be on the trip, according to Reuters.

The trip is reportedly being arranged through the U.S. Agency for International Development.

You come up with an answer to your question. Or at the very least a partial answer. You can wipe the egg off your face now. The only one who has not be accounted for in your original question is Bill O'Rielly. I'm sorry "and" Ann Coulter. That is unless it's your intention that because they didn't go through the USO that their visits are worth less?

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you obviously have a relevancy problem. so far, you've told me to google for an answer i can't find.

You are google impaired. Sorry for your loss.

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