Freedom of speech issue?

Originally posted by ash
I agree that there is a time and a place- and if I had little enough taste to pay for such a concert I would of course, hope that she would stick to what she was paid to do instead of providing commentary- but at the same time I really can't see caring that much about what she has to say. That's why I don't understand why there is such backlash about celebrity viewpoints- it's their right to say what they think, sure but why on earth is anyone listening? That quote about hoping they don't hire her was really odd- I wasn't sure what to make of that either. The whole thing is just very odd. If, hypothetically, politics was not forbidden in her contract then the whole thing is insanely wrong, in addition to being an overreaction. If it was, then she made her choice but I still think the thing about her being thrown out of the building is extreme.

Ash, just because you and, for the record I, do not like the entertainer does not mean people who do have bad taste. Their taste is just different from yours and mine on this particular entertainer.

As far as what she has to say, they may have found her words insulting. What if she had stood up and talked about how stupid and ignorant people are who keep aquariums? What if she was making comments that portrayed your ancestry in a negative light?

If you are a die-hard Republican/Bush supporter and you have family or friends who are in harms way, you may see Michael Moore's as traitorous and her remarks just as insulting as if she had attacked your race, religion, creed or national origin.

On top of that, you think you are having your feelings trampled on by someone you paid to entertain you and they, the entertainer, expects you to just sit there and get insulted. They voiced their displeasure at her remarks by leaving. When you don't like the TV show, you change the channel. Well, they changed the channel.

They did not, as far as I read, disrupt the show or cause a distrubance. They left.
 
I think we posted on top of each other- the taste thing was just a joke- I really didn't mean for it to come into the discussion- although I really do think she is awful. :D I don't think leaving was outrageous- but there was a point in the article where they said that people were tearing down posters, that sort of thing- I'm sorry, but I stick by what I said that's just irrational. And I do think that the way the hotel behaved was irrational. I'm not defending what she did necessarily- I just find the response to be too much (and just as a sidenote I do have friends and family in Iraq and I don't find what she said offensive). I'm nottrying to ask this question in an arguementative way- but do any of you find the whole thing offensive as opposed to one side or the other?
 
OK, I did not read where they, the crowd, became destructive. That is just plain wrong.

If you mean, "The whole Thing" as the film, I haven't seen it so I cannot express my viewpoint. I did get an email from a group who was extremely upset by the film and its, "shameless attack on our president" and accused Moore of being "unpatriotic and not supportive of your troops who are sacrificing their lives...".

I also got mail that praised Moore's "Heroic and accurate depiction of Bush the warmonger" or something to that effect.
 
I'm terribly offended, for the audience that had to listen to her political statements whether they were bothered by them enough to leave or not they should not have been subjected to anyone's political views when they were there for a night of entertainment by a singer. It wouldn't matter if she was pro-(insert any political party). They put good money out to hear her sing.

The fact that it wasn't just one statement makes me wonder if she was looking for a public reaction? Dedicating a song to Enron, talking about the "girly men" comment Schwarzenegger made, her comment of Moore being a "great American patriot" and "someone who is seeking the truth". In todays climate it was almost guaranteed to get a reaction of some type....
 
-

Well, the Aladdin is sure coming around swiftly.
Here's the story, sorry I don't have the link.


Linda Ronstadt and Michael Moore to sing "America the Beautiful" at the Aladdin


Michael Moore said the following regarding Robert Earl's gracious welcoming back of Linda Ronstadt:


"Robert Earl is as brave as he is courageous and I tip my baseball cap to him for having the guts to do the right thing. I look forward to joining one of America's great entertainers, Linda Ronstadt, on stage this fall when Robert Earl assumes control and brings back to the resort-casino both the magic of Aladdin and respect for the First Amendment of the United States."

by ADAM GOLDMAN / Associated Press

LAS VEGAS - One of the partners buying the Aladdin hotel-casino said singer Linda Ronstadt would be welcomed back to the property after the performer was kicked out over the weekend by current management for praising filmmaker Michael Moore.

Planet Hollywood CEO Robert Earl of Orlando, Fla., said he'd like to take Moore up on the filmmaker's offer to join Ronstadt on Aladdin's stage and sing "America the Beautiful" when Earl's management team takes control of the bankrupt casino, as early as September.

"We respect artists' creativity and support their rights to express themselves," Earl said in a statement Wednesday. "We were very sorry to hear about the unfortunate circumstances of this past Saturday night and want to make it clear that Planet Hollywood has never, in our 13 year history, restricted any artists' right to free speech and we will continue with that policy once we take ownership."

Current Aladdin President Bill Timmins, who is British, had Ronstadt escorted off the property after her concert because she called Moore a "great American patriot" during a prelude to her encore.

Ronstadt encouraged the audience of 4,500 people to see Fahrenheit 9/11, Moore's unflattering documentary about President Bush. She said Moore was "spreading the truth."

Timmins, who was in the audience, said Ronstadt's comments irked people and some tore down posters and walked out of the theater angrily.

Timmins said Ronstadt would never be allowed to play at the Arabian Nights-themed resort while he was in charge.

Ronstadt told The Los Angeles Times she'd continue to laud Moore and didn't want to play the Aladdin again anyway.

Earl's partnership includes Starwood Hotels & Resorts and Bay Harbour Management of New York, which plan to take over the resort on the Las Vegas Strip.

Earl and his investors bought the property last August after a bankruptcy court approved the deal. The group needs a gambling license from the Nevada Gaming Commission before the transaction is completed.

Earl hopes for a license hearing next month. If the license is granted, the Aladdin will be renamed Planet Hollywood Hotel & Casino.
 
Freedom of speech issues can be quite complex, especially since they often depend on context, platform rules, and local laws. It’s important to understand the difference between having a right to speak and how that speech is managed in different spaces. If you’re looking at it from a communication point of view, having a clear structure can really help express your thoughts better, and using a public speaking speech template can make your message more organised and effective.
 
AquariaCentral.com