Danny Glover, ex-spokesman

Danny Glover, ex-spokesman
: Danny Glover was just fired by MCI as its spokesman after a campaign against him by MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough, launched because, says a show’s press release, Glover…

…called the president of the United States a racist, he blamed American policy for the murderous acts of September 11th, and he signed a petition comparing American soldiers in the Gulf War to 9/11 terrorists. He called America ”the greatest purveyor of violence in the world.” And most recently Mr. Glover signed a letter of support for Fidel Castro.

Scott Baron among others complains that this is a blacklist.

But meanwhile, at a SunSpot newspaper forum, a reader says:

It is quite amazing that Mr. Glover complains about getting blacklisted for speaking in favor of a government that blacklists every single person who is against it. Mr. Glover has no idea what “very dark and very sinister means.” As a Cuban having lived in Cuba all my life I know. In Cuba, all persons, from all walks of life who oppose the government are blacklisted. Dissenting carpenters, athletes, electricians, doctors, lawyers, farmers, you name it, are kicked from their jobs and given menial positions for the rest of their lives. Should Mr. Glover happen to live in Cuba and disagree with the government, right now he would be sweeping floors for a living.

The bottom line here is that we all need to stop being scared of free speech. Glover’s a doofus. So’s Scarborough. I’ve heard Danny Glover say many doofus things on TV; he’s certainly not changing my mind about anything — including MCI!

I wouldn’t have fired Glover. I wouldn’t have hired him, either.

: And then there’s the Chris Hedges brouhaha. He gave what has been described as a Chomsyite antiwar speech to a Rockford College graduation and was booed offstage after 18 minutes.

Well, the college shouldn’t be shocked. The guy wrote an antiwar book!

I’m not supporting what he said not am I supporting the mob boos.

I wouldn’t have booed him. But I wouldn’t have brought him either.