It is a very unfortuante thing about the state of society today that there are so many people that they're bound to run the full range of opinions about anyone thing. Every political and public figure has a few people that aren't fans and naturally, every movie has at least a few critics. If you can get 80% of critics nationwide to agree that your film is a thumbs up, you might stand a good chance at dividends come oscar season. Now, on the subect of politics, take Michael J. Fox. This is a guy a genuinely great guy who has a cause he truly believes in: advocating stem cell research. Of course, this is no small part because he has it, but he's fighting to shed his celebrity image and do everything in his power to push what he believes in. He's also exhibiting great courage by appearing in a very poor physical state on TV where he can easily be made fun of or ridiculed, in hopes that people will look past that, and see his issue.
Naturally, there are a few of the 769 comments on youtube who have some negative things to say about him, whether it's that he's selfish or that they disagree with his issue, but common sense is prevailing on the board and most people see him for what he is. Detractors and cynics are to be expected, but what's definitely hard to believe, is that one of those on the very far out-of-tune-with-reality on the end of the spectrum is a national celebrity with his own syndicated radio show: Rush Limbaugh, who made some of the kind of really insensitive comments that you might see reported on youtube or another messageboard, but instead they were made by a guy who evidently must have some kind of big fanbase holding him up and supporting his right to make such insensitive statements. Nevertheless, I liked Michael J Fox's interview and I don't feel like it's devisive at all, so here's the link to it, on youtube, at least: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8lsjfjgAA8
“I called Rush Limbaugh and he told me ‘I believe democrats have a history of using victims of various things as various spokespeople because they believe they are untouchable and infallible. they are immune from criticism. Michael J Fox is stumping for various candidates and is open to criticism. I think we all are’
This is Michael J. Fox's response to
“First thing, he used the word ‘victim.’ In another occasion, he used the word “pitiable.” And understand no one in this situation wants pity. I couldn’t give a damn about Rush Limbaugh’s pity or anyone else’s pity. I’m not a victim. I’m just in this situation and I’m in this situation with I think millions of other Americans, and we have a right if there’s answers out there to pursue those answers with the full support of our politicians. I don’t need anyone’s permission to do that…..To just get people for two minutes to go this is big, this is not a wedge issue, this is about who we are as a country and how we treat out people. I want to make the point that if people are against stem cell research, embryonic otherwise, or whatever, I couldn’t respect them more. If they’ve prayed on it, and they’ve thought about it, and they can’t get their head around it, than great, I admire them and I respect them. All I say to them respectively, is that if there’s a majority that also prays fully, and emotionally, and intellectually, and in every other way, weighs this and came to the other side and said “no I think this is the right thing to do” to very carefully tread these waters to save these lives, than you have to respect that too. And don’t resort to name calling and mocking or whatever you else need to do, just have a discussion about it and see what happens.”
-Michael J Fox
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