What do Sean Penn, Mike Farrell, and Janeane Garofalo have in common? They are celebrities who are persecuted because they are victims of a right-wing conspiracy. They have spoken out against the impending military assault against Saddam Hussein and Co. and are paying dearly for it. In the case of Penn, speaking one’s mind entailed a photo-opt at chez Hussein, then having a big-buck oral contract reneged shortly afterward.

How can this happen in the land of opportunity and freedom of expression? Don’t these celebrities live in America and aren’t they entitled to speak their minds? Don’t they have a chance at living the American Dream, which Madonna just recently trashed in a self-serving tantrum to boost record sales? Doesn’t Martin Sheen have the right to play President for real after playing it for fake for so long? Doesn’t Janeane Garofalo have a right to put humor aside and get serious even though one would be hard pressed to see the difference?

Sure they have the right. They’re American. And it is also fair and opportune for other Americans, mostly the un-famous, to state their opinion and find these celebrities miscreant in the extreme. Everyone’s entitled to express an opinion. Everyone’s entitled to cast aspersions against, or simply ignore, other who are expressing opinions they don’t like. Don’t the anti-war activists vent their own bile?

So why the victim status for these celebrities?

Here are some testimonials from the stars themselves. “Garofalo said a backlash against antiwar celebrities is a creation of the media, which purposely focuses its attention on Hollywood activists in order to marginalize the peace movement.”

Interesting. By purposely focusing attention on Hollywood anti-war activists the media is marginalizing the “peace” movement? You could say she implies the focus alone is enough to marginalize it. Which, of course, it is. Maybe just listening to Garofalo or Penn is enough to discredit them. You would also think that media coverage of the anti-war rallies, largely positive if you tune in to CCN, the network news, and, of course, the BBC, would be a boost to the movement and easy enough to garner if you’re a famous accolade in the cause.

If anything, the “peace” movement has been, to a degree, galvanized by media coverage. Whatever backlash exists has to do with the disgust many Americans feel about their opinions. But they don’t count for the likes of Hollywood celebrities who deem them either simple minded or obtuse. Therefore, the implied conclusion is that it must be the VAST RIGHT WING MEDIA. Would that were so. You might as well say it’s the Jewish Conspiracy or the Unicorn Conspiracy. Like ether in the heavens, neither exist.

Garofalo continues.

“In a radio interview Wednesday with the BBC, in fact, Garofalo asked that she not be introduced as an actor or celebrity but as a member of the U.S. antiwar movement.”

Isn’t this just a tad disingenuous? Come on now, Janeane, don’t you know you’re taking advantage of your celebrity fame to speak your mind. Nothing technically wrong with that. But let’s drop the pretense that it’s possible for you to ask the public to disassociate your celebrity from your political views. But she won’t stop there.

"It's such a divisive thing," she said. "The term 'celebrity' makes my skin crawl."

You spent all those years working so hard to ... just be an average Jane in your average “peace” movement? Well, you fooled me.

Everyone’s entitled to express an opinion. Everyone’s bound to the consequences of their actions, and actions include the expression of opinion. People are responsible for the expression of their opinion in that they might get heat for it. That, of course, is not the same thing in non-democracies where disagreement can land you in a tub of acid like the kind you find on the menu at chez Hussein. Some advice for those living in democracies: take the heat and stop playing the victim.

It may not be fair, but this especially applies to those whose high public visibility carries their word far and wide. If they reap the benefits of fame they also invite its liabilities. Public contempt for public shame. Face it. If you’re a Hollywood celebrity and you voice opinions that hurt your career that’s the name of the game. Too bad. You’re no victim. You’re a master of the game and you screwed with the rules. What Hollywood producer wants to hire a face whose screen glow makes one think of plutonium leakage?

That, of course, brings us, once again, to the “evils” of capitalism. You see, the Hollywood anti-war folks and their ilk have a contempt for the market, even though many are masters of it, and they don’t count your opinion of them, your contempt of them and their views, to be valid because they believe you are being manipulated by the media. It’s the old “you’re a prole” and don’t know any better attitude of the Left. Forget you have a brain of your own, your own ideas and a sense of justice and goodness. You’re nothing. You’re not a celebrity. You’re a glob picking up gooey impressions from the talking heads on TV. Forget the fact that some of those heads are Hollywood celebrities. And, like the elite class in Plato’s Republic, it is the job of celebrities to enlighten your little mind since you are a dupe of the capitalist forces moving the media as well as their producers who may drop them like a hot potato.

Hollywood celebrities who become political activists and insist on not being criticized or not wanting to take the heat for their opinions are America’s version of agitprop, of the official version of things if things got out of control and we no longer had a democracy. After all, in a dictatorship the boss doesn’t want to hear your lip.

The will of the American people is turning against them. That is a manifestation of democracy as much as the right to speak one’s mind. But who cares about democracy when you’re an elitist who voices opinions people should listen to because you’re famous even though you disavow any innate advantage to your fame. You’re almost as good as an elected official. Maybe better. Who’s really going to blame you if a radiological bomb goes off in downtown L.A.? Not you. You’re not the President. You only played the President. Don’t look at me! I’m innocent. I have a right to my opinion. I’m the victim here.

I feel a tear coming on.