Libertarian? A libertarian supporting the WO(S)D? They must be skatin' in hell....
Posted on 03/12/2006 8:51:58 AM PST by llevrok
BOGOTA, Colombia -- Colombia has it in for Hollywood's ultimate tough guy.
Andres Pastrana, the country's ambassador in Washington, scolded actor Bruce Willis on Friday for suggesting that the United States should consider invading Colombia as part of its war on drugs.
At a media event in New York to promote his new film, "16 Blocks," Willis said the United States should weigh "going to Colombia and doing whatever it takes to end the cocaine trade."
Willis' comments, on screen and off, have landed him in trouble before. But this time his remarks have irked normally stone-faced diplomats.
In a harshly worded letter made public, Pastrana told the outspoken actor that the source of the lucrative cocaine trade was an "enormous appetite for drugs, in particular in the United States and Europe."
Willis' publicist in Los Angeles declined to comment.
Pastrana, who as president in 2000 launched an anti-drug effort with billions of dollars in aid from the United States, added that no country has sacrificed more than his own to rein in drug trafficking. Thousands of innocent civilians are killed each year as a result of anti-drugs efforts, he said.
Pastrana invited Willis to visit Colombia, saying "if you accept, you will see that, beyond Hollywood cliches, 44 million Colombians are waging a real war against drugs."
The United States has spent US$4 billion over the past five years under the so-called Plan Colombia to fumigate drug crops and train local forces battling leftist rebels and far-right paramilitary groups that control much of the drug trade.
Although the effort has led to record cocaine seizures and the extradition of dozens of druglords to the United States, Colombia remains the world's largest supplier of cocaine.
Pastrana's diplomatic rebuke was likely to be well received by Colombians, who on television and in letters to newspapers have called the "Die Hard" actor's remarks disparaging and insensitive.
President Alvaro Uribe, whose hot temper is famous in Colombia, last week called the actor arrogant and ignorant and said his comments were "a shock to Colombia's dignity."
Willis, who's gone from a working-class New Jersey upbringing to paychecks of up to US$20 million, was married to actress Demi Moore. He has appeared in "12 Monkeys," "Nobody's Fool," "Pulp Fiction," and "The Sixth Sense," among other films. (AP)
Problem is, where there's demand, there will be supply.
Bruce, I love the sentiment but that wouldn't stop the cocaine trade. I say give every addict (to hard drugs) in the country, their weight in their favorite HARD drug. One time deal. For the next few days, your just pickin' up bodies.
"Colombia has it in for Hollywood's ultimate tough guy"
For a minute there, I thought they meant Columbia Pictures...LOL. But if it's just the country Columbia I'm thinking; so?
In the early 90s, I spent some time in Colombia. While there, some of my hosts raised the issue of drugs and cocaine and the insatiable desire for it by my fellow citizens. I argued that if they didn't produce it, then there would not be the demand. I see the Colombian ambassador has continued to argue that it is, as usual, "our" fault. So, which is it, our demand or their supply which is the problem?
Willis is not a "moronic liberal". He is a very conservative Republican.
Bruce is one of the few Hollywood icons with a brain. I suspect it may be due to the fact that he wasn't born with the silver spoon in his mouth that most stars today were born into. It also explains why so many in Hollywood make big money with relatively little acting ability - if your father is a producer or your Aunt paves the way for you, (as in George Clooney) no-talents with limited intellectual capacity can end up on top. It is small wonder that box office receipts are sinking faster each year.
What? And end the supply to Hollywood? Perish the thought!
A very conservative Republican whoe supported Grey Davis against re-call?
Why you ever have these fantasies is beyond me.
Invade? Columbia is an ally, and the word does not sound appropriate. "Liberate" (from drug lords) and "secure" sounds better.
For the life of me, I cannot understand how the opinion of ANY Hollywood actor has any relevance or is newsworthy in any way.
What side an actor is on is completely irrelevant. To make their individual statements into a news story just seems utterly ridiculous to me.
He's more libertarian.
http://movies.msn.com/movies/hitlist/2-24-06?GT1=100
Willis has identified himself as a Republican in the past, and before a journalist could even ask for his opinion on recent current events, the star interrupted him to set something straight.
"I'm sick of answering this [expletive] question," he says. "I'm a Republican only as far as I want a smaller government, I want less government intrusion. I want them to stop [expletive] on my money and your money and tax dollars that we give 50 percent of... every year. I want them to be fiscally responsible and I want these [expletive] lobbyists out of Washington. Do that and I'll say I'm a Republican... I hate the government, OK? I'm a-political. Write that down. I'm not a Republican."
Libertarian? A libertarian supporting the WO(S)D? They must be skatin' in hell....
Our laws making possession a crime is the problem. Legitimize it and let 'em have the stuff. If users want to poison themselves then so be it. In my view, it should be treated as a medical problem as opposed to a legal problem.
Bruce ought to know that Hollywood is Colombia's biggest client
Just another celeb who pops off about stuff he doesn't know about and everyone listens.
We have to do that here.
They left out the ever-popular "racist".
you never passed economics 101 did you? demand drives supply, not the other way around.
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