I thought he was a cool guy myself. But now we know.
Amazing << Hear this. Feel this, and tell me that this isn't music.
And dont sleep on these two, either.
Posted on 01/23/2009 6:43:23 PM PST by shortstop
In the movies, he’s the nice guy.
Which proves he’s a great actor.
Because in real life, Tom Hanks isn’t such a nice guy. He’s actually kind of nasty.
At least that’s the clear impression after some recent comments he made about the Mormon Church. Basically, he called Mormons “un-American,” a claim that is both innaccurate and – coming from Tom Hanks – hypocritical.
More about that later.
First, the history.
Tom Hanks has been causing trouble for the Mormon Church in recent years through his HBO series “Big Love.” The series – which Tom Hanks makes – depicts a fictional polygamist family in Utah.
The problem is that the show creates the impression that the people are Mormons. Many of the details and religious references are right out of the doctrine or culture or the Mormon people – with the glaring exception of the polygamy.
Though the Mormon Church practiced polygamy in the mid to late 1800s, it hasn’t in more than 100 years and it has gone to great lengths to distance itself from its distant past. Talk about polygamy is embarrassing to the Mormon Church and confusing to the general public.
The problem with “Big Love” is that it capitalizes on and refreshes century-old religious stereotypes and prejudices. It’s akin to using a storyline that depicts Jewish people as greedy moneylenders. At worst it is religious bigotry, at best it is a nuisance that Mormons all across the country have had to deal with.
And it came from Tom Hanks.
Who has decided to up the ante.
“The truth is this takes place in Utah,” Tom Hanks said of “Big Love.” “The truth is these people are some bizarre offshoot of the Mormon Church.”
Then he went political, and made reference to a recent vote in California that essentially banned both gay marriage and polygamy.
“And the truth is,” Tom Hanks said, “a lot of Mormons gave a lot of money to the church to make Prop-8 happen.
“There are a lot of people who feel that is un-American, and I am one of them.”
Let’s correct the record. Nobody gave anything to the church to “make” Proposition 8 “happen.” Rather, a great many Mormons donated money to a political fund and volunteered their time to help pass Proposition 8. They did this shoulder to shoulder with Roman Catholics, the evangelical group Focus On The Family, and any number of black and Latino churches.,p>
They did this because conservative religious people are opposed to gay marriage.
But though a broad spectrum of conservative religious people supported Proposition 8, gay activists have chosen to focus their ire on the Mormons, staging disruptive protests outside their temples and churches. The Roman Catholic archbishop of San Francisco has come to the defense of the Mormon Church in this matter, and an ecumenical group of conservative religious leaders bought a full-page “New York Times” ad to denounce the political attacks on the Mormon Church.
Because all the Mormons did was exercise their rights as Americans. They volunteered in a political campaign, they donated money as allowed by law, and they voted their conscience.
That’s all the Mormons did.
And that’s what “a lot of people” Tom Hanks knows consider “un-American.”
“And I,” he said, “am one of them.”
So Tom Hanks considers giving money to a political campaign, and volunteering time, un-American?
That’s odd. And hypocritical.
Because Tom Hanks is himself a frequent and large contributor to political causes and campaigns.
Let’s look at the numbers.
Tom Hanks gave $28,500 to Barack Obama last year. And he gave Al Franken $10,000. He also donated to a liberal campaign fund called Midwest Values PAC.
The year before that, he gave other tens of thousands of dollars to Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and Al Franken. In earlier years, he has donated to John Kerry and Patrick Kennedy.
And he’s never given a dime to a Republican.
So Tom Hanks has the right to donate very large amounts of money to liberal causes, but individual Mormons – contributing dramatically less per person – are “un-American” for donating to a conservative cause?
How does that work?
How is that anything other than a clear example of the arrogant superiority of the Hollywood liberal elite? A group of American citizens dare to disagree with them politically, and exercise their rights, and they are denounced.
That’s crazy.
Or, as Forrest Gump said and Tom Hanks proved: “Stupid is as stupid does.”
I thought he was a cool guy myself. But now we know.
Amazing << Hear this. Feel this, and tell me that this isn't music.
And dont sleep on these two, either.
Methinks thou hast hitten it on the heade!
Yeah, the Mormoms better not spend their money how they wish but good ol Tommy can make all the money he wants off of mocking out Mormons. Gotta love it. Medved did say that Hanks has formally apologized for his statements, so at least he did do that.
What was that show - "Bosom Buddies". Things that make you go hmmmm.
I hear “Saving Ryan’s Privates” is a much better movie.
Gee, just like you and left give a lot of money to make your prop’s happen.
I’m not supporting Tom Hanks in any way, but I am assuming that what he meant was that the ideas and ideals behind Prop 8 are what are un-American — not that giving money to a cause or political fund (even a conservative one) is un-American.
“He also donated to a liberal campaign fund called Midwest Values PAC.”
Having been born and raised in the midwest, I’m gonna take a wild guess and say this PAC doesn’t share my values or the values of anyone I know.
As for Hanks himself... I am grateful for his work on Band of Brothers and Saving Private Ryan, and for his other efforts to recognize The Greatest Generation. I’ve also enjoyed some of his older movies. Beyond that, he can take a flying leap.
Those of you who might happen to be conservative, look closely at this liberal fool! Look hard. Look at him and the ilk who he associates with. When you plunk down that next admission fee for a bit of leg tingling, keep in mind that YOU are giving this clown a platform. You are making him rich and making him feel that what he thinks is important. Quite honestly, I don’t give a damn what this freak thinks or any of his pals think. And I wouldn’t give him a penny for either his performance or thoughts.....
And they have a great work ethic. Sometimes people even chuckle with their dehydrating food, but they are prepared for tough times. And they take care of other families when they encounter difficulties. If more Americans were like them, we’d be better off. Wouldn’t need a welfare state.
Well said.
I’m pretty much an agnostic, but count on my short list of friends during my life a surprising percentage of Mormons. They are to be admired for their passion for family, belief in self-reliance and many other good traits.
Tom Hanks is a fascist bastard.
Yes, I agree.
They are creating, or re-creating, what the original Jews and Christians did, I think: they are successfully building a livable City of Man that hasn’t yet forgotten about the City of God.
If I had to choose between only 1.) the secular humanism that rules today, and 2.) growing Islam, and 3.) Mormonism, I know which one I’d choose!
In the meantime, I’ll stay stoic.
That aside, your point is spot on.
Tom must really hate children. It’s not enough that his idol isn’t satisfied with 50,000,000 and still counting abortions in this country but now he has to use all citizens’ tax money to export the evil overseas, sponsored by him and his other promoters of the cultue of death. And not satisfied with all that kind of stopping births, he also has to promote human contraceptives too. And guess what follows naturally ... the polygamists of the day are now screaming for their own kind of “marriage” ... just to be fair don’tchaknow! Sorta defeats his own argument here.
I’ve never liked Hanks. Men who look and act like boys are eunuchs in my book. He reminds me of Tom Cruise in that I always see the ‘actor’ on the screen, not the character.
Dittos .... and I love renting, attending and watching movies ... from now on, none that have Hanks in it.
In "Bosom Buddies", he dresses as a woman.
Sorry - been a while since I saw the film - I do like my version better retribution-wise.....
Join the growing chorus of folks whom Tom Hanks is insulting - including my own faith, Catholicism. He and Ron Howard are bashing Catholics all the time with their stupid movies, like The DaVinci Code.
It’s really a shame because I always had a fondness for Tom in the movies. But, no more!
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