The Internet is a Scary Place

I don't often get into commenting on controversial subjects, but the latest Tom Hanks gaff had me riveted. But the HATE that is out there towards Mormons is astonishing. Granted, most of the people contributing seemed entirely deranged or drunk, but what a sad state of affairs when voting your conscience becomes something hated amongst people who, for whatever reason, have the attention of the public. Tom Hanks needs to issue an apology, even if just for damage control and the prevention of more hate crimes.

Et Tu, Tommie?

I am weary of big mouthed celebrities shooting off about how horrible the MORMONS are to be in support of prop 8, how horrible conservatives are for mostly believing in God, how horrible the Pledge of Allegiance is for using the word 'God'. And now, the one actor I felt was an honorable man, Mr. Tom Hanks, has come out to accuse Mormons of being Un-American because they supported prop 8. I've met Hanks on several occasions, and though I certainly don't consider him a friend, I had gathered from the minimal interaction I had with him he was a decent guy. Turns out I'm evidently wrong. I've received propaganda from Hanks, telling me who he was going to vote for and that he thought I should vote for his candidate...I've put up with his electric car commercials too. He can drive one. And welcome to it. But, I've learned the hard way, that buying a car by the pound is the safest thing you can do, and my doctor tends to agree, since I would have been decapitated a year and a half ago if I had been driving a Camry or a Prius, through zero fault of my own. I know I'm drifting off topic, not uncommon for me...SO...

I wish the Tom Hanks, the Sean Penns, the Tom Cruises, the Baldwins, George Clooney, Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins (I'll never forget the Letterman line when he hosted the Oscars..he announced Tim and Susan and said something to the effect that he didn't know what it would be, but he was sure they would be pissed about something) would simply shut the hell up. Their celebrity gives them a big podium, but it doesn't make them intelligent, right or worth listening too. I loved Hanks in Forrest Gump. One of my favorite films, but that does not mean he is an authority on ANYTHING but portraying southern dimwits who have amazing strokes of luck. Hanks did do WWII research for Saving Private Ryan and Band of Brothers. Research is good. He gets brownie points for that....but it's no substitute for actually being there, at Normandy like my father was. With all his research, he still has no idea what it was really like. And neither do I since my father wouldn't or couldn't even talk about it. But to insinuate that my father who fought in Europe, my uncle who lost his life under command of General Patton fighting for this country were un-American is an outrage. Much if not most of this country was settled by Mormons who were kept on the move in search of religious freedom, being tormented and persecuted by mob mentality. Well, the mob seems to be back, only it is called the Screen Actor's Guild.

Why are Mormons being singled out for supporting a proposition that was supported by many, many factions? No one would DARE blame the Blacks or the Hispanics, even though they largely supported prop 8 as well. It has just become fashionable to bash Mormons and I really thought Hanks was above that.

I was obviously wrong.