Way to Go, Sean Penn!

It was a group from the Westboro Baptist Church who were protesting outside and they were mostly spewing their hate towards the late Heath Ledger who was not gay, he only played a gay character a few years back! http://laist.com/2009/02/23/anti-gay_westboro_baptist_church_pr.php If you look at the pictures they even carried signs saying "God Hates America". You're certainly entitled to your own opinion but to me their message was hateful. Annie

And incidentaly, I don't feel any shame for my views. Wait a minute.....hmmm.....nope sorry, still not feeling it.

I wouldn't say he said "how wonderful" Obama is, it was something to the effect that he was proud that we elected an elegant man President. Anyway, he explained how he could support President Obama despite his opposition to gay marriage in a post-awards interview which you can read here: http://laist.com/2009/02/23/anti-gay_westboro_baptist_church_pr.php Q. Tonight, in your acceptance speech, you mentioned President Barack Obama. I'm wondering what you would like to see the president do in relation to gay rights. A. We know his public position as far as the specific issue of gay marriage has not been, let's say, officially supportive of that. I would like to believe that that's a political stand right now and not necessarily a future one or a felt one. I don't think that he or that any of us, and in particular our president, will long be able to take that position. It's inevitable that this is not because it's not a human luxury; these are human needs and they will be gotten. So he's going to have to he'll adapt. Right now I think it's more focused on, more interested in what we're going to do to tell him that we will support him in making those kinds of taking those kinds of initiatives. He's got people dying right now en masse, and people are desperately poor en masse, and I think those two emergencies need to be taken care of, without him taking too much time about the details of how he approached civil rights. But the day is going to come and it's going to come quickly. Do you really think he's "not even a good" actor? Hmmm... Yes, he does get involved in foreign and domestic affairs which a lot of actors do. I certainly haven't always agree with things he's said but I have to give him credit for courage. He's traveled to the Mid East and visited with Iraqi and Iranian people and he went to New Orleans and personally helped with the rescue and clean up following Katrina. I think the Oscar show allowed many people to see a side of Sean Penn they'd never seen before and obviously it made some like him more and some like him less or even hate him more. I have a feeling many of these people who watched the Oscars, regardless of their before or after views of Mr. Penn, haven't seen him on the countless other shows he's appeared on where he really shows what's he's all about. He's liberal, yes, so some of his words and actions will anger many conservatives, but he's an intelligent, thoughtful and compassionate human being who really cares about other people and I believe sincerely believes in equal rights for all. He's never lived the Hollywood party lifestyle, he doesn't even live in L.A. preferring to raise his kids in northern California where they can live a fairly normal life and go about their daily activities. I guess basically he's a lot "deeper" than your typical entertainer and people either love him or hate him for that. Annie

No I really do not think he is great actor. But that is only my opinion(I don't really like Brad Pitt either as a actor). Now I do see good things about him. I do feel he is right about gay marriage. It is discrimination. It was a wonderful and selfless thing for him to go into New Orleans and help pull those people out. He did not just do a telathon. He actually got a boat and was in there personally pulling people out. But the countries he is choosing to side with does worry me. Chevez is not a good guy. Nor is he a friend to this country. He seems to just pal around with dictators and marxist. Which worries me. It is his right. But it still worries me about his politics. It is one thing to use your celebrity to bring attention to an issue and another to go over to countries openly hostile to us and be friends with them. NOt only does that compromise the US gov.s position but it also is used by those leaders as propaganda for their own purposes. Which is a dangerous and damaging game for Penn to be playing.

I'm afraid to ask - what do you mean we'll be losing that right soon? Annie

I've always liked him, I've certainly always respected him and admired him as an actor. I haven't always agreed with him - believe it or not since we're fellow liberals - but I've never doubted his sincerity or thoughtfulness. Annie

I really didn't hear any "hate" in what he said and just because someone isn't a conservative that doesn't make him a moron. I'm sure you realize that those morons who assaulted elderly women and vandalized churches were a small minority of the mostly peaceful protesters against Prop 8? Penn had just made a movie where he portrayed a man who was murdered for being gay. There were apparently protesters outside the theater where the Oscars were held carrying signs and chanting words that were hateful. The media didn't show the TV audiences what was going on outside with the anti-gay groups, at least I didn't see any nor did I hear mention of it before the presentations started, obviously because they didn't feel it was fitting with the occasion which was supposed to be celebrating the achievements of excellence in film. I agree people should sit and reflect and if they never feel any shame themselves I certainly agree their grandchildren will feel it in the future and wonder why there was ever a time when people didn't all enjoy equal rights. Annie

I recently saw "Milk" and it's a fantastic movie and his performance was definitely deserving of the Oscar, in my opinion. I also recently saw "I Am Sam" for the first time and I'm not sure how he could have not gotten the Oscar for that movie, he was that good. It seems that he can play any type of role. Annie

If being the chief White House economic adviser means one's career is over, I guess you're right. Annie

I'm not really sure if the stories from many years ago about Penn and Madonna were true but if they were, that is unacceptable. No man should beat any woman. But, people can change, "repent" if you will, and there have certainly been no such stories for several decades that I'm aware of. Anyone from any side of any issue who resorts to violence against someone else's property or person is wrong and I've said that about the gay marriage who have done so. This isn't about religion but I didn't hear anyone say anything about being ashamed of God and his Kingdom. Everyone doesn't share you belief that homosexuals are horrible sinners and everyone has the right to their own personal beliefs as long as they don't harm someone else. Annie

Conservatives understandably don't agree much with Sean Penn but he's far from dumb, in fact he's very intelligent and thoughtful in my opinion. He's also put his money and himself where his mouth is. He was right there in the thick of things following Katrina rescuing people. It's the passion and intensity he has in everything he does that makes him one of the greatest actors of our time. Annie