Tom, when we want your opinion...

This article caught my eye last night. I have enjoyed several movies starring Tom Hanks. I have paid hard earned dollars to him by seeing a few of them and buying others. In fact, one of my all time favorite movies is "Big".

But just wait a minute Mr. Hanks. Read on, especially the two updates!

The important part of being American is the right to freedom of expression. You can express yours, and I am free to express mine. You do not have the right however, to tell people who supported a cause they believe in, un-American for that choice. That is unAmerican.

No matter what issue there will always be at least two sides. Usually there are four or five. My grandfather said it best "I may not agree with you, but I'll fight to my death to allow you state your opinion." That's what living in a democratic society is all about.

Now if you will, go back to doing your job which is entertaining the world. I don't tell you what movies to make, how to act, or if you maybe should try a few more comedies. Entertain me. Please don't confuse yourself into believing that you can change the world with your voicing an opinion. You get one vote. I get one vote. We all get one vote. Don't confuse celebrity with leadership.

Update: Here's another great article on the subject. The comments are worth the read.

Update 2: Here's the money quote: "Tom Hanks came out last week and called people who used their democratic vote, “Un-American,” and in this down economy he’s come up with a way to help you save money with a form of free speech that’s not only silent, but deadly to most entertainers.

Let’s vote these people out of the cinema, off our I-Pods and into a lower tax bracket with our wallets. Money is their god, Al Gore is their Pope, Barack Obama their new star and the Global warming scare is their church. To these people, money talks louder than words. Let’s stop funding the hate speech of people in the entertainment industry who insult Americans and then charge us for it.

Stand up and be heard with a closed wallet. If these people produce it, write it, direct it, act in it or even lend their voice to it, stay away from it.

It’s our rights as consumers to not buy things that are morally broken." Joseph Lindsay, Big Hollywood