NationStates Jolt Archive


Shared Sacrifices are Fine ... for Some.

Myrmidonisia
20-12-2006, 22:45
I saw Matt Damon stumble over this question on Hardball (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16282855/)last night. It was hilarious to watch him and Robert DiNiro pontificate over the draft and how sacrifices should be shared, only to start doing the back stroke after a caller pressed the point a little harder.

Damon: What bothers me the most about the state we're in right now is I don't feel that there's a shared consciousness and a shared sense of sacrifice, and we have these young men and women who are fighting a war in name and our president tells us to go shopping. And I think that more can be asked of us and we need to be participating more for--I think that makes for a more robust democracy. . . .

Question: Hi, my name is Meghan Wright, I'm from Richmond, Va., and I was just--this question is both for Mr. DeNiro and Mr. Damon. I was just wondering, would either of you go to war right now? Not right now, I guess, but--would you go to war if you were asked?

DeNiro: Well that's such a complex question. . . .

Matthews: If you were drafted?

DeNiro: Well, I don't know, that's another thing about the draft and so on, if it ever would come up again. I mean, I was for going to Iraq originally and then I saw, I realized that when you--we went in and we didn't know how to like deal with it once we were there.

We just thought they'd all cheer us and we'd be out and then they'd want democracy. We're dealing with--we were just talking about before--the thousands of years old cultures that have all their in-fighting, whatever. I mean, we can't come in unless we have a real plan or strategy and I never thought that.

Damon: There is this great book that just came out about that called "Imperial Life in the Emerald City." That's definitely a book worth reading, just about that.

We kind of blundered in there with the best intentions, but nevertheless without a plan. So, but in terms of your question, I agree with Bob that it's a complex question. It would depend on certain situations. I mean, I don't think that it's fair, as I said before that it seems that we have a fighting class in our country that's comprised of people who have to go for either financial reasons or you know, I don't think that that is fair. And if you're going to send people to war, if we all get together and decide we need to go to war, then that needs to be shared by everybody, you know. And if the president has daughters who are of age, then maybe they should go to.


"Huh? Shared sacrifice? Not really, we meant you other people should share."

When are we going to learn that the political opinions of Hollywood celebrities aren't worth the paper they're written on.
Vegan Nuts
20-12-2006, 22:47
matt damon should be seen and not heard. he should be seen very often, though. preferably in advanced stages of disrobement.
Khadgar
20-12-2006, 22:53
Cute but stupid!

He is severely fuckable, but apparently not real quick.
Drunk commies deleted
20-12-2006, 22:55
Give the kid a break. He's been in WWII and even been a top secret CIA assassin. Hasn't he done enough for our country?
LiberationFrequency
20-12-2006, 22:56
Some people are so ungrateful
Greater Trostia
20-12-2006, 22:58
When are we going to learn that the political opinions of Hollywood celebrities aren't worth the paper they're written on.

I suppose perhaps about the same time you stop writing the political opinions of hollywood celebrities, for example on this forum.
Laerod
20-12-2006, 22:59
Give the kid a break. He's been in WWII and even been a top secret CIA assassin. Hasn't he done enough for our country?
That balances out against his heinous attack on Team America.
New Stalinberg
20-12-2006, 23:00
Give the kid a break. He's been in WWII and even been a top secret CIA assassin. Hasn't he done enough for our country?

It's true!
Rooseveldt
20-12-2006, 23:01
:rolleyes: he's an actor. Ad he did his best to answer a simpe question that has no easy answers. Would i go on this one? Nope. Have I gone in the past? yep. Would I go again? Yep. COuld I have been wrong about the invasion at first? yep? Would I want to get killed because we made a stupid mistake? nope...

I think they got flustered because the answer is so damned hard to get to. It's easy to say "Hayell yeah i woudl go" but not so easy to back that up. Besides, if he had said yeah, more mornos would have been calling demanding taht he do it. It would have been an international affair all in a sudden...
Rhaomi
20-12-2006, 23:03
It's the "Everybody but me (http://www.theonion.com/content/node/38644)" mentality at work...
Andaluciae
20-12-2006, 23:06
I'm loathe to ever advocate the draft, because a draft is another step down the road to the militarization of a society. A step that we can easily avoid.
Fooforah
20-12-2006, 23:09
Seeing as deNiro is exempt from the draft because of his age, the caller was asking a really stupid question, but then that's par for the course on Hardball.
Ashmoria
20-12-2006, 23:15
whats your problem? did you expect robert deniro to say he would love to be drafted? the man is 63 years old; he isnt ever going to be drafted. neither is matt damon.

it would make no sense for them to say "hell yes id go" since it would be bullshit.
Myrmidonisia
20-12-2006, 23:25
whats your problem? did you expect robert deniro to say he would love to be drafted? the man is 63 years old; he isnt ever going to be drafted. neither is matt damon.

it would make no sense for them to say "hell yes id go" since it would be bullshit.
I'm sure it was more fun to watch than just to read, but these two were really taken aback that someone would call them out on their pronouncements. I think a lot of the stuttering and indecision failed to make it into the transcript.

By the way, Hardball 'hit' it's high water mark when Zell Miller threatened to slug Chris Matthews.
Sumamba Buwhan
20-12-2006, 23:26
sounds like they could be really good politicians.
Myrmidonisia
20-12-2006, 23:27
sounds like they could be really good politicians.

What's the difference between an actor and a politician?

I'm sure there's a good punchline somewhere.
Texoma Land
20-12-2006, 23:28
When are we going to learn that the political opinions of Hollywood celebrities aren't worth the paper they're written on.

You mean Hollywood celeberties like Ronald Regan and Charelton Heaston? I couldn't agree more.
Sumamba Buwhan
20-12-2006, 23:32
What's the difference between an actor and a politician?

I'm sure there's a good punchline somewhere.


one is entertaining... the other works in hollywood
Myrmidonisia
20-12-2006, 23:33
You mean Hollywood celeberties like Ronald Regan and Charelton Heaston? I couldn't agree more.

We could add a lot more to that list. Ahnold's there. So are Babs and Mr Aamco. There are very few celebrities that can open their mouths in an extemporaneous situation and make sense. The ones that don't sound real stupid, just repeat the same rehearsed script over and over.

Which begs the question, again, "What's the difference between pols and celebs?"
Ifreann
20-12-2006, 23:34
I saw Matt Damon stumble over this question on Hardball (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16282855/)last night. It was hilarious to watch him and Robert DiNiro pontificate over the draft and how sacrifices should be shared, only to start doing the back stroke after a caller pressed the point a little harder.


"Huh? Shared sacrifice? Not really, we meant you other people should share."

When are we going to learn that the political opinions of Hollywood celebrities aren't worth the paper they're written on.

I disagree. They'd never get written down in the first place. Not in any sane version of reality.





Oh wait...
Greill
21-12-2006, 00:22
I can't believe ivory tower-type actors are actually advocating the draft. What freedom do we have if we have to be coerced into defending it?