I was alerted to a situation to days ago in the Guardian (at https://www.theguardian.com/film/article/2024/may/31/robert-de-niro-denied-award-trump). Now we all have thoughts on that person that elevates to ‘Orange is the new black’ person also known as Donald Trump. In this we see ‘Robert De Niro denied leadership award after speaking out against Trump’ there we are given “the group has rescinded the award after the celebrity spoke out against Donald Trump outside the former president’s criminal trial in New York this week”, it is my firm believe that he showed leadership in that place (a lot more than any Trump figurine). The hollow statement of “Mr De Niro’s recent high-profile activities will create a distraction from the philanthropic work that we were hoping to recognize”. In addition we see, stated by Mr. De Niro “We’ve forgotten the lessons of history that showed us other clowns who weren’t taken seriously until they became vicious dictators,” he said. “With Trump, we have a second chance and no one is laughing now. This is the time to stop him by voting him out once and for all” is just another setting where De Niro is showing a form of true leadership. This is not a point of view that all republicans accept but that is the nature of free speech. Some will agree and some will not. That is the nature of the beast. As such the fact that the National Association of Broadcasters punished him shows us more about the rotten nature of the National Association of Broadcasters than the upright views of Robert De Niro. And even as we see “A spokesperson for the group told the Hill on Thursday that the event was “proudly bipartisan”” gives me the view that these people are trying to remain on good terms with both sides of the political isle even as one side now has a registered felon (by 34 counts) on their pedestal. It is my believe that it is time for Republican voices to state how weird the decision is by the National Association of Broadcasters. Consider the setting where broadcasters are opposing freedom of speech. Even as they said that they support free speech, but it comes with punishment if you do. It does give me the idea that President Biden should present Robert De Niro with the Presidential Medal of Freedom at the earliest opportunity.
A recognition that he deserves and one that will show the National Association of Broadcasters how irrelevant they are becoming. And I am stating this whilst my heart is Republican at heart. It might be nice if Arnold Schwarzenegger would second that event, attendance by Mitt Romney, Liz Cheney and Nikki Haley might be nice too. The governator was after all the Republican Governor of California.
There is a lot more to say, but it seems hollow. The fact that the press didn’t speak out against this (as far as I could tell) is another side to this equation, but I will look into this later on. You see the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) is a following of 8300 radio and television stations. So where are they all? In silent agreement? This is how media gatekeeping progresses.
It shows that gatekeeping on issues have already started. Perhaps the Presidential Medal of Freedom will stop this to some extent. Yes, this is my feeling and I could be wrong.
What do you think?
Enjoy Monday.
Lawrence van Rijn - Law Lord to be 