Christopher Reeve: Politically motivated

[RememberJohn]

"...He has one final worry. Isn't his torso leaning a little to the left? The assistant reassures him that he is quite vertical. Then comes one of those grins. "But don't worry, I do lean to the left!"

"I am very disappointed by much of what is happening here in the US," he goes on. Though passionate about this subject, like many others, Reeve has to pace the delivery of his words with the rhythm of the ventilator beneath his chair, a hose feeding into his throat. Very occasionally, he mistimes slightly, causing a slight gulp. "I love my country as much as always, and I was proud to play Superman as emblematic of it. But I believe in tough love. I love my country but I am pretty angry about it."

http://news.independent.co.uk/people/profiles/story.jsp?story=426262

[realFedUp]

1. Appreciate that effort...

so where is the rest of Hollywood now?

[PunkinPi]

3. who cares...we've got Superman on our side :)

[Cha]

2. Good I 've been wondering when we were going to hear

from Christopher Reeve! My heart goes out to him. I saw him on some show before the 2000 selection asking People to vote for Al Gore!

I see Christopher is very up on what's happening right now! Talking about stem cell research...

"One version of the bill before the US Senate would make it a crime for any US citizen to try to reap the benefits from new stem-cell therapies practised abroad. "I could go to the UK, have a procedure done, arrive at Kennedy airport, get off the plane and be arrested," Reeve explains. "That would be the height of absurdity."

Sounds like rethuglicans, doesn't it?

[Ilsa]

6. They'd allow it if

Ronald RayGun could get a modified stem cell infusion to stop the degradation from Alzheimer's. They'd allow it in a heartbeat.

[BiggJawn]

9. I wouldn't expect him to be a big fan of the Chimp's...

Seeing as how the chimp knuckled under to all those Zygote-lovers out there and fucked-up any chance Chris has for a new spinal cord, or Michael J. Fox and something for his Parkinson's. Or a new pancreas for Mary Tyler Moore (and ME!)

Oh, no! can't allow this Stem Cell stuff, cuz Leftist Mad Scientists will be killing precious widdle feedusses for their stem cells, and then Jeebus will cry, and his dad will turn all the cute red-white-and-blue teddy bears evil and then people's sons won't come home from Eye-Rak alive...
:mad:

[dsc]

11. There is a pretty big split in the pro life community

on this. Both Hatch and Thurmond voted for stem cell research to name two. Many, many, prolifers think that stem cell research is the pro life position.

[blondeatlast]

16. And a new pancreas for me as well!

All hail Superman!

[stevebreeze]

4. Most actors lean to the left

In order to be a good actor one must have empathy for others. This also explains why most of the GOP leaning movie stars are crappy actors, thy lack this important characteristic.

As an example look at the Terminator movies of Arnold Shwartzenager?(spelling) The whole joke of the movie is he is a machine, no empathy necessary. John Wayne made a lot of great movies but try watching one of the few movies were he is not the John Wayne character, The Barbarian. No one can watch this movie and come away with the opinion that this man can act. He can just play one character. So it is with most GOP movie stars.

:kick:

[antigop]

5. I think they also recognize that luck has a lot to do with their success

A lot of times "success" in show biz evolves simply from being in the right place at the right time. And the "success" can be fleeting. I think many consider their success a matter of luck more than anything else.

Repugs think that their success is solely due to their own hard work, skill, etc. If you're not "successful" (i.e., you're poor) IT'S YOUR FAULT.

[Cha]

12. Yeah! or bo derek.

[dsc]

7. My how time flies

I remember the Superman series so well. I found him just dreamy and the first two films are actually quite good. I am glad he is doing reasonably well. God bless him.

[Master Gracey]

8. Good for him!!

If anybody has the right to speak out against this heartless administration and the GOP, it's him. Not that he's any more important than anyone else whose lives have been disrupted by this administration, but he's probably the most noticeable, and he uses that position to give voice to himself and to everyone else who's caring and actually has blood pumping through their veins.

I see him on TV, struggling to regain control of his body. I see my grandfather losing his hearing because of a bout with pneumonia 10 years ago. I see my diabetic mother giving herself shots every day and always having to worry about every little thing she puts in her mouth.

Then, like a light at the end of the tunnel, I see the possiblities of stem cell research. But as you approach that light, the tunnel exit is barred shut by religious ideologues and the politicians who only care about the money these nutzoids are shoving in their pockets:

"In the name of compassion, we must not allow research to continue. Research that can save lives, improve the standard of living for the ailing, and give hope to billions upon billions for generations to come. Some grossly inaccurate 2,000-year old text says that it must be so. Now let's pray for the end of suffering worldwide. And don't forget to pay your tithe!"

Compassion, indeed... someone needs to buy this administration a dictionary.

[TheBlob]

10. Thanks for this

I've become quite a Reeve fan over the past few years.
He's been a huge inspiration.


Bring on the Richard Donner cut of Superman II!
Home Theater Forum
http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htforum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=7361&perpage=30&pagenumber=1

Superman II : Whose Sequel is it anyway?
http://www.supermancinema.net/superman2/s2analysis.htm

Superman II: Richard Donner's version - The Lost Scenes
http://www.supermancinema.net/superman2/don2p2.htm

[DemBones DemBones]

13. Christopher Reeve is not my idea of a hero. He wants stem cell

research because it might help him and his crusade is all about him. He spends huge sums of money to have people exercise his body to keep alive his dream of walking again. Where does he get all the money? I know he established the Christopher Reeve Foundation for Spinal Cord Injuries (not sure of title but that's close enough) but what does it do for other people with spinal cord injuries? I remember that years ago his buddy Robin Williams talked about Reeve not having money to pay for his care so where is it coming from?

Reeve could help the public understand the problems and needs of the disabled if he chose to but instead he is focused on himself, which is most unfortunate considering the media attention he can always get. I'm not suggesting that he become a full-time advocate for disability rights but he could speak out about it a little. I read that an airline completely rebuilt part of a plane's first class cabin to accomodate Reeve and his entourage -- do I have to add that most people in wheelchairs don't get anything approaching that level of service when they fly? Does Reeve understand that? If he does, does he care?

This article could be an indication that he's becoming more politically active so maybe he's had some kind of awakening. We can hope so. But he seems to most disability rights activists like a guy who's still heavily in denial about his condition and pinning unrealistic hopes on stem cell research.

[diamond14]

14. your post seems to degrade a very successful person with a

disability...IMHO, it is very admirable to try and walk again in the face of all odds...as a person with a severe disability since childhood and an activist, I can assure you that struggling for survival is very admirable, because those who give up hope will die, and fighting for a better-than-just-survival is even more admirable...

I work, pay taxes, achieved TWO college degrees with my own money...yet there are still people like you...people who degrade those with disabilities...and thereby, show me how very "little" they really are...in more ways than one...

Most people will have the opportunity to suffer with a disability at some time during their lives, either by accident, disease, or simply aging...when you have that opportunity...come back and tell us again what people with disabilities should be doing...for I feel that your perspective may change...

[Pastiche423]

15. I agree 100 %

w/DemBones' post w/the exception that I don't want him to talk to any other children w/disabilities. A few years back, he spoke w/a young disabled girl and told her she would walk again.

This child was disabled when she was a toddler. Even if there was a cure, her bones would never grow enough or become strong enough to support her body. It was false hope. He told her a lie to get others to contribute to research to cure him.

He is a self-centered man and does absolutely nothing for the disabled community. I wish him well in his search for a cure for himself, but he is no inspiration to me.