In 1940 the British, fearing we would lose the war, formed a regiment to
harass the Germans if they landed. They were highly trained with the most up
to date weaponry, and specialised in hand to hand combat, intelligence and
sabotage ; like the SAS. Their regiment did not officially exist and no
group photographs were taken. They operated in small cells, hiding their
base in the countryside. Secrecy was paramount ; as far as anyone was
concerned they were part of the "home guard" comprised of those who couldn't
make it to the front line, and this is what their families believed. No
medals or recognition. Anthony Quale was a Captain in this elite "Auxilliary
Unit".
More info: http://www.btinternet.com/~david.waller/

Dave Milne, Scotland
'91 Grand Wagoneer, '99 TJ

"BillyRay" <jpbSPAM357@junoSPAM.com> wrote in message
news:d93c2$42d4a7c6$4831337f$14077@FUSE.NET...
> In contrast to the ideals, opinions and feelings of today's "Hollywonk"
the
> real actors of yester-year loved the United States.
>
> They had both class and integrity. With the advent of World War II many of
> our actors went to fight rather than stand and rant against this country
we
> all love.
>
> They gave up their wealth, position and fame to become service men &
women,
> many as simple "enlisted men".
>
> This page lists but a few, but from this group of only 18 men came over 70
> medals in honor of their valor, spanning from Bronze Stars, Silver Stars,
> Distinguish Service Cross', Purple Hearts and one Congressional Medal of
> Honor.
>
> So remember; while the "Entertainers of 2004" have been in all of the news
> media lately I would like to remind the people of what the entertainers of
> 1943 were doing, (61 years ago).
>
> Most of these brave men have since passed on.
>
>
>
> Real Hollywood Heros
>
> Alec Guinness (Star Wars) operated a British Royal Navy landing craft on
> D-Day.
>
> James Doohan ("Scotty" on Star Trek) landed in Normandy with the U. S.
Army
> on D-Day.
>
> Donald Pleasance (The Great Escape) really was an R. A. F. pilot who was
> shot down, held prisoner and tortured by the Germans.
>
> David Niven was a Sandhurst graduate and Lt. Colonel of the British
> Commandos in Normandy.
>
> James Stewart Entered the Army Air Force as a private and worked his way
to
> the rank of Colonel.
>
> During World War II, Stewart served as a bomber pilot, his service record
> crediting him with leading more than 20 missions over Germany, and taking
> part in hundreds of air strikes during his tour of duty.
>
> Stewart earned the Air Medal, the Distinguished Flying Cross, France's
Croix
> de Guerre, and 7 Battle Stars during World War II.
>
> In peace time, Stewart continued to be an active member of the Air Force
as
> a reservist, reaching the rank of Brigadier General before retiring in the
> late 1950s.
>
> Clark Gable (Mega-Movie Star when war broke out) Although he was beyond
the
> draft age at the time the U.S. entered WW II,
>
> Clark Gable enlisted as a private in the AAF on Aug. 12, 1942 at Los
> Angeles.
>
> He attended the Officers' CandidateSchool at Miami Beach, Fla. and
graduated
> as a second lieutenant on Oct. 28, 1942.
>
> He then attended aerial gunnery school and in Feb. 1943 he was assigned to
> the 351st Bomb Group at Polebrook where flew operational missions over
> Europe in B-17s.
>
> Capt. Gable returned to the U.S. in Oct. 1943 and was relieved from active
> duty as a major on Jun. 12, 1944 at his own request, since he was over-age
> for combat.
>
> Charlton Heston was an Army Air Corps Sergeant in Kodiak.
>
> Earnest Borgnine was a U. S. Navy Gunners Mate 1935-1945.
>
> Charles Durning was a U. S. Army Ranger at Normandy earning a Silver Star
> and awarded the Purple Heart.
>
> Charles Bronson was a tail gunner in the Army Air Corps, more specifically
> on B-29s in the 20th Air Force out of Guam, Tinian, and Saipan
>
> George C. Scott was a decorated U. S. Marine.
>
> Eddie Albert (Green Acres TV) was awarded a Bronze Star for his heroic
> action as a U. S. Naval officer aiding Marines at the horrific battle on
the
> island of Tarawa in the Pacific Nov. 1943.
>
> Brian Keith served as a U.S. Marine rear gunner in several actions against
> the Japanese on Rabal in the Pacific.
>
> Lee Marvin was a U.S. Marine on Saipan during the Marianas campaign when
he
> was wounded earning the Purple Heart.
>
> John Russell: In 1942, he enlisted in the Marine Corps where he received a
> battlefield commission and was wounded and highly decorated for valor at
> Guadalcanal.
>
> Robert Ryan was a U. S. Marine who served with the O. S. S. in Yugoslavia.
>
> Tyrone Power (an established movie star when Pearl Harbor was bombed)
joined
> the U.S. Marines, was a pilot flying supplies into, and wounded Marines
out
> of, Iwo Jima and Okinawa.
>
> Audie Murphy, little 5'5" tall 110 pound guy from Texas who played cowboy
> parts?
>
> Most Decorated serviceman of WWII! and ear ned: Medal of Honor,
> Distinguished Service Cross, 2 Silver Star Medals, Legion of Merit, 2
Bronze
> Star Medals with "V",?3 Purple Hearts, U.S. Army Outstanding Civilian
> Service Medal, Good Conduct Medal, 2 Distinguished Unit Emblems, American
> Campaign Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with One
> Silver Star, Four Bronze Service Stars (representing nine campaigns) and
one
> Bronze Arrowhead (representing assault landing at Sicily and Southern
> France) World War II Victory Medal Army of Occupation Medal with Germany
> Clasp, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, Combat Infantry Badge, Marksman Badge
> with Rifle Bar, Expert Badge with Bayonet Bar, French Fourragere in Colors
> of the Croix de Guerre, French Legion of Honor, Grade of Chevalier, French
> Croix de Guerre With Silver Star, French Croix de Guerre with Palm, Medal
of
> Liberated France, Belgian Croix de Guerre 1940 Palm.
>
> So how do you feel the real heroes of the silver screen acted when
compared
> to the hollywonks today who spray out anti-American drivel as they bite
the
> hand that feeds them? Can you imagine these stars of yester-year saying
they
> hate our flag, making anti-war speeches, marching in anti-American parades
> and saying they hate our president?
>
> I thought not, neither did I!
>
>

 

In 1940 the British, fearing we would lose the war, formed a regiment to
harass the Germans if they landed. They were highly trained with the most up
to date weaponry, and specialised in hand to hand combat, intelligence and
sabotage ; like the SAS. Their regiment did not officially exist and no
group photographs were taken. They operated in small cells, hiding their
base in the countryside. Secrecy was paramount ; as far as anyone was
concerned they were part of the "home guard" comprised of those who couldn't
make it to the front line, and this is what their families believed. No
medals or recognition. Anthony Quale was a Captain in this elite "Auxilliary
Unit".
More info: http://www.btinternet.com/~david.waller/

Dave Milne, Scotland
'91 Grand Wagoneer, '99 TJ

"BillyRay" <jpbSPAM357@junoSPAM.com> wrote in message
news:d93c2$42d4a7c6$4831337f$14077@FUSE.NET...
> In contrast to the ideals, opinions and feelings of today's "Hollywonk"
the
> real actors of yester-year loved the United States.
>
> They had both class and integrity. With the advent of World War II many of
> our actors went to fight rather than stand and rant against this country
we
> all love.
>
> They gave up their wealth, position and fame to become service men &
women,
> many as simple "enlisted men".
>
> This page lists but a few, but from this group of only 18 men came over 70
> medals in honor of their valor, spanning from Bronze Stars, Silver Stars,
> Distinguish Service Cross', Purple Hearts and one Congressional Medal of
> Honor.
>
> So remember; while the "Entertainers of 2004" have been in all of the news
> media lately I would like to remind the people of what the entertainers of
> 1943 were doing, (61 years ago).
>
> Most of these brave men have since passed on.
>
>
>
> Real Hollywood Heros
>
> Alec Guinness (Star Wars) operated a British Royal Navy landing craft on
> D-Day.
>
> James Doohan ("Scotty" on Star Trek) landed in Normandy with the U. S.
Army
> on D-Day.
>
> Donald Pleasance (The Great Escape) really was an R. A. F. pilot who was
> shot down, held prisoner and tortured by the Germans.
>
> David Niven was a Sandhurst graduate and Lt. Colonel of the British
> Commandos in Normandy.
>
> James Stewart Entered the Army Air Force as a private and worked his way
to
> the rank of Colonel.
>
> During World War II, Stewart served as a bomber pilot, his service record
> crediting him with leading more than 20 missions over Germany, and taking
> part in hundreds of air strikes during his tour of duty.
>
> Stewart earned the Air Medal, the Distinguished Flying Cross, France's
Croix
> de Guerre, and 7 Battle Stars during World War II.
>
> In peace time, Stewart continued to be an active member of the Air Force
as
> a reservist, reaching the rank of Brigadier General before retiring in the
> late 1950s.
>
> Clark Gable (Mega-Movie Star when war broke out) Although he was beyond
the
> draft age at the time the U.S. entered WW II,
>
> Clark Gable enlisted as a private in the AAF on Aug. 12, 1942 at Los
> Angeles.
>
> He attended the Officers' CandidateSchool at Miami Beach, Fla. and
graduated
> as a second lieutenant on Oct. 28, 1942.
>
> He then attended aerial gunnery school and in Feb. 1943 he was assigned to
> the 351st Bomb Group at Polebrook where flew operational missions over
> Europe in B-17s.
>
> Capt. Gable returned to the U.S. in Oct. 1943 and was relieved from active
> duty as a major on Jun. 12, 1944 at his own request, since he was over-age
> for combat.
>
> Charlton Heston was an Army Air Corps Sergeant in Kodiak.
>
> Earnest Borgnine was a U. S. Navy Gunners Mate 1935-1945.
>
> Charles Durning was a U. S. Army Ranger at Normandy earning a Silver Star
> and awarded the Purple Heart.
>
> Charles Bronson was a tail gunner in the Army Air Corps, more specifically
> on B-29s in the 20th Air Force out of Guam, Tinian, and Saipan
>
> George C. Scott was a decorated U. S. Marine.
>
> Eddie Albert (Green Acres TV) was awarded a Bronze Star for his heroic
> action as a U. S. Naval officer aiding Marines at the horrific battle on
the
> island of Tarawa in the Pacific Nov. 1943.
>
> Brian Keith served as a U.S. Marine rear gunner in several actions against
> the Japanese on Rabal in the Pacific.
>
> Lee Marvin was a U.S. Marine on Saipan during the Marianas campaign when
he
> was wounded earning the Purple Heart.
>
> John Russell: In 1942, he enlisted in the Marine Corps where he received a
> battlefield commission and was wounded and highly decorated for valor at
> Guadalcanal.
>
> Robert Ryan was a U. S. Marine who served with the O. S. S. in Yugoslavia.
>
> Tyrone Power (an established movie star when Pearl Harbor was bombed)
joined
> the U.S. Marines, was a pilot flying supplies into, and wounded Marines
out
> of, Iwo Jima and Okinawa.
>
> Audie Murphy, little 5'5" tall 110 pound guy from Texas who played cowboy
> parts?
>
> Most Decorated serviceman of WWII! and ear ned: Medal of Honor,
> Distinguished Service Cross, 2 Silver Star Medals, Legion of Merit, 2
Bronze
> Star Medals with "V",?3 Purple Hearts, U.S. Army Outstanding Civilian
> Service Medal, Good Conduct Medal, 2 Distinguished Unit Emblems, American
> Campaign Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with One
> Silver Star, Four Bronze Service Stars (representing nine campaigns) and
one
> Bronze Arrowhead (representing assault landing at Sicily and Southern
> France) World War II Victory Medal Army of Occupation Medal with Germany
> Clasp, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, Combat Infantry Badge, Marksman Badge
> with Rifle Bar, Expert Badge with Bayonet Bar, French Fourragere in Colors
> of the Croix de Guerre, French Legion of Honor, Grade of Chevalier, French
> Croix de Guerre With Silver Star, French Croix de Guerre with Palm, Medal
of
> Liberated France, Belgian Croix de Guerre 1940 Palm.
>
> So how do you feel the real heroes of the silver screen acted when
compared
> to the hollywonks today who spray out anti-American drivel as they bite
the
> hand that feeds them? Can you imagine these stars of yester-year saying
they
> hate our flag, making anti-war speeches, marching in anti-American parades
> and saying they hate our president?
>
> I thought not, neither did I!
>
>

 

In 1940 the British, fearing we would lose the war, formed a regiment to
harass the Germans if they landed. They were highly trained with the most up
to date weaponry, and specialised in hand to hand combat, intelligence and
sabotage ; like the SAS. Their regiment did not officially exist and no
group photographs were taken. They operated in small cells, hiding their
base in the countryside. Secrecy was paramount ; as far as anyone was
concerned they were part of the "home guard" comprised of those who couldn't
make it to the front line, and this is what their families believed. No
medals or recognition. Anthony Quale was a Captain in this elite "Auxilliary
Unit".
More info: http://www.btinternet.com/~david.waller/

Dave Milne, Scotland
'91 Grand Wagoneer, '99 TJ

"BillyRay" <jpbSPAM357@junoSPAM.com> wrote in message
news:d93c2$42d4a7c6$4831337f$14077@FUSE.NET...
> In contrast to the ideals, opinions and feelings of today's "Hollywonk"
the
> real actors of yester-year loved the United States.
>
> They had both class and integrity. With the advent of World War II many of
> our actors went to fight rather than stand and rant against this country
we
> all love.
>
> They gave up their wealth, position and fame to become service men &
women,
> many as simple "enlisted men".
>
> This page lists but a few, but from this group of only 18 men came over 70
> medals in honor of their valor, spanning from Bronze Stars, Silver Stars,
> Distinguish Service Cross', Purple Hearts and one Congressional Medal of
> Honor.
>
> So remember; while the "Entertainers of 2004" have been in all of the news
> media lately I would like to remind the people of what the entertainers of
> 1943 were doing, (61 years ago).
>
> Most of these brave men have since passed on.
>
>
>
> Real Hollywood Heros
>
> Alec Guinness (Star Wars) operated a British Royal Navy landing craft on
> D-Day.
>
> James Doohan ("Scotty" on Star Trek) landed in Normandy with the U. S.
Army
> on D-Day.
>
> Donald Pleasance (The Great Escape) really was an R. A. F. pilot who was
> shot down, held prisoner and tortured by the Germans.
>
> David Niven was a Sandhurst graduate and Lt. Colonel of the British
> Commandos in Normandy.
>
> James Stewart Entered the Army Air Force as a private and worked his way
to
> the rank of Colonel.
>
> During World War II, Stewart served as a bomber pilot, his service record
> crediting him with leading more than 20 missions over Germany, and taking
> part in hundreds of air strikes during his tour of duty.
>
> Stewart earned the Air Medal, the Distinguished Flying Cross, France's
Croix
> de Guerre, and 7 Battle Stars during World War II.
>
> In peace time, Stewart continued to be an active member of the Air Force
as
> a reservist, reaching the rank of Brigadier General before retiring in the
> late 1950s.
>
> Clark Gable (Mega-Movie Star when war broke out) Although he was beyond
the
> draft age at the time the U.S. entered WW II,
>
> Clark Gable enlisted as a private in the AAF on Aug. 12, 1942 at Los
> Angeles.
>
> He attended the Officers' CandidateSchool at Miami Beach, Fla. and
graduated
> as a second lieutenant on Oct. 28, 1942.
>
> He then attended aerial gunnery school and in Feb. 1943 he was assigned to
> the 351st Bomb Group at Polebrook where flew operational missions over
> Europe in B-17s.
>
> Capt. Gable returned to the U.S. in Oct. 1943 and was relieved from active
> duty as a major on Jun. 12, 1944 at his own request, since he was over-age
> for combat.
>
> Charlton Heston was an Army Air Corps Sergeant in Kodiak.
>
> Earnest Borgnine was a U. S. Navy Gunners Mate 1935-1945.
>
> Charles Durning was a U. S. Army Ranger at Normandy earning a Silver Star
> and awarded the Purple Heart.
>
> Charles Bronson was a tail gunner in the Army Air Corps, more specifically
> on B-29s in the 20th Air Force out of Guam, Tinian, and Saipan
>
> George C. Scott was a decorated U. S. Marine.
>
> Eddie Albert (Green Acres TV) was awarded a Bronze Star for his heroic
> action as a U. S. Naval officer aiding Marines at the horrific battle on
the
> island of Tarawa in the Pacific Nov. 1943.
>
> Brian Keith served as a U.S. Marine rear gunner in several actions against
> the Japanese on Rabal in the Pacific.
>
> Lee Marvin was a U.S. Marine on Saipan during the Marianas campaign when
he
> was wounded earning the Purple Heart.
>
> John Russell: In 1942, he enlisted in the Marine Corps where he received a
> battlefield commission and was wounded and highly decorated for valor at
> Guadalcanal.
>
> Robert Ryan was a U. S. Marine who served with the O. S. S. in Yugoslavia.
>
> Tyrone Power (an established movie star when Pearl Harbor was bombed)
joined
> the U.S. Marines, was a pilot flying supplies into, and wounded Marines
out
> of, Iwo Jima and Okinawa.
>
> Audie Murphy, little 5'5" tall 110 pound guy from Texas who played cowboy
> parts?
>
> Most Decorated serviceman of WWII! and ear ned: Medal of Honor,
> Distinguished Service Cross, 2 Silver Star Medals, Legion of Merit, 2
Bronze
> Star Medals with "V",?3 Purple Hearts, U.S. Army Outstanding Civilian
> Service Medal, Good Conduct Medal, 2 Distinguished Unit Emblems, American
> Campaign Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with One
> Silver Star, Four Bronze Service Stars (representing nine campaigns) and
one
> Bronze Arrowhead (representing assault landing at Sicily and Southern
> France) World War II Victory Medal Army of Occupation Medal with Germany
> Clasp, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, Combat Infantry Badge, Marksman Badge
> with Rifle Bar, Expert Badge with Bayonet Bar, French Fourragere in Colors
> of the Croix de Guerre, French Legion of Honor, Grade of Chevalier, French
> Croix de Guerre With Silver Star, French Croix de Guerre with Palm, Medal
of
> Liberated France, Belgian Croix de Guerre 1940 Palm.
>
> So how do you feel the real heroes of the silver screen acted when
compared
> to the hollywonks today who spray out anti-American drivel as they bite
the
> hand that feeds them? Can you imagine these stars of yester-year saying
they
> hate our flag, making anti-war speeches, marching in anti-American parades
> and saying they hate our president?
>
> I thought not, neither did I!
>
>

 

Most of today's successful actors only have a high school education. While
that doesn't affect their professional abilities, it certainly does make
their political and social commentaries questionable.

--
Paul Calman, Hathaway Pines, California

 

Most of today's successful actors only have a high school education. While
that doesn't affect their professional abilities, it certainly does make
their political and social commentaries questionable.

--
Paul Calman, Hathaway Pines, California

 

Most of today's successful actors only have a high school education. While
that doesn't affect their professional abilities, it certainly does make
their political and social commentaries questionable.

--
Paul Calman, Hathaway Pines, California

 

Most of today's successful actors only have a high school education. While
that doesn't affect their professional abilities, it certainly does make
their political and social commentaries questionable.

--
Paul Calman, Hathaway Pines, California

 

Who's Smarter
http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/smarter.asp

The Hollywood group is at it again. Holding anti-war rallies, screaming
about the Bush Administration, running ads in major newspapers, defaming the
President and his Cabinet every chance they get, to anyone and everyone who
will listen. They publicly defile them and call them names like "stupid,"
"morons," and "idiots." Jessica Lange went so far as to tell a crowd in
Spain that she hates President Bush and is embarrassed to be an American.

So, just how ignorant are these people who are running the country? Let's
look at the biographies of these "stupid," "ignorant," "moronic" leaders,
and then at the celebrities who are castigating them:

President George W. Bush: Received a Bachelors Degree from Yale University
and an MBA from Harvard Business School. He served as an F-102 pilot for the
Texas Air National Guard. He began his career in the oil and gas business in
Midland in 1975 and worked in the energy industry until 1986. He was elected
Governor on November 8, 1994, with 53.5 percent of the vote. In a historic
reelection victory, he became the first Texas Governor to be elected to
consecutive four-year terms on November 3, 1998, winning 68.6 percent of the
vote. In 1998 Governor Bush won 49 percent of the Hispanic vote, 27 percent
of the African-American vote, 27 percent of Democrats and 65 percent of
women. He won more Texas counties, 240 of 254, than any modern Republican
other that Richard Nixon in 1972 and is the first Republican gubernatorial
candidate to win the heavily Hispanic and Democratic border counties of El
Paso, Cameron and Hidalgo.

Vice President ---- Cheney earned a B.A. in 1965 and a M.A. in 1966, both in
political science. Two years later, he won an American Political Science
Association congressional fellowship. One of Vice President Cheney's primary
duties is to share with individuals, members of Congress and foreign
leaders, President Bush's vision to strengthen our economy, secure our
homeland and win the War on Terrorism. In his official role as President of
the Senate, Vice President Cheney regularly goes to Capitol Hill to meet
with Senators and members of the House of Representatives to work on the
Administration's legislative goals. In his travels as Vice President, he has
seen first hand the great demands the war on terrorism is placing on the men
and women of our military, and he is proud of the tremendous job they are
doing for the United States of America.

Secretary of State Colin Powell was educated in the New York City public
schools, graduating from the City College of New York (CCNY), where he
earned a Bachelor's Degree in geology. He also participated in ROTC at CCNY
and received a commission as an Army second lieutenant upon graduation in
June 1958. His further academic achievements include a Master of Business
Administration Degree from George Washington University. Secretary Powell is
the recipient of numerous U.S. and foreign military awards and decorations.
Secretary Powell's civilian awards include two Presidential Medals of
Freedom, the President's Citizens Medal, the Congressional Gold Medal, the
Secretary of State Distinguished Service Medal, and the Secretary of Energy
Distinguished Service Medal. Several schools and other institutions have
been named in his honor and he holds honorary degrees from universities and
colleges across the country.

Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld: attended Princeton University on
Scholarship (AB, 1954) and served in the U.S. Navy (1954-57) as a Naval
aviator; Congressional Assistant to Rep. Robert Griffin (R-MI), 1957-59;
U.S. Representative, Illinois, 1962-69; Assistant to the President, Director
of the Office of Economic Opportunity, Director of the Cost of Living
Council, 1969-74; U.S. Ambassador to NATO, 1973-74; head of Presidential
Transition Team, 1974; Assistant to the President, Director of White House
Office of Operations, White House Chief of Staff, 1974-77; Secretary of
Defense, 1975-77.

Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge was raised in a working class
family in veterans' public housing in Erie. He earned a scholarship to
Harvard, graduating with honors in 1967. After his first year at The
Dickinson School of Law, he was drafted into the U.S. Army, where he served
as an infantry staff sergeant in Vietnam, earning the Bronze Star for Valor.
After returning to Pennsylvania, he earned his Law Degree and was in private
practice before becoming Assistant District Attorney in Erie County. He was
elected to Congress in 1982. He was the first enlisted Vietnam combat
veteran elected to the U.S. House, and was overwhelmingly reelected six
times.

National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice earned her Bachelor's Degree in
Political Science, *** Laude and Phi Beta Kappa, from the University of
Denver in 1974; her Master's from the University of Notre Dame in 1975; and
her Ph.D. from the Graduate School of International Studies at the
University of Denver in 1981. (Note: Rice enrolled at the University of
Denver at the age of 15, graduating at 19 with a Bachelor's Degree in
Political Science (*** Laude). She earned a Master's Degree at the
University of Notre Dame and a Doctorate from the University of Denver's
Graduate School of International Studies. Both of her advanced degrees are
also in Political Science.)

She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and has been
awarded Honorary Doctorates from Morehouse College in 1991, the University
of Alabama in 1994, and the University of Notre Dame in 1995. At Stanford,
she has been a member of the Center for International Security and Arms
Control, a Senior Fellow of the Institute for International Studies, and a
Fellow (by courtesy) of the Hoover Institution. Her books include Germany
Unified and Europe Transformed (1995) with Philip Zelikow, The Gorbachev Era
(1986) with Alexander Dallin, and Uncertain Allegiance: The Soviet Union and
the Czechoslovak Army (1984). She also has written numerous articles on
Soviet and East European foreign and defense policy, and has addressed
audiences in settings ranging from the U.S. Ambassador's Residence in Moscow
to the Commonwealth Club to the 1992 and 2000 Republican National
Conventions. From 1989 through March 1991, the period of German
reunification and the final days of the Soviet Union, she served in the Bush
Administration as Director, and then Senior Director, of Soviet and East
European Affairs in the National Security Council, and a Special Assistant
to the President for National Security Affairs. In 1986, while an
international affairs fellow of the Council on Foreign Relations, she served
as Special Assistant to the Director of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. In 1997,
she served on the Federal Advisory Committee on Gender -- Integrated
Training in the Military. She was a member of the boards of directors for
the Chevron Corporation, the Charles Schwab Corporation, the William and
Flora Hewlett Foundation, the University of Notre Dame, the International
Advisory Council of J.P. Morgan and the San Francisco Symphony Board of
Governors. She was a Founding Board member of the Center for a New
Generation, an educational support fund for schools in East Palo Alto and
East Menlo Park, California and was Vice President of the Boys and Girls
Club of the Peninsula. In addition, her past board service has encompassed
such organizations as Transamerica Corporation, Hewlett Packard, the
Carnegie Corporation, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, The Rand
Corporation, the National Council for Soviet and East European Studies, the
Mid-Peninsula Urban Coalition and KQED, public broadcasting for San
Francisco. Born November 14, 1954 in Birmingham, Alabama, she earned her
bachelor's degree in political science, *** laude and Phi Beta Kappa, from
the University of Denver in 1974; her Master's from the University of Notre
Dame in 1975; and her Ph.D. from the Graduate School of International
Studies at the University of Denver in 1981. She is a Fellow of the American
Academy of Arts and Sciences and has been awarded Honorary Doctorates from
Morehouse College in 1991, the University of Alabama in 1994, and the
University of Notre Dame in 1995. She resides in Washington, D.C.

So who are these celebrities? What is their education? What is their
experience in affairs of State or in National Security? While I will defend
to the death their right to express their opinions, I think that if they are
going to call into question the intelligence of our leaders, we should also
have all the facts on their educations and background:

Barbra Streisand: Completed high school
Career: Singing and acting

Cher: Dropped out of school in 9th grade.
Career: Singing and acting

Martin Sheen: Flunked exam to enter University of Dayton.
Career: Acting

Jessica Lange: Dropped out college mid-freshman year.
Career: Acting

Alec Baldwin: Dropped out of George Washington U. after scandal
Career: Acting

Julia Roberts: Completed high school
Career: Acting

Sean Penn: Completed High school
Career: Acting

Susan Sarandon: Degree in Drama from Catholic University of America in
Washington, D.C.
Career: Acting

Ed Asner: Completed High school
Career: Acting

George Clooney: Dropped out of University of Kentucky
Career: Acting

Michael Moore: Dropped out first year University of Michigan.
Career: Movie Director

Sarah Jessica Parker: Completed High School
Career: Acting

Jennifer Anniston: Completed High School
Career: Acting

Mike Farrell: Completed High school
Career: Acting

Janeane Garofelo: Dropped out of College.
Career: Stand up comedienne

Larry Hagman: Attended Bard College for one year.
Career: Acting

While comparing the education and experience of these two groups, we should
also remember that President Bush and his cabinet are briefed daily, even
hourly, on the War on Terror and threats to our security. They are privy to
information gathered around the world concerning the Middle East, the
threats to America, the intentions of terrorists and ----------supporting
governments. They are in constant communication with the CIA, the FBI,
Interpol, NATO, The United Nations, our own military, and that of our allies
around the world. We cannot simply believe that we have full knowledge of
the threats because we watch CNN!! We cannot believe that we are in any way
as informed as our leaders.

These celebrities have no intelligence-gathering agents, no fact-finding
groups, no insight into the minds of those who would destroy our country.
They only have a deep seated hatred for all things Republican. By nature,
and no one knows quite why, the Hollywood elitists detest Conservative views
and anything that supports or uplifts the United States of America. The
silence was deafening from the Left when Bill Clinton bombed a
pharmaceutical factory outside of Khartoum, or when he attacked the Bosnian
Serbs in 1995 and 1999. He bombed Serbia itself to get Slobodan Milosevic
out of Kosovo, and not a single peace rally was held. When our Rangers were
ambushed in Somalia and 18 young American lives were lost, not a peep was
heard from Hollywood. Yet now, after our nation has been attacked on its own
soil, after 3,000 Americans were killed by freedom-hating terrorists while
going about their routine lives, they want to hold rallies against the war.
Why the change? Because an honest, God-fearing Republican sits in the White
House.

Another irony is that in 1987, when Ronald Reagan was in office, the
Hollywood group aligned themselves with disarmament groups like SANE, FREEZE
and PEACE ACTION, urging our own government to disarm and freeze the
manufacturing of any further nuclear weapons, in order to promote world
peace. It is curious that now, even after we have heard all the evidence
that Saddam Hussein has chemical, biological and is very close to obtaining
nuclear weapons, their is no cry from this group for HIM to disarm. They
believe we should leave him alone in his quest for these weapons of mass
destruction, even though it is certain that these deadly weapons will
eventually be used against us in our own cities.

So why the hype out of Hollywood? Could these celebrities believe that since
they draw such astronomical salaries, they are entitled to also determine
the course of our Nation? That they can make viable decisions concerning war
and peace? Did Michael Moore have the backing of the Nation when he recently
thanked France, on our behalf, for being a "good enough friend to tell us we
were wrong"? I know for certain he was not speaking for me. Does Sean Penn
fancy himself a Diplomat, in going to Iraq when we are just weeks away from
war? Does he believe that his High School Diploma gives him the knowledge
(and the right) to go to a country that is controlled by a maniacal
dictator, and speak on behalf of the American people? Or is it the fact that
he pulls in more money per year than the average American worker will see in
a lifetime? Does his bank account give him clout?

The ultimate irony is that many of these celebrities have made a shambles of
their own lives, with drug abuse, alcoholism, numerous marriages and
divorces, scrapes with the law, publicized temper tantrums, etc. How dare
they pretend to know what is best for an entire nation! What is even more
bizarre is how many people in this country will listen and accept their
views, simply because they liked them in a certain movie, or have fond
memories of an old television sitcom!

It is time for us, as citizens of the United States, to educate ourselves
about the world around us. If future generations are going to enjoy the
freedoms that our forefathers bequeathed us, if they are ever to know peace
in their own country and their world, to live without fear of terrorism
striking in their own cities, we must assure that this nation remains
strong. We must make certain that those who would destroy us are made aware
of the severe consequences that will befall them.

Yes, it is a wonderful dream to sit down with dictators and terrorists and
join hands, singing Cumbaya and talking of world peace. But it is not real.
We did not stop Adolf Hitler from taking over the entire continent of Europe
by simply talking to him. We sent our best and brightest, with the strength
and determination that this Country is known for, and defeated the ****
regime. President John F. Kennedy did not stop the Soviet ships from
unloading their nuclear missiles in Cuba in 1962 with mere words. He stopped
them with action, and threat of immediate war if the ships did not turn
around. We did not end the Cold War with conferences. It ended with the
strong belief of President Ronald Reagan... PEACE through STRENGTH.


Origins: The factual information presented here is not difficult to
verify, as biographies detailing the educational and professional
qualifications of our high-ranking government officials are readily
available from a number of on-line sources:

a.. President George W. Bush

b.. Vice-President ---- Cheney

c.. Secretary of State Colin Powell

d.. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld

e.. Homeland Security Advisor Tom Ridge

f.. National Security Advisor Dr. Condoleezza Rice
Verifying the educational accomplishments of film stars is less easy:
a.. Barbra Streisand had already embarked on a show business career by the
time she was a teenager and did not attend college.

b.. Cher left home at age sixteen to pursue an acting career and did not
finish high school.

c.. Martin Sheen did fail his college entrance exam for the University of
Dayton but maintains that he did so on purpose so that he could pursue an
acting career over the objections of his disapproving father.

d.. Jessica Lange studied art at the University of Minnesota but left
school before the completion of her freshman year.

e.. Alec Baldwin spent three years studying political science at George
Washington University before switching to New York University's drama
department to pursue an acting career, and he eventually returned to NYU and
received a BFA degree in Drama in 1993. (Could not find any information
about a "scandal" prompting his departure from George Washington
University.)

f.. Julia Roberts moved to New York after finishing high school to pursue
an acting career and did not attend college.

g.. Sean Penn joined the Los Angeles Repertory Theater after finishing
high school and did not attend college.

h.. Susan Sarandon graduated from Catholic University in Washington, DC,
with a degree in Drama.

i.. Ed Asner enrolled at the University of Chicago, but his education was
interrupted by an Army hitch; after his discharge he embarked on an acting
career and did not return to college to complete a degree.

j.. George Clooney studied Broadcast Journalism at Northern Kentucky
University but left school before completing a degree.

k.. Michael Moore briefly attended the University of Michigan at Flint
before leaving school.

l.. Sarah Jessica Parker was already a professional performer before
starting high school and did not attend college after graduating.

m.. Jennifer Aniston graduated from New York's High School of Performing
Arts and pursued an acting career without attending college

n.. Mike Farrell joined the Marines after finishing high school and
afterwards embarked upon an acting career without attending college.

o.. Janeane Garofalo studied history at Providence College in Rhode
Island. There is conflicting information about whether she completed her
degree or left school during her senior year; most biographies indicate the
former.

p.. Larry Hagman attended Bard College in Anandale-on-the-Hudson for one
year before leaving school and pursuing an acting career.
As to the point of this piece, it's safe to say that those who hold high
positions in federal government generally have more formal education and
more on-the-job experience in politics and government than film actors do,
that they are privy to a large amount of information the general public does
not have access to, and that they are therefore better qualified to make
important policy decisions than the average actor.

The question posed by the title - "Who's smarter?" - isn't so easily
answered. Graduating college or holding elected office exposes people to new
ideas and concepts and imbues them with practical experience, but those
paths don't necessarily make people "smarter," nor is treading those paths
necessary for one to become a competent politician or political analyst.
Some very highly regarded U.S. presidents had little or no formal education
(Abraham Lincoln), did not attend college (Harry Truman), or had no previous
experience holding elective office (Dwight Eisenhower), and one (Ronald
Reagan) even began his career as a film actor. On the other hand, some very
well-educated and intelligent men with experience in governmental
administration who served as chief executive of the U.S. (Herbert Hoover,
Jimmy Carter) frequently show up on rosters of "worst U.S. presidents."






"Paul Calman" <spam@trap.com> wrote in message
news:3jkle8Fq4uusU1@individual.net...
> Most of today's successful actors only have a high school education. While
> that doesn't affect their professional abilities, it certainly does make
> their political and social commentaries questionable.
>
> --
> Paul Calman, Hathaway Pines, California
>

 

Who's Smarter
http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/smarter.asp

The Hollywood group is at it again. Holding anti-war rallies, screaming
about the Bush Administration, running ads in major newspapers, defaming the
President and his Cabinet every chance they get, to anyone and everyone who
will listen. They publicly defile them and call them names like "stupid,"
"morons," and "idiots." Jessica Lange went so far as to tell a crowd in
Spain that she hates President Bush and is embarrassed to be an American.

So, just how ignorant are these people who are running the country? Let's
look at the biographies of these "stupid," "ignorant," "moronic" leaders,
and then at the celebrities who are castigating them:

President George W. Bush: Received a Bachelors Degree from Yale University
and an MBA from Harvard Business School. He served as an F-102 pilot for the
Texas Air National Guard. He began his career in the oil and gas business in
Midland in 1975 and worked in the energy industry until 1986. He was elected
Governor on November 8, 1994, with 53.5 percent of the vote. In a historic
reelection victory, he became the first Texas Governor to be elected to
consecutive four-year terms on November 3, 1998, winning 68.6 percent of the
vote. In 1998 Governor Bush won 49 percent of the Hispanic vote, 27 percent
of the African-American vote, 27 percent of Democrats and 65 percent of
women. He won more Texas counties, 240 of 254, than any modern Republican
other that Richard Nixon in 1972 and is the first Republican gubernatorial
candidate to win the heavily Hispanic and Democratic border counties of El
Paso, Cameron and Hidalgo.

Vice President ---- Cheney earned a B.A. in 1965 and a M.A. in 1966, both in
political science. Two years later, he won an American Political Science
Association congressional fellowship. One of Vice President Cheney's primary
duties is to share with individuals, members of Congress and foreign
leaders, President Bush's vision to strengthen our economy, secure our
homeland and win the War on Terrorism. In his official role as President of
the Senate, Vice President Cheney regularly goes to Capitol Hill to meet
with Senators and members of the House of Representatives to work on the
Administration's legislative goals. In his travels as Vice President, he has
seen first hand the great demands the war on terrorism is placing on the men
and women of our military, and he is proud of the tremendous job they are
doing for the United States of America.

Secretary of State Colin Powell was educated in the New York City public
schools, graduating from the City College of New York (CCNY), where he
earned a Bachelor's Degree in geology. He also participated in ROTC at CCNY
and received a commission as an Army second lieutenant upon graduation in
June 1958. His further academic achievements include a Master of Business
Administration Degree from George Washington University. Secretary Powell is
the recipient of numerous U.S. and foreign military awards and decorations.
Secretary Powell's civilian awards include two Presidential Medals of
Freedom, the President's Citizens Medal, the Congressional Gold Medal, the
Secretary of State Distinguished Service Medal, and the Secretary of Energy
Distinguished Service Medal. Several schools and other institutions have
been named in his honor and he holds honorary degrees from universities and
colleges across the country.

Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld: attended Princeton University on
Scholarship (AB, 1954) and served in the U.S. Navy (1954-57) as a Naval
aviator; Congressional Assistant to Rep. Robert Griffin (R-MI), 1957-59;
U.S. Representative, Illinois, 1962-69; Assistant to the President, Director
of the Office of Economic Opportunity, Director of the Cost of Living
Council, 1969-74; U.S. Ambassador to NATO, 1973-74; head of Presidential
Transition Team, 1974; Assistant to the President, Director of White House
Office of Operations, White House Chief of Staff, 1974-77; Secretary of
Defense, 1975-77.

Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge was raised in a working class
family in veterans' public housing in Erie. He earned a scholarship to
Harvard, graduating with honors in 1967. After his first year at The
Dickinson School of Law, he was drafted into the U.S. Army, where he served
as an infantry staff sergeant in Vietnam, earning the Bronze Star for Valor.
After returning to Pennsylvania, he earned his Law Degree and was in private
practice before becoming Assistant District Attorney in Erie County. He was
elected to Congress in 1982. He was the first enlisted Vietnam combat
veteran elected to the U.S. House, and was overwhelmingly reelected six
times.

National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice earned her Bachelor's Degree in
Political Science, *** Laude and Phi Beta Kappa, from the University of
Denver in 1974; her Master's from the University of Notre Dame in 1975; and
her Ph.D. from the Graduate School of International Studies at the
University of Denver in 1981. (Note: Rice enrolled at the University of
Denver at the age of 15, graduating at 19 with a Bachelor's Degree in
Political Science (*** Laude). She earned a Master's Degree at the
University of Notre Dame and a Doctorate from the University of Denver's
Graduate School of International Studies. Both of her advanced degrees are
also in Political Science.)

She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and has been
awarded Honorary Doctorates from Morehouse College in 1991, the University
of Alabama in 1994, and the University of Notre Dame in 1995. At Stanford,
she has been a member of the Center for International Security and Arms
Control, a Senior Fellow of the Institute for International Studies, and a
Fellow (by courtesy) of the Hoover Institution. Her books include Germany
Unified and Europe Transformed (1995) with Philip Zelikow, The Gorbachev Era
(1986) with Alexander Dallin, and Uncertain Allegiance: The Soviet Union and
the Czechoslovak Army (1984). She also has written numerous articles on
Soviet and East European foreign and defense policy, and has addressed
audiences in settings ranging from the U.S. Ambassador's Residence in Moscow
to the Commonwealth Club to the 1992 and 2000 Republican National
Conventions. From 1989 through March 1991, the period of German
reunification and the final days of the Soviet Union, she served in the Bush
Administration as Director, and then Senior Director, of Soviet and East
European Affairs in the National Security Council, and a Special Assistant
to the President for National Security Affairs. In 1986, while an
international affairs fellow of the Council on Foreign Relations, she served
as Special Assistant to the Director of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. In 1997,
she served on the Federal Advisory Committee on Gender -- Integrated
Training in the Military. She was a member of the boards of directors for
the Chevron Corporation, the Charles Schwab Corporation, the William and
Flora Hewlett Foundation, the University of Notre Dame, the International
Advisory Council of J.P. Morgan and the San Francisco Symphony Board of
Governors. She was a Founding Board member of the Center for a New
Generation, an educational support fund for schools in East Palo Alto and
East Menlo Park, California and was Vice President of the Boys and Girls
Club of the Peninsula. In addition, her past board service has encompassed
such organizations as Transamerica Corporation, Hewlett Packard, the
Carnegie Corporation, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, The Rand
Corporation, the National Council for Soviet and East European Studies, the
Mid-Peninsula Urban Coalition and KQED, public broadcasting for San
Francisco. Born November 14, 1954 in Birmingham, Alabama, she earned her
bachelor's degree in political science, *** laude and Phi Beta Kappa, from
the University of Denver in 1974; her Master's from the University of Notre
Dame in 1975; and her Ph.D. from the Graduate School of International
Studies at the University of Denver in 1981. She is a Fellow of the American
Academy of Arts and Sciences and has been awarded Honorary Doctorates from
Morehouse College in 1991, the University of Alabama in 1994, and the
University of Notre Dame in 1995. She resides in Washington, D.C.

So who are these celebrities? What is their education? What is their
experience in affairs of State or in National Security? While I will defend
to the death their right to express their opinions, I think that if they are
going to call into question the intelligence of our leaders, we should also
have all the facts on their educations and background:

Barbra Streisand: Completed high school
Career: Singing and acting

Cher: Dropped out of school in 9th grade.
Career: Singing and acting

Martin Sheen: Flunked exam to enter University of Dayton.
Career: Acting

Jessica Lange: Dropped out college mid-freshman year.
Career: Acting

Alec Baldwin: Dropped out of George Washington U. after scandal
Career: Acting

Julia Roberts: Completed high school
Career: Acting

Sean Penn: Completed High school
Career: Acting

Susan Sarandon: Degree in Drama from Catholic University of America in
Washington, D.C.
Career: Acting

Ed Asner: Completed High school
Career: Acting

George Clooney: Dropped out of University of Kentucky
Career: Acting

Michael Moore: Dropped out first year University of Michigan.
Career: Movie Director

Sarah Jessica Parker: Completed High School
Career: Acting

Jennifer Anniston: Completed High School
Career: Acting

Mike Farrell: Completed High school
Career: Acting

Janeane Garofelo: Dropped out of College.
Career: Stand up comedienne

Larry Hagman: Attended Bard College for one year.
Career: Acting

While comparing the education and experience of these two groups, we should
also remember that President Bush and his cabinet are briefed daily, even
hourly, on the War on Terror and threats to our security. They are privy to
information gathered around the world concerning the Middle East, the
threats to America, the intentions of terrorists and ----------supporting
governments. They are in constant communication with the CIA, the FBI,
Interpol, NATO, The United Nations, our own military, and that of our allies
around the world. We cannot simply believe that we have full knowledge of
the threats because we watch CNN!! We cannot believe that we are in any way
as informed as our leaders.

These celebrities have no intelligence-gathering agents, no fact-finding
groups, no insight into the minds of those who would destroy our country.
They only have a deep seated hatred for all things Republican. By nature,
and no one knows quite why, the Hollywood elitists detest Conservative views
and anything that supports or uplifts the United States of America. The
silence was deafening from the Left when Bill Clinton bombed a
pharmaceutical factory outside of Khartoum, or when he attacked the Bosnian
Serbs in 1995 and 1999. He bombed Serbia itself to get Slobodan Milosevic
out of Kosovo, and not a single peace rally was held. When our Rangers were
ambushed in Somalia and 18 young American lives were lost, not a peep was
heard from Hollywood. Yet now, after our nation has been attacked on its own
soil, after 3,000 Americans were killed by freedom-hating terrorists while
going about their routine lives, they want to hold rallies against the war.
Why the change? Because an honest, God-fearing Republican sits in the White
House.

Another irony is that in 1987, when Ronald Reagan was in office, the
Hollywood group aligned themselves with disarmament groups like SANE, FREEZE
and PEACE ACTION, urging our own government to disarm and freeze the
manufacturing of any further nuclear weapons, in order to promote world
peace. It is curious that now, even after we have heard all the evidence
that Saddam Hussein has chemical, biological and is very close to obtaining
nuclear weapons, their is no cry from this group for HIM to disarm. They
believe we should leave him alone in his quest for these weapons of mass
destruction, even though it is certain that these deadly weapons will
eventually be used against us in our own cities.

So why the hype out of Hollywood? Could these celebrities believe that since
they draw such astronomical salaries, they are entitled to also determine
the course of our Nation? That they can make viable decisions concerning war
and peace? Did Michael Moore have the backing of the Nation when he recently
thanked France, on our behalf, for being a "good enough friend to tell us we
were wrong"? I know for certain he was not speaking for me. Does Sean Penn
fancy himself a Diplomat, in going to Iraq when we are just weeks away from
war? Does he believe that his High School Diploma gives him the knowledge
(and the right) to go to a country that is controlled by a maniacal
dictator, and speak on behalf of the American people? Or is it the fact that
he pulls in more money per year than the average American worker will see in
a lifetime? Does his bank account give him clout?

The ultimate irony is that many of these celebrities have made a shambles of
their own lives, with drug abuse, alcoholism, numerous marriages and
divorces, scrapes with the law, publicized temper tantrums, etc. How dare
they pretend to know what is best for an entire nation! What is even more
bizarre is how many people in this country will listen and accept their
views, simply because they liked them in a certain movie, or have fond
memories of an old television sitcom!

It is time for us, as citizens of the United States, to educate ourselves
about the world around us. If future generations are going to enjoy the
freedoms that our forefathers bequeathed us, if they are ever to know peace
in their own country and their world, to live without fear of terrorism
striking in their own cities, we must assure that this nation remains
strong. We must make certain that those who would destroy us are made aware
of the severe consequences that will befall them.

Yes, it is a wonderful dream to sit down with dictators and terrorists and
join hands, singing Cumbaya and talking of world peace. But it is not real.
We did not stop Adolf Hitler from taking over the entire continent of Europe
by simply talking to him. We sent our best and brightest, with the strength
and determination that this Country is known for, and defeated the ****
regime. President John F. Kennedy did not stop the Soviet ships from
unloading their nuclear missiles in Cuba in 1962 with mere words. He stopped
them with action, and threat of immediate war if the ships did not turn
around. We did not end the Cold War with conferences. It ended with the
strong belief of President Ronald Reagan... PEACE through STRENGTH.


Origins: The factual information presented here is not difficult to
verify, as biographies detailing the educational and professional
qualifications of our high-ranking government officials are readily
available from a number of on-line sources:

a.. President George W. Bush

b.. Vice-President ---- Cheney

c.. Secretary of State Colin Powell

d.. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld

e.. Homeland Security Advisor Tom Ridge

f.. National Security Advisor Dr. Condoleezza Rice
Verifying the educational accomplishments of film stars is less easy:
a.. Barbra Streisand had already embarked on a show business career by the
time she was a teenager and did not attend college.

b.. Cher left home at age sixteen to pursue an acting career and did not
finish high school.

c.. Martin Sheen did fail his college entrance exam for the University of
Dayton but maintains that he did so on purpose so that he could pursue an
acting career over the objections of his disapproving father.

d.. Jessica Lange studied art at the University of Minnesota but left
school before the completion of her freshman year.

e.. Alec Baldwin spent three years studying political science at George
Washington University before switching to New York University's drama
department to pursue an acting career, and he eventually returned to NYU and
received a BFA degree in Drama in 1993. (Could not find any information
about a "scandal" prompting his departure from George Washington
University.)

f.. Julia Roberts moved to New York after finishing high school to pursue
an acting career and did not attend college.

g.. Sean Penn joined the Los Angeles Repertory Theater after finishing
high school and did not attend college.

h.. Susan Sarandon graduated from Catholic University in Washington, DC,
with a degree in Drama.

i.. Ed Asner enrolled at the University of Chicago, but his education was
interrupted by an Army hitch; after his discharge he embarked on an acting
career and did not return to college to complete a degree.

j.. George Clooney studied Broadcast Journalism at Northern Kentucky
University but left school before completing a degree.

k.. Michael Moore briefly attended the University of Michigan at Flint
before leaving school.

l.. Sarah Jessica Parker was already a professional performer before
starting high school and did not attend college after graduating.

m.. Jennifer Aniston graduated from New York's High School of Performing
Arts and pursued an acting career without attending college

n.. Mike Farrell joined the Marines after finishing high school and
afterwards embarked upon an acting career without attending college.

o.. Janeane Garofalo studied history at Providence College in Rhode
Island. There is conflicting information about whether she completed her
degree or left school during her senior year; most biographies indicate the
former.

p.. Larry Hagman attended Bard College in Anandale-on-the-Hudson for one
year before leaving school and pursuing an acting career.
As to the point of this piece, it's safe to say that those who hold high
positions in federal government generally have more formal education and
more on-the-job experience in politics and government than film actors do,
that they are privy to a large amount of information the general public does
not have access to, and that they are therefore better qualified to make
important policy decisions than the average actor.

The question posed by the title - "Who's smarter?" - isn't so easily
answered. Graduating college or holding elected office exposes people to new
ideas and concepts and imbues them with practical experience, but those
paths don't necessarily make people "smarter," nor is treading those paths
necessary for one to become a competent politician or political analyst.
Some very highly regarded U.S. presidents had little or no formal education
(Abraham Lincoln), did not attend college (Harry Truman), or had no previous
experience holding elective office (Dwight Eisenhower), and one (Ronald
Reagan) even began his career as a film actor. On the other hand, some very
well-educated and intelligent men with experience in governmental
administration who served as chief executive of the U.S. (Herbert Hoover,
Jimmy Carter) frequently show up on rosters of "worst U.S. presidents."






"Paul Calman" <spam@trap.com> wrote in message
news:3jkle8Fq4uusU1@individual.net...
> Most of today's successful actors only have a high school education. While
> that doesn't affect their professional abilities, it certainly does make
> their political and social commentaries questionable.
>
> --
> Paul Calman, Hathaway Pines, California
>

 

Who's Smarter
http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/smarter.asp

The Hollywood group is at it again. Holding anti-war rallies, screaming
about the Bush Administration, running ads in major newspapers, defaming the
President and his Cabinet every chance they get, to anyone and everyone who
will listen. They publicly defile them and call them names like "stupid,"
"morons," and "idiots." Jessica Lange went so far as to tell a crowd in
Spain that she hates President Bush and is embarrassed to be an American.

So, just how ignorant are these people who are running the country? Let's
look at the biographies of these "stupid," "ignorant," "moronic" leaders,
and then at the celebrities who are castigating them:

President George W. Bush: Received a Bachelors Degree from Yale University
and an MBA from Harvard Business School. He served as an F-102 pilot for the
Texas Air National Guard. He began his career in the oil and gas business in
Midland in 1975 and worked in the energy industry until 1986. He was elected
Governor on November 8, 1994, with 53.5 percent of the vote. In a historic
reelection victory, he became the first Texas Governor to be elected to
consecutive four-year terms on November 3, 1998, winning 68.6 percent of the
vote. In 1998 Governor Bush won 49 percent of the Hispanic vote, 27 percent
of the African-American vote, 27 percent of Democrats and 65 percent of
women. He won more Texas counties, 240 of 254, than any modern Republican
other that Richard Nixon in 1972 and is the first Republican gubernatorial
candidate to win the heavily Hispanic and Democratic border counties of El
Paso, Cameron and Hidalgo.

Vice President ---- Cheney earned a B.A. in 1965 and a M.A. in 1966, both in
political science. Two years later, he won an American Political Science
Association congressional fellowship. One of Vice President Cheney's primary
duties is to share with individuals, members of Congress and foreign
leaders, President Bush's vision to strengthen our economy, secure our
homeland and win the War on Terrorism. In his official role as President of
the Senate, Vice President Cheney regularly goes to Capitol Hill to meet
with Senators and members of the House of Representatives to work on the
Administration's legislative goals. In his travels as Vice President, he has
seen first hand the great demands the war on terrorism is placing on the men
and women of our military, and he is proud of the tremendous job they are
doing for the United States of America.

Secretary of State Colin Powell was educated in the New York City public
schools, graduating from the City College of New York (CCNY), where he
earned a Bachelor's Degree in geology. He also participated in ROTC at CCNY
and received a commission as an Army second lieutenant upon graduation in
June 1958. His further academic achievements include a Master of Business
Administration Degree from George Washington University. Secretary Powell is
the recipient of numerous U.S. and foreign military awards and decorations.
Secretary Powell's civilian awards include two Presidential Medals of
Freedom, the President's Citizens Medal, the Congressional Gold Medal, the
Secretary of State Distinguished Service Medal, and the Secretary of Energy
Distinguished Service Medal. Several schools and other institutions have
been named in his honor and he holds honorary degrees from universities and
colleges across the country.

Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld: attended Princeton University on
Scholarship (AB, 1954) and served in the U.S. Navy (1954-57) as a Naval
aviator; Congressional Assistant to Rep. Robert Griffin (R-MI), 1957-59;
U.S. Representative, Illinois, 1962-69; Assistant to the President, Director
of the Office of Economic Opportunity, Director of the Cost of Living
Council, 1969-74; U.S. Ambassador to NATO, 1973-74; head of Presidential
Transition Team, 1974; Assistant to the President, Director of White House
Office of Operations, White House Chief of Staff, 1974-77; Secretary of
Defense, 1975-77.

Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge was raised in a working class
family in veterans' public housing in Erie. He earned a scholarship to
Harvard, graduating with honors in 1967. After his first year at The
Dickinson School of Law, he was drafted into the U.S. Army, where he served
as an infantry staff sergeant in Vietnam, earning the Bronze Star for Valor.
After returning to Pennsylvania, he earned his Law Degree and was in private
practice before becoming Assistant District Attorney in Erie County. He was
elected to Congress in 1982. He was the first enlisted Vietnam combat
veteran elected to the U.S. House, and was overwhelmingly reelected six
times.

National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice earned her Bachelor's Degree in
Political Science, *** Laude and Phi Beta Kappa, from the University of
Denver in 1974; her Master's from the University of Notre Dame in 1975; and
her Ph.D. from the Graduate School of International Studies at the
University of Denver in 1981. (Note: Rice enrolled at the University of
Denver at the age of 15, graduating at 19 with a Bachelor's Degree in
Political Science (*** Laude). She earned a Master's Degree at the
University of Notre Dame and a Doctorate from the University of Denver's
Graduate School of International Studies. Both of her advanced degrees are
also in Political Science.)

She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and has been
awarded Honorary Doctorates from Morehouse College in 1991, the University
of Alabama in 1994, and the University of Notre Dame in 1995. At Stanford,
she has been a member of the Center for International Security and Arms
Control, a Senior Fellow of the Institute for International Studies, and a
Fellow (by courtesy) of the Hoover Institution. Her books include Germany
Unified and Europe Transformed (1995) with Philip Zelikow, The Gorbachev Era
(1986) with Alexander Dallin, and Uncertain Allegiance: The Soviet Union and
the Czechoslovak Army (1984). She also has written numerous articles on
Soviet and East European foreign and defense policy, and has addressed
audiences in settings ranging from the U.S. Ambassador's Residence in Moscow
to the Commonwealth Club to the 1992 and 2000 Republican National
Conventions. From 1989 through March 1991, the period of German
reunification and the final days of the Soviet Union, she served in the Bush
Administration as Director, and then Senior Director, of Soviet and East
European Affairs in the National Security Council, and a Special Assistant
to the President for National Security Affairs. In 1986, while an
international affairs fellow of the Council on Foreign Relations, she served
as Special Assistant to the Director of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. In 1997,
she served on the Federal Advisory Committee on Gender -- Integrated
Training in the Military. She was a member of the boards of directors for
the Chevron Corporation, the Charles Schwab Corporation, the William and
Flora Hewlett Foundation, the University of Notre Dame, the International
Advisory Council of J.P. Morgan and the San Francisco Symphony Board of
Governors. She was a Founding Board member of the Center for a New
Generation, an educational support fund for schools in East Palo Alto and
East Menlo Park, California and was Vice President of the Boys and Girls
Club of the Peninsula. In addition, her past board service has encompassed
such organizations as Transamerica Corporation, Hewlett Packard, the
Carnegie Corporation, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, The Rand
Corporation, the National Council for Soviet and East European Studies, the
Mid-Peninsula Urban Coalition and KQED, public broadcasting for San
Francisco. Born November 14, 1954 in Birmingham, Alabama, she earned her
bachelor's degree in political science, *** laude and Phi Beta Kappa, from
the University of Denver in 1974; her Master's from the University of Notre
Dame in 1975; and her Ph.D. from the Graduate School of International
Studies at the University of Denver in 1981. She is a Fellow of the American
Academy of Arts and Sciences and has been awarded Honorary Doctorates from
Morehouse College in 1991, the University of Alabama in 1994, and the
University of Notre Dame in 1995. She resides in Washington, D.C.

So who are these celebrities? What is their education? What is their
experience in affairs of State or in National Security? While I will defend
to the death their right to express their opinions, I think that if they are
going to call into question the intelligence of our leaders, we should also
have all the facts on their educations and background:

Barbra Streisand: Completed high school
Career: Singing and acting

Cher: Dropped out of school in 9th grade.
Career: Singing and acting

Martin Sheen: Flunked exam to enter University of Dayton.
Career: Acting

Jessica Lange: Dropped out college mid-freshman year.
Career: Acting

Alec Baldwin: Dropped out of George Washington U. after scandal
Career: Acting

Julia Roberts: Completed high school
Career: Acting

Sean Penn: Completed High school
Career: Acting

Susan Sarandon: Degree in Drama from Catholic University of America in
Washington, D.C.
Career: Acting

Ed Asner: Completed High school
Career: Acting

George Clooney: Dropped out of University of Kentucky
Career: Acting

Michael Moore: Dropped out first year University of Michigan.
Career: Movie Director

Sarah Jessica Parker: Completed High School
Career: Acting

Jennifer Anniston: Completed High School
Career: Acting

Mike Farrell: Completed High school
Career: Acting

Janeane Garofelo: Dropped out of College.
Career: Stand up comedienne

Larry Hagman: Attended Bard College for one year.
Career: Acting

While comparing the education and experience of these two groups, we should
also remember that President Bush and his cabinet are briefed daily, even
hourly, on the War on Terror and threats to our security. They are privy to
information gathered around the world concerning the Middle East, the
threats to America, the intentions of terrorists and ----------supporting
governments. They are in constant communication with the CIA, the FBI,
Interpol, NATO, The United Nations, our own military, and that of our allies
around the world. We cannot simply believe that we have full knowledge of
the threats because we watch CNN!! We cannot believe that we are in any way
as informed as our leaders.

These celebrities have no intelligence-gathering agents, no fact-finding
groups, no insight into the minds of those who would destroy our country.
They only have a deep seated hatred for all things Republican. By nature,
and no one knows quite why, the Hollywood elitists detest Conservative views
and anything that supports or uplifts the United States of America. The
silence was deafening from the Left when Bill Clinton bombed a
pharmaceutical factory outside of Khartoum, or when he attacked the Bosnian
Serbs in 1995 and 1999. He bombed Serbia itself to get Slobodan Milosevic
out of Kosovo, and not a single peace rally was held. When our Rangers were
ambushed in Somalia and 18 young American lives were lost, not a peep was
heard from Hollywood. Yet now, after our nation has been attacked on its own
soil, after 3,000 Americans were killed by freedom-hating terrorists while
going about their routine lives, they want to hold rallies against the war.
Why the change? Because an honest, God-fearing Republican sits in the White
House.

Another irony is that in 1987, when Ronald Reagan was in office, the
Hollywood group aligned themselves with disarmament groups like SANE, FREEZE
and PEACE ACTION, urging our own government to disarm and freeze the
manufacturing of any further nuclear weapons, in order to promote world
peace. It is curious that now, even after we have heard all the evidence
that Saddam Hussein has chemical, biological and is very close to obtaining
nuclear weapons, their is no cry from this group for HIM to disarm. They
believe we should leave him alone in his quest for these weapons of mass
destruction, even though it is certain that these deadly weapons will
eventually be used against us in our own cities.

So why the hype out of Hollywood? Could these celebrities believe that since
they draw such astronomical salaries, they are entitled to also determine
the course of our Nation? That they can make viable decisions concerning war
and peace? Did Michael Moore have the backing of the Nation when he recently
thanked France, on our behalf, for being a "good enough friend to tell us we
were wrong"? I know for certain he was not speaking for me. Does Sean Penn
fancy himself a Diplomat, in going to Iraq when we are just weeks away from
war? Does he believe that his High School Diploma gives him the knowledge
(and the right) to go to a country that is controlled by a maniacal
dictator, and speak on behalf of the American people? Or is it the fact that
he pulls in more money per year than the average American worker will see in
a lifetime? Does his bank account give him clout?

The ultimate irony is that many of these celebrities have made a shambles of
their own lives, with drug abuse, alcoholism, numerous marriages and
divorces, scrapes with the law, publicized temper tantrums, etc. How dare
they pretend to know what is best for an entire nation! What is even more
bizarre is how many people in this country will listen and accept their
views, simply because they liked them in a certain movie, or have fond
memories of an old television sitcom!

It is time for us, as citizens of the United States, to educate ourselves
about the world around us. If future generations are going to enjoy the
freedoms that our forefathers bequeathed us, if they are ever to know peace
in their own country and their world, to live without fear of terrorism
striking in their own cities, we must assure that this nation remains
strong. We must make certain that those who would destroy us are made aware
of the severe consequences that will befall them.

Yes, it is a wonderful dream to sit down with dictators and terrorists and
join hands, singing Cumbaya and talking of world peace. But it is not real.
We did not stop Adolf Hitler from taking over the entire continent of Europe
by simply talking to him. We sent our best and brightest, with the strength
and determination that this Country is known for, and defeated the ****
regime. President John F. Kennedy did not stop the Soviet ships from
unloading their nuclear missiles in Cuba in 1962 with mere words. He stopped
them with action, and threat of immediate war if the ships did not turn
around. We did not end the Cold War with conferences. It ended with the
strong belief of President Ronald Reagan... PEACE through STRENGTH.


Origins: The factual information presented here is not difficult to
verify, as biographies detailing the educational and professional
qualifications of our high-ranking government officials are readily
available from a number of on-line sources:

a.. President George W. Bush

b.. Vice-President ---- Cheney

c.. Secretary of State Colin Powell

d.. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld

e.. Homeland Security Advisor Tom Ridge

f.. National Security Advisor Dr. Condoleezza Rice
Verifying the educational accomplishments of film stars is less easy:
a.. Barbra Streisand had already embarked on a show business career by the
time she was a teenager and did not attend college.

b.. Cher left home at age sixteen to pursue an acting career and did not
finish high school.

c.. Martin Sheen did fail his college entrance exam for the University of
Dayton but maintains that he did so on purpose so that he could pursue an
acting career over the objections of his disapproving father.

d.. Jessica Lange studied art at the University of Minnesota but left
school before the completion of her freshman year.

e.. Alec Baldwin spent three years studying political science at George
Washington University before switching to New York University's drama
department to pursue an acting career, and he eventually returned to NYU and
received a BFA degree in Drama in 1993. (Could not find any information
about a "scandal" prompting his departure from George Washington
University.)

f.. Julia Roberts moved to New York after finishing high school to pursue
an acting career and did not attend college.

g.. Sean Penn joined the Los Angeles Repertory Theater after finishing
high school and did not attend college.

h.. Susan Sarandon graduated from Catholic University in Washington, DC,
with a degree in Drama.

i.. Ed Asner enrolled at the University of Chicago, but his education was
interrupted by an Army hitch; after his discharge he embarked on an acting
career and did not return to college to complete a degree.

j.. George Clooney studied Broadcast Journalism at Northern Kentucky
University but left school before completing a degree.

k.. Michael Moore briefly attended the University of Michigan at Flint
before leaving school.

l.. Sarah Jessica Parker was already a professional performer before
starting high school and did not attend college after graduating.

m.. Jennifer Aniston graduated from New York's High School of Performing
Arts and pursued an acting career without attending college

n.. Mike Farrell joined the Marines after finishing high school and
afterwards embarked upon an acting career without attending college.

o.. Janeane Garofalo studied history at Providence College in Rhode
Island. There is conflicting information about whether she completed her
degree or left school during her senior year; most biographies indicate the
former.

p.. Larry Hagman attended Bard College in Anandale-on-the-Hudson for one
year before leaving school and pursuing an acting career.
As to the point of this piece, it's safe to say that those who hold high
positions in federal government generally have more formal education and
more on-the-job experience in politics and government than film actors do,
that they are privy to a large amount of information the general public does
not have access to, and that they are therefore better qualified to make
important policy decisions than the average actor.

The question posed by the title - "Who's smarter?" - isn't so easily
answered. Graduating college or holding elected office exposes people to new
ideas and concepts and imbues them with practical experience, but those
paths don't necessarily make people "smarter," nor is treading those paths
necessary for one to become a competent politician or political analyst.
Some very highly regarded U.S. presidents had little or no formal education
(Abraham Lincoln), did not attend college (Harry Truman), or had no previous
experience holding elective office (Dwight Eisenhower), and one (Ronald
Reagan) even began his career as a film actor. On the other hand, some very
well-educated and intelligent men with experience in governmental
administration who served as chief executive of the U.S. (Herbert Hoover,
Jimmy Carter) frequently show up on rosters of "worst U.S. presidents."






"Paul Calman" <spam@trap.com> wrote in message
news:3jkle8Fq4uusU1@individual.net...
> Most of today's successful actors only have a high school education. While
> that doesn't affect their professional abilities, it certainly does make
> their political and social commentaries questionable.
>
> --
> Paul Calman, Hathaway Pines, California
>