Sean Penn supports Chavez and interviews Raul Castro

[Honggweilo]

http://www.thenation.com/doc/20081215/penn?rel=rightsideaccordian

Wow i had no idea Sean Penn was this progressive... for a mainstream actor to defend Venezuela and Cuba against imperialism is quite surprising.

[RedScare]

The Nation tends to be quite progressive for a mainstream American magazine. They did a pretty good, very positive article on France's LCR a while back as while. Not perfect, because they support Obama, but still better than most other mainstream media.

[Honggweilo]

Yeah, Christian Parenti is also a regular columnist

[JimmyJazz]

The Nation tends to be quite progressive for a mainstream American magazine. They did a pretty good, very positive article on France's LCR a while back as while. Not perfect, because they support Obama, but still better than most other mainstream media.

It doesn't support Obama uncritically. Some of their stuff gets republished on Common Dreams (or used to; I stopped reading CD when they started to become full-fledged Obama propaganda as the election neared).

Anyway, here is an interesting article that The Nation carried about Obama's choice of economic advisors: Obama's Chicago Boys (http://www.thenation.com/doc/20080630/klein).

The Nation is basically left-liberal: supportive of the Dems, sympathetic with the Greens (who are themselves not socialist at all, their economic platform is written for small business owners, not the working class).

[RedStarOverChina]

Yeah, Christian Parenti is also a regular columnist
I always wonder why Michael Parenti would name his son "Christian".

[Wild_Fire]

I think it is fantastic that a revolutionary democratic socialist mass movement is being portrayed at last by the media in a positive light. I know that it is only a celebrity endorsement of a real process to action real change in Latin America, like Geldof and the thousands of starving and malnourished children of Africa, but Sean Penn does have a political consciousness and is showing it here to the world.

This has to be a good thing for more socialist progress!

[red-carnations]

I always wonder why Michael Parenti would name his son "Christian".

I've also wondered that too?! I was introduced to Michael Parenti's work in college.. "Democracy of the Few"..

[Yehuda Stern]

The support of an obscenely rich American actor is, of course, a definite proof of the socialist nature of Chavez's regime.

[Yazman]

Interesting at least. I'm not sure how useful celebrity endorsements are or how important they can be, as celebrities quite often endorse things that their fans couldn't care less about.

However, I did not expect something like this from Sean Penn.

[Spirit of Spartacus]

I'm really impressed by Sean Penn's reporting here.

And I would request other comrades to appreciate progressive stuff where ever it comes from (and this is directed in particular towards the comments posted by Com. Yehuda Stern).

[zimmerwald1915]

I don't know about you, but the best thing about that article for me was Penn's use of the word "schmuck".

I like that word.

[scarletghoul]

Yes, schmuck is a great word.

[KurtFF8]

The support of an obscenely rich American actor is, of course, a definite proof of the socialist nature of Chavez's regime.

And Jean-Luc Godard certainly isn't struggling with finances, does that make him not a socialist?

Also I don't see how just getting support from a single wealthy individual proves anything about the nature of Chavez's regime.

[Charles Xavier]

Sean Penn's dad was members of the Communist Party, trade union activist, actor and director. His mother too.

Warren Buffet had relatives who were in the Communist Party of Canada and Communist Party USA

Danny Glover is another very progressive actor.

[KurtFF8]

^Interesting, I didn't know that.

[GPDP]

In light of his role in the movie "Shooter", it makes sense. He really goes a long way towards portraying his character as a soulless capitalist politician bastard.

[Tatarin]

Didn't Kevin Spacey visit Chavez once before?

[More Fire for the People]

He's playing catch up with Harry Belafonte even though the media some how doesn't care about Belafonte... even though his career is much broader and definitely much longer.

[paolo22]

I agree, This is amazing. I'm very happy about this.

[Yehuda Stern]

That's right, many upper middle class Americans support Chavez, for the same reason that they supported Stalin in the 1930s - because it's a sort of socialism which promises to not be Marxist. Because they see a society in which the middle class lords over the poor and the workers, and it seems to them like a good alternative to a society ruled by the workers themselves. There's nothing progressive about that. If Sean Penn stated that he supported Lenin and Trotsky's USSR, I might've been more inclined to be impressed.

[Herman]

You hold your nose up so high that it's a wonder you don't put a hat on it.

[Charles Xavier]

You hold your nose up so high that it's a wonder you don't put a hat on it.
Hahaha:laugh::laugh::laugh: that is true. He does.

[Yehuda Stern]

And you are so blind it's a wonder you are able to write here.

[chegitz guevara]

I just watched Sean Penn in Milk. I strongly recommend comrades go see this movie. Aside from the rather amazing acting job, the politics is really quite good (all things considered).

[Revy]

Sean Penn actually broke with the Hollywood crowd by criticizing Obama. He also correctly predicted that there will undoubtedly be mass disillusionment with Obama after people realize what his presidency is really about.

[RedSonRising]

I'm iffy about Chavez and think he is too agressive in seeking aid by funding others with petroluem and supportive of a cult of personality, but his ideas and general vision for Latin America is one I greatly respect.

[ashaman1324]

You hold your nose up so high that it's a wonder you don't put a hat on it.
i tried to ignore this.
but...
:laugh::laugh::laugh:
to address chavez, he's no fidel but he's handled venezuela well so far.
i support him.

[communard resolution]

I just watched Sean Penn in Milk. I strongly recommend comrades go see this movie. Aside from the rather amazing acting job, the politics is really quite good (all things considered).

I haven't seen that one, but on a purely non-political note I think that Penn is the greatest actor alive.

[ÑóẊîöʼn]

That's funny, I could have sworn he was a libertarian.

[Charles Xavier]

That's funny, I could have sworn he was a libertarian.

No hes ours. He's a red diaper baby.

[duffers]

If Sean Penn stated that he supported Lenin and Trotsky's USSR, I might've been more inclined to be impressed.

Then all you Trots could have had an argument about who he prefers, Lenin or Trotsky.

[REDSOX]

Sean penn follows in the tradition of hollywood actors like Jane fonda, susan sarandon, Burt lancaster etc who take an interest in radical political movements around the world. If world socialism becomes likely however i wonder if sean would be so friendly towards socialist ideas then considering his bank balance would take an hammering

[Revy]

I think the next step for Sean Penn is to join the Socialist Party USA:D
Too bad I can't email him.:sleep:

[Coggeh]

i tried to ignore this.
but...
:laugh::laugh::laugh:
to address chavez, he's no fidel but he's handled venezuela well so far.
i support him.
You say that like Fidel was really all that good ....

[Honggweilo]

I always wonder why Michael Parenti would name his son "Christian".:laugh:

[Yehuda Stern]

Then all you Trots could have had an argument about who he prefers, Lenin or Trotsky.

That was just so clever that it ended up not meaning anything.

[duffers]

Wonderful retort; are you too busy arguing if the sky is blue or white today, with your comrades?

[Yehuda Stern]

It is as white as you are witty.